3 Changes To Make To Naturally Decrease Your Cholesterol

As you get older, your doctor will want to test your cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is something that builds up in your arteries and can lead to health problems with your heart and brain. Unfortunately, if you have high cholesterol, you are not likely to know unless you get your levels tested. If your test reveals that your cholesterol is high, you could take medication for this, or you could make some key lifestyle changes that may help naturally lower your levels. Here are several things you can do that may help you naturally lower your cholesterol.

Start Eating The Right Foods

The foods you eat can play a huge role in cholesterol levels, and choosing to eat the right foods can help you decrease your bad cholesterol. Certain foods can lead to high cholesterol levels, but other foods can actually cause these levels to drop. Foods that contain Omega-3 fatty acids are a good place to start, and this includes salmon and sardines. Eating these daily can make a big difference.

Another food to add to your diet is oatmeal, and you should try eating two servings each day. The best type is old-fashioned oatmeal, but there are other types that are good too, such as steel-cut oats. Oatmeal is known for being a heart-healthy food, and it can reduce your cholesterol levels by over 5% if you stick with it twice a day for six weeks. Oatmeal is something you can eat in many different ways, and it also tastes great.

Researchers also recommend drinking red wine to help lower cholesterol. Certain types of grapes used to make red wine have the ability to decrease cholesterol. Red wine is great for increasing good cholesterol levels, and this is one way to offset the bad cholesterol levels in your body. Drinking just one or two servings of red wine per day is typically enough to experience good effects.

Stop Eating The Wrong Foods

There are many foods that are not good to eat when it comes to cholesterol, but a good place to start is avoiding all foods that contain trans fats and saturated fats. While certain types of fats are good for you, these two types are not, and eating them will cause your cholesterol levels to increase. By avoiding them, you will become healthier and could see a difference in your cholesterol levels.

To extend the life of packaged goods, manufacturers add trans fats to the items. These fats are made up of liquid fat that contains hydrogen, and they are not good for you at all. Fats that are considered saturated fats come from animal products. Eating these in moderation is not bad, but avoiding them is better.

Start An Exercise Plan

The third important step you can take to naturally lower your cholesterol is exercise. Exercising is not something most people enjoy, but it is an important part of life for your health. You will be healthier in many ways if you begin exercising daily. The important part of this is making sure you get your heart beating harder and faster, because that is what makes exercise beneficial for your body.

You can perform almost any type of exercise you prefer, but walking is the most common option. Walking is something you can do outdoors or inside if you have a treadmill. Aerobics can also be a good option, or you could swim, play tennis, or run.

If you make these three changes in your life, your cholesterol might naturally decrease. To learn more about this, contact a primary care physician at a medical center like Rural Health Services Consortium Inc. and schedule an appointment.