How To Lower My Ldl Cholesterol – Cholesterol is a type of fat. Our body makes its own, and we also eat foods that contain cholesterol. Cholesterol is not bad. It helps us digest food, produce hormones and give structure to our cell walls. Cholesterol levels in our bodies are optimal.
When we disrupt this balance through things like poor diet, inactivity, and chronic stress, we put our bodies and blood vessels at risk. When your doctor draws your lipid blood panel, they’re usually looking at four things: LDL, HDL, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. I’m a visual person (and let’s be real, none of us have time to read long paragraphs), so let’s break them down into one picture:
How To Lower My Ldl Cholesterol
A statin is a type of medicine that works to lower your cholesterol by blocking an enzyme involved in your body’s own cholesterol production.
Ldl: The
Like any drug, statins come with some side effects. The most common symptom is muscle pain/pain, which occurs in about 5 percent of people on statins (1). Other less common side effects include increased blood sugar, liver inflammation, and confusion (2). Unfortunately, statins are also known to decrease levels of coenzyme q10 in the body, which is involved in many nerve and muscle pathways (3).
Statins can improve some cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart attack (4). For example, doctors may prescribe statins for reasons such as family history/risk. For most of us, though, statins don’t address the most common underlying cause… an unhealthy lifestyle! Improving diet, exercise and stress can reduce your risk of heart attack by up to 80% (5)!
My point in saying this is not to suggest that you go on a whim and nix your statin. Instead, it is very important to understand that we cannot take medicine and call it good. We need to make lifestyle changes our main focus to make a real difference in our health!
Addressing the root cause of your high cholesterol levels is important. For most people, this means improving their diet and lifestyle. These 7 interventions can put you on the fast track to improving cholesterol levels and more importantly…a healthy heart!!
Hypercholesterolemia: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Cold water fish contain two fatty acids, EPA and DHA for short. These are a type of omega-3 fat. EPA/DHA has highly effective anti-inflammatory properties (6). and has been shown to significantly lower triglycerides in several large review studies (7).
The best types of fish to get your EPA/DHA are salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and albacore tuna. Try to aim for 4 ounces of fish at least twice a week. If you don’t eat fish regularly, you may want to consider taking a fish oil pill. I usually recommend at least 1000 mg/day of total EPA + DHA to start, but you may need more if your triglycerides are very high. Talk to your doctor about this.
My favorite brand of fish oil is called Omega Genix by Metagenics. This company ensures that their supplements are third-party certified, meaning you can trust that what’s on the label, is actually in the product! Click here to get 10% off through my online store!
Fiber can bind cholesterol and help its excretion, effectively lowering total and LDL cholesterol (8). We need at least 30 grams of fiber per day. The average American consumes only 14 grams of fiber per day. Any type of fiber is good for your heart and arteries, but soluble fiber is especially helpful in lowering cholesterol.
Got High Cholesterol? Here Are Five Foods To Eat And Avoid
Sugar is a major driver of high cholesterol and inflammation (9). A great place to start cutting back on sugar is limiting sugary drinks. This includes soda, Kool-Aid, lemonade, energy drinks, etc. However, this ALSO includes juice and pre-bottled smoothie drinks.
Smoothie drinks like Naked can contain as much sugar as a can of Coke. “But it’s natural sugar!”. True – sources of sugar come from fruit. But, excessive amounts of natural sugars will still affect our blood sugar levels. A better option (besides sticking to water) is to make smoothies at home. For your smoothie, keep fruit to 1 cup, and add good sources of protein and healthy fats for a more balanced mix.
So long is the low-fat diet. A low-carb diet with high sources of healthy fats can help lower triglycerides while raising HDL (10, 11). The majority of your fats should come from mono- and polyunsaturated fats: nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, etc. These fats can provide greater satiety (fullness), and help balance blood sugar, making you less likely to snack on sugar. Pay less attention to the calorie level of foods, and instead focus on eating real foods (fewer ingredients, and less processed).
