High cholesterol levels can lead to heart disease and stroke. LDL cholesterol is a low-density fatty molecule that builds up as plaque in your arteries, a condition called atherosclerosis. When a clot forms around an atherosclerotic plaque, blood vessels become too narrow to allow blood flow to the heart, brain and other vital organs. Lowering LDL cholesterol to recommended levels prevents stroke, heart attack and other diseases of the arteries.
Exercise Regularly
The goal of maintaining healthy cholesterol levels is to keep your LDL levels lower and HDL, or healthy cholesterol, levels higher. Exercise can do both. If you already have or are at high risk for developing heart disease, your doctor may want you to maintain an LDL level less than 70 mg/dL. A level less than 160 mg/dL is desirable for individuals with one or no risk factors for heart disease and less than 130 is the target if you have two or more risks, according to the National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute. Thirty minutes of moderate exercise daily can reduce LDL cholesterol levels. Brisk walking, swimming, bicycling, dancing and doubles tennis are examples of exercises that can lower LDL cholesterol.
Consume Soluble Fiber
The Mayo Clinic recommends 5 to 10 g or more of soluble fiber daily to lower LDL cholesterol. Oatmeal is a popular choice to reduce the amount of cholesterol absorbed into your bloodstream. One and a half cups of cooked oatmeal has 6 g of soluble fiber. Other sources of soluble fiber include fruits such prunes, bananas, apples and pears. Snack on fruit mid-morning or add it to your oatmeal to boost fiber intake. Kidney beans and barley are additional sources of soluble fiber that are also low in fat.
Control Stress
Lowering stress levels, combined with eating a healthy diet and exercise, can lower LDL cholesterol 5 to 10 percent according to the Harvard School of Medicine. Exercise promotes the release of serotonin in your body. This neurochemical is a natural anti-stress hormone. Yoga, meditation, breath work and guided imagery are drug-free ways to reduce the effects of daily stress.
Lose Weight
Being overweight or obese often goes hand in hand with higher LDL cholesterol levels, especially in men. According to a 1998 American Heart Association conference summary in the journal "Circulation," increased weight increases LDL cholesterol and triglycerides---a type of fat that freely circulates in the bloodstream---and contributes to lower levels of HDL. Obesity interferes with the metabolism of fat molecules. Weight loss can lower LDL cholesterol because LDL can be broken down efficiently and eliminated from the body.
Consume Other Beneficial Compounds
Plant sterols and stanols block the absorption of cholesterol in your gut. You can add margarine with stanols and sterols to bread and potatoes to lower LDL cholesterol levels. These products are widely available in grocery stores. You can also purchase plant sterols in pill form in the supplement section of most drug stores. Cardiologist Stephen L. Kopecky at the Mayo Clinic recommends one to two tablespoons a day, combined with other healthy lifestyle choices. Psyllium is another plant compound that can help lower LDL cholesterol levels. Ground up psyllium seed is present in a variety of preparations that are available without prescription. Manuafactuers add psyllium to some fiber cereals as well. Dr. Kopecky states that plant sterols and stanols and psyllium seed can lower your LDL cholesterol by 15 percent.
References
- American Heart Association: Good vs. Bad Cholesterol
- National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute: How is High Blood Cholesterol Treated?
- Mayo Clinic: Foods to Lower Cholesterol Numbers
- Harvard Health Publications: Lowdown on Cholesterol
- "Circulation": AHA Conference Proceeding: Obesity, 1998
- Mayo Clinic: Lowering Cholesterol Without Drugs
