Top tips to reduce cholesterol level in the body

Eat heart-healthy foods

A few changes in your diet can reduce cholesterol and improve your heart health:

• Reduce saturated fats. Saturated fats, found primarily in red meat and full-fat dairy products, raise your total cholesterol. Decreasing your consumption of saturated fats can reduce your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the “bad” cholesterol.
• Eliminate trans fats. Trans fats, sometimes listed on food labels as “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil,” are often used in margarines and store-bought cookies, crackers and cakes. Trans fats raise overall cholesterol levels. The Food and Drug Administration has banned the use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils by Jan. 1, 2021.
• Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids don’t affect LDL cholesterol. But they have other heart-healthy benefits, including reducing blood pressure. Foods with omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, mackerel, herring, walnuts and flaxseeds.
• Increase soluble fiber. Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Soluble fiber is found in such foods as oatmeal, kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears.
• Add whey protein. Whey protein, which is found in dairy products, may account for many of the health benefits attributed to dairy. Studies have shown that whey protein given as a supplement lowers both LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol as well as blood pressure.

Exercise on most days of the week

Moderate physical activity raises the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the “good” cholesterol, and lowers the LDL cholesterol. Make sure to exercise for 30 minutes, five times a week or vigorous aerobic activity for 20 minutes, at least three times a week. If not that, take a brisk walk for 30 minutes.

 Quit smoking

Quitting smoking improves your HDL cholesterol level. The benefits occur quickly:

• Within 20 minutes of quitting, your blood pressure and heart rate recover from the cigarette-induced spike
• Within three months of quitting, your blood circulation and lung function begin to improve
• Within a year of quitting, your risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker

Lose weight

Shedding those extra pounds helps in raising the high cholesterol. Avoid drinking sugary beverages or eating fried/salty foods, and keep track of the calories each day. This will, in turn, reduce cholesterol levels.

Drink alcohol only in moderation

Moderate use of alcohol has been linked with higher levels of HDL cholesterol — but the benefits aren’t strong enough to recommend alcohol for anyone who doesn’t already drink.

If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. For healthy adults, that means up to one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than age 65, and up to two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger.

Too much alcohol can lead to serious health problems, including high blood pressure, heart failure and strokes.

So go make these changes in your lifestyle and reduce those cholesterol levels.