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High Cholesterol? This Is The Lifestyle You Should Follow For Your Health

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Overview

High cholesterol can have a harmful impact on your entire body. It puts you at risk of heart disease at a younger age and can narrow down your blood vessels.

Fatty deposits in the vessels grow overtime leading to occlusion and sometimes may break off. This forms a clot that can lead to a heart attack or a stroke. So, it&rsquo;s important that you control the amount of cholesterol in your body. 
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Medication can help you control this but lifestyle and dietary modifications go a step further and help you achieve optimal health without the side effects you will be at risk of with medication. 
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Manage  High Cholesterol:

This is what you can do to manage your high cholesterol: 
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<ul>
	<li>Reduce Consumption Of &nbsp;Fats: Right of the bat, this one is a no-brainer. Reducing your consumption of saturated and trans fats helps with reducing elevated levels of cholesterol. Saturated fats are present in red meat and dairy products and can raise your LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. Similarly, trans fats raise your overall cholesterol levels. These are found in margarines and commercially baked goods. 
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	<li>Consume More Omega-3 Fatty Acids: These are beneficial for your heart health and your blood pressure as well. In order to ensure adequate amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, add hemp seeds, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, hemp seed oil, flaxseed oil, olive oil, canola oil and avocados. A daily dose of 250-500 milligrams of this supplement is recommended. This can also be taken in the form of pills. Eating fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines also help improve your good cholesterol. 
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	<li>Olive Oil: This has antioxidants like polyphenols and mono-saturated fats that reduce risk of heart disease, helps raise your good cholesterol levels and improve your overall health. 
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	<li>Following A Low-Carb Diet: Research has shown that this can help improve your HDL and triglycerides levels along with improving several other risk factors for heart disease. 
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	<li>Eat Purple: Eggplants, black berries, blueberries, red cabbage etc are high in anthocyanins which are antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation and raise HDL levels while also protecting you from free radical damage. 
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	<li>Consume More Soluble Fibre: This helps reduce absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream while filling you up. It can be found in oatmeal, kidney beans, Brussel sprouts, pears, apples, black beans, lima beans, sweet potatoes, broccoli, turnips, apricots, guavas, flax seeds and hazelnuts. It&rsquo;s best to start slowly building up the amount of soluble fibre you consume on a daily basis. 
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	<li>Whey Protein: This can help control both LDL and overall cholesterol levels and has been found to be good for managing your blood pressure. A whey protein smoothie everyday with breakfast can help you gain these benefits. Foods rich in whey protein include ricotta cheese, milk and yoghurt. 
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	<li>Exercise: Physical activity can help raise your HDL levels. Approximately 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week is the usual recommended dosage. It&rsquo;s not just good for gaining that lean muscular physique but helps your body on a molecular level as well. Along with exercise, an active lifestyle can also help you achieve your goals. This can include things like skipping the elevator to take the stairs or riding your bike to work. Losing your overall weight with the help of your favourite sport or exercise can help bring down your cholesterol. 
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	<li>Stop Smoking: Smoking is injurious to your blood vessels and ruins your chances of having a healthy cardiovascular system. Quitting smoking has also been linked to improved levels of good cholesterol. 
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Conclusion

When it comes to our health, diet and exercise are usually the only thing we can control. Your body responds to everything you put into it, so swapping out your regular diet for healthier options can help you ward off the high cholesterol scare fairly easily. 
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