Battling a high-cholesterol is tough. When in the body, cholesterol can build up in your arteries to become plaques. Plaque buildup in coronary arteries can stop the flow of blood with oxygen to your heart muscle. If this plaque ever breaks off, it could form a clot that can block blood flow to your heart and will lead to a heart attack. I would like to go over ways to prevent this back up from happening. There are different ways to lower high cholesterol. I hope these tips help you or someone close to you.
Cholesterol Levels
It’s important for us to recognize what healthy and unhealthy levels are. A cholesterol with Below 200 mg/dL is the desired level for most people. It is the healthy level. Anything that ranges from 200-239 is considered an at-risk cholesterol level. If you have anything higher than 239, it is important to visit your doctor and find out how you can lower your levels, using the safest and most effective ways.
Food Habits
To lower cholesterol, you need to be able to change certain parts of your lifestyle, particularly your diet. It is important to stay away from unhealthy fats. Fats should make up less than 10 percent of your daily diet so try to shoot for leaner cuts of meat and low-fat dairy. You can also switch out certain oils for healthier options, such as olive oil and canola oil. Eating food rich in omega 3 fatty acids have no effect on cholesterol and in fact has health benefits, such as reducing blood pressure. Whey protein has been observed to help lower high cholesterol; therefore, you should incorporate it in your diet.
Getting Active
To combat most health problems, it’s important to work on getting active. Most workouts can help with your cardiovascular health, while also getting you in shape. With this in mind, there are certain workouts that you can do that will help improve your heart health. Aerobic exercises, such as walking, swimming, cycling, or even team sports can all do the job. A recommended 30 minutes a day can help improve your cardiovascular health. In addition, you should check with your doctor on what they believe is a good routine for you. Weight loss can also be very beneficial to your cholesterol. A big weight loss isn’t needed; however, you do need to get active and use these activities to lower your levels.
Smoking
It has been tested that those who quit smoking have a noticeable decrease in their levels. It can also raise your “good cholesterol” by a 5%. WebMD states that being in the same area as smokers can raise your levels through second-hand smoke.