Try Lifestyle Changes To Lower Cholesterol

Adjustments, lifestyles, cholesterol, Therapeutic

The best important and cheap method to treat cholesterol is to modify the lifestyle.
Beneficial lifestyle changes are just small modifications in the daily routine which can help significantly in improving the health of an individual. Even a healthcare provider suggests these types of alterations initially to reduce the cholesterol levels. Only in case of very high cholesterol levels or a chronic condition like diabetes, cholesterol lowering medications are prescribed along with lifestyle modifications.

NCEP (National Cholesterol Education Program) has set forth some guidelines to help people decide what changes must be made in their life to reduce the cholesterol levels significantly and enhance the health of the individual.

Weight Loss
In case of overweight individuals, the LDL levels increase and HDL levels decrease. But this is not the recommended combination. In fact, it is the vice versa which is required for the body. Such a combination can decrease the risk factors to develop heart attacks or strokes in the later stages. By losing 5-10% of the body weight, there will be a good improvement in the cholesterol levels. Several types of diet and recipes can enable to achieve the target easily.

Physical activity/exercise
Current guidelines recommend a person to exercise at least 30 minutes in a day and at least five days in a week. In some studies, brisk walking also has been found to lower LDL levels, though the person is not exercising in his daily routine. Internet can be used to choose a proper and suitable exercise program. This will certainly lower LDL levels and increase HDL levels in the blood.

Diet changes

NCEP has suggested a TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) diet that helps in lowering the cholesterol levels and fat content. TLC diet is basically a balanced one involving the consumption of fresh vegetables, fruits, water-soluble fiber foods, whole grains and lean protein sources. It highlights and differentiated the good and the bad fats clearly. Ensure to follow a healthy diet (no matter whose suggestion) and avoid fast foods and junk foods.
Smoking

Smoking has been found to reduce HDL and increase oxidized LDL. This can hasten the atherosclerosis process, which leads to heart diseases. So if the process is reversed by quitting smoking, HDL levels increases avoiding other risk factors.

In most of the cases, these lifestyle modifications are enough for lowering the cholesterol and triglyceride content in the body and normalizing these levels. But there are also some cases where this alone may not be effective. In those cases, other treatment options like cholesterol apheresis and medication treatments is suggested but along with the lifestyle changes. Hence it becomes clear that though the person is under a drug-based therapy, the lifestyle modifications are needed to keep their levels normal. This emphasizes the significance of a good non-sedentary lifestyle.