Why Not Lower Cholesterol Naturally?

High cholesterol is one of the biggest threats to the health of modern man today. Yet increasingly drugs are prescribed which can be just as dangerous to a person's health - just read some of the side effects that might occur if you take them!

By changing one's diet one can reduce cholesterol naturally, safely, and with no side effects whatsoever - by starting a diet of reducing saturated fat intake without eliminating the healthy fats that the body needs. The emphasis is on high fiber foods as they are most effective for flushing cholesterol from the bloodstream. They are also able to reduce the amount of cholesterol absorbed by the body.

Natural foods consisting of fresh fruits and vegetables can go a long way to lowering your cholesterol and making you feel more robust.

Another safe and tested means of lowering cholesterol is through exercise. Regular exercise has been shown to increase blood levels of HDL (the good cholesterol) while lowering the levels of triglyceride (fats) in the bloodstream.

The effect of diet on cholesterol

Medication may induce lower cholesterol levels, but it won't address the causes nor is it able to provide energy. Eating with cholesterol in mind means eliminating or cutting down substantially on red meats and high fat dairy products. There are meats that could be regarded as low in cholesterol though, such as turkey, chicken and fish yet these should still be consumed in moderation. The higher the fatty acid content in fish the higher their nutrient value and the higher their ability to lower triglycerides. Yet this is only one part of the equation.

A major contributor to fighting high cholesterol is fiber. It has been suggested that cholesterol attaches itself to fibre in the intestines and through this process is eliminated before it reaches or is absorbed into the bloodstream.

Fiber

Foods that contain soluble fibre are found in beans, fruits and vegetables

Essential Fatty Acids

These are found in fish such as salmon, tuna and herring as well as in nuts and olives

The aim is to limit the intake of cholesterol. If you are starting a program to control your cholesterol this is the first step. Yet in the process you will be able to proactively lower your cholesterol levels too.

Lifestyle changes

Dangerous cholesterol levels are often a product of lifestyle choices which can include any of the following

- Stress

- Poor diet

- Overweight

- A sedentary lifestyle

- Smoking

- Family history of cholesterol problems

- Excessive vitamin D

- Chemicals such as anabolic steroids or corticosteroids

Smoking adds free radicals to the blood stream. These are charged particles which will combine with LDL (bad cholesterol) and make it more capable of damaging the artery-cell walls and lodging there.This causes plaque build-up, which can lead to blood clots and eventually a heart attack or stroke.

If you live a sedentary lifestyle, sitting on a couch and flipping through the channels, chances are that you are just accumulating fat and in the worse case as a result, plaque builds up causing high levels of cholesterol in your bloodstream. Continuous exercise of at least 30 minutes per day five days a week can help to make you a whole lot healthier. A simple walk or even household chores - moving around - can make a big difference. The results these activities can yield can be life saving. Consistent and regular exercise also has the added benefit of reducing stress and helps us lose weight and so is able to address two more contributors to high cholesterol.

A combination of exercise and a natural-foods diet will bring down cholesterol levels. Also you will lose weight which can help you avoid a lot of weight and cholesterol health issues like heart disease and diabetes. In fact, this combination can be more effective than taking medication on its own and is definitely healthier.

About the Author:
Tim Lazaro is an enthusiast of lowering cholesterol with natural foods and exercise. Visit Ways to Lower Your Cholesterol for more expert advice on how to waystoloweryourcholesterol.com/Lower-Cholesterol-Naturally.xhtml lower cholesterol naturally, and many other food tips and exercises you can use right now to quickly lower your cholesterol and keep it low.