Reduce High Cholesterol Levels the Natural Way

According to the World Health Organization, health is a state of complete mental, social and physical wellbeing, not only the mere absence of an infirmity or disease. In other words, in order to promote excellent health, several factors play important roles, namely your dietary habits, rest, environment, physical activity, and emotional well-being.

One’s cholesterol levels have a direct impact on a person’s health. The American Heart Association informs us that cholesterol is either produced by the body or obtained from food. Furthermore, the liver is in charge of producing cholesterol. Cholesterol originates, mainly, from animal food sources, just to name a few, chicken, meat, full-fat dairy products, and so on. Research outlines that, if a person’s diet is rich in fats, the liver will produce high cholesterol levels.

However, there are two primary types of cholesterol in the body – bad and good. HDLs or High-Density Lipoproteins play a significant role in promoting the overall health of the body. On the other side, LDLs – Low-Density Lipoproteins, also referred to as the bad cholesterol, grows the risks of suffering from heart attack, hypertension, and stroke.

The question is, how can you reduce the levels of harmful cholesterol in the body?

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  Minimize the intake of fatty foods

For starters, by diminishing the intake of foods rich in trans fats and saturated fats, you’ll decrease the levels of cholesterol. To be more precise, you should restrict the intake of fatty meat, butter, or eliminate them altogether, depending on the severity of your condition.

Alternatively, it’s highly recommended to replace these meals with foods loaded with omega-three fatty acids, which contribute to ensuring the cellular processes. Excellent sources of omega-three fatty acids include herring, salmon, trout, sardines, tuna, halibut, mackerel, and many others. Hence, your dietary habits are of great importance in preserving your overall long term health.

• Tea and chocolates

Secondly, it’s recommended to consume tea and chocolates. Research highlights that chocolate is loaded with antioxidants that facilitate the production of healthy cholesterol. According to a study, the subjects who ate cocoa powder presented increased levels of HDL, by 24 percent, as opposed to those who didn’t.

Additionally, you should opt for chocolate that doesn’t contain milk, since it is proven to be the most efficient – it is loaded with powerful antioxidants that hinder platelets from clogging the blood vessels. Concurrently, tea is acknowledged for its capability of stimulating the digestion, improving the functioning of the metabolism, and fighting cancer. At the same time, black tea actually aims at reducing the fat levels in the body, based on research.

• Weight loss

And finally, the third way in which you can diminish cholesterol levels is by losing weight. According to Web MD, losing ten pounds equals a decrease in low-density lipoproteins. Doctors recommend losing two pounds a week. If you wish to establish this goal, you should follow a diet of 1,000 – 1,200 a day, for women, and 1,200 – 1,600 a day for men.

All in all, having healthy cholesterol levels ensures the right functioning of the cells, while reducing the risks of suffering from strokes and cardiovascular conditions.