High Cholesterol is quite a common disease in this current century. Not only the adults, but the children also are attacked by the symptoms of High Cholesterol. So the very common question to the doctors is how to lower Cholesterol.
High Cholesterol increases the chances of a heart attack more than the normal cases. Excessive oily and junk foods too increase the Cholesterol level. So after having the Cholesterol level higher and asking how to lower blood pressure level to your doctor, it is better to prevent yourself than cure.
Here some lifestyle suggestions are given below to make you healthy and lower the blood pressure level in time:
Food Habits
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The food habit of a person controls his health. So make your food habit healthy at first to avoid unnecessary health issues. Replacing junk foods with a low Cholesterol food list can give you a healthy lifestyle.
Here are some food suggestions you need to have if you are eager to know how to lower blood pressure:
Saturated Fat-free Food
Red meat and full-fat dairy products contain the maximum level of saturated fat. This fat increases low-density Lipoprote(LPL) in Cholesterol in your body which is bad Cholesterol. Unsaturated fats are two types- a) Polyunsaturated b) Monounsaturated
Polyunsaturated fats reduce the risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Diabetes simultaneously with keeping the HDL level high and LDL level low.
Trans Fat-free Food
Trans-fats are mostly monounsaturated fats. These fats are modified by a process called hydrogenation. Trans Fat remains mostly in partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. This kind of Vegetable oil is used in cookies stored in shops, cakes, margarine, etc products. Trans fat increases the cholesterol level in the human body. So to avoid the chance of facing a high blood pressure we need to replace those vegetable oils with
- Olive oil
- Canola oil
- Nuts like Almond, Cashew, Hazelnut, and Walnuts
- Avocados
The primary reason to ask for having the Trans Fat free Food is these foods make the HDL level low and the LDL level high. The LDL or ‘Bad Cholesterol’ raises the risk of Heart Attack or Stroke.
Food with Omega-3 Fatty acid
Foods containing Omega-3 Fatty acid is the best choice the people interested to keep blood pressure level lower. Omega-3 Fatty acid is Polyunsaturated Fat because Omega-3 Fatty acid does not affect LDL Cholesterol. But this Fatty acid helps to keep the heart healthy and it also reduces the blood pressure. Salmon, Mackerel, Walnuts contain the maximum quantity of Omega-3 Fatty acids. Also in seafood and fish oil, this fat is found.
Food with Soluble Fibre
If how to lower Cholesterol is your primary concern then making a food habit with soluble fiber will be the safest option for you. You can get the soluble fiber in some foods which are very easy to get in the market. In Apples, Kidney Beans, Sprouts, Pears you can get soluble fiber in your body.
Food with whey Protein
In dairy products, maximum Whey protein is found. So keeping a dairy product in the everyday menu can lower the LDL level. It keeps the total cholesterol lower too as well as blood pressure.
Here are some lists of food you can add in your list to low your blood pressure level and stay healthy:
- Oats
- Beans
- Nuts
- Apple
- Vegetable Oils
- Eggplant and Okra
- Citric fruits
- Soy
- Fish
So, replacing the old oily junk foods with the above-mentioned foods you can get a healthy life and answer the most asked question which is ‘how to lower Cholesterol and Triglycerides’.
Helpful Drinks
If you have regular drinking habit then it is high time to change the habit immediately because alcoholic drinks contain Ethanol. Ethanol increases HDL as well as the risk of Heart disease. So, it is better to avoid alcohol and start to drink some healthy beverages.
Green Tea
Tea is one of the most popular drinks from the ancient age. Green tea is considered the healthiest among all kinds of tea. According to some researchers, Green Tea can lower the level of ‘bad’ or LDL Cholesterol. Thus, including 2 cups of green tea once in the morning and once in the evening would be a good idea.
Tart Cherry Juice
Tart Cherry Juice does not let the Cholesterol level be changed and it keeps cardiovascular health in general. Research shows that Cherry Juice increases the LDL level more than Tart Cherry Juice. Hence proved that Tart Cherry Juice is more way better choice for your healthy heart and lower the Cholesterol.
Citrus Juice
Are you fond of juicy fruits like lemon, oranges or grapefruit? Then “how to lower Cholesterol” is not at all a tough question to you. Because you will happy to know that the juice of these fruits contains Citric Acid. In Citric Acid, Antioxidants are found which helps to low the cholesterol level and keeps the heart-healthy. So, drinking a glass of lemon juice every day is helpful for a high cholesterol patient to keep the Cholesterol level normal.
Cranberry Juice
Just like the Citric fruits in Cranberry also enough antioxidants are found. So Cranberry Juice is the right choice of drink for high Cholesterol patients. Cranberry Juice highers the HDL or the ‘Good Cholesterol’ and reduces the LDL or the ‘Bad Cholesterol’. So as the replacement of the alcoholic drinks Cranberry Juice mocktail is indeed a healthy and better option for the drinkers.
So, now you have the answer to the question – “what is the best drink to lower Cholesterol”
Supplements
If you are not ready to change your food habit or the drinking habits then also there are options for you to adjust your cholesterol level. Food supplements are one of the best ways to control your cholesterol without changing your food habits.
