High cholesterol is a dangerous impending problem that has become very common around the world these days, and there are quite a few precipitating factors to it. The kind of lifestyle that people lead along with the hectic schedule and the diet that they consume majorly influences cholesterol values.
The reason why high cholesterol values are a point of concern is that they are indicative of cardiac involvement and premature related problems. More specifically speaking, the LDL or bad cholesterol is the one that is the biggest culprit as it distributes the harmful lipoproteins throughout the body. Inversely, HDL or the good cholesterol collects all the lipoproteins from different parts of the body and brings it to the liver for detoxification.
Coupled with high triglyceride levels, high cholesterol automatically raises a lot of eyebrows, and immediate treatment is sought immediately. There are a few modifications that you can introduce to your lifestyle as well, which can prove to be beneficial. A few of the most effective ones have been mentioned below.
Add the fruits in your health diet
There are a lot of benefits of including different types of fruits in your diet not only for fighting against high cholesterol but for better general health as well. Fruits are a good source of soluble fibers like pectin, which are known to reduce the production of cholesterol by almost 10%. It gives signals to the body to reduce the production of alcohol and also gets rid of whatever excess that may be present. Few fruits that are useful in this scenario are apples, strawberries, grapes, etc. Bioactive compounds are also released from the fruits which add to its advantage.
Make sure to limit the amount of sodium
The main association of sodium is to hypertension as a diet rich in it can cause an increase in blood pressure. However, recent studies have shown that too little sodium can cause an increase in cholesterol. Thus, exactly how much sodium needs to be consumed is a point of controversy and debate as the correct amount cannot be ascertained. Nonetheless, the right balance is imperative.
Avoid Smoking and Alcohol
The health implications of smoking and drinking are quite a few, and thus, it makes sense to avoid it for the sake of one’s health. Consuming a lot of alcohol puts unprecedented pressure on the liver, especially in cases when it is already affected. Smoking and drinking are generally associated with recreational activities and is not really a necessity. One way of prevention of it can be through engaging in other activities that will divert your mind to something more innovative and useful.
Don’t forget to add the dark chocolate
In case you like eating chocolates, you are definitely in luck here. However, milk chocolates are not that effective and dark chocolates take the prize here. It is due to the presence of cocoa, which has the ability to target and reduce the bad cholesterol or LDL directly. The oxidation of LDL is one of the most common sequelae of cardiac problems, and dark chocolates help in preventing that as well. Make sure that the sugar content is minimum though as otherwise, it will defeat the whole purpose.
Start eating dark leafy greens
When your mother used to tell you about the benefits of vegetables and forced you to eat something that you didn’t like, there was a health angle associated with it. Vegetables are rich source antioxidants as well as fibers and can target the bad cholesterol specifically. Even among them, the green leafy ones are the most effective, and it includes kale as well as spinach, and it has carotenoids and lutein that are anti-heart diseases. Since the antioxidants have the ability to scavenge free radicals, you should probably include it in your diet plan.
Limit Bakery product intake
Once you go to a bakery, the taste and aroma will entice you and make you eat something that is not really required and may have a direct effect on your heart. Many bakery items are pre-formed in low-quality oil, while others have a high quantity of sugar and synthetic products that can actually be harmful to your body. Therefore, limit your visit to the bakery itself.
Include exercise to your routine
Yes, work is, but so is exercise. You might be sitting on a chair the whole day in front of a computer, but the harm that you are doing to your body in the process is simply uncalled for. Keep time aside for exercise every day and ensure that you burn adequate calories to keep your heart in prime shape. This will enable you to stay healthy for a longer period. Even basic home exercises will serve the purpose. You can also combine exercise with certain drugs like phentermine and topiramate, which can reduce cholesterol levels as well. It mainly has a synergistic action as it decreases the appetite levels and burns more energy and fat during the process.
Wrapping up
Maintaining the correct level of cholesterol is critical from the overall health perspective, and you should take all possible measures to do so. Few of the tips have been mentioned above, and you can follow them religiously for best results and a healthier life.