How To Lower Ldl Quickly – Cholesterol is a waxy substance secreted by the liver that performs many physiological functions such as supporting cell membranes and tissues necessary for hormone production and bile secretion. It is abundant in a wide range of animal products. However, if the amount of cholesterol increases too much and accumulates in the body, it can disrupt the normal functioning of the system. Cholesterol is not water soluble, instead it is transported in the blood by lipoprotein molecules that carry cholesterol, a fat-soluble vitamin.
There are different types of lipoproteins such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol and high levels of LDL result in cholesterol deposits in the blood vessels that can lead to stroke, heart attack and atherosclerosis. While high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol helps move cholesterol out of the blood vessels and helps prevent the risk of heart disease.
How To Lower Ldl Quickly
Some of the contributing factors that increase cholesterol levels include poor dietary habits, unhealthy lifestyle, heredity and certain medications.
How To Lower Cholesterol With Diet: Medlineplus
Dietary modifications and choosing the right types of food can help you lower cholesterol levels and improve your lipid profile. Different foods work in different ways to lower LDL cholesterol, including dietary soluble fiber that binds to cholesterol and its precursors in the intestines and removes them from the body before the bloodstream.
Monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids in food reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol. Many phytonutrients, plant sterols and stanols, prevent the system from absorbing cholesterol.
Avocados are packed with an extraordinary amount of nutrients and are an extremely rich source of monounsaturated fat. These healthy fats help lower LDL or bad cholesterol and increase HDL or good cholesterol.
Pulses or legumes are a group of plant foods that are high in folate, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and fiber. Replacing refined grains with pulses reduces the risk of heart disease and balances cholesterol levels.
Foods That Lower Cholesterol For Healthy Life
Dark chocolate has cocoa powder as its main ingredient. Rich in polyphenols such as catechins and procyanidins, continuous intake of these polyphenolic compounds protects LDL cholesterol from oxidation in the blood. However, dark chocolate with 80 percent or more cocoa content should be consumed.
Garlic contains a variety of powerful plant compounds. Allicin, one of the main compounds in garlic, helps lower LDL cholesterol and keep blood pressure under control.
Tea contains many heart-healthy nutrients. It contains catechins and quercetin, both powerful antioxidants. Consuming these bioactive components helps in balancing cholesterol levels. Quercetin also helps with blood vessel function and reduces inflammation. Many of us dread seeing the doctor, even though we love our doctors. This is especially true if we have been encouraged to change our diet and exercise regime, but haven’t made much progress. Hey, it happens. You blinked and another year passed. But, those annual checkups and tweaks to our self-care are so important, especially if we’re dealing with one of the most common problems people face today—high cholesterol.
You may be confused about the true impact of cholesterol on heart health because there’s been so much talk about it lately, so I’ve teamed up with our resident Jane Reilly to bring you more facts on this somewhat hot topic.
Tactics To Reduce Cholesterol Quickly
Cholesterol was considered the only determinant of heart disease risk. However, researchers have now discovered that cholesterol is only one piece of the puzzle (triglycerides, blood pressure, obesity and diabetes are some of the other pieces) (Study).
A low-fat diet was recommended to lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease. Dietary recommendations have now changed and focus on making sure you’re getting enough omega-3 fats, which can raise your good cholesterol, avoiding trans fat and limiting saturated fat, which can raise your bad cholesterol.
Some researchers and dietitians have begun to downplay the role of saturated fat in heart disease risk and cholesterol levels (research article). However, their findings are based on observational studies, which are not so reliable in showing definitive cause and effect. Saturated fat (and mostly from animal sources) is still a part of the heart disease equation, but should be limited if you want to keep your ticker and other parts of your body healthy.
Heart disease risk is the new sugar to the party. Research is now pointing to avoiding simple carbohydrates and added sugars, especially added fructose, as they raise triglyceride levels and other risk factors for heart disease ( study ). The good news is, many of the heart health recommendations are still the same: eat more plant-based foods, fiber, maintain a healthy weight, exercise — and avoid smoking, of course!
