Natural Ways to Lower Cholesterol: Do’s and Don’ts
Statin medications are usually prescribed to maintain the good levels of cholesterol in the body and lower the bad cholesterol. These medications can often causes negative side effects on people. Some may have an allergic reaction or become weak. there is some concern about the effects of long term statin use on memory and dementia. But not to worry, there are natural ways to lower cholesterol if you are willing to change your diet and lifestyle.
To further understand the effects the natural ways to lower cholesterol we look at the cholesterol diet dos and don’ts.
Do’s:
Check overall health – Calculate one’s Body Mass Index (BMI). This so-called BMI determines if a person is normal, obese, overweight or underweight by giving the weight and height. How muscular a person is will also be a factor to consider when calculating the BMI. Athletic people who work out tend to have a higher BMI due to having more muscle, which is not necessarily unhealthy.
Understand the condition – Once you know your cholesterol levels, blood pressure and weight as a baseline, then you can plan what actions should be taken. First is understanding all about the condition of high cholesterol and learning natural ways to lower cholesterol with diet. Your cholesterol diet menu will include a big selection of healthy foods. For instance, an overweight person must lower the bad cholesterol and increase the good cholesterol levels. A low-fat diet is essential. Including lots of fruit and vegetables, walnuts, oatmeal and beans is the basis of the diet.
Commit to diet and exercise – A person with high cholesterol needs a low-saturated fat diet. Eat very little low fat cuts of meat but eat more fish that are rich in omega-3. Complete your meal with a large serving of vegetable, salad s and fruits to help increase good cholesterol. For the exercise, build up to exercising for 30 minutes daily. A simple brisk walk every day is a great help on lowering bad cholesterol especially when it is partnered with healthy foods.
Manage stress – Some people tend to eat a huge amount of food especially chocolates when they are stressed out. Just make sure to enjoy a little stress; however, make sure to know how to relax and enjoy life once in a while. Learn relaxation skills to help reduce your stress levels.
Don’ts:
Do not eat fatty foods – Earlier it was mentioned that meat can be eaten; however, do not eat large amounts or high fat cuts. A serving portion of meat is the size of the palm of your hand only. Limit red meat to once a week. Avoid eating the skin off chicken. As much as possible remove it before cooking. The skin contains fats that increase bad cholesterol. Don’t eat luncheon meats or processed meats of any kind.
Avoid sweets, caffeine, alcohol and tobacco – Sweets contains sugar and too much of it makes you crave more and increases your weight. It raises bad cholesterol. The effect is also similar with caffeine and alcohol.. Tobacco is very bad for your health and increases risk of heart attack.
These are only a few of the natural ways to lower most important thing is to follow both dos and don’ts to avoid other complications brought on by high cholesterol. Start making changes in your diet, learn about heart disease and inflammation and the role of diet. Lowering cholesterol will improve your general health and reduce your risk of serious disease.