Simple Ways To Lower Your Cholesterol

Having lower cholesterol is beneficial to one's health

. Cholesterol is a fat-like material which is required by the body to produce hormones, vitamin D, and other materials which are needed to digest the foods eaten.

Cholesterol is found naturally in many of the foods eaten. Cholesterol does not mix with blood but is carried by the blood in packets known as lipoproteins. There are two kinds of cholesterol, the low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as the bad cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) called the good cholesterol. Over a period of time, as the human body ages, the deposits of LDL can build up in the arteries leading to their hardening and eventually their narrowing. When arteries are narrowed, the heart does not get its required supply of freshly oxygenated blood and this leads to heart disease. The higher the level of LDL the greater the chances one has of acquiring heart disease. The job of HDL is to transport cholesterol from all parts of the body to the liver, which ejects it from the body. With a higher level of HDL, the chances of getting heart disease are decreased. So to keep cholesterol in control, the aim should be to have higher levels of HDL and lower levels of LDL.

There some very simple ways one can adapt to lower cholesterol and maintain it at a healthy level. First and foremost, increase the dietary fibre by adding more fruits, whole grains, and beans to the daily diet. According to research, an intake of 15 grams of dietary fibre can help reduce bad, LDL cholesterol by five to ten percent. So instead of picking up chips the next time hunger pangs strike, think of fresh carrots, apples, or some nuts instead.

Controlling stress also helps to lower cholesterol. While stress cannot be eliminated completely, it is important that it should be controlled. Should a stressful situation arise, just calm yourself by taking a few deep breaths, and stepping back from the situation for a few minutes. If someone is overweight, losing as little as five to ten pounds can help lower the cholesterol score. Just by reducing five hundred calories a day, one pound may be lost per week.

While increasing fibre supplements, remember to lower the fat consumption. Less than 30% of the daily calories should come from fats and even most of those should be from unsaturated fats like olive oil. Try including omega 3 fatty acids like salmon, sardines, and tuna in the daily diet.

Last but not the least, remember to exercise. Regular exercise can increase the good cholesterol levels, which automatically helps to lower cholesterol that is bad by having it eliminated from the body naturally. This, in turn, reduces the risks of heart disease. Roughly 30 minutes of exercise four to five times a week is a good schedule that can have great benefits.

Keeping cholesterol in check is not difficult - it just means adapting a lifestyle that will maintain health and provide a long and fruitful life. The simple formula is to increase the dietary fibre while decreasing any processed foods that contain saturated fats.

by: Ted Brumby

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