Reverse High Cholesterol Levels
By itself, high cholesterol does not cause any noticeable symptoms. However, if left untreated, elevated cholesterol levels can cause serious damage within your body. Too much “bad” LDL cholesterol in your body can lead to plaque buildup in your arteries, which can trigger heart disease and cause strokes.
The good news is that you can do something about reversing high cholesterol so that you are able to restore your overall health. Making changes such as quitting smoking and properly managing medical conditions such as diabetes is a great start.
Two of the most effective things that you can do to reduce your cholesterol levels is to maintain a regular exercise routine and to begin eating a healthier diet. A heart healthy diet and regular physical activity will help you to target your goal of reducing LDL cholesterol and boosting “good” HDL cholesterol.
According to emedicinehealth.com, many people have been able to reduce their dietary cholesterol by eating a vegetarian diet. That said, there are vegetarian foods such as margarine and hydrogenated peanut butter that can cause an elevation of your cholesterol levels. The key to maintaining a healthy diet is to become informed about what foods contain saturated fats and trans fatty acids, and then to avoid those foods. Change your diet to include a wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meats, unprocessed nuts and seeds, fish, and other healthy foods in your regular diet.
A healthy diet and regular exercise go hand in hand in preventing or treating elevated cholesterol. If you have lived a sedentary lifestyle until now, you can always start with a simple walk every day. As you boost your health over time, you will be able to increase the length and intensity of the exercises that you perform. The end result will be a healthy heart, “clean” arteries, and an overall feeling of enhanced well-being.
For more information about weight loss and how to reverse high cholesterol levels see our section about diet and healthy eating.
