High cholesterol is a serious health condition that can lead to heart disease, stroke, and other health problems. But there are things you can do to lower your cholesterol levels naturally, without medication. Here are 10 tips to help you get started.
Cholesterol is a fatty-waxy substance that is usually found in the blood. The body needs it to make new cells and essential hormones, that can help it perform with excellence. However, a sudden surge in cholesterol levels can lead to the formation of plaques inside the arteries, causing severe problems for the blood to flow and reach each organ of the body.
How to Lower Your Cholesterol Without Medication
High cholesterol is a serious health condition that can lead to heart disease, stroke, and other health problems. The good news is that there are things you can do to lower your cholesterol levels naturally, without medication. One of the most important things you can do is eat a healthy diet. In this article, we take a close look at the home remedies to manage high cholesterol levels naturally.
Here are 10 tips on how to lower cholesterol levels naturally with diet:
Eat Plenty of Soluble Fiber
Suffering from high cholesterol? Add soluble fiber to your daily diet that can effectively help in lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels. Good sources of soluble fiber include oatmeal, beans, apples, pears, and citrus fruits.
Add Healthy Fats
Try to add a lot of foods to your diet that are rich in healthy fats when trying to manage the levels of cholesterol levels. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are good for your heart and can help manage bad cholesterol levels in the blood. Some of the foods that are rich in these fats include olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds.
Say No To Saturated Fats
It is important to keep saturated fats out of your diet when trying to control high cholesterol levels in the body. Saturated fats can raise LDL cholesterol levels. Saturated fats are found in red meat, full-fat dairy products, and coconut oil.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
A very important part of the high-cholesterol diet is omega-3 fatty acids. Adding food rich in this nutrient can help to lower LDL cholesterol levels and raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels. Some of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids are — salmon, tuna, mackerel, and herring.
Plant Sterols
Trying to control your blood cholesterol levels with diet? Drink plant sterol-enriched beverages. Plant sterols are compounds that can help to block the absorption of cholesterol from the digestive tract. Plant sterol-enriched beverages, such as orange juice and milk, are available at most grocery stores.
Manage Your Weight
Obesity can cause you to gain weight. It is important to limit your intake of processed foods when suffering from high cholesterol. Why? Any type of processed foods are high in saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, and sodium. Therefore, one should never add them to their diet when trying to control weight, which can contribute to cholesterol spikes.
Fruits And Vegetables
Add plenty of fruits and seasonal vegetables to your diet when suffering from high cholesterol levels. Fruits and vegetables are low in calories and fat and high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. All of these things are good for your heart and can help to lower cholesterol levels.
Add Lots of Water-Rich Fruits To Your Diet
It is important to add water-rich fruits to your diet that can help in managing the body’s hydration levels. Staying hydrated is important to keep any type of chronic condition at bay.
Barley and Other Whole Grains
Another great addition to your diet when suffering from high cholesterol levels is to include grains like barley, brown rice, and quinoa. They are excellent sources of soluble fiber and can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
Soy Products
Soybeans and soy products are also good choices of food when trying to control and manage high cholesterol levels. You can add foods like tofu and tempeh to your diet as a meat substitute or add them to stir-fries and salads.
Disclaimer: Following these tips can help you to lower your cholesterol levels naturally and improve your overall health. If you have any questions or concerns, be sure to talk to your doctor.