Physical activity is the number one thing you can do to raise your HDL (the good stuff). This doesn’t mean you have to join a gym! Walking is a very effective way to lose weight and improve cholesterol. Have a spouse, friend, or loved one who can hold you accountable? It keeps you motivated. Small goal setting is also helpful in this scenario. If walking doesn’t sound your horn, find something you enjoy (biking, swimming, rock climbing, etc.). Exercise is honoring your body, not punishing it.
Foods That Lower Cholesterol
Only 50% of Americans consume enough magnesium (12). This powerhouse mineral has many benefits for the body. In particular, magnesium has been shown to reduce CRP, a protein that increases when your body is inflamed (13). Since high cholesterol and heart health are so closely related to inflammation – it’s only going to help you.
Dark leafy greens, organic dark chocolate, almonds, roasted sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, broccoli, pumpkin seeds, black beans, avocado, banana.
When people think of vitamin K, most people go to vitamin K1, which helps with blood clotting. It’s forgotten sibling, vitamin K2, helps remove calcium deposits from the arteries (14). Although this vitamin cannot directly lower cholesterol, calcium buildup is a major component of plaque in arteries. Good sources of vitamin K2 include whole milk along with hard cheese, egg yolks, chicken breast, ground beef, butter and liver. Grass-fed animals have higher amounts of vitamin K2 than grain-fed animals.
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You can see that among the best sources of vitamin K2 are saturated fats, which have been blamed for heart disease since the 1970s. This recommendation is quite controversial in the medical community. A large review of nearly 350,000 people over 20 years showed a lack of evidence linking saturated fat to the development of heart disease (15).
Cholesterol Numbers Are In! Here’s What You Should Know.
While saturated fat shouldn’t be the main source of fat in your diet, don’t be afraid to include these vitamin K2 powerhouses because of their saturated fat content. Most importantly, make sure your K2 sources are high-quality, grass-fed, and pasture-raised animal sources. But, as always, plants should still be an important part of our diet.
For years, medical experts have told people to avoid eggs because of their cholesterol content (and many still do). I see it all too often, patients come to me and switch their protein-rich egg breakfast to a cold cereal that’s high in sugar and low in protein.
The cholesterol we eat does not have a strong effect on the cholesterol content in our blood (16). In fact, the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans even ended their cholesterol restriction in 2015. We shouldn’t be eating 5 egg omelets with highly processed meats every day. But, pairing 1-2 eggs with high-fiber foods (like beans, chopped vegetables, avocado, etc.) can be a healthy breakfast option to keep us satisfied until our next meal or snack.
Putting all this information to work can be difficult. I’ve created a free 7-day meal plan full of heart-healthy, anti-inflammatory foods. Get your copy below! High cholesterol levels — especially “bad” LDL — are linked to an increased risk of heart disease (
Hdl (good), Ldl (bad) Cholesterol And Triglycerides
Beans are high in fiber, minerals and protein. Replacing some of the refined grains and processed meats in your diet with legumes can lower your risk of heart disease.
A review of 26 randomized controlled studies found that eating 1/2 cup (100 grams) of beans per day was effective in lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol by an average of 6.6 mg/dl, compared with no beans (
Summary Beans, such as peas and lentils, can help lower levels of “bad” LDL and are a good source of plant-based protein.
They’re a rich source of monounsaturated fat and fiber — two nutrients that help lower “bad” LDL and raise “good” HDL cholesterol (5).
Hdl And Ldl Cholesterol
In one study, overweight and obese adults with high LDL cholesterol who ate one avocado per day had a greater reduction in LDL levels than those who did not eat avocados (
An analysis of 10 studies found that substituting avocado for other fats was associated with lower total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides (7).
They are very high in monounsaturated fat. Walnuts are also rich in plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat associated with heart health (8).
Almonds and other nuts are especially rich in L-arginine, an amino acid that helps your body make nitric oxide. This, in turn, helps regulate blood pressure (8,
Food Rx: Foods That Lower Cholesterol
Additionally, nuts provide phytosterols. These plant compounds are structurally similar to cholesterol and help lower cholesterol.
