High cholesterol and being overweight are two highly preventable risk factors for heart disease, the leading cause of death in America. There is a correlation between obesity and having a high LDL cholesterol level and a low HDL cholesterol level. Taking control of your lifestyle, altering your diet and including physical activity every day will not only help you lower your cholesterol and lose weight, but will help reduce your chances of dying from heart disease.
Misconception
Not all cholesterol is bad. Your total blood cholesterol number is made up of two numbers: your LDL level and your HDL level. Only LDLs are considered "bad" cholesterol; too much of this kind of cholesterol leads to the buildup of fat on your arterial walls, which over time turns into plaque. HDLs, the "good" cholesterol, help keep your arterial walls clean by transporting the excess fat back to the liver to be disposed of.
Know Your Fats
Bad fats, trans and saturated, increase your bad cholesterol while lowering your good cholesterol. These types of fats are commonly found in beef and dairy products, pastries, cookies, crackers, chips and other baked and pre-packaged goods. Healthy fats, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, reverse the effects of bad fats and help promote and maintain weight loss. These fats are found in avocados, almonds, pumpkin seeds, flax seed, flax oil and olive oil.
Fiber
Increasing your dietary fiber intake is beneficial for your cholesterol and your weight-loss goals. Soluble fiber slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream which helps maintain a constant blood glucose level--thus reducing your feelings of immediate onset food cravings. Soluble fiber also helps lower your cholesterol. Soluble fiber is found naturally in fruits and vegetables as well as wheat bran, corn bran, nuts and seeds. Insoluble fiber helps regulate your digestive system and aids in eliminating fatty substances from your intestines. Insoluble fiber is most commonly found in oats, nuts, flax seed, apples, oranges and carrots.
Exercise
Adding exercise to your diet helps you lower your cholesterol, lose weight and ensure that the weight lost is fat and not muscle. Performing moderate intensity exercise daily for at least 20 to 30 minutes has been shown to reduce total blood cholesterol level by 10 to 20 percent in as little as three months, according to the American Council on Exercise. If you burn 500 calories through exercise a day, you will lose 1 lb. of fat a week.
Benefits
By making healthy additions to your diet and altering your lifestyle, you are making lifelong habits that are good for you. Lowering your cholesterol and losing weight through diet and exercise alone can remove your dependence from prescription drugs and the claims of fad diets.
References
- Centers for Disease Control: Heart Disease Facts
- Centers for Disease Control: Heart Disease Behavior
- Harvard School of Public Health: Fats and Cholesterol
- Dr. Ann Louise: Diet/ Detox
- Virginia State University: Heart Healthy Eating- Cholesterol, Fat, Fiber, & Sodium
- American Council on Exercise: Managing Cholesterol with Exercise
