High cholesterol levels are a common problem these days. Increased levels of bad cholesterol are one of the significant contributors to early heart attacks and other major coronary events. While your cholesterol levels do not magically shoot down, certain foods and lifestyle changes can help in lowering them to quite an extent.
Strawberries are one of the best foods to help lower your cholesterol levels. The sweet and tangy red fruit contains several ingredients including Vitamin C, Folic Acid, Fiber, etc. which help in keeping your cholesterol levels in check. Consumption of fruits, in general, is a great way to reduce cholesterol levels.
Also, foods including Salmon, oatmeal, and dried fruits are also an excellent way to reduce your elevated cholesterol levels. These items will not only keep your cholesterol levels in check, but they also act as a weight loss aid.
Another long-term solution for maintaining cholesterol levels is exercising on a regular basis. You do not necessarily need to run 5 km a day or spend 2 hours on a treadmill. The entire idea is to do anything that keeps your heart pumping. It could be a fifteen-minute treadmill run or a brief yoga session.
Being obese is directly related to high cholesterol levels. Not only do you need to keep that increasing weight in check but you also need to avoid full-fat dairy items, fatty meats, and egg yolks. Losing weight will automatically lower those LDL levels.
Instead of using butter as your bread spread, switch to a healthier version, margarine. Margarine has been proven to reduce both total and LDL cholesterol levels. However, margarine should also be consumed in controlled servings.
For a tastier way to reduce cholesterol levels, chocolates are your best bet. The only catch here is to reach out for a dark or a bittersweet version. The question now arises as to how much is too much? As per experts, one ounce of chocolate in a day results in an increase of good cholesterol and prevents the oxidization of the bad ones.
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