The expression, ‘watch your cholesterol!’ has now become an adage, for a reason. This is especially true for people living with heart conditions. Over 100 million Americans over the age of 20 have been found to have unhealthy levels of cholesterol. There is good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. LDL Cholesterol is the bad one. It collects in the walls of your blood vessels and can put your heart at risk. This form of cholesterol is also the reason behind heart attacks since it can result in a sudden blood clot.
For those wanting to know whether they have higher than normal levels of LDL cholesterol, a simple blood test can check these levels. Eating too many foods that contain high amounts of fat can result in high cholesterol levels, also called hypercholesterolemia or hyperlipidemia.
Key life changes recommended by physicians, registered dieticians and exercise physiologists can help a person lower their cholesterol levels. These changes can also help shed excess weight and promote a healthy heart. They’re also relatively easy to make and here are 15 ways that show how to make lower LDL cholesterol a possibility.
1. Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
Studies by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and various other health institutes have confirmed that the more fruit and vegetables we eat, the healthier we are. Fruit and vegetables not only taste good, they contain essential nutrients and vitamins.
There are two types of fiber in food. These are called soluble and insoluble. Both of these types have health benefits for the heart but the first also reduces LDL levels. Fruit and vegetables are one source of this type of fiber. Fruit and vegetables rich in soluble fiber include sweet potato, aubergines, broccoli, apples, strawberry, and prunes.
Fruit and vegetables are also low in saturated fat. For this reason, eating more of them helps to keep intake of this type of fat low. It has been suggested eating fruit and vegetables from across the color spectrum, leafy greens, yellow squashes, orange carrots, bright red tomatoes, blueberries. As a rule, the richer the color, the more nutritious the fruit or vegetable is.
