How You can Lower Your Cholesterol Naturally

LDL or “bad” cholesterol is a fatty substance. Too much accumulation of this substance in the blood can cause arteries to clog, which ultimately results in a stroke or a heart attack.
It can be genetically inherited from parents and even grandparents. Also consuming foods rich in tans fats and saturated fats can increase cholesterol levels in the body.

Just as too much LDL production is bad for the body in the same way low levels of HDL also known as “good” cholesterol is also not good for your body. Your aim should be to decrease the LDL levels and increase the HDL levels. It is also said that it is easier to push LDL levels down than to raise HDL levels up. HDL levels equal to 60 mg/dL or above are considered to be heart protecting.

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Dean Ornish, the founder of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California claims that diet, stress reduction and exercise can lower LDL by 40% and also helps to remove plaque from the arteries.

Here are some measures you can take to reduce your cholesterol level :

Diet
A well-balanced diet containing lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fish is essential for maintaining low cholesterol levels. Avoid meat and dairy products. You can also follow the DASH diet plan also known as Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet.

Foods that are particularly effective in lowering LDL levels are salmon, avocados, nuts, garlic, olive oil, spinach, green tea, dark chocolate, beans and oats.

Lose Weight
By losing your weight up to 10% or more you can get rid of high levels of LDL. Keep in mind, the trick is not only to lose the weight but also to maintain it.

Avoid Saturated fats
Saturated fats are one of the major diet-linked causes of high levels of LDL. These fats are usually obtained from pork, poultry, beef, lamb, milk, cream and butter. You can also find them in coconut oil, palm oil and cocoa butter. Limit the consumption of these foods to decrease the levels of bad cholesterol. The American Heart Association suggests that not more than 7% of calories should be taken from sources containing saturated fats.

Limit Trans Fats
Your diet shouldn’t consist of calories from trans fats more than 1% in a day. You can find trans fats in processed foods, animal products, hydrogenated margarine, cooking oils and shortening. Trans fats lower HDL and increase LDL levels.

Quit Smoking
Smoking may stop you from reaching your healthful goals of low LDL. It is also known for decreasing HDL levels.

Exercise
Taking regular exercise can lower the levels of LDL and increase HDL levels. Taking aerobic exercise for 30 minutes, every 5 days a week can increase HDL levels by 5 to 10%.

Supplements
Supplements containing soluble fiber and plant sterols can prove to be effective for lowering the LDL levels. Plant sterols are also found in fortified foods such as rice milk, orange juice and margarine and can reduce LDL levels by 15%. You can find soluble fibers in some natural foods such as nuts, flax seeds, oats and pshyllium husk or in dietary supplements like Metamucil.

These food supplements along with healthy diet and regular exercise can reduce bad cholesterol levels by 20 to 40%.

[Source : http://myhealthlist.net]