Total cholesterol is made up of two forms: LDL and HDL. Your low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is the one you want to keep low. When your levels of LDL become high, you run the risk of developing plaque on the interior walls of your arteries. This can restrict blood flow and lead to heart attacks and strokes. To lower your LDL levels, there are several steps you can take.
Step 1
Eat 10g of soluble fiber every day. Fiber comes in the form of soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber gets absorbed in water and insoluble does not. According to the Mayo Clinic, soluble fiber reduces the absorption of cholesterol in the stomach and it can also lower your LDL levels. Examples of foods that are high in soluble fiber are beans, oatmeal, oat bran, psyllium, barley, prunes, apples and pears.
Step 2
Eliminate foods that are high in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol. Examples of these include deep fried foods, poultry with skins, red meat, processed baked goods, eggs and whole-fat dairy products. Check the ingredient labels of packaged foods and avoid ones that have hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils in them.
Step 3
Cut back on the overall calories to lose some excess pounds. Being overweight is a risk factor for many chronic conditions and it can also raise your cholesterol. If you are looking to lower your LDL levels, then lower your fork to the table and leave it there once you feel satisfied.
Step 4
Consume stanols and sterols. Plant sterols and stanols can be found in various fortified foods and beverages like yogurt, margarine and orange juice. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, eating these foods can lower your cholesterol levels. Look in the refrigerated sections of your local grocery store for these products.
Step 5
Increase your physical activity. When you are sedentary, you can gain weight and your cholesterol levels can rise. Exercise can not only lower your LDL levels, but it can simultaneously raise your HDL, levels which is your good cholesterol and the kind you want high. Get 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise every day of the week. Examples include brisk walking, biking, swimming, elliptical training and stair stepping.
Step 6
Get on a medication. Your doctor can prescribe medication to help lower your LDL levels. Examples of these are statins, bile-acid-binding resins and cholesterol absorption inhibitors.
