Rhea was surprisingly calm in her kitchen as she flipped through the paper version of her medical report, and was stunned to see a surprise number next to her cholesterol level in the report: HIGH! She was not yet quite 35. She thought to herself, “But I eat somewhat okay and I walk sometimes.” After being adamantly told she needed medications, Rhea considered learning how to lower cholesterol naturally. This is how Rhea began her journey to lowering cholesterol the natural way. If you are like Rhea and you want safe and sustainable ways to increase your heart health, without taking medications this blog is for you.
1. Start with your Plate: Food is Medicine.
What goes in your body, and out of your body are either taking you positively or negatively in your overall health. To lower cholesterol naturally, you will want to start by moving towards a heart healthy way of eating. Remove trans fats and refined carbs packaged snacks and deep fried foods may seem harmless but they are cholesterol’s best buddies. You will want to focus on foods that are rich in soluble fiber: oats, flaxseeds, apples, and legumes will help your body extract LDL (bad cholesterol) from your system.
Add fatty fish for example, salmon, sardines, or mackerel for your plate twice per week. They pack omega-3s that increase HDL, the good kind of cholesterol. Bonus points if you sprinkle some chia seeds or walnuts onto your salad. They will work for the good of your heart and gut.
2. Move Your Body: Have Fun With It
You need not run a marathon or hug the weights like a bodybuilder. You just have to get into any physical activity that you actually enjoy and keep doing it consistently. Be it your living room dance offs, brisk walks in the park, or Yoga sessions, these activities serve up a metabolism boost while naturally lowering your cholesterol.
Thirty Minutes a Day, Five Days a Week is What You Are Shooting for. You Move Not Just for Weight Loss; Movement also Helps to Lower LDL Cholesterol and Heighten Cardiovascular Function. Apart from that, Your Mood is Thanking You Already!
3. Rethink Your Lifestyle Habits
Often, minor elements have the greatest importance. You should quit if you are still smoking. Keep alcohol consumption to a minimum, perhaps to a glass of red wine once in a while. Red wine has antioxidants that may benefit the heart. And most importantly, get enough sleep. Insufficient sleep increases stress, while stress increases inflammation that can interfere with cholesterol management.
Prioritize your stress management approach in your daily routine to help you get through the day. Possible solutions include meditation, journaling, taking walks in nature, and breath work. Managing cortisol, a blood stress hormone, can be accomplished with nature walks and breath work, as is helping cholesterol.
4. Heal Your Gut, Heal Your Heart
This is something that most people ignore. How to improve gut health plays a vital role in managing cholesterol too. An enhanced gut microbiome among other health benefits, increases cholesterol through digestion, better absorption of nutrients, and lower abdominal inflammation. You can do this by taking probiotics and fermented foods like kanji and kimchi, yogurt, and others. Also, prebiotics such as garlic, bananas, and onions should be taken to nourish the probiotics.
When your gut predominates, your system gets to function and so does your heart.
From Quick Fixes to Forever Habits
Rhea has no overnight miracle to talk about. She had her cholesterol reduced significantly without medicines, however, no less than three months of eating, being mindful, walking every day, and taking care of her gut and sleep.
The road that leads to the reduction of cholesterol by natural means is not about adhering to the strictest rules. It is about the recognition of consistency, honesty to your body, and just like Rhea, you are capable of taking the steering wheel over your health one step, one meal, and one breath at a time.