High cholesterol is becoming increasingly common, and in many developed countries, close to 15% of the population has excessive cholesterol levels. If you fall into that classification, then you need to know what you can do to get it back under control.
A higher than normal cholesterol level can lead to a number of heart problems and a shorter lifespan, so you need to be doing what you can to get your cholesterol under control and back to safer levels.
Boost Your Physical Activity
You can start by exercising more. This is one of the most effective and simplest ways to improve your cholesterol. Any exercise that gets your heart rate up is going to be good for your cholesterol levels. Even walking regularly can help out.
You may not even need to try to go to the gym or perform a workout session. Simply by walking to more places and choosing the stairs instead of the elevator, you can make an impact on your cholesterol and your overall health.
If you have any serious health problems, however, it is best to consult with your doctor before starting up any exercise regimen.
Change up Your Diet
The second major key to lower cholesterol is dieting. If your cholesterol levels are too high, then a poor diet is likely contributing. If you aren’t sure what foods to eat, then you may want to talk to your doctor or a dietician. You can set up meal plans or just try to make healthier choices.
One of the better ways you can fight cholesterol in your diet is to make foods yourself at home and control what is put into them. Be careful about how much fat, salt, sugar and oil you use when you prepare food. It’s almost always healthier to make the food yourself than to go out to eat or to buy pre-packaged or frozen meals.
You can also focus on making whole fibre grains and healthy fats a part of your diet. These healthy fats are the ones found in fish, coconut oil, olives and other foods with HDL cholesterol. There is both good and bad cholesterol, and you want to make sure you decrease the LDL, or bad cholesterol, in your diet and focus on adding in HDL where you can. This simply just means substituting certain foods for others and cooking with the right ingredients.
When you consume dairy products, opt for low fat or skim milk products for better cholesterol levels. Making better choices each day like this can make a big difference in how your cholesterol levels change over time.
Use Medication, if Necessary
While dieting and exercise are essential for lowering your cholesterol, they are not your only options. You can get some help by choosing the right medication to decrease your appetite, fight fat retention or directly lower cholesterol levels. Talk to your doctor about some medications that can boost your effectiveness in the fight against high cholesterol.
There are a number of these, and what you are able to use will depend on the medical conditions you are facing and how much help you want in decreasing your cholesterol. For many people, diet and exercise will be enough, but others may need the boost and support provided by cholesterol-lowering medications. Just don’t try to self-medicate in this area of your health, as there would be disastrous consequences. Instead, follow your doctor’s advice to get the most effective and safest medications to help you battle high cholesterol.
If you follow these guidelines for fighting cholesterol, you will have yours lowered quickly and safely and enjoy a longer life with fewer health risks.
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Thanks for sharing the blog. Very informative blog.