5 Ways To Lower Cholesterol

5 Ways To Lower Cholesterol

High cholesterol is a condition that can be treated one of two ways; through lifestyle changes based on diet and exercise and in more extreme cases with prescription drugs used in conjunction with the first two.

No matter the ways used to lower cholesterol not taking care of the problem creates dangers that can be life threatening. Raised cholesterol levels can lead to atherosclerosis (a hardening of the arteries), which puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke.

If you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol here are 5 ways you can lower your levels without the use of prescription drugs.

1. Eat a healthy diet – Your diet has a large impact on your cholesterol levels. A diet low in Trans fats and saturated fats is key because these two substances are the biggest contributor to high blood cholesterol levels. This change alone can have a large impact on what you levels do.

2. Start exercising – Exercise builds up your cardiovascular system which is essential to reversing the dangerous effects caused by high cholesterol.

3. Quit smoking – Smoking accelerates the rate at which dangerous plaques build up in your arteries. These plaques block the flow of blood causing your heart to work harder and raising your blood pressure. This can cause a heart attack or if a plaque breaks loose it can cause a clot and a stroke.

4. Reduce stress – Learning to relax can have a positive effect on cholesterol levels. Stress can contribute to high levels of cholesterol even when you are eating a low fat low cholesterol diet.

5. Visit with your doctor – As more is learned about cholesterol and its effects on your health doctors are becoming more in tune with the proper way to treat this dangerous problem. Most doctors will recommend changes in diet and exercise before they prescribe cholesterol lowering medications. In more extreme cases drugs will be prescribed along with lifestyle changes. In many cases once your cholesterol is under control there is a good chance that medications can be discontinued.

If you adhere to these 5 ways to lower cholesterol you will soon see an improvement in your levels along with your overall health.

By: Andrew Bicknell

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