Cholesterol is a fat, wax-like substance produced by the liver and is present in animal-based food. Cholesterol is essential to perform different body functions, but its high level can cause many health issues. According to the National Health and blood institute, high cholesterol is being driven by an unhealthy lifestyle. Moreover, different medications can also be a reason for elevated cholesterol levels. One thing to consider is high cholesterol does not cause symptoms but increases the risk of stroke and heart disease. Doctors offer medicine to reduce cholesterol levels, but you have to reduce cholesterol levels without medication as it has different side effects such as nausea, muscle cramps, and headaches. In this blog, we are going to explore how to reduce cholesterol levels naturally without Drugs.
Eat Heart-Healthy Foods:
If you follow a few steps for your diet, you can control cholesterol levels to improve your heart health.
1. Reduce Saturated Fats:
Saturated fats are usually found in dairy products and red meat, which increase your total cholesterol. When you decrease your consumption of saturated fats, you can quickly lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
2. Eliminate Trans Fats:
Trans fats, are generally listed as partially hydrogenated vegetable oil used in store-bought cookies, cakes, margarine, and crackers. Tran’s fats generally increase cholesterol levels. The Drug and Food Administration has banned the utilization of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. However, fish oil reduces cholesterol levels to a great extent.
3. Intake Omega-3 Fatty Acid-Rich Food:
Omega-3 fatty acids do not affect LDL cholesterol, but they are best for blood pressure reduction. Foods with omega-3 fatty acids include mackerel, walnuts, salmon, flaxseeds, and herring.
4. Increase Soluble Fiber:
Soluble fiber is the best way to lower the absorption of cholesterol levels into the bloodstream. Soluble fiber is found in kidney beans, sprouts, Brussels, pears, and apples.
5. Add Whey Protein:
Whey protein is usually present in dairy products which is the best way to reduce cholesterol levels without medication and benefit health. Whey proteins are used as supplements to lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
6. Increase your Physical Activities:
Exercise is the best way to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. However, everyday physical activities are also the best way to increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. So you have to work 30 minutes of exercise 5 times a week to keep your cholesterol level in control. Adding physical activities every for a short time in your daily routine can help you lose weight. You can follow these activities to keep yourself warm:
· Taking a brisk daily walk
· Riding bike
· Playing sport
You can also join an exercise group to stay motivated and know what food can reduce cholesterol levels.
7. Quit Smoking:
When you stop smoking, your HD cholesterol level will remain in control. The heart rate and blood pressure can be recovered by quitting smoking, and in this way, you will know how to reduce your cholesterol level naturally. Lung functionality and blood circulation begin to improve within years by reducing the risk of heart diseases.
8. Lose Weight:
Extra weight is a big reason for high cholesterol that can be controlled by small changes in diet. You have to use fruits to reduce cholesterol levels and if you drink beverages, replace them with tap water. Moreover, if you feel the craving to eat something sweet, try candies and sherbet instead, such as jelly beans. Look for ways to increase your daily routine activities such as parking farther from the office and using stairs in place of the elevator. Try to increase standing activities by doing yard work and cooking.
Make Changes in Diet:
If your cholesterol is creeping upward, you have to pay attention to your diet and exercise to bring it down. But if you want only one change in your daily routine, you need to go with your diet plan to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. A complete analysis of different controlled trials found that dietary changes reduce cholesterol levels without affecting health. According to the director Department of Nutrition at Brigham and Women’s hospital, you don’t need exercise for self-deprivation eating with your LDL. Still, you have to say goodbye to fast food.
Eat More Monounsaturated Fats:
Both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids help to reduce the cholesterol level without medication. Most plant-made oils such as safflower, olive, sunflower, canola, grape seed, and peanut oil consist of both types of fatty acids. Seeds, nuts, soybeans, avocados, and fish oil reduce cholesterol levels and are a great source to maintain a diet.
Use Vegetables and Fruits:
Fruits and vegetables have numerous ingredients beneficial to lower LDL cholesterol, including cholesterol-blocking molecules like stanols and fiber. The heart-healthy list spans colors like yellows, squashes, greens, tomatoes, blueberries, and plums.
Avoid Grains and Refined Sugars:
Whole grain is another excellent way of fiber. Try to use wild rice instead of whole wheat flour. Always try to reduce cholesterol levels without drugs by using low-fat salads and sauces. However, if you see corn syrup, and sugar in ingredients, always go with a low-fat version of the food.
Snack on Strawberries, Walnuts, Peas, or Avocados:
There is nothing wrong with grabbing a snack between meals to settle the rumbling in your stomach or increase your energy. However, snack foods like microwaveable popcorn, pastries, chips, crackers, and cookies are high in saturated fats and Trans. So snaking vegetables, fruits, and nuts can help you get good fat and fiber to avoid bad fats. Raw nuts are the best kind of fats that are high in unsaturated fats. These are best to reduce cholesterol levels by increasing the HDL cholesterol level and lowering the bad LDL cholesterol level. Moreover, nuts, along with many veggies and fruits, can be a great source of fiber. When you add these foods to your diet, you can significantly reduce your cholesterol level. Here are some suggestions to increase the dietary plan to a great extent:
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Peas
- Carrots
- Okra
- Eggplant
- Oranges
- Peanuts
- Pistachios
- Almonds
- Cashews
So you can use various fruits to reduce cholesterol levels by improving your daily life activities.
Substitute Healthy Oil in Place of Margarine and Butter:
When you are heading up a tasty meal, it’s not always possible to avoid fats. So you can add healthy oil for pan-frying and baking instead of butter, lard, and shortening. Solids oils are high in unsaturated fats, and these oils have less than 4 grams of saturated fats in one tablespoon. You can also use sunflower oil, olive oil, and grape seed oil in place of solid fats. Fish oil reduces cholesterol levels, so you can add it to your oils for making delicious food.
The Bottom Line:
Cholesterol has a significant role in our body but can also cause heart disease and clogged arteries when getting out of control. Low-density lipoprotein contributes to heart disease and is prone to free radical damage. On the other hand, high-density lipoproteins give protection against heart disease by carrying cholesterol away from the back to the lover and vessel walls. If your cholesterol level is out of control, you need to pay attention to your dietary plan. Soluble fiber, plant sterols, and unsaturated fats can decrease bad LDL and increase good HDL. Moreover, you need to avoid smoking and Trans fats if you want to improve your cholesterol level. Keeping diet in control can make you able to reduce cholesterol levels without medication.
Get Assistance from Nutrigastro:
Everyone loves to enjoy healthy food, and if you want to keep your cholesterol level in control by taking an essential diet, you need to eat tasty and low-saturated fat food. However, many people don’t have an idea to cook healthy food, so they need assistance and personal chef services. If you are looking for the best catering and chef services, you can consult us at Nutrigastro. You can contact us at any time because our services are available all the time.