Improving Cholesterol Any Way Possible
By Brandi Swieter
With National Cholesterol Education Month taking place in September, it’s important for people to take the time to gain some insight into how they can make improvements. There are tons of ways to improve cholesterol and lower bad levels. People just need to take the time to learn how and do their best to follow through to ensure it happens for them.
Increase Physical Activity
Physical activity makes the heart work as needed. It helps to raise levels of good cholesterol and improve overall health. People who have not been physical in some time should start out slow, perhaps doing only 20-minute intervals three days per week. The amount should eventually increase to 30 minutes per day at least five times per week.
Stop Smoking
Smoking increases the risk for heart disease. It also raises levels of the bad cholesterol in the body. Blood pressure and heart rate spike after smoking a cigarette. Within 20 minutes after a person finishes their last one, these levels come down to normal. Lung function and blood circulation improves three months after. Within a year, the risk for heart disease drops to roughly half of what it was.
Choose Heart-Healthy Foods
Saturated fats, trans fats, and processed foods are very bad for the heart. These things raise bad cholesterol within the body and lower the amount of good cholesterol. Choosing heart-healthy foods is one way to combat this problem and produce the opposite results. They will raise the good levels and decrease the bad. Start by reducing the amounts of saturated fats and trans fats in the diet. Consume foods with lots of vitamins and nutrients. Eat things with omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish and walnuts. Eat beans, apples, oatmeal, and other foods with plenty of soluble fiber. Making these diet changes will make major improvements for cholesterol and overall health.
Take Prescribed Medication
Sometimes, lifestyle changes are not enough to improve cholesterol as much as needed. In these cases, doctors may prescribe a medication that does the job. These changes should still be made and continued, as the dose of medication can be lowered over time so it is not relied on so heavily. Excessive medication use isn’t ideal for long periods of time unless absolutely necessary, but it can offer the help people need to improve health.
Learning about cholesterol shouldn’t only take place one month out of the year. Everyone should do their best to keep up with their education and learn better ways to lower bad levels of cholesterol and find out how to improve good cholesterol levels year-round. It’s important for overall health and well-being.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Wyckoff, N.J.