Controlling cholesterol levels is important for women, as high cholesterol can increase the risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death in women worldwide.
In women, reproductive hormones govern fat metabolism. Transitions in a woman’s life, especially during pregnancy, menopause, and irregular periods, can affect cholesterol levels, leading to serious health problems. It is important to understand the special aspects of cholesterol control in women:
Postmenopausal risks: After menopause, women’s LDL (bad) cholesterol levels tend to naturally increase.
Hormonal changes: Hormonal changes can affect cholesterol levels. Thyroid hormone imbalances and reproductive hormone changes also lead to increased cholesterol risk.
How can women have healthy cholesterol levels?
Here are six strategies that can help you control your cholesterol:
1. Cut back on fatty foods
Eating a diet high in trans fats or saturated fats can raise your cholesterol levels. These are found in butter, cream, cheese, fatty meats, cakes, cookies, and heavily processed or fried foods. If you have high cholesterol, you should cut back on these foods, as well as foods that contain coconut oil and palm oil.
However, not all fats are bad for you; polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats from plant sources are good for you. These can be found in oily fish, nuts, seeds, and avocados, each of which contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for your heart.
2. Eat more fiber
Soluble fiber binds to cholesterol and removes it from your body before it has a chance to build up in your arteries. Therefore, eating foods high in soluble fibre, such as oats and wholegrain cereals, is a good way to lower your cholesterol. Choose wholemeal bread and breakfast cereals or oatmeal for an easy, healthy meal.
Other good sources of soluble fibre include black beans, kidney beans, lima beans, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, broccoli and carrots.
3. Maintain a healthy weight
If you are overweight, you are more likely to have high cholesterol, so working to reach and maintain a healthy weight is an important part of lowering your cholesterol. You can talk to your GP about a healthy weight for your height and body type, or for a general guide, you can use an online body mass index (BMI) calculator.
4. Quit Smoking
Smoking is linked to an increased risk of a range of diseases, including bronchitis, emphysema, various cancers, heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. It can also increase your risk of high cholesterol because cigarettes contain a chemical called acrolein. Acrolein prevents your body from transporting cholesterol to your liver, causing your blood cholesterol levels to rise.
5. Exercise More
Increasing your physical activity and exercising regularly can increase your body’s levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), a type of cholesterol that is actually good for your body because it helps remove bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, LDL).
If you’re not used to exercising, start slowly (like walking) and gradually increase the intensity. When you walk, try to walk at a brisk pace so that you can feel your heart beating faster. You could also try cycling, swimming or joining an exercise class.
As you gradually add exercise to your routine, aim for 30 minutes, five days a week.
6. Cut down on alcohol
If you regularly drink a lot of alcohol, it can raise your cholesterol levels as well as damage your liver, which plays a key role in helping your body get rid of cholesterol. Try not to drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week and avoid binge drinking.
