Natural Ways To Lower Cholesterol Fast

Are you one of the ‘1-in-3’ American adults with high cholesterol, doubling your risk of heart disease?

The good news is that the ability to lower your cholesterol levels might just be within your control. Studies have shown that a diet made up of cholesterol-lowering foods can be just as effective as taking cholesterol-lowering drugs!

There are also some other lifestyle changes you can make to further push those cholesterol numbers down.

Read on to find out all about the natural ways that you can keep your cholesterol in check.

What is Cholesterol?

Firstly, let’s look at cholesterol – what it is and what it does.

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that’s found in all cells of the body. Contrary to what many believe, we actually need cholesterol in our bodies – it’s important in the production of hormones and vitamin D, and it helps us to digest foods.

Luckily, our bodies produce enough cholesterol to meet our needs.

But when our cholesterol levels become too high – usually caused by genetic factors, an unhealthy diet or lack of exercise – then it can be a serious cause for concern.

High blood cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for heart disease, the number one killer in the US. The higher your blood cholesterol level, the greater your risk of developing heart disease or having a heart attack.

LDL vs HDL Cholesterol

When we talk about ‘lowering’ cholesterol, we actually mean balancing the different types of cholesterol – LDL and HDL cholesterol.

According to Dr. Axe, the most important thing to consider when it comes to cholesterol is the ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol – you should be aiming for around 2:1.

LDL Cholesterol – The Bad Kind

This type of cholesterol contributes to plaque formation which clogs arteries, leading to heart attack or stroke.

HDL Cholesterol – The Good Kind

HDL actually helps to remove LDL from the arteries, by carrying it away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it is removed from the body.

Healthy HDL levels protect against heart disease, whereas low levels have been shown to increase your risk of cardiovascular problems.

How to Lower Cholesterol Naturally

Here are some of the main lifestyle modifications and smart food choices you can make to naturally lower your cholesterol levels and safely reduce your risk of heart disease.

Choose the Right Fats

Dietary fats are vital for overall health – they build healthy cells and contribute to our brain health, they produce hormones, help the body absorb vitamins and, gram for gram, are the most efficient source of food energy for our bodies.

But not all fats are equal. Trans- and saturated fats should be restricted or avoided.

Follow the American Heart Association’s guidelines: less than 7% of your daily caloric intake should come from saturated fats, and less than 1% should come from trans-fats.

Instead you should aim to eat between 25 and 35% of your daily calories from healthy and delicious fats (monounsaturated or polyunsaturated) like avocados, nuts and olive oil.

Eat More Fiber

Fiber-rich foods can reduce both bad LDL and overall cholesterol levels. It’s thought that this happens as soluble fiber binds to cholesterol particles in your digestive system and whisks them out of your body before they can cause any damage.

Try fruits like prunes, pears and apples (with the skin left on!), beans and lentils, nuts and seeds, whole grains, wild rice and high-fiber veggies such as squash, broccoli, spinach, potato (again with the skin intact) and carrots.

Enjoy Plant-Powered Protein

Swap your cholesterol-laden red meat for a more heart-friendly plant protein instead. Animal proteins can be very high in cholesterol and fat, particularly saturated fat.

A 2010 review in Nutrition in Clinical Practice reports that vegetarians have lower blood cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure and lower body mass indexes than meat-eaters.

Beans, lentils, whole grains, quinoa, nuts and seeds are all sources of plant-based protein.

Lose Weight

If you are overweight or obese, then you are more likely to have high cholesterol than those within the ‘safe’ weight range.

Work with your doctor to devise a plan to help you keep your weight in check. Try some gentle exercise and make diet modifications.

Get Moving

Even if you’re not overweight, regular exercise is vital for overall health and keeping those cholesterol levels balanced.

Moderate physical activity can actually help raise the good HDL cholesterol. You should be aiming for at least30 minutes a day.

Try walking, swimming or jogging. If you need an extra bit of motivation, join an aerobics or Zumba class.

Quit Smoking

Smoking can accelerate the damage done by your high cholesterol levels so make an effort to quit.

Research also suggests that smoking lowers your good HDL levels. In a study of over 400 children, those whose mothers smoked during pregnancy had lower levels of HDL (good) cholesterol than those whose mothers didn’t smoke.

Here’s some food for thought: according to the Mayo Clinic, within 20 minutes of quitting, your blood pressure and heart rate decrease. Within one year, your risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker.