The Best Ways to Lower Your Cholesterol

by Annie O'Brien | 4th Mar 2021

The Best Ways to Lower Your Cholesterol

Chances are you’ve heard it before: High blood cholesterol levels are linked to an increased risk of health issues like high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease. Although taking steps to lower your cholesterol may sound daunting, there are many ways to lower your cholesterol and they may be simpler than you think.

The good news is your cholesterol, especially your LDL (the “bad” cholesterol) is very responsive to lifestyle changes such as the reduction of certain foods, exercising and giving up bad habits. Here are The Best Ways to Lower Your Cholesterol.

Try to Reduce Your Meat

Most kinds of animal protein, even if it comes from sources lower in saturated fat, like pork or chicken, aren’t great for your cholesterol. In addition, processed meats like sausages and rashers are high-cholesterol foods that should be limited. High consumption of processed meats can result in an increased rate of heart disease and certain cancers like colon cancer.

Try to eat more omega-3-rich foods like salmon or taking omega-3 supplements like fish oils which have been shown to reduce LDL and raise HDL levels.

Fibre, Fibre and More Fibre

There are two types of fibre: soluble and insoluble fibre. But only soluble fibre can help lower cholesterol because it binds with cholesterol in the intestine and shuttles it out of the body. Sources of soluble fibre include oatmeal, beans, lentils and fruits.

Insoluble fibre helps keep our stools soft and regular, always a good thing! Sources of insoluble fibre include wholegrains, beans, lentils and most vegetables. Both soluble and insoluble fibre makes us feel full, which helps us to eat less.

Get Moving

Exercise is a great way to lower your cholesterol. Moderate physical activity can help raise HDL cholesterol, the “good” cholesterol. With your doctor’s OK, work up to 30 minutes of exercise five times a week or vigorous aerobic activity for 20 minutes three times a week. Adding physical activity, even in short intervals a few times a day, can help you begin to lose weight. Consider:

Taking a brisk daily walk during your lunch hour
Doing a quick HIIT in your sitting room
Skipping or jogging in your garden

Quit Smoking and Boozing It Up

Lighting up a cigarette raises LDL levels and lowers HDL levels. The good news is once you quit, you’ll see results fairly rapidly. Want more incentive? Within a year, your risk of developing heart disease will have dropped to about half that of a smoker’s, according to the World Health Organization.

You may have also heard that a glass (or two, or three) of red wine is good for your heart, but the key here is moderation. In Ireland, the maximum recommended number of standard drinks (or units) for women is 11 and for men is 17 per week.