LDL, or low density lipoprotein, is the main transport which carries cholesterol into the arteries of blood vessels everywhere, including those of the heart and brain. Cholesterol slowly builds up in the form of a plaque, gradually squeezing off blood and therefore oxygen supply to the heart and brain. Sometimes the plaque fractures and tumbles about, suddenly causing complete blockage of the blood vessel until no oxygen rich blood can get through. This situation can be a killer. if If your LDL is high, it's time to bring it down, before disaster strikes.
Step 1
Start walking, swimming, biking, gardening or learning a new sport. Your goal is to reach 30 minutes of aerobic workout five or six times a week. As fat cells decrease, they stop carrying around and depositing such mobile stores of LDL and begin to build muscle instead. Muscle burns more calories so the process of decreasing fat cells is enhanced even further. Exercise also stimulates certain enzymes to develop and to clean cholesterol out of the blood.
Step 2
Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight makes it much more likely that your LDL will be elevated. Dieting and exercise are known to reduce LDL levels over 20 percent. What habits can you start changing? Do you eat when you are bored, stressed, tired? Try taking a walk instead. Instead of fast food at lunch time, try bringing your lunch from home. Find small ways to get exercise such as taking the stairs, parking farther away in the parking lot, or walking to the next cubicle instead of emailing.
Step 3
Remove saturated fat, transfats and high-cholesterol foods from your diet.Use saturated fats only sparingly and switch to unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats instead. Look for polyunsaturated fats like those found in safflower oil, soybeans, and sunflower seeds, and monounsaturated fats, best for lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol while raising HDL (good) cholesterol. Polyunsaturated fats lower LDL but do not raise good cholesterol, or HDL. These types of fats are a great source of essential omega-3 fatty acids.
Step 4
Eat oatmeal and other soluble fiber. This type of fiber expands in the intestines, creating a thick gooey gel which helps block sugar from being too rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, and also works to trap cholesterol forming a protective gel (or gummy-substance) that delays the absorption of sugar (glucose) in the bloodstream and helps "trap" cholesterol, letting the gut eliminate it from the body.
Some of the best sources of soluble fiber include foods such as legumes, beans, oatmeal and oat bran, certain fruits and vegetables raw or dried: apples, carrots, potatoes, mangoes, pears, and fibrous vegetables including especially artichokes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, parsnips, sweet potatoes and turnips.
Tips and Warnings
- Ask your doctor for a referral to a Nutritionist if you have further questions. Start your exercise program slowly and build up over 6-8 weeks. This gives you the best chance to be successful. Keep a calendar or log of your exercise and diet progress Consider finding a friend who you can partner up with and share motivation.
- Don't be discouraged if you slip up sometimes. This doesn't give you an excuse to quite all together, it just means you are human. If you experience any chest pain, sudden shortness of breath, dizziness, weakness, numbness or confusion when working out tell someone--anyone--immediately and stop what you are doing.
