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Studies have found certain foods and drinks as well as exercise lower cholesterol naturally. How sweet is it that the side effects of chemical medications are no longer a threat? Especially since some sweet things have been proven to be beneficial. If you're wondering how to lower cholesterol naturally, then listen as the experts tell us which foods and exercises will help us ditch the medicine bottles.
In an effort not to throw fifteen dollar words at you, cholesterol is necessary to the body (and is produced in the liver) for making the walls of cells, brain, nerves, skin and pretty much the whole body. It's a waxy substance called a lipid circulating through the bloodstream. Hormone function, as well as bile production (which breaks up fats), depends on cholesterol. We also get cholesterol, the good kind called HDL, from foods like fatty fish, nuts and plant-based oils like olive oil. There is actually only one "type" of cholesterol, but like most things, it has two faces. The "bad" cholesterol is LDL, the other side of the same coin. These are stored in fat cells. However, eating the right foods and avoiding the wrong ones will elevate the "good" cholesterol and obliterate the other side of the coin.
This Prevention Magazine article features studies done all over the world regarding the best foods to eat to combat rising cholesterol levels. It turns out that plant foods harbor enough of The Force to blast the bad stuff into the farthest reaches of the galaxy. By providing fiber and oils, good or HDL cholesterol is boosted, while bad or LDL is annihilated. Prepare to raise your light saber and smile smugly, because here is a list of foods that will help and confound your family and friends:
The bad news is that food alone won't do it. You're going to have to sweat a little. You're going to have to walk a couple of miles three days each week to lower your cholesterol. Is that all? Relieved, aren't you? In fact, according to Natural Health Advisory Institute, more radical exercise like those found in extreme workouts don't do much for lowering cholesterol. Studies have found that those who walked two miles as opposed to those who ran the same amount of miles had lower cholesterol. Apparently, it's the distance that matters instead of the intensity of the workout.
Some of the best exercise for lowering cholesterol are walking, biking, swimming, running, dancing and hiking. You don't even have to power walk. You can cover as much distance as your legs can handle, but you don't have to carry your free weights with you.
Use a fitness device to track your steps taken, calories burned and distance walked or jogged. You can also check out inKin Social Fitness Platform that works in tandem with other apps and wearable technology. It's free and enables you to hook up with others of the same mind for competitions, challenges, and support. Now go get that chocolate!
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