Cholesterol benefits you by breaking down fat for absorption, restoring cell membranes and creating hormones. Excessive amounts, however, can build plaques along artery walls, leading to heart disease, heart attack, stroke and possibly death. To prevent low-density lipoprotein, LDL or "bad" cholesterol, levels from growing too extreme, take the appropriate steps towards a healthier diet and lifestyle.
Avoid Saturated Fat
Start by cutting out foods that are high in saturated fat that may be raising your LDL levels. This means substituting red and dark meat with skinless chicken breast or ground turkey. Also, consider replacing fatty food toppings with olive oil and spices. Research at the Mayo Clinic suggests the antioxidants in olive oil can lower "bad" cholesterol without affecting "good," or high-density lipoprotein, cholesterol levels. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends using 2 tablespoons of olive oil a day in your diet.
Increase Fiber
Whether you grab nuts, fruits or whole-grain snacks, getting your intake of fiber is important to your health. The soluble fiber in oatmeal alone, for instance, has been shown to lower "bad" cholesterol by removing excess bile acids from the intestines during digestion. Furthermore, beans, barley, bran cereal, oranges and apples all provide a healthy dosage of fiber. Learning to eat a banana or peach instead of a chocolate bar or chips can really make a difference, especially if you do it all the time.
Consume Fish
The American Heart Association recommends you have fish at least twice a week, and research at the Mayo Clinic supports the theory that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish provide cholesterol-lowering benefits. Moreover, if you substitute your morning breakfast meat--greasy sausage or bacon--with tuna, fat-free mayo, egg whites and whole-wheat toast, you can have a guilt-free, great start to your day. The extra protein from the fish and eggs will keep you satiated longer and the whole-wheat bread will keep your insulin levels low. As you reduce your cholesterol with what you eat, your actions will further lower your cholesterol by preventing you from raising it.
Exercise
Keep your heart pumping strong with exercise. According to the Mayo Clinic, 30 to 60 minutes a day of moderate physical activity is enough to raise HDL levels while lowering LDL levels. It may be annoying at first to climb stairs and make time for walking or jogging in the park, but it is far less annoying than a heart attack, and the mood boosts and weight losses you may experience should outweigh any brief moments of frustration.
