Written by Fatima Khalil Wednesday, August 02, 2023 04:00 PM
High blood cholesterol comes with many health problems, such as: heart disease And heart attacks and strokes, and over time, cholesterol can accumulate in the blood vessels, which may lead to narrowing and blockage. In this report, we learn about 3 lifestyle changes that help lower cholesterol, according to the “Times of India” website.
What causes high blood cholesterol?
High cholesterol is often caused by a number of lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise.
Eating foods high in saturated fats can raise blood cholesterol levels.
Certain medical conditions can also cause unhealthy cholesterol levels, such as chronic kidney disease and diabetes.
Your genetic makeup can also increase your risk of high cholesterol. Aside from what you eat, here’s how your other lifestyle choices affect your cholesterol levels.
Lifestyle changes that help manage cholesterol
Here are 3 major lifestyle changes you can make to help lower your cholesterol levels. However, it is important not to stop taking medication to control your cholesterol levels, unless your doctor advises you to do so.
Exercising regularly
Exercise has been shown to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, also known as bad cholesterol. Regular exercise helps maintain body weight and boost insulin sensitivity. Even if you don’t sweat it at the gym, being physically active throughout the day can help, too.
The NHS advises that you engage in at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week.
Some good things to try when starting out include walking – try to walk fast enough so your heart starts beating faster, swimming and cycling.
good sleep
Most adults should aim to get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. If you don’t get enough sleep, it can increase your risk of high cholesterol.
In a study of 2,705 adults, people who slept less each night were more likely to have higher triglycerides and lower “good” cholesterol. However, their LDL cholesterol levels were not affected by their sleep.
Researchers also found that people who slept 8 hours per night had the highest good cholesterol.
Manage stress
High levels of cortisol caused by long-term stress can increase cholesterol levels in the body. This can also put you at an increased risk of heart disease.
Managing your stress levels is a healthy lifestyle habit to keep you away from high cholesterol as well as other dangerous lifestyle conditions.
2023-08-02 13:07:17
#lifestyle #cholesterol