Here some supplements to lower cholesterol which will help you to reduce the cholesterol level:
- Artichoke extract
- Barley
- Fish Oil
- Flaxseed ground
- Green tea extract
- Oat bran
- Niacin
- Soy protein
So you can buy those food supplements and have them regularly. But before that, you must take suggestions from a doctor because these supplements often cause multiple other health issues in the cost of lower cholesterol.
Exercise and Physical Activity
The reason behind the higher level of Cholesterol in the body is not only the food habit. Many other factors also control the Cholesterol level. So here are some more healthy practices for you to avoid the high Cholesterol:
Exercise
The habit of daily exercise and yoga in the morning before going to work or in the evening after returning from the work will keep you away from the attack of High Cholesterol. Proper exercise decreases the harmful LDL and increases the level of helpful HDL. Both adults and children exercise to reduce the chances of health problems.
Meditation
Meditation along with proper exercise and yoga is also able to keep you fit and away from High Cholesterol. But if you are a non-meditating person full of energy and unable to sit in a place for hours then “how to reduce Cholesterol without meditation” will be in your want-to- know the list. Do not worry. You have several other activities to reduce your Cholesterol level and answer the question of how to lower the Cholesterol.
Quit Smoking
If you tend High Cholesterol and smoking habit as well then before asking the doctor “how to lower Cholesterol” quit your smoking habit right now. After quitting smoking your HDL Cholesterol level becomes higher; that is good for health. As a result, Your blood pressure and heart rate become better than the Smoking period. So your chance of heart attack reduces than a smoker.
Lose weight
Overweight or obesity causes the chances of heart attack or high blood pressure. Too much consumption of unhealthy junk foods are the main reason for overweight and obesity. Oily or junk food contains the maximum level of LDL which makes the Cholesterol level higher. Overweight also causes High Blood Pressure which raises the chance of Heart Attack. So if you are overweight then losing weight will be your primary aim to make yourself healthy and reduce the Cholesterol level lower.
Doctor’s Prescriptions
Though food habit and the other healthy habits can keep you away for the High Cholesterol, still, a doctor is always the best person who can give you the answer of “how to lower Cholesterol” and prescribe you the perfect medicine according to your health.
Generally, doctors prescribe the first type of drug to lower the LDL level and higher the ‘good cholesterol’ or the HDL level. These drugs also lower triglycerides which reduce the chances of cardiac arrest and other coronary diseases.
Drugs which are prescribed by the doctors mostly are:
- Atorvastatin ( Lipitor )
- Fluvastatin ( Lescol )
- Lovastatin
- Pitavastatin ( Livalo )
- Pravastatin ( Pravachol )
- Rosuvastatin Calcium ( Crestor )
- Simvastatin ( Zocor )
Despite the Statin drugs doctors also prescribe Niacin as medicine as well as the food supplements.These statin drugs may have several side effects. So, one should not take these drugs without consulting the doctor.
Herbs
Nature has also some types of equipment for a high blood pressure patient which is called herbs. If you believe in ayurvedic treatments to cure your High Cholesterol and want a healthy heart then here are some herbs to lower cholesterol quickly for you:
Ginseng:
Ginseng is a common herb used in Asian medicine for years. It helps to maintain the balance of LDL or the ‘bad cholesterol’ and HDL or the ‘good cholesterol’ properly.
Astragalus
Astragalus is mostly used in Chinese medicine. Its primary usage is supporting the Immune system of the human body. But due to the presence of an antioxidant, it helps to low the LDL and high the HDL.
Hawthorn
This herb has a worldwide usage from the very ancient ages. The entire plant is used for health benefits. This herb too contains antioxidant which keeps the cardiovascular system perfect. This plant also maintains the LDL and HDL balance and the fat in the blood which is known as triglycerides. This herb also helps the blood pressure level lower at the time of the blood test.
Artichoke Leaf Extract:
Artichoke is a very old herb using from the very ancient age. This is the best herb to control the blood pressure level in the human body. It also keeps the ‘bad cholesterol’ lower and maintain the cholesterol balance properly. The whole plant helps to keep blood pressure and triglyceride in balance.
Garlic
Garlic is our common herb mostly used in India. Though it is used to cook the food containing the maximum level of LDL, researchers have found that garlic can reduce the total blood pressure level in human blood. But garlic prolongs bleeding and blood clotting time. So before surgery garlic should not take as a medicinal herb.
So, with the food habit, drinking habit, doctor’s prescriptions, herbs you can control your high blood pressure. Despite all these, having a tension free life is most important to keep someone a healthy lifestyle. So doctors often advise people to be busy and take less stress so that they can be happy both psychologically and physically. Now, at the answer to “how to lower the cholesterol” psychological or mental peace is also an important factor.
To keep the mind happy and to have a less stressful life one needs to follow his hobby as well as being active. So to increase physical activities one should play his favorite sport or have a joy ride in a bike. These activities keep a person tension free and active at the same time.
So, find a bike rider group or join your favorite sport, quit smoking, do regular exercise, listen to doctor’s word, leave alcohol, have a perfect food habit and you will have the answer “how to lower cholesterol” within yourself.
