Cholesterol is a fat that we all need for our bodies to function properly, and there are two main types of cholesterol: good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL). Unfortunately for us, most of the comfort foods we love are high in bad cholesterol, which can increase our risk of future health problems, including heart disease and stroke.
As the weather gets colder, we tend to eat more comfort foods to get through the colder times of the year. While foods like baked goods, cheese, cookies, and cakes taste great, they can also have a negative impact on our cholesterol levels.
What can you do to lower your cholesterol?
There are many solutions you can make to your daily routine, from eating a healthier diet to managing your overall health.
Here are 8 solutions that can help you lower your cholesterol:
1. Get moving
Exercise is an all-around effective way to improve your physical and mental health. Exercising for about 2.5 hours a week can improve your cholesterol by increasing your levels of good cholesterol (HDL).
If you haven’t exercised regularly for a while, you may feel a little nervous about where to start, but there are many ways you can incorporate exercise into your daily routine.
You can start by taking a brisk walk every day and gradually work your way up to running, as long as you’re getting your heart rate up and sweating, you’re doing great!
Try different sports and activities to find one you enjoy and start enjoying the process of working towards better health.
2. Watch Your Fats
Keeping track of the different types of fats in your diet can be confusing, but when it comes to healthy cholesterol levels, you should keep track of how much saturated and trans fat you consume.
Saturated fats are mainly found in red meat and whole-fat dairy products like cheese and cream, while trans fats are found in cakes and cookies.
By making a few changes to your diet, such as replacing red meat with vegetarian options a few times a week, you can help lower your bad cholesterol (LDL).
Making these small lifestyle changes can make a big difference, but there are still times when that morning craving for a burger or fried food can be too strong. If you eat these foods, try switching your cooking method from roasting and frying to baking or steaming, reducing your overall fat intake.
3. Include five servings of fruit and vegetables a day
Like exercise, eating enough nutritious fruit and vegetables is key to staying healthy.
Aiming to eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day is a great way to get the nutrients and vitamins your body needs to function properly. Fruits and vegetables are naturally low in calories and high in fiber which can help lower cholesterol.
Eating more fruit and vegetables has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure and cholesterol. We know that sometimes a cookie is more satisfying than an apple, but try making small changes to your diet to ensure you are getting enough healthy fruit and vegetables.
4. Get enough fibre
Eating enough fruit and vegetables and adding fibre to your diet can help lower cholesterol.
Next time you go to the supermarket, try swapping some of your usual purchases for products like porridge, beans, lentils and wholemeal bread These foods are high in soluble fiber which can reduce the amount of cholesterol absorbed into your blood.
Adults are recommended to consume 30g of fibre a day, so if you are low in fibre, start increasing your fibre intake slowly as too much can cause bloating.
5. Oily fish
Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as tuna, salmon and sardines can boost heart health, helping to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels in place of red meat.
Try switching to oily fish 2-3 times a week to reap the benefits of a more nutritious and heart-healthy dinner.
6. Eat a Handful of Nuts
By adding a handful of nuts to your daily diet, you can benefit from an extra source of soluble fiber and plant sterols that can help lower your blood levels of bad cholesterol (LDL). Almonds, pecans, and walnuts are good choices and may help protect against heart disease.
Remember, most nuts are high in calories, so eating just a small handful a day is enough to boost your health.
7. Cut Out Unhealthy Habits
Smoking and drinking can become coping mechanisms for many people when life starts to get stressful, and we may even indulge in both while socializing.
Unhealthy habits like smoking and drinking can help us improve our mood in the short term, but in the long term can cause more problems than we started with.
Smoking can increase the amount of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the body, and the empty calories in alcohol can lead to weight gain and increase the risk of heart disease.
Moderating the amount and frequency of alcohol you drink can improve your overall health and make you less likely to have high cholesterol.
8. Relax
Like smoking and drinking, stress can have long-term effects on our overall health.
When you are stressed, your cholesterol levels increase rapidly, combined with some unhealthy stress coping mechanisms such as snacking or drinking too much alcohol after a long stressful day. Take time to relieve stress in a healthy way, focusing on things that make your mind and body happy, such as talking to loved ones, relaxing with your hobbies or exercising.
