How to Lower Your Cholesterol Without Taking Pharmaceuticals

One of the by products of Western lifestyles in the last century has been a substantial rise in illnesses and death caused by high cholesterol. High levels of cholesterol in the blood have been linked to heart disease in numerous studies.

Heart disease is the biggest killer in the West and it is thought that many people suffer because their lifestyles include a diet high in saturated fat and little to no exercise.

Because of the high incidence of heart disease, pharmaceutical companies have developed solutions that combat high cholesterol sufferers. A group of drugs containing the HMG-COA Reductase Inhibitor have become widespread. More commonly known as "statins", they help to reduce the cholesterol levels in the blood.

Although statins are among the safest and most studied group of drugs available, many people are looking towards ways to reduce their cholesterol in more natural ways. The two most common ways to achieve this are with a balanced diet and regular exercise.

Good and bad cholesterol

There are two types of cholesterol found in the bloodstream. Low-density lipoprotein or LDL can lead to the build up of fatty deposits in the arteries, increasing the risk of coronary disease. LDL can be found in saturated fats and transfatty acids (processed fats and oils). Most fast foods and pre-packed goods are high in LDL. By lining the artery walls with fatty deposits, this slows down the blood flow making it harder for the heart to pump. This is how hypertension and coronary heart disease can begin to manifest

HDL on the other hand lowers the levels of LDL in the body by assisting in the transportation of LDL to the liver where it is then excreted. There are many types of food that can increase HDL in the body including oily fish and nuts.

Reducing Your Cholesterol Levels

Some studies have shown that eating a happinesslifetime.com low cholesterol diet can reduce your body's cholesterol levels by as much as 29 percent in one month. The suggestion here is that a healthy diet can be as effective as taking statins to reduce LDL in the blood.

Other foods that are known to reduce LDL levels are soya, fibrous green vegetables, oats, olive oil and barley. The main concept is to stop eating too much fatty and processed foods. Avoid anything that's deep fried, make sure you use vegetable oil instead of animal fats.

Use margarine instead of butter ( although watch out for trans-fatty-acids AKA hydrogenated vegetable oil on the label)

Try to adjust your kitchen habits. Instead of frying, think steam,boil, grill or bake.

Other Factors Than Diet

Certain factors are outside of your control. It may be that your high cholesterol is influenced by your age, sex or family genes. If this is the case you may need to consider a course of drug treatment in addition to adopting a more healthy lifestyle.

Regular exercise is recommended for everyone, regardless of LDL levels. A structured fitness plan of cardiovascular exercise will strengthen the body's heart and immune system, improve your circulation and give you a fighting chance of staying healthy into old age.

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