Four Steps To Help Naturally Lower Your Cholesterol

High cholesterol is defined as having total cholesterol of 240 mg/dL and above. More than 16% of Americans have high cholesterol, which is approximately one in every six adults. High cholesterol doubles your risk of heart disease. The average cholesterol level for adult Americans is 200 mg/dL which is borderline high risk. Women in the United States suffer from high cholesterol more so than men.

The dangers of high cholesterol include: narrowing of the arteries due to the buildup of plaque along the walls of the arteries known as atherosclerosis, chest pain or angina, decreased flow of blood to the heart and brain which can result in a heart attack or stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure. Here are four natural ways to help lower cholesterol levels, and if implemented early, maybe even prevent high cholesterol.

First and foremost is diet. A diet high in saturated fat, Trans fats and foods containing high cholesterol are a recipe for disaster. High cholesterol foods include: organ meats, fatty cuts of meat, eggs, whole fat dairy products, butter, pastries and most fast foods. Foods high in trans fats include: commercially baked goods, margarines, snack foods, processed foods and fried foods. Diet modification is one of the best and most natural ways to start lowering your cholesterol. And instead of focusing on what you need to cut out, try focusing on all the delicious foods you can have. How about lean cuts of meat with the skin off seasoned with extra virgin olive oil (a healthy fat) and vinegar? Salads made with fresh delicious vegetables and seasoned with salt free seasons instead of fatty dressings are a great healthy alternative to salads covered in eggs, bacon bits, croutons and oily salad dressings. Need a fat fix, try salmon, mackerel or any fatty fish. Fatty fish contain omega-3 fatty acids which help to lower cholesterol levels and are a healthy alternative to fatty cuts of beef or chicken. Don’t like fish? How about pistachios, almonds or walnuts? Theses nuts also provide healthy fats and add flavor to salads, oatmeal or eaten as a snack on their own. Keep in mind that nuts are nutritious when they aren’t covered in salt or sugar. If you love eggs, try a cholesterol free egg substitute.

The second way to help naturally lower cholesterol is to eliminate all tobacco products. Consumption of tobacco products reduces HDL (good cholesterol) levels. HDL cholesterol helps to remove LDL cholesterol from the artery walls. We need an adequate mix of LDL and HDL cholesterol in order to function properly. Therefore, smoking has a negative effect which can ultimately lead to heart disease.

The third and most fun way to naturally lower cholesterol is with exercise! O.k., don’t panic. I’m not saying you need to join an expensive gym, put on tacky fitness gear and go for the burn. How about a brisk 30 min walk or a relaxing yoga class? For most people who start a fitness program, their interest in fitness grows as their fitness level improve, which will often lead to the individuals expanding their fitness regime to include different modes of exercise such as: dance, kickboxing, weight training, functional exercise or maybe even a sport. The most important part of fitness is to just get started. And nothing is easier than a nice walk. Consistent exercise helps to raise HDL levels and is tied in with the fourth way to help naturally lower your cholesterol, stress reduction.

Stress itself does not cause high cholesterol, it leads to conditions which may provoke secondary concerns such as emotion eating. Emotional eating involves eating comfort foods to fill an emotional need and few people find broccoli and oatmeal comfort foods. Studies link the onset of stress with the consumption of fatty foods, smoking and drinking. Since stress itself does not cause high cholesterol, preventing stress does not help to lower cholesterol, in itself. However, managing stress can make you feel better which will make you better able to control overeating and will reduce the desire for smoking and alcohol.

High cholesterol has reached epidemic proportions in America today. Unfortunately this disease often goes undetected until it has caused some sort of health issue which sends the individual to the doctor’s office. The best way to tackle high cholesterol is to address it before it becomes a problem. By making a few simple lifestyle modifications, we can decrease our risk of developing high cholesterol and all the health risks that go along with it.

By: Brandon Sharp

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