5 Simple Tips on How To Reduce Cholesterol
5 Simple Tips on How To Reduce Cholesterol
Follow your taste buds, but listen to your heart!
If you have high cholesterol, you’re also at higher risk for heart disease. But the good news is, it’s a risk you can control. You can lower your “bad” LDL cholesterol and raise your “good” HDL cholesterol. You just need to make some simple changes.
Follow our simple guide on how to reduce cholesterol and good cholesterol foods; one step at a time! Okay, 5 steps (Because we stick to the title)
Switch to colourful fruits and vegetables
They say, the richer the hue, the better the food is for you. Fruits and vegetables contain fibre, cholesterol-blocking molecules called sterols and stanols, and eye-appealing pigments. The list of heart healthy diet foods spans the colour spectrum – leafy greens, carrots, tomatoes, strawberries, plums, blueberries. So, go on and add some colours to life.
Avoid refined sugar and grains
Turns out, you don’t have to eat sweet to be sweet! So, avoid it and say hello to health. How do we do it? Instead of refined flour and white rice, try whole-wheat flour and brown or wild rice. Old-fashioned oatmeal is also a good choice, but not the quick-cooking versions, which have had much of the fibre processed out.
Exercise
Choose an exercise you like and get working! It is said that exercising at least 2 and a ½ hours a week is enough to raise HDL and reduce LDL cholesterol.
Here are a few things you can do:
- Taking a brisk daily walk during your lunch hour
- Riding your bike to work
- Swimming laps
- Playing a favourite sport
It’s all about Omega
Go fishing and get some salmons and sardines! And if you get mackerels, shark or sword fish, we suggest you leave ‘em there. As they are high in mercury. Omega 3 found in fish is said to be heart-healthy and they are found in sardines, bluefin tuna and salmons. So, choose your fish wisely! There are other sources to get Veg Omega 3 too! Some of them being: Flax seed oil, chia seeds, soya beans, spinach and our favourite Nutralite!
Spice It Up
Spices like garlic, ginger, black pepper, coriander, and cinnamon do more than flavour your food, they can also improve cholesterol. Research shows that eating a half to one clove of garlic each day could lower cholesterol up to 9%. Also, try out Nutralite Garlic and Oregano and Pudina and coriander in your Indian vegetarian recipes for a great kick of flavour and health, all in one!
And after following all these tips, track your health. Count your calories! All fats, whether good or bad, have nine calories per gram about 100 calories a tablespoon. While you switch to a heart-healthy diet you may need to keep tabs on your calorie intake for a while.
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