High cholesterol is a common medical condition that is often the result of unhealthy lifestyle choices. A few basic changes in diet and lifestyle can help a person to lower their blood cholesterol naturally over time, but you should know that there is no immediate solution to treat it and some people may notice changes in a few weeks by following the mentioned tips.
According to Medical News Study, in some cases, a person may need medication to help reduce blood cholesterol or control other risk factors. However, even if a person takes medication, it is still important to make lifestyle and dietary changes to improve cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of side effects.
What is blood cholesterol?
In the body, the liver produces cholesterol, a soft waxy substance, and cholesterol molecules circulate in the blood. The liver produces all the cholesterol the body needs, so a person does not need to consume cholesterol in their diet. You should know that blood cholesterol is not bad in itself and plays an important role in helping to build cells in the body, but when its level increases, it can bring dangers to the body.
Dietary cholesterol
Other sources of cholesterol come from the diet, and dietary cholesterol is only found in animal-derived foods such as meat and high-fat dairy products. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points out that cholesterol in the diet should be reduced as much as possible based on the recommendations of experts, because adding more food sources of this compound to the body and blood stream will increase the level of cholesterol in the body.
Measurement of blood cholesterol levels
When measuring cholesterol levels, doctors evaluate four markers in a person’s blood:
Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL): A lower number of LDL or bad cholesterol may be a good indicator of good health and a lower risk of disease.
high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL): Low HDL cholesterol, or good cholesterol, may be a health risk factor.
Blood triglycerides: A common type of fat in the blood, higher levels of which may be a red flag, especially when other risk factors such as low HDL cholesterol are present.
Total cholesterol: This number takes into account blood triglyceride, LDL and HDL cholesterol levels.
Doctors use all of these numbers in the context of a person’s overall health and other risk factors to determine their risk of heart disease and stroke.
Why do we lower blood cholesterol?
High cholesterol contributes to worsening heart health. As more cholesterol circulates in the blood, it becomes harder for the heart to pump properly. Also, this cholesterol can increase the risk of arteriosclerosis by helping to accumulate plaque in the arteries. High cholesterol puts a person at risk of heart disease as well as heart attack and stroke.
How to reduce blood cholesterol?
A person who wants to quickly reduce his cholesterol level can follow some basic health principles. Regular exercise, focusing on a diet rich in plant foods, reducing the use of refined foods and certain types of fats are among these.
Dietary changes
Cholesterol has a lot to do with what a person eats. For this reason, a healthy diet is one of the first things that doctors recommend for people who want to reduce their cholesterol quickly.
The following dietary changes may help a person lower their cholesterol as quickly as possible.
Eliminate trans fats
By reducing the level of good cholesterol, trans fats increase the level of unhealthy cholesterol. Some trans fats in the diet occur naturally in foods such as milk and meat products.
Other trans fats come from manufacturing processes. Food companies add hydrogen to some fats to make them more solid. Possible sources of trans fats include meat and dairy products, packaged hydrogenated oils, and fried foods from fast food restaurants.
Reduce saturated fat
Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and may not be beneficial for the body in large amounts. Consuming large amounts of saturated fat increases LDL cholesterol levels. The American Heart Association recommends reducing saturated fat intake to 5-6% daily.
Sources of saturated fat include meat and dairy products such as cheese, butter, milk, as well as vegetable oils such as palm and coconut oil.
Eat more plant-based foods
A cholesterol-lowering diet includes eating a wide variety of plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and seeds. Adding a variety of plant foods to your diet will ensure that your body receives the nutrients and vitamins it needs to function properly. Plant foods do not contain cholesterol, so they do not contribute to cholesterol levels in the body. In addition, plant foods contain nutrients such as antioxidants and certain types of fiber that may reduce other risk factors for heart disease.
Increase fiber intake
Plants are the only source of dietary fiber. Fiber is an important factor for the health of the digestive system, which may also affect other risk factors such as high cholesterol.
The American Heart Association estimates that a high-fiber diet alone can help lower cholesterol levels by 10 percent. Consuming more plant foods increases fiber intake. People who need extra fiber may need to use fiber supplements to help them meet their daily needs.
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Increase the use of plant protein sources
Introducing variety into the diet may help people manage some of the risk factors for heart disease. Many people get their protein mainly from animal sources. However, they should also include plant protein sources in their diet.
Some plant foods that contain a significant amount of protein include:
Beans and legumes such as peas, lentils and peas
Grains such as rice and quinoa
Nuts such as almonds and cashews
Seeds including pumpkin, sunflower and hemp seeds
Adding plant proteins to the diet can help the body meet its protein needs without adding cholesterol.
Eat less refined food
It is better to avoid refined foods as much as possible. Refined and packaged foods have ingredients that give them a pleasant flavor, but these foods often contain ingredients that a person should avoid when trying to lower their cholesterol.
Among the ingredients to avoid are refined grains, trans and saturated fats, and added sugars.
The role of lifestyle in reducing blood cholesterol
Several lifestyle factors can affect a person’s cholesterol levels. Some people may find that making certain lifestyle changes can help lower their cholesterol.
Sport
Exercise plays an essential role in cardiovascular health and healthy cholesterol levels. The American Heart Association notes that just 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week can help lower cholesterol and other risk factors such as high blood pressure.
To achieve this goal, a person should do 30 minutes of activity that raises the heart rate 5 days a week. These activities may include brisk walking, swimming, biking, jogging, and taking a dance class.
smoking
Smoking affects many aspects of health. Especially for people with high cholesterol, smoking reduces the amount of good cholesterol in the body. The results of a new study show that people who quit smoking quickly see a noticeable change in their HDL cholesterol levels, and this is an important indicator of overall cholesterol health.
body weight
Achieving or maintaining a healthy weight may reduce the risk factors for some diseases in obese people. It may help people increase their HDL cholesterol levels by lowering their LDL cholesterol levels. According to the American Heart Association, losing 10% of your total body weight can help improve cholesterol levels.
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Medicines to control blood cholesterol
Medications are an important tool for people whose cholesterol levels are dangerously high and who may be at risk of heart failure or stroke.
Statins are the standard medication for most people. By lowering cholesterol levels, statin drugs reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke caused by high cholesterol.
Depending on individual risk factors, doctors may recommend other medications, such as:
9 PCSK inhibitors
Selective cholesterol absorption inhibitors
resin
Medicines to reduce blood lipids
Even with medication, it is important to focus on making dietary and lifestyle changes to lower cholesterol.
A summary of blood cholesterol
High cholesterol is a serious risk factor for diseases such as heart failure and stroke is considered. A person can help lower their cholesterol as quickly as possible by making changes in their diet and lifestyle. These changes include consuming a varied and plant-rich diet, avoiding saturated and trans fats Sport is regular
People with severely high cholesterol may need medication to control their cholesterol. However, dietary and lifestyle changes are still needed to promote healthy cholesterol levels. The patient should consult with his doctor to decide on the appropriate action plan in the field of blood cholesterol reduction and make sustainable changes to lower his cholesterol level.
Translator: Goddess Zarei
