For the people who know, it is not easy to reduce cholesterol. Amidst the overlapping (sometimes mindless) chatter around how to reduce cholesterol, it’s often easy to lose track of the simplest of things. We’re here to touch upon exactly that. Keep on reading to know insights of our in-house experts on 5 of the most low lifestyle changes to reduce your cholesterol naturally.
Say yes to heart healthy foods | Tips to reduce cholesterol
While it’s easy to find a list of heart healthy foods that are great for your heart in the long run, not everyone talks about the science behind it. Let’s gradually touch upon both the simple solution and the hard facts behind it.
Fat is not your heart’s BFF
One of the first few foods that you should consider going cold turkey on, are red meats and full-fat dairy products. The saturated fats found in these foods raise the levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) in the body. This can instantaneously trigger an increase in your cholesterol levels. Another form of fat that you should steer clear from, is trans fat. Often listed on food labels as “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil”, trans fats are found in store-bought chips, cookies and sometimes ready-to-eat foods as well.
Did you know?
As per the Food and Drug Administration, the use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils is banned as of January 1, 2021.
To make it easier, here’s a list of foods you should eat, to keep your heart healthy.
- Leafy green vegetables for fiber
- Walnuts & flaxseeds for omega-3 fatty acid
- Grains such as whole wheat, barley & pearl millet (bajra) for their protein content
Follow the rule of 10
When it comes to physical activity, forming a habit is the tough part. Doesn’t matter if you exercise vigorously for an hour, without any consistency. Hence, to form a habit that lasts, take baby steps. Touching upon how to reduce cholesterol effectively, start with taking 10 minutes out of your busy schedule for your body. That’s it. And it’s also important to not be specific. You don’t have to join the gym if you don’t want to. Start with simple ways to do physical exercise like walking and stretching. When it comes to forming long-lasting habits, it’s important to keep your eyes on the prize. Afterall, a stronger foundation requires consistency and dedication, hence start small.
Learn to calm your nerves
To be brutally honest, eating appropriately and working out can help your heart to a great extent, but if you don’t eventually learn to manage your stress, you’ll end up going back to square one. The constant state of fight or flight that your body feels when dealing with difficult situations can be extremely harmful for your heart. The stress hormone Cortisol can cause a number of heart issues in the long run. Hypertension and hyperglycemia are some of the most damaging ones to your heart. Here are some ways to cut down stress, which are low-effort as we promised.
- Journaling daily for 10 minutes – When you find yourself getting overwhelmed with the simplest of tasks, it’s your mind trying to tell you that it needs a reset. Journaling is a great way to break free from the loop of overthinking. Afterall, mental health is important for your heart too.
- Consider joining support groups – Studies show that talking through your bad mental health days can significantly reduce their impact on your body. In such cases when you find yourself being stuck in a rut, find support groups. Consider getting in touch with counselors who conduct group therapy.
Keeping in mind these low-effort lifestyle changes, relying on expert solutions can only help you achieve your heart health goals sooner. Speaking of expert solutions, TrueBasics Heart Omega-3 is one such nutritional supplement. It helps reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels by up to 33%. The Antarctic Krill Oil is the star ingredient of this product, which is sourced with 100% traceability and purity. The 4 heart-strengthening ingredients namely Omega-3, Phospholipids, Astaxanthin and Choline make this supplement the ultimate cholesterol specialist.
