One of the most important ways to maintain your overall health and sense of wellness as you get older is by keeping your cholesterol within an ideal range. Talking to your doctor about getting a simple blood test to check your triglycerides and your cholesterol will give you the foundation on which you can take extra steps towards high cholesterol prevention. But in addition to seeing your doctor, you can also follow the tips below every day.
Shed Those Excess Pounds
Being overweight could increase your risk of having high cholesterol, and losing just five pounds can make a difference in lowering your total cholesterol level. Changing your daily eating habits can be a challenge, but the effort will definitely be worthwhile. Plus, if you are really struggling with shedding those extra pounds, you could simply take a high quality fat burning supplement to make the process easier.
Consume Good Fats
Good fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, should be consumed more regularly while reducing your intake of unhealthy saturated fat. Trans fat should also be avoided all the time. This is because both trans fat and saturated fat could increase your cholesterol.
To easily avoid saturated fat, reduce or eliminate foods like dairy, processed meats, and red meat. Sticking with monounsaturated fat, which can be found in foods like olive oil, and consuming plenty of pecans, almonds, and avocados will help you get the healthy fat your body needs to thrive.
If You Smoke, Quit
Are you a smoker who is interested in high cholesterol prevention? Then it is definitely time to quit. Smoking cigarettes boosts your risk of developing heart disease by increasing the speed at which plaque accumulates in your arteries, and it also damages blood vessels. So if you didn’t have enough reasons to quit before, this should set you on a track towards being addiction-free.
Switch to a Healthier Diet
If you want to keep your cholesterol at a healthy level, choose whole grain breads, pastas, cereals, and flours. Eat plenty of high-fiber foods like oatmeal, and switch from white rice to brown rice. You should also limit your intake of animal products, as those contain cholesterol, and increase your intake of fruits and veggies that could actually help to lower your cholesterol.
When it comes to high cholesterol prevention, it really is all about following a healthy lifestyle and eating right. A few simple steps every day will make a big difference in the long run.
