Lower Cholesterol With Diet, Exercise, and Natural Supplements
There are several ways to accomplish healthy cholesterol levels; for instance through prescription medications; yet still, probably the best way remains to be choosing natural methods like diet and exercise. You just have to change your habits to lower your cholesterol. Really, you don’t have to take dramatic steps. All it takes is some knowledge, patience, and discipline.
To start small changes in your diet, first try to avoid eating the foods that increase cholesterol, and then prefer foods that lower cholesterol. Polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats like walnuts and almonds, fatty fish like salmon, trout, mackerel, etc, healthy oils like olive oil, canola, sunflower, corn oil etc, as well as oatmeal – are considered to be “good cholesterols,” hence should be incorporated to your lower cholesterol diet plan. The simplest way to probably eat healthier is to eat oatmeal for your breakfast and snack. Oatmeal is rich in soluble fibers, which can absorb the excess cholesterol in the body and then eliminate them through bowel movement.
To remove unhealthy fats from your diet, stay away from foods that have saturated fats and trans fats. These are usually found in red meat and full cream dairy, as well as in most processed foods like deli meat, dressings, ready-made cakes, cookies, and even sweets. What you can do is to look at the labels of your grocery items to make sure that the ingredients do not include (partially) hydrogenated vegetable oils or shortening.
You can eat healthier food substitutes like white meat (skinless chicken breast), soy milk, etc, and favor nutritious freshly made goods and homemade meals instead. If you take your time to cook your food at home, then you are also giving yourself the chance to control the ingredients that goes into it. This way your food becomes healthier and just as delicious as the unhealthy foods you would buy in the supermarket.
If you want to be more successful with your goal of lowering you cholesterol and living a healthier lifestyle, then you can try strategies like limiting your banned food intake but not completely shunning them. For instance you can still eat red meat, but limit to eating it only two times a week. This will prevent you from feeling deprived and you will have more motivation to continue following a realistic diet plan and succeed with it.
Lastly, include all-natural cholesterol lowering supplements to your diet, and integrate regular exercise besides your chosen ways to lower cholesterol with diet.