Your cholesterol numbers show how much cholesterol is circulating in your blood and affect your overall health and well being. Scroll down to know more.
ONE OF the most important factors that affect our overall health is the cholesterol levels in our body. Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in the cells of our body, that helps in building hormones, vitamin D and substances that help in digesting foods.
According to the Mayo Clinic, with high cholesterol, you can develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels. Eventually, these deposits grow, making it difficult for enough blood to flow through your arteries. Sometimes, those deposits can break suddenly and form a clot that causes a heart attack or stroke.
What Is High Or Low Cholesterol?
The Cleveland Clinic simply explains that your cholesterol numbers show how much cholesterol is circulating in your blood. Your HDL (good cholesterol) is the one number you want to be high (ideally above 60). Your LDL (bad cholesterol) should be below 100. Your total should be below 200.
1. Monounsaturated Fats
Monounsaturated fats of MUFAs are a type of unsaturated fats that have double bonds in their chemical structure and provide numerous health benefits. According to Healthline, monounsaturated fats like those in olive oil, canola oil, tree nuts, and avocados reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol, increase HDL (good) cholesterol, and reduce the oxidation that contributes to clogged arteries.
2. Avoid Trans Fat
They are a type of dietary fat which is the worst for health. The greater the amount of trans fat in your body, the higher you are at risk of developing heart disease and other health problems. A study of global health patterns found that consumption of excess trans fats, coupled with insufficient polyunsaturated fats and excess saturated fats, are a significant cause of coronary heart disease mortality globally.
3. Eat Soluble Fibre
Soluble fibres dissolve in water and commonly include plant pectin and gums. Soluble fibre is found in oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, and some fruits and vegetables. Healthline states that soluble fibre nourishes healthy probiotic gut bacteria and helps remove LDL cholesterol from the body.
4. Regular Physical Activity
The American Heart Association recommends that 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week is enough to lower cholesterol levels. Any type of exercise may improve cholesterol levels and promote heart health. The longer and more intense the exercise, the greater the benefit, as per Healthline.
5. Healthy Weight
Maintaining a healthy weight is an essential component to reduce bad cholesterol levels in the body. Healthline reports that maintaining a healthy weight reduces total cholesterol, in part by decreasing the creation of new cholesterol in the liver. Weight loss also helps decrease LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (good) cholesterol.
(Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment.)
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