High blood pressure, artery disease, heart disease, heart attack, and stroke are among the dangerous effects of having high cholesterol. As such, it is essential that you take care to keep your cholesterol levels in a normal range.
If you have been diagnosed with or suspect you suffer from high cholesterol, it is important for you to talk to a physician to find out what you can do to reduce your levels of cholesterol.
Very often doctors advise medication to control the cholesterol. You should know, however, that your improvement is not exclusively dependent on taking medicine. There are simple and natural alternatives to not only treat but also prevent the problem.
People who do not get enough regular exercise are more likely to have high levels of cholesterol in their blood. Since their metabolism is a lot slower, the rate at which their body converts cholesterol into energy reduces as well.
This increases the amount of cholesterol that builds up in their systems, causing a spike in their cholesterol levels. One of the most effective methods of keeping your cholesterol within healthy limits is to exercise more regularly.
You do not have to register in a gym in order to start exercising, although this can also come in handy. A brisk walk for about 30 minutes a day, tending to your household chores, or yard work may provide you with the necessary exercise to boost your body’s metabolism rate.
Changes will also need to be made to what you eat. Make a list of foods rich in soluble fiber and those high in bad fats. Eat the foods that are high in fiber in copious amounts and reduce or eliminate the consumption of processed foods and trans fats. This is because soluble fiber assists your body in lowering your cholesterol, while bad fats increase the amount of cholesterol formed in your body.
Whole grain foods, fruits, and vegetables such as berries, apples, broccoli, and carrots are high in soluble fiber. Eat them in abundance. Avoid fried or processed food.
It will also help to take natural supplements to further tone down the cholesterol level in the body. Omega-3 fatty acid capsules and garlic pills are some of the many supplements that lower cholesterol levels.
In addition to adding more exercise to your day and eating better, it is essential that you try to be as relaxed as possible. If you are often stressed, no amount of exercise and good diet can keep you healthy. As a matter of fact, often stressed people find it difficult to lead an active life, much less pay attention to their diets.
Once you start feeling drained, anxious, or depressed, stop what you are doing and rest. Do something fun with your family or partake in one of your favorite hobbies. It is also beneficial to practice prayer, meditation, or yoga. Find a church or support group. It is in your best interest to work toward establishing the proper mindset to enable you to succeed in lowering your cholesterol levels.
Quit smoking. There is nothing healthy about smoking, including the fact that it can make your high levels of cholesterol worse. Smoking also diminishes good cholesterol. You gain nothing at all by smoking.
Take good care of your body. It’s the only one you’re going to get. Unless you are in a crisis situation, you don’t have to overhaul your entire lifestyle in one day. Make these changes to your health, diet, and life slowly and gradually. Each small change will result in not only lower cholesterol, but in better overall health. So what’s the point in waiting? Start today.