3 Ways to Lower Cholesterol Levels

by Todd McCarthy

The prolonged appearance of high cholesterol could lead to a number of health problems. This includes things such as strokes, heart attacks, kidney failure, and clogged arteries. Fortunately, there are ways to lower one’s cholesterol. These techniques may be surprising to some, but also rather straightforward for others.

Diet

A huge area within high cholesterol prevention is diet. There are certain types of foods to indulge in, and others which should only be eaten in moderation.

For example, foods high in trans/saturated fats are not good for cholesterol. This includes fried foods, processed foods, and carbohydrates. On the flip-side, one should aim to ingest foods high in ‘good’ fats. This includes avocados, almonds, pecans, lentils, fruit, whole grains, oats, cashews, walnuts, salmon, tuna, and shrimp.

Duly, healthier alternatives when it comes to oil is also a smart move. One should try and use olive/coconut oil in place of something like butter or vegetable oil. A supplement many use is fish oil. Loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids, these over-the-counter pills are said to reduce the total amount of fat being carried in the blood itself.

Exercise

This should come as no surprise. One should desire to exercise in some capacity for upwards of 30 minutes each and everyday. Even it the exercise is as simple as walking, humans will benefit from the activity. Studies have indicated that five-days-a-week of 30 minutes of exercise will help in improving cholesterol levels (as well as decreasing the risk of heart disease).

Along with physical exertion, the simple act of losing weight will help. This premise goes along with both diet and exercise.

Keep Vices in Check

Smoking in general contributes to an increased risk of clogged arteries. Other studies reportedly have found links between smoking and increased cholesterol levels.

Along with smoking, one should opt to drink alcohol in moderation. The reduced levels of drinking is reported to help combat heart disease, high cholesterol, and clogged arteries. When consuming copious amounts of alcohol on a daily basis, the exact opposite will happen.

Image Source: IBF