Five Effective Ways to Deal with High Cholesterol!

Have you or any of your loved ones been diagnosed with high cholesterol and now you’ve been wondering how to tackle it? Then this blog is for you! High cholesterol levels refer to a condition that requires prompt attention and a focused treatment. Usually, it demands dietary and lifestyle changes, although specific measures may differ with the case. So, let’s look at five generic ways to battle high cholesterol levels.

What is Cholesterol and Types of Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance present in the cells of the body and in some foods. It helps form new cells, enable food digestion, create vitamin D, and produce hormones like estrogen and testosterone. The human body receives cholesterol from the liver and food. However, it should be understood that pure cholesterol cannot move freely in the blood. Hence, the liver mixes it with lipoprotein – a type of protein. The liver forms various types of lipoproteins, including the following.

• LDL: “Bad cholesterol” builds up inside the arteries narrowing them and augmenting the risk of heart attack, stroke, and peripheral artery disease.
• HDL: Termed “good cholesterol”, it drives away the bad cholesterol from the blood vessels and resends it to the liver. There it is broken down and thrown out of the body. Higher HDL levels enable better cholesterol regulation in the body.
• VLDL: VLDL carries more cholesterol and less fat. Hence, excessive VLDL can lead to arterial clogging, leading to various diseases.
• Triglycerides: Triglycerides are fats found in the blood. When you eat something, your body converts calories it doesn’t need immediately into triglycerides, stored in fat cells. After that, hormones release triglycerides for energy between meals.

Why is Cholesterol Bad for Your Body?

Cholesterol helps produce healthy cells in the body. However, anything in excess is bad for the body. Accordingly, excess amounts of LDL and triglycerides in the blood increase the risk of heart disease. High cholesterol levels lead to arterial fat build-up, impeding the flow of blood through them. The result is an increased risk of chest pain or heart attack. Hence, high cholesterol levels shouldn’t be ignored and their treatment should also not be delayed. Here are some generic ways to curb high cholesterol levels.

5 Ways to Curtail High Cholesterol Levels

Dealing with cholesterol effectively requires you to make various lifestyle and dietary changes. Here’s what you can do to keep your cholesterol levels under control.

• Consume Heart-Healthy Foods

Specific food types and dietary recommendations may vary with the case. However, some generic ways include reducing saturated fats, eating foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, increasing soluble fiber intake, and eliminating trans fats.

• Quit Smoking!

Smoking doesn’t do any good to your health. It damages your body on various fronts. However, quitting smoking can benefit you in different ways. As for cholesterol, giving up smoking can help enhance the HDL cholesterol level. Within 20 minutes of quitting, your heart rate and blood pressure recover. Further, within a few months, lung functions and blood circulation improve. After approximately a year of quitting, the risk of heart disease is reduced to half compared to that of a smoker.

• Exercise Regularly

Physical activity is appropriate for your health condition, age, gender, etc., in other words, a customized exercise program can help you increase the amount of HDL. Of course, it can be a little challenging initially. But you would see results over a while.

• Limit Alcohol Intake – Moderate Drinking

If you don’t drink, great. Do not engage in drinking alcohol. However, if you’ve been a heavy drinker, limit yourself to moderate drinking. Consulting your doctor to know how much alcohol is moderate for your health condition, age, and gender can help.

• Lose Weight

Often, people associate cholesterol levels with obesity. But they aren’t limited to excessive weight only. Even a few extra pounds can increase the risk of high cholesterol. Some lifestyle changes and compromises can help make a difference. For instance, avoiding junk food, consuming sugary beverages, walking short distances, climbing stairs, exercising regularly, etc., can help you lose weight over a while. The intensity, type, and frequency of activities will vary depending on the amount of weight to lose.

Are you looking for more insights into dealing with high cholesterol levels? Visit Ranka Hospital and receive specific advice. Call us at +91 20 24261530 for appointments.