Cholesterol: Here are 5 tips to lower your level simply

High cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease and heart attack. Medications can help improve your cholesterol levels. But if you’d rather make lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol first, try these 5 healthy changes.

5- Change lowering cholesterol

1. Eat heart-healthy foods

Some changes in your diet can lower cholesterol and improve the health of your heart:

– Reduce saturated fat

Saturated fats, mainly found in red meat and full-fat dairy products, raise total cholesterol. By reducing your intake of saturated fat, you can lower your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is the “bad” cholesterol.

Getting rid of trans fats

Trans fats, sometimes listed on food labels as “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil,” are often used in margarines, cookies, chips, and store-bought cakes. Trans fats increase total cholesterol levels.

Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids do not affect LDL cholesterol. But it has other benefits for heart health, including lowering blood pressure. Foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids are salmon, mackerel, herring, walnuts and flaxseeds.

Increase soluble fiber

Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. Soluble fiber is found in foods such as oats, beans, Brussels sprouts, apples, and pears.

– Add whey protein

Whey protein, which is found in dairy products, may be responsible for many of the health benefits attributed to dairy products. Studies have shown that taking whey protein in supplement form reduces both LDL and total cholesterol, as well as lowering blood pressure.

2. Exercise every day of the week and increase your physical activity.

Exercise can improve cholesterol. Moderate physical activity can help raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the “good” cholesterol. With your doctor’s approval, increase exercise to at least 30 minutes five times a week or 20 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity three times a week.

Adding physical activity, even at small intervals several times a day, can help you start to lose weight. think about it:

Take a brisk walk daily during the lunch hour.
Cycling at work
– Do your favorite sport

3. Quit smoking

Smoking cessation improves HDL cholesterol levels. Quick beneficial effects:

Within 20 minutes of quitting smoking, blood pressure and heart rate recover from the rise caused by smoking.
Within three months of quitting smoking, your blood circulation and lung function begin to improve.
Within a year of quitting smoking, the risk of heart disease is halved compared to a smoker.

4. Lose weight

Gaining a few extra pounds contributes to high cholesterol. Small changes add up. If you drink sugary drinks, choose tap water. If you’re craving sweets, try sorbets or desserts with little or no fat, such as jelly beans.

Find ways to include more activity in your daily routine, such as using the stairs instead of the elevator or parking your car further away from your desk. Take a walk during breaks at work. Try to increase standing activities, such as cooking or gardening.

5. Drink alcohol in moderation

Moderate alcohol consumption has been linked to higher levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. If you drink alcohol, do it in moderation. For healthy adults, this means one drink a day for women of all ages and men over 65, and up to two drinks a day for men 65 or younger. Excessive consumption of alcohol can lead to serious health problems. Including high blood pressure, heart failure and stroke.

If lifestyle changes aren’t enough…

Sometimes, lifestyle changes aren’t enough to lower cholesterol levels. If your doctor recommends a drug to help lower your cholesterol, take it. Lifestyle changes can help you keep your medication low.