How To Reduce Cholesterol Without Medication

These lifestyle changes can help reduce cholesterol naturally, without any medication, and make you feel healthy and vibrant again.

When you are all about a healthy lifestyle, there are things that shouldn’t slip your notice. One of them is your cholesterol level.

Having a high cholesterol level can bring some uncomfortable situations in your life including heart diseases and heart attacks.

Cholesterol is simply a lipid that is important for the body to function properly. It comes in two kinds:

• HDL (high-density lipoprotein);
• LDL (low-density lipoprotein).

The HDL cholesterol is in charge of carrying lipoprotein from the cells to the liver for final usage while the LDL supplies the cells with proteins.

The problem with the LDL is that sometimes, it supplies the cells with too much protein which leads to clogging of the artery walls.

The leading cause of heart attacks and strokes is high cholesterol in the arteries.

In the case of a heart attack, the supply of blood to the heart is blocked by a blood clot. Stroke is caused by cutting short of blood supply to the brain. Both are consequences of high cholesterol.

7 Ways To Reduce Cholesterol Naturally

These simple changes to your lifestyle will help you lower your cholesterol level without any medication and make you feel alive and healthy again:

1. Stop Taking Anything That Is Or Looks Like Trans Fats

These types of fats are the real reason why there is more bad cholesterol, LDL, in your body than good ones. And having bad cholesterol means a heart attack is brewing and will hit anytime soon.

Trans fats are in processed junks such as cakes, chips, cookies, crackers, and so on. You should avoid buying this thing to reduce your intake of trans fats.

Checking the label of whatever you are eating will be a good way to start, but you have to be careful in doing that too. Some labels would write that they are trans fat-free but this may be because the product contains a little amount of trans fat.

Avoid foods with trans fat totally, even in their smallest amount.

One of the things you may find as an ingredient is hydrogenated oil which is another kind of trans fat that should also be avoided.

2. Go For Healthier Fats Instead

Healthier fats are monosaturated fat which you can find in lean meats, low-fat dairy products, olive oil, chickpea seeds, and so on. Avoid using more saturated fats in your food, limit it to only 7%.

Saturated fats are also capable of raising the bad cholesterol in your body, causing problems that could have been easily avoided. Red meats and full-fat dairy intake should be limited.

3. Omega 3 Fatty Acids Are Good For The Heart

Although omega-three fatty level does not directly aim at reducing the bad cholesterol, it does it indirectly by increasing the good cholesterol also known as high-density lipoprotein.

It also helps in reducing a type of fat that is found in the blood, known as triglycerides.

Omega 3 fatty acids reduce your blood pressure by preventing inflammation. It also helps in thinning the blood which prevents the formation of blood clots. And it removes plaques that form in the arteries.

All these help in preventing terrible heart conditions such as stroke or heart failure.

How do you get omega-three fatty acids?

Well, there are two types of omega-three fatty acids which are the more effective forms of it: DHA and EPA Food sources of Omega 3.

You could get these active forms from three food sources:

• Seafood;
• Egg;
• And microalgae.

Seafood, such as salmon, herring, mackerel, is good sources of omega 3. Although you will have to be careful with seafood as some of them contain high mercury level which could cause toxicity if taken too much.

For vegans who do not eat seafood or eggs, they can make it with microalgae or vegetables such as salad greens, kale, spinach, and Brussels sprouts. These vegetables contain another form of omega three known as the AHA.

You can also find omega 3 in vegetable oils such as flaxseed oil, soybean oil, walnuts, and rapeseed oil.

Other sources of omega-three which could be beneficial for your heart are leafy green veggies (spinach, kale, chard, beet green, chicory), beans and legumes, chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, and seaweeds.

When you increase your intake of omega-three fatty acids, your body will be in good shape and you will have a healthy heart.

4. Eat More Soluble Fiber

We have two types of fiber, namely soluble and insoluble fiber. They are both beneficial to the body and help it function properly.

But since we are focusing on lowering cholesterol levels, then we have to concentrate on the soluble fiber which is more easily absorbed by the body.

You can find soluble fibers in food sources such as fruits, vegetables, oats, oat bran, beans, lentils, etc.

When you eat foods high in fiber, it slows down the digestion of sugar and carbohydrates in your body which could cause an increase in blood sugar level and cholesterol.

5. Increase Your Physical Activity

This could be in the form of exercising or something as simple as gardening, just ensure you are keeping your body active. It has been proven to be capable of increasing high-density lipoprotein and lowering the LDL.

You can engage in a 30-minute exercise, cycling to work, using the stairs rather than the elevator, brisk walking for 30 minutes or an hour, swimming, or even lawn tennis.

They are all forms of physical activity that could help reduce cholesterol naturally, without any medication.

6. Lose Up Some Weight

Belly fat, saggy chest, fatty arms are some of the symptoms of excess weight that you ought to lose as it could be producing some bad cholesterol for you.

Change your eating habits by cutting down excess calorie intake. Eat fewer junks and invest in fruits, vegetables, protein, and fiber.

You can replace that potato chips with some healthy blueberries or celery sticks. There are lots of healthy food swaps that can help reduce cholesterol and prevent stroke and heart disease.

Avoid rushing your food by eating mindfully. Cut down on the alcohol as it contributes to belly fat and can lead to high blood pressure and stroke too.

7. Smoking Contributes To Bad Cholesterol

Smoking is bad and can lead to high blood pressure and various heart diseases. You can gradually quit smoking by reducing one cigarette every day.

Your cholesterol levels are more likely to improve when you quit this bad habit.

As you can see, there are small lifestyle changes that can help you reduce cholesterol without medication and improve your overall health.

Basically, if you’re active and eat healthily, you’re on track for a healthy, stroke-free lifestyle.