Delicious Smoothies To Lower Cholesterol
But, the fact is that more than 102 million adults in America have high cholesterol. That’s a lot of people! Although cholesterol isn’t the only indicator of heart disease – it’s still important ( study ) because it can increase the risk of it building up in your artery walls.
So, here are the three main warning signs your doctor is looking for when monitoring your cholesterol: 1. Low levels of good cholesterol (HDL) compared to your total cholesterol levels. 2. Bad cholesterol which contains very dangerous small, dense particles (there are three types of particles and the smallest ones are not good for your ticker). 3. High triglycerides (cholesterol’s cousin) (studies, studies, and studies). This can lead to blockages and a heart attack or stroke – not something we want to mess with.
In addition to what we’ve discussed above, here are a few more ways you can adjust your food choices to avoid high cholesterol and heart disease.
Hopefully, your health care provider has mentioned that food choices, exercise, and weight control can have a powerful effect on your cholesterol and triglycerides. If not, see if he’ll give you a 6-month chance to make changes and retest your levels before prescribing statins. It usually takes 6 months for your body to respond to dietary changes, so be patient and consistent.
The Top Supplements To Lower Cholesterol In 2023
You’ve probably heard the usual recommendations when it comes to keeping your arteries clear. Eat more vegetables. Avoid too much saturated animal fat, trans fat, and fried foods. Limit sweets and simple carbohydrates that will raise your triglycerides (and possibly raise the worst kind of bad cholesterol). Maintain a healthy weight, reduce stress and exercise. When it comes to the diet portion of your plan, there are a few additional tweaks you can make to increase your artery-clearing power.
To make these tips even easier for you, I’ve created a handy chart below with my top 5 recipe substitutions for lowering cholesterol.
If you’re trying to lower your cholesterol and boost your heart health, I hope you have a better understanding of the role cholesterol plays in your overall well-being and how you can take an active role in keeping it in a healthy range.
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How To Lower Cholesterol Without Medication
Want to look good and feel your best? Start here—it’s the ultimate guide to living and eating crazy sexy (exciting recipes included!). LDL is “bad cholesterol” because too much of it in your blood can contribute to plaque buildup in your arteries. Foods high in saturated fat (such as full-fat dairy and red meat) can raise your LDL. A heart-healthy diet, exercise and quitting tobacco use can help lower your LDL. For most people, a normal LDL level is less than 100 mg/dL.
Lipoproteins are particles made of lipid (fat) and protein that carry fat in your bloodstream. Fats, because of their structure, cannot move through their blood. So, lipoproteins act as vehicles for carrying fat to different cells in your body. LDL particles contain large amounts of cholesterol and small amounts of protein.
Most people use “LDL” and “LDL cholesterol” interchangeably. LDL cholesterol has a reputation as the “bad cholesterol”. But that is only part of the story. LDL cholesterol itself is not bad. This is because cholesterol performs important functions in your body. However, when you have too much LDL cholesterol, you may be in trouble.
Most adults should keep their LDL below 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). If you have a history of atherosclerosis, your LDL should be below 70 mg/dL.
Best Foods To Raise Your Hdl Or
LDL levels above 100 mg/dL increase the risk of heart disease. Healthcare providers use the following categories to describe your LDL cholesterol level:
Healthcare providers check your cholesterol levels with a simple blood test called a lipid panel. When you get your results, it’s important to talk to your provider about what your cholesterol number means. This includes both your LDL and your HDL cholesterol. HDL is the “good cholesterol” that helps remove excess cholesterol from your blood.
In general, health care providers encourage high HDL cholesterol levels (ideally above 60) and low LDL cholesterol levels to reduce your risk of heart disease. If your LDL is too high and your HDL is too low, your provider may recommend lifestyle changes and/or medications to get your cholesterol numbers up.
