Cholesterol is a fatty substance in your body and bloodstream that can lead to the development of serious health problems such as hardening of your arteries, heart attack and stroke. You can lower your levels of blood cholesterol without the benefit of drugs by making certain alterations to your diet and other lifestyle changes.
Understanding Cholesterol
Your blood contains three basic forms of cholesterol, according to the Mayo Clinic. Low-density lipoprotein, also called "bad" cholesterol or LDL, distributes cholesterol particles to various parts of your body. When present in excess, it triggers a hardening and narrowing of your artery walls. Very low-density lipoprotein, or VLDL, carries significant amounts of a fatty particles called triglycerides, which can contribute to heart disease. VLDL also increases the harmful effects of LDL. High-density lipoprotein, also called "good" cholesterol or HDL, pulls unneeded LDL from your bloodstream and transports it to your liver for elimination.
General Guidelines
You can decrease your total cholesterol levels by limiting the amount of cholesterol in your daily diet, the Mayo Clinic notes. If you do not currently have heart disease, keep your daily intake at 300 mg or less. If you have heart disease, keep your daily cholesterol intake at 200 mg or less. Food items with notably high cholesterol content include whole milk products, organ meats and egg yolks. You can limit your cholesterol intake by substituting these foods with skim milk products, egg substitutes and leaner cuts of meat.
Dietary Choices
You can also decrease your blood cholesterol by eating foods that contain fiber, a substance capable of directly lowering your cholesterol levels, the Mayo Clinic reports. High-fiber foods include fruits and vegetables. In addition, you can increase your heart health by eating whole grains and fish that are high in heart-protective substances called omega-3 fatty acids. Examples of whole grain products include brown rice, whole grain breads and whole wheat pastas and flour. Examples of high omega-3 fish include herring, salmon and mackerel. Fish such as tuna, halibut and cod also have lower amounts of cholesterol, total fat and saturated fat than most forms of meat or poultry.
Fat Intake
You can lower your LDL levels and raise your HDL levels by eating monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Sources of monounsaturated fats include avocados, hazelnuts, almonds, sesame seeds and peanut and olive oils. Sources of polyunsaturated fats include fish, flax seeds, walnuts and soybean, sunflower and corn oils. You can further reduce harmful LDL by limiting your intake of saturated fats and chemically altered forms of vegetable oil called trans fats. Sources of saturated fats include whole milk products, meat, seafood and skin-on poultry. Sources of trans fats include processed snack foods and bakery items.
Additional Methods
The Mayo Clinic lists additional methods of lowering your cholesterol that include regular exercise and avoidance of smoking. Pick exercises that suit you, and try to engage in them for half an hour to an hour on most days. If you quit smoking, you can significantly raise your levels of beneficial HDL.
