Sky-High Cholesterol? Here's What You Can Do About It
Learning that you have high cholesterol can be alarming and even anxiety-inducing, especially if you already try to eat well and live a healthy lifestyle. But many factors can influence your cholesterol levels, and some could be out of your control. Wondering how to improve the numbers on your lipid profile? Here are 10 reasons your cholesterol might still be high—and 10 natural ways to lower it without medication.
1. You're Eating Too Much Saturated Fat
If your diet consists of a lot of red meat, you might be consuming too much saturated fat—the kind that raises your LDL (bad) cholesterol. Butter, dairy, and other processed snacks and goods are also high in saturated fat, so make sure to scan the nutrition facts before digging in.
2. You're Consuming Trans Fat Without Realizing
Even when the food you're eating says it's trans-fat-free, it might still contain small traces of it. The reason for this is because the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows companies to label foods as trans-fat-free if they contain 0.5 grams or less per serving.
3. You're Not Getting Enough Fiber
If your diet is low in fiber, you're not regularly flushing out the waste in your system—and that includes cholesterol, too. Fiber, particularly soluble fiber, forms into a gel-like substance that helps trap cholesterol and prevent it from being reabsorbed into your bloodstream. This, in turn, lowers your LDL levels.
4. You're Not Exercising Enough
If you're not moving enough, you increase your risk of high cholesterol, obesity, and heart disease. Your HDL (good) cholesterol levels increase when engaging in moderate physical activity, and this type of cholesterol helps remove plaque and fatty buildups in your arteries. In contrast, a sedentary lifestyle means you won't produce enough HDL cholesterol to remove these harmful deposits.
5. You're Under Chronic Stress
Chronic stress may also spike cholesterol levels. Researchers believe that this is due to cortisol, the "stress" hormone, which can negatively affect how your body metabolizes cholesterol. Adrenaline may also be released when you're stressed, and this "fight or flight" response can trigger triglycerides, raising your LDL levels.
6. Your Medications Are Interfering
The medications you take may also have an unexpected effect on your cholesterol levels. Birth control pills, anticonvulsants, antivirals, corticosteroids, diuretics, and some beta-blockers can spike your cholesterol, so it's always important to talk to your doctor about what medications you're currently taking.
7. You Drink Too Much
Your liver doesn't just play an important role in producing and regulating your cholesterol levels—it's also responsible for breaking down alcohol. Studies have shown that those who drink more tend to have higher cholesterol levels than those who limit their intake.
8. You Have an Insatiable Sweet Tooth
It's not just saturated fat that has a bad rep—sugar is equally harmful, too. In fact, a diet high in sweets causes your liver to make more LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and less HDL cholesterol. Not only that, but if you don't exercise control, eating too much sugar can increase your risk of diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.
9. You're Getting Older
Sometimes, it's not entirely you're fault; cholesterol rises with age, even if your lifestyle hasn't changed too much. Menopause can also significantly affect your levels: when estrogen levels fall—which play a role in regulating cholesterol—your lipid profile gets less than spectacular.
10. It Runs in the Family
Sometimes, it's not your fault at all. You might have high cholesterol no matter how healthy you eat or how much you exercise, and that's because you're genetically predisposed. Familial hypercholesterolemia is an inherited disorder that causes sky-high levels of LDL cholesterol and significantly increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and heart attacks.
What, then, are some natural ways you can lower your cholesterol and keep your levels in check? Here are 10 must-follow tips:
1. Reduce Saturated Fat & Trans Fat Intake
Make a conscious effort to lower your saturated fat and trans fat intake. Regularly scan nutrition labels and read through ingredient lists to know what you'll be putting in your body, and choose foods that have more of a natural makeup than a highly processed one.
2. Eat More Fiber
As we've mentioned, soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance that helps trap cholesterol and flush it out of your body, so make sure to get enough fiber in your diet every day. Try eating more oats, chia seeds, whole grains, and leafy vegetables.
3. Try a Plant-Based Diet
If you're okay with giving up meat and dairy, a plant-based diet may help lower cholesterol levels. This is because you won't be consuming as much saturated fat as you normally would with animal products, which spike your LDL. The Mediterranean diet—which spotlights plant-based foods and healthy fats—also shows strong evidence for lowering bad cholesterol and increasing HDL levels.
4. Eat More Nut Butter
Nuts and nut butter contain heart-healthy fats, which can help lower your cholesterol levels. Of course, it's also important to choose varieties that aren't packed with added sugars, salt, and fat. An easy way to incorporate them into your diet? Replace your not-so-healthy snacks with nuts, or have nut butter with your toast or oatmeal in the morning.
5. Eat More Seeds
Along with nuts, seeds like pumpkin, sunflower, chia, flax, and sesame can also help in lowering your cholesterol levels. This is because they're high in unsaturated fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids. Again, make sure to choose varieties that aren't loaded with extra salt, sugar, or other ingredients.
6. Use Vegetable Oil
Instead of using butter to flavor your dishes or grease up your pots and pans, swap it for vegetable oil. Canola and sunflower oil are popular choices, but extra virgin olive oil reigns supreme if you're serious about making a healthy switch.
7. Move More
It's no surprise that exercise is extremely important for maintaining good health. The more you move—and the higher intensity it is—the more you raise your HDL (good) levels. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity.
8. Eat More Fatty Fish
Fatty fish—like salmon, anchovies, mackerel, herring, and sardines—is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a heart-healthy fat that can help decrease your triglycerides and overall cholesterol levels. The AHA recommends eating fatty fish at least twice per week.
9. Quit Smoking & Limit Alcohol Intake
Smoking isn't just bad for your lungs—it's bad for your cholesterol levels, too. In fact, it lowers your HDL levels and spikes your LDL (bad) levels, which is exactly what you don't want. If you're thinking of quitting the pipe, make sure to limit your alcohol intake as well by drinking in moderation.
10. Decrease Stress
As mentioned, chronic stress can negatively impact your cholesterol levels, so it's important to take care of yourself. Make sure to eat a healthy, balanced diet, get enough sleep, stay active, and make time for hobbies and practicing mindfulness. Don't be afraid to reach out to a professional if you need additional support for your well-being.
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