According to the American Heart Association, 106.7 million Americans age 20 and older have total blood cholesterol levels of 200 milligrams per deciliter and higher. Improving diet, losing weight and engaging in physical activity are the cornerstones of therapy for individuals with elevated cholesterol levels or those at risk.
Cholesterol-lowering drug therapy is reserved for individuals with dangerously high cholesterol, diabetes and known coronary heart disease. Therefore, habits such as limiting your dietary cholesterol intake to 300mg a day by choosing lean meats and low-fat dairy products and engaging and exercising most days of the week can help lower cholesterol naturally.
Step 1
Go for a brisk walk or jog. Start with 20 minutes per day, four days a week, and gradually work up to one hour of walking or jogging uphill six to seven days a week. Each session should be moderately intense -- on a scale of 1 to 10, your perceived exertion should be between 4 and 7. A study in the Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation says that walking or jogging provides a sufficient stimulus to positively alter cholesterol levels.
Step 2
Eat more fiber. Soluble fiber found in foods such as apples helps lower cholesterol by decreasing the absorption of dietary cholesterol and by breaking down cholesterol in the blood. Include oat bran, dried beans and other legumes in your diet.
Step 3
Lose weight if you are above the desirable range. Although high cholesterol levels are not always associated with excess weight, overweight individuals tend to have higher readings.
Step 4
Take niacin supplements. According to a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology, taking niacin over time can produce a 10 percent decrease in total cholesterol.
Step 5
Don't be misled by advertising claims of no cholesterol. Check labels and avoid palm kernel, coconut, lard and other highly saturated fats and oils. Also, stay away from partially hydrogenated oils that contain trans fat, which has been found to raise cholesterol levels.
Tips and Warnings
- Boost your intake of vitamin C. "Total Nutrition: The Only Guide You'll Ever Need" says that vitamin C-rich foods may have a cholesterol-lowering effect. Have meatless meals a few times each week. Avoid cheese, nut and cream dishes that may be high in fat content.
References
- "Advanced Fitness Assessment and Exercise Prescription"; Vivian H. Heyward, PhD.; 2006
- "Total Nutrition: The Only Guide You'll Ever Need"; Victor Herbert, Gesell J. Subak-Sharpe; 1995
- Mayo Clinic: Top 5 Lifestyle Changes to Reduce Cholesterol
- Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation: Lipids, Lipoproteins, and Exercise
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State Univeristy: Niacin: High Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Disease
- American Journal of Cardiology: Treatment of Hyperlipidemia with Combined Niacin-Statin Regimens
