The amount of cholesterol in your body could kill you, so you need to ensure it stays down. While there might be a medication that can help you deal with that, it is best to improve your cholesterol health naturally. Here are some of the ways you can go about it:
Eat Healthily
The one thing you will notice with your body is that it reacts to what you eat. Suppose you have poor eating habits. No amount of exercise or supplements will do you any good. You need to change your eating habits before going to the other areas of your life. Here are some of the things you can do when it comes to eating that will work great for you and lower the amount of bad cholesterol in your blood:
- Cut down on saturated fats- Saturated fats are found in red meat and full-fat dairy products. While you can still eat them, ensure you keep them to a minimum.
- Eat more fiber- Soluble fiber is known to eliminate some of the bad cholesterol from your body, so you need to ensure you eat that as much as possible.
- Cut down on trans fats- Trans fats are in hydrogenated vegetable oil and can be found in store-bought cookies, margarine, and cakes. Too much will elevate your cholesterol.
Healthy eating will ensure that cholesterol levels in your body are controlled.
Exercise
The other way you can reduce the amount of cholesterol in your blood is by exercising. You do not have to go for very intense exercises as long as you are burning calories each time. One of the things you can do is take brisk walks around the block. It will get your heart racing and help break up the fats stored around your organs. A healthy exercise regimen is known to reduce the amount of cholesterol in your blood significantly. If you are struggling with exercising, you might want to get a gym instructor or personal trainer to help. They will help you develop the perfect workout and push you not to slack in the regimen.
Get Some Supplements
If the doctors have told you that you have a lot of cholesterol in your body, it will help to get some supplements to help. There are some probiotics for cholesterol in the market, and they can lower the level of cholesterol in your blood. The good thing about taking these products is, you do not have to worry about any side effects. They are good for your body, and you need to take them regularly. Probiotics ensure that the bad cholesterol is broken down faster and not absorbed in the body. They come in handy if you have been on a lot of antibiotics medications.
Quit Smoking
Even though it might not seem like it, smoking can lead to increased cholesterol in your body, which can damage your blood vessels. The longer you smoke, the higher the chances of cholesterol accumulating around your vital organs. The reason for this is, smoking weakens your blood vessels. Weakened vessels cannot take cholesterol away from your heart for breaking down. Over time, this translates to more cholesterol accumulating in your heart. It also increases the risk of a heart attack.
Lose Weight
Studies show that your weight will determine the amount of cholesterol you have in your body. If you notice that you are gaining weight rapidly, now is a good time to shed the excess pounds. Do not wait for it to get to a point where you are at risk of lifestyle diseases before you hit the gym or start to diet. One of the ways you can ensure you keep your weight in check is to cut down on processed and sugary foods. Cut out on excessive snacking and eat fruits or nuts in-between meals instead. That way, you are always full without stuffing yourself with fatty foods.
While cholesterol can be good for you, there is also bad cholesterol that can damage your heart. For this reason, you need to be deliberate about keeping your cholesterol levels in check. The tips above will come in handy for you and ensure that you stay healthy and avoid lifestyle diseases.