Surely you must have heard someone say that your "cholesterol is too high". But do you know what that means? Cholesterol, a waxy substance similar to fat, is not inherently "bad" because the body needs it to build cells and produce vitamins and other hormones. The point is that very high cholesterol can cause health problems. See now what to do to reduce your cholesterol level.
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What are the causes of high cholesterol?
Naturally, the body makes all the LDL cholesterol it needs. However, having an unhealthy lifestyle can cause the body to produce this substance in excess. Check out how this can get worse:
- Not having a healthy diet;
- Not exercising regularly;
- Smoking or exposing yourself to tobacco smoke;
- Being overweight;
- Hereditary issue can also influence.
Prevent your body from high cholesterol
It is possible to reduce high cholesterol and also the risk of heart disease and stroke. If lifestyle changes are not enough, medication may be needed. According to scholars, among the main changes that should be made in lifestyle to help reduce cholesterol levels are the following:
- Intake of foods rich in phytostanols and phytosterols
Eating foods rich in phytosterols and plant phytostanols every day can help lower the sore call. “bad” LDL cholesterol, which reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and heart attack myocardium. Some of the foods rich in these compounds are vegetable oils, nuts, legumes, and especially soy.
- consume green tea
Green tea helps regulate cholesterol levels, especially LDL (considered bad), because of its antioxidant properties. For this to happen, you must ingest an average of 3 cups of this tea per day.
However, for people who have a diagnosed high blood pressure condition, it's important to be mindful and not consume more than 2 1/2 cups of green tea a day.
- exercise regularly
A sedentary lifestyle reduces the good cholesterol, which means that this type of cholesterol (HDL) will be in lesser amount to fight the “bad” in your arteries. Therefore, doing moderate exercise at least 3 times a week is enough to reduce cholesterol and high blood pressure.
- Eat more fiber-rich foods
A diet rich in fibers that are soluble (oat bran, barley and beans) helps in the elimination of bad cholesterol through the stool with bile acids. In addition, when fiber is fermented by bacteria in the intestine, chains of fatty acids are produced that inhibit cholesterol levels in the liver.
