If you’re suffering from an elevated level of HDL cholesterol you’re at greater risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease. However, the good thing is that it’s a risk you can take control of. You can reduce HDL cholesterol levels “bad” LDL cholesterol and increase the “good” HDL cholesterol. All you need to do is make small changes.
“I tell patients that you have to start somewhere and just keep going do an attending cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. “As you adopt lifestyle changes, everything starts shifting, and the improvements you see at 6 weeks often increase by 3 months.”
It’s not all about your lifestyle -the genes you have are important as well. There’s a chance that you may require medication to help get your HDL cholesterol back to normal. But your daily habits do help. If you can make some minor modifications, you could be able lower the medication dosage and the risk of adverse effects.
Follow these steps to reduce HDL cholesterol and improve overall health.
Table of Contents
1. Ban Trans Fats
“They raise your LDL, lower your HDL, and increase your risk of developing heart disease and stroke,” Steinbaum states.
This is that’s why FDA has taken action to eliminate artificial trans fats from food items. However, small amounts of trans fats could be found in certain foods. Therefore, when shopping for food, be sure to check the Nutrition Facts label and ingredients. If you find “partially hydrogenated oil” on the package, it’s just an euphemism to refer to trans fat.
2. Scale Back
It’s not necessary to shed much weight to reduce your HDL cholesterol. If you’re overweight, shed only 10 pounds, and you’ll cut down your LDL by 8 percent. However, to truly shed the pounds, you’ll need to work at it gradually. A sensible and safe target is one to two pounds a week. It is suggested that you lose 1 to 2 pounds per week.
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute states that although overweight women who are inactive require 1,000 to 1,200 calories a day to lose weight active women and those who weigh over 164 pounds typically require between 1,200 and 1,600 calories a every day. If you’re very active during your weight loss plan it is possible that you may require additional calories in order to keep from becoming hungry.
Related: The 7 Benefits Of Vitamin C For Your Body
3. Get Moving
“Exercising at least 2 1/2 hours a week is enough to raise HDL and improve LDL and triglycerides, an cardiologist from Plano, TX. If you’ve never been active for a while, start slowly. Even 10 minutes of exercise count. Pick an activity you enjoy. Also, a buddy-up exercise buddy can help to stay in the right direction.
4. Fill Up on Fiber
Oatmeal and apples, prunes and beans are packed with soluble fiber. It prevents your body from taking in HDL cholesterol. Studies show that those who consumed 5-10 more grams of fiber each day noticed a decrease of their LDL. In addition, eating more fiber makes you feel fuller, meaning you don’t need to snack as often. However, eating too high a dose of fiber could cause abdominal cramps or constipation. You should increase your intake gradually.
5. Go Fish
Try eating it twice to four times each week. “Not only are the omega-3 fats in fish heart-healthy, but replacing red meat with fish will lower your HDL cholesterol by reducing your exposure to saturated fats, which are abundant in red meat. What’s the catch? Certain types of fish, such as swordfish, shark, and king mackerel are rich in mercury. They can increase the risk of getting heart disease. It is better to choose the wild species of salmon bluefin tuna, sardines and sardines. Omega 3 is different from omega 6 Which is better?
6. Opt for Cooking Oil
“Substituting Cooking Oil for butter may reduce LDL cholesterol by as much as 15%, which is similar to the effect of a low dose of medication, claims. It is believed that the “good” fats in olive oil can benefit your heart. Choose extra-virgin olive oil. It’s less refined and has more antioxidants that help to fight off illness.
7. Go Nuts
Most types can lower LDL. The reason for this is because they contain sterols, which along with fiber, prevent the body from taking in HDL cholesterol. Be careful not to overdo it The reason is that nuts are rich in calories (an one ounce of almonds contains 164calories! ).
8. Relax
Do you realize that if the stress levels are high, blood HDL cholesterol may increase? Relax. Relax. Read a good book, or meet with a friend to have coffee, or go to the yoga mat. It will help you to keep your HDL cholesterol under control.
9. Spice It Up
If you’re not already dusting your cappuccino in cinnamon or shake some pepper over your pasta, take note for some of the best spices: garlic curcumin, ginger coriander, black pepper and cinnamon can do more than enhance the flavor of your food, they can also help lower cholesterol. Research suggests that eating half to a clove of garlic every day can lower HDL cholesterol by as high as 9%. The added spice to your meals can also decrease your appetite, which makes it easy to shed excess weight.
10. Butt Out
“Smoking can raise LDL and lower HDL, and quitting often improves those numbers. In one study, those who quit smoking noticed the levels of their “good” HDL cholesterol rise 5 percent over the course of a year. However, if you’re frequently in the vicinity of smokers, be aware to avoid breathing secondhand smoke each day could also cause an increase in amounts of the bad HDL cholesterol.
11. Laugh More
Laughter can be a form of medicine. It improves HDL. Do you need to add a bit of humor to your day? Take a look at funny videos of pets online Sign up for an email with jokes every day or just watch funny films.
