This article is about the ways to lower bad cholesterol. If we talk about cholesterol, then it plays an important role in the body by maintaining healthy cell membrane in it. It also plays an important role in building hormones and vitamins inside our body. But, if you found the levels of cholesterol increasing in your body, then remember it can cause various health problems. In this article, we are going to discuss different ways to lower bad cholesterol.
What is Bad Cholesterol?
Well, any type of cholesterol can be bad for our health if it reaches a high level. Basically, LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol is termed as “bad cholesterol”. It can be very damaging to our cardiovascular system. It gets build up on the arterial walls and causes blood clots that make the walls stiff. It may cause high blood pressure and can even elevate the risk of heart diseases. Hence, it is really important to keep your LDL level below 100 milligrams per decilitre.
What are the Healthy Levels of Cholesterol?
The cholesterol level is measured in milligram per decilitre. Your total cholesterol level including HDL and LDL must stay below 200 mg/dL. Your LDL level should be more than 130 mg/dL while HDL level should be at least 35 mg/dL. The more you have HDL, the better you are protected from heart diseases.
How High Cholesterol is Diagnosed?
Just consult a doctor to perform the blood test to diagnose high cholesterol level. It is really important to check your cholesterol level every five years.
Symptoms of High Cholesterol:
Though, there is no such symptom of high cholesterol. But, it may cause emergency events in your life. At times, stroke and heart attack may occur due to the damage caused by the high cholesterol levels.
Ways to Lower Bad Cholesterol:
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Here are few important natural treatments that may help you to lower bad cholesterol naturally. Follow these remedies to prevent bad cholesterol.
1.) Limit Intake of Saturated Fats
The saturated fats like cheese, dairy products, eggs are high in cholesterol and saturated fats. All of these animal-based foods can elevate your LDL levels. So, it is really important to reduce intake of such saturated fats. Also, it is really important to eliminate dairy products and meat from your diet. Just choose lean cuts of meat and skinless breast of chicken. Go for non-fatty milk, yogurt, and cheese. If you are eggetarian, then consume egg white to lower bad cholesterol.
2.) Start Doing Exercises to Lower Bad Cholesterol
Your diet plays a major role in framing your health. It is really important to follow a right kind of diet. But, nowadays people don’t get much time to think about the food they eat. There is more mental work rather than physical work, that creates a huge difference in the health of people. All such lifestyle results in the weight gain. The increase in the weight is considered to be a big reason for the rise in LDL level. So, it is really important to perform regular aerobic exercises to lower LDL cholesterol. So indulge yourself in aerobic exercises like jogging, bicycling, walking and swimming to lower bad cholesterol.
3.) Consume Black Tea to Lower Bad Cholesterol
Not only tea provides energy, but it also helps in lowering bad cholesterol. Tea contains cancer-fighting antioxidants as well. According to a research by USDA, it is proved that black tea helps in reducing blood lipids up to 10% in three weeks. It even helps in reducing the risk of coronary heart disease.
4.) Sleep Properly to Lower Bad Cholesterol
Sleep deprivation also increases LDL cholesterol level. If you don’t sleep properly at night, then remember all such situations will increase your LDL cholesterol level. So, if you are experiencing sleeping disorder like insomnia, then try to treat it as soon as possible. Always try to take a sleep of 7-8 hours on a regular basis to lower bad cholesterol.
5.) Decrease Amount of Gluten in Your Diet
We Americans usually follow a high-gluten diet that is basically wheat-based diet, which may lead to obesity. It may also cause inflammation. So, if you are following the high-gluten diet, then make sure that you stay away from muti-grains products. Also, go for baked foods made up of refined flour. Just make a small change in your diet to lower bad cholesterol.
6.) Drink Red Wine to Lower Bad Cholesterol
Red wine is the only alcohol that provides various health benefits. It is high in fiber known as Tempranillo that is found in red grapes. It also helps in lowering level of cholesterol effectively. If an individual consumes the same supplement find in the red wine, then he/she can lower their LDL level up to 9%. So, drink red wine once in a day to lower bad cholesterol.
7.) Eat Avocado to Lower Bad Cholesterol
It is a great source of healthy monosaturated fat that helps in lowering LDL cholesterol level. It contains a beneficial plant-based fat known as beta-sitosterol. This fat helps in reducing cholesterol absorbed from food. Though this fruit is quite high in calories, so it is recommended to consume it in moderate quantity.
8.) Eat Oats in Breakfast to Lower Bad Cholesterol
Breakfast is considered to be the most crucial meal of the day. If you are having high LDL cholesterol level, then it is very important to focus on every meal you take. So, if you are looking for the ways to lower bad cholesterol level, then nothing can work better than making a few changes in your morning meal. Try to switch up your breakfast to contain servings of oats, as it is an essential food to lower bad cholesterol level up to 5.3% in 6 weeks. Oats contain beta-glucan that is considered to be a very important ingredient, which can absorb LDL cholesterol. This cholesterol comes out from your body in the form of excreta. So, make a small change in your diet and add oatmeal in it.
9.) Garlic to Lower Bad Cholesterol
Not only garlic helps in adding taste to your food, but it also helps in lowering bad cholesterol. Garlic contains anti-fungal properties and various nutrients that help in preventing blood clots and reducing blood pressure. It can protect your body from several infections. It is simply a great herbal medicine for the people having high cholesterol levels. It helps in stopping artery-clogging plaque, as it keeps away the cholesterol particles from getting attached to artery walls. So, consume garlic by adding it to your recipes. Also, try to consume 2-4 garlic cloves on a regular basis to lower bad cholesterol.
10.) Add Spinach to Your Diet to Lower Bad Cholesterol
Green leafy vegetables are always considered to be good for health. So, if we talk about spinach then not only it is rich in lutein, but this green vegetable can help you to lower high cholesterol level. So, consume a half cup of spinach on a regular basis, as it helps in keeping away cholesterol from getting stuck to the walls of arteries. Also, lutein content present inside this green leafy vegetable helps in preventing blindness.
Few Facts About Cholesterol:
Here are few hidden and interesting facts about cholesterol. They are as follows:
- The American population is suffering at a higher rate with the problem of cholesterol.
- Avoid eating eggs if you have high cholesterol levels, as it contains a large amount of dietary cholesterol in it.
- Cholesterol can not be burned off like fat. Though, it is a lipid just like fat. But, unlike the fat, it cannot be burned.
- High cholesterol can be caused due to genetic factors i.e this problem can be hereditary. It is considered to be the most common cause of high cholesterol.
- It is a myth that children can’t have high cholesterol. Even they are at higher risk of developing the problem of cholesterol.
- Saturated fats can increase your blood cholesterol levels more than dietary cholesterol.
- After menopause, women are at a higher risk of developing high cholesterol.
Hence, if you are really willing to lower bad cholesterol level of your body, then try to make few dietary and lifestyle changes. Try to keep yourself healthy by working out on a regular basis. Also, try to add important foods in your diet. This is a key role to lower bad cholesterol.