lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol

lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol

Life style changes can help reduce cholesterol, keep you off cholesterol-lowering medications or enhance the effect of your medications. Here are five lifestyle changes to acquire you started.

High cholesterol increases your danger of heart disease and heart attacks. You can improve cholesterol with medications, but if you'd rather first make lifestyle modifications to improve your cholesterol, try these five healthy changes. If you already take medications, these varieties can improve their cholesterol-lowering effect.

1. Eat heart-healthy foods

Even if you have years of unhealthy eating under your belt, making a few modifications in your diet can reduce cholesterol and improve your heart health.

Choose healthier fats. Saturated fats, found chiefly in red meat and dairy products, raise your total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol. As a ruler, you should get less than 7 percent of your daily calories from saturated fat. Choose leaner cuts of meat, low-fat dairy and monounsaturated fats — found in olive and canola oils — for healthier selections.

Do away with trans fats. Trans fats affect cholesterol levels by increasing the "bad" cholesterol and lowering the "good" cholesterol. This bad combination increases the danger of heart attacks. Trans fats can be found in fried foods and many commercial products, such as biscuits, crackers and snack cakes. But don't rely on packets that are labeled "trans fat-free." In the United States, if a food contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat in a serving, it can be labeled "trans fat-free."

Even modest amounts of trans fat can add up if you eat foods that contain small amounts of trans fat. Read the element list, and avoid foods with partially hydrogenated oils.

Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids.Omega-3 fatty acids don't affect LDL cholesterol. They cause other heart benefits, such as helping to increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or "good") Cholesterol, reducing your triglycerides, a type of fat in your descent, and reducing blood pressure. Some cases of fish — such as salmon, mackerel and herring — are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Other sound sources of omega-3 fatty acids include walnuts, almonds and ground flax seeds.Increase soluble fiber. There are two types of fiber — soluble and insoluble. Both have heart-health, benefits, only soluble fiber also helps lower your LDL levels. You can add soluble fiber to your diet by eating oats and oat bran, fruits, beans, lentils, and veggies.

Add whey protein. Whey protein is one of two proteins in dairy products — the other is casein. Whey protein may account for many of the health benefits attributed to dairy. Surveys have shown that whey protein given as a supplement lowers both LDL and total cholesterol.

You can get whey protein powders in health food stores and some grocery stores. Conform to the package directions for how to use them.

2. Exercise on most days of the week and increase your physical bodily function

Exercise can improve blood cholesterol level. Moderate physical activity can help raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol. With your doctor's OK, work up to at least 30 minutes of practice a day.

Adding physical activity, even in 10-minute intervals several times a day, can help you start to lose weight. But be sure that you can keep up the changes you decide to make. Consider:

Getting a brisk daily walk during your lunch hoarding your bike to workSwimming lapsPlaying a favorite sport

To stay motivated, find an exercise buddy or join an exercise group. And recall, any activity is helpful. Even choosing the stairs instead of the elevator or doing a few sit ups while watching television can make a difference.

3. Quit smoking forever

If you smoke, stop now. Quitting might improve your HDL cholesterol level. The benefits don't stop there.

Within 20 minutes of stopping, your blood pressure and heart rate decreasWithin one year, your risk of heart disease is half that of a tobacco user. Within 15 years, your risk of heart disease is similar to someone who never smoked.

4. Lose weight

Carrying even a few extra pounds contributes to high cholesterol. Losing as little as 5 to 10 percent of your weight can improve cholesterol levels.

Start by evaluating your eating habits and everyday routine. Consider your challenges to weight loss and ways to surmount them.

Small changes that add up. If you deplete when you're bored or frustrated, take a walk instead. If you pick up fast food for lunch every day, pack something healthier from home. For snacks, munch on carrot sticks or air-popped popcorn instead of tater chips. Don't eat mindlessly.

And look for ways to incorporate more activity into your everyday routine, such as using the stairs instead of taking the elevator or parking farther from your office.

5. Drink alcohol in moderation only

Restrained use of alcohol has been linked with higher levels of HDL cholesterol — but the benefits aren't strong enough to recommend alcohol for anyone who doesn't already drink. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. For healthy adults, that means up to one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than age 65, and up to two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger.

Too much alcohol can contribute to serious health problems, including high blood pressure, heart failure and stroke.

If lifestyle changes aren't enough ...

Sometimes healthy lifestyle changes aren't enough to bring down cholesterol levels. Make sure the alterations you make are ones you can continue to do, and don't be disappointed if you don't see results immediately. If your doctor recommends medication to help lower your cholesterol, learn it as prescribed, but continue your lifestyle changes. Life style changes can help you keep your medication dose low.