A few simple dietary changes, along with exercise and other heart-healthy practices, can help you control high cholesterol naturally.
A person’s diet has a significant impact on how healthy their cholesterol levels are. Consuming meals that keep cholesterol levels in a healthy range can help prevent health problems such as heart attack or stroke. Cholesterol is a waxy molecule that circulates in the bloodstream as a component of two lipoproteins: low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (HDL). LDL cholesterol is commonly referred to as “bad” cholesterol because it causes fatty deposits in the arteries. These deposits can obstruct blood flow, leading to heart attacks or strokes. HDL, or “good” cholesterol, helps remove cholesterol from the body through the liver. High HDL cholesterol levels can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
What exactly is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty molecule found in your blood that is naturally produced by your liver. Cholesterol performs several functions in your body, but having too much of it in your blood can be dangerous. Elevated blood cholesterol levels are usually caused by consuming meals that are not part of a heart-healthy diet. By following a heart-healthy diet, you can consume foods that are naturally low in harmful fats and high in beneficial fats.
Will a cup of oats help you lose weight? Why not try a handful of almonds? A few simple dietary changes, along with exercise and other heart-healthy practices, can help you lower your cholesterol.
How can I lower my cholesterol through diet?
Here are some dietary measures you can take to lower your cholesterol:
• Increase your soluble fiber intake.
• Reduce your consumption of saturated fat.
• Trans fats should not be consumed.
• Eat varied food.
• Increase your intake of soluble fiber – This is a type of water soluble fiber. Soluble fiber binds to bile (which contains cholesterol) and excretes it with your body’s waste products.
• Reduce your consumption of saturated fat – Saturated fat is a solid type of fat at room temperature. Saturated fat is common in foods such as meat and dairy products.
• Trans fat should not be consumed – Trans fat is a by-product of the reaction of liquid vegetable oil with hydrogen. While this is encouraging news, it doesn’t mean that fast foods and processed foods are completely safe. They can be high in saturated fat. In addition, due to their cooking process, they may still contain trans fat (such as frying).
• Consume a variety of foods – When trying to achieve healthy cholesterol levels through diet, it is critical to have meals that include a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein sources, low-fat dairy/dairy substitutes, and fats.
Conclusion:
Keep in mind that there are different forms of cholesterol. While “good” HDL cholesterol may be beneficial to your health, high levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke, especially when oxidized. This is due to the fact that oxidized LDL cholesterol is more likely to stick to the walls of your arteries and form plaques, which clog these blood channels.