Cholesterol is a waxy substance manufactured by liver and intestine. It has many health benefits like production of hormones and mammalian cell membrane. It is also an essential component for the manufacture of bile acids, steroid hormones and Vitamin D. But too much cholesterol in the body could lead to damaging the arteries and many other chronic heart diseases. Taking food supplements and medication can help lower bad cholesterol. However, this is not the only way to obtain lower cholesterol levels. There are several ways to lower your bad cholesterol. These ways are proven safe and effective.
The first thing you need to do is to avoid eating foods with Trans Fat. Trans Fats help to lower good cholesterol as they raise the amounts of bad cholesterol. This kind of fat is mostly found in junk foods, processed foods and some fast foods. In order to lower your bad cholesterol, you have to lessen or rather fully eliminate foods with trans fats.
Managing your saturated fat intake can also lead to lowering bad cholesterol. A person should only have 7% of calories per day. If it exceeds, it may result to an increase of bad cholesterol. Saturated fats are found in red meats, processed meat and whole fat dairy products. Reduce to eat this kind of fat to lower the bad cholesterol level.
Losing your weight is one of the most common things to do to decrease bad cholesterol. Excess weight is a major contributing factor why people get bad cholesterol. So go on a diet and exercise regularly to remove those excess weights.
Fiber helps to decrease the bad cholesterol in the body. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes are rich in fiber. So make sure to eat 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day.
Adding plant sterols to your diet is also good to lessen unwanted cholesterol. These plant sterols are usually found in some food. However, the amount is so low that's why they add it to margarine and orange juice. According to Cleveland Clinic, a person taking 2 to 3 grams of plant sterols everyday can lower bad cholesterol by five to ten percent.
The best solution to this kind of illness is to quit smoking. Cigarette and passive smoking could lead to lowering your good cholesterol. It is a lot better if you quit this bad habit.
The body can actually make enough cholesterol in order for you to live so eating foods rich in cholesterol won't be necessary. So keep your daily intake below 300 mg.
These are some of the effective ways to lower bad cholesterol. However, these tips do not suit everybody. You must still ask your doctor before you try these tips.