How to Lower Your Cholesterol

It’s time for your annual checkup and the doctor has bad news – your blood tests reveal that you have high cholesterol levels. High cholesterol levels, like high blood pressure, can cause heart attacks and stroke if not caught and treated early. There are medicines available to help you, but you really do not want to take a pill every day. If your doctor says that medicine is not necessary, then skip the meds. Instead, there are many ways that you can learn how to lower cholesterol naturally.

One of the most common ways on how to lower cholesterol naturally requires that you eat and maintain a low-cholesterol diet. This does not mean that you have to give up the foods you enjoy eating, it just means that you must watch what you eat a little more carefully to prevent serious complications. There are many foods out there that are designed to help you lower your cholesterol. Here are a few examples: oatmeal, almonds and garlic. If you are not a fan of any of these foods, there are ways that you can cook the foods into your normal meals without ever tasting them. Another tip to healthy eating: avoid saturated fats, or greatly reduce your intake. Saturated fats are one of the major causes of high cholesterol levels. Ask your doctor for a list of cholesterol friendly recipes in which you can learn how to lower cholesterol naturally.

Make it a point to take fiber, in the form of Metamucil, every day. Metamucil is known for its ability to lower the LDL cholesterol levels. One of the best things about Metamucil is that it is tasteless so you can add it into a glass of water or juice without tasting it at all. You can even add a teaspoon into your yogurt with no added taste. Break it into two dosages – morning and evening – to avoid overloading your system with fiber. If you take too much fiber at once, you are likely to become constipated. Metamucil is a great way on how to lower your cholesterol naturally.

Believe it or not, exercising will lower your cholesterol levels. It does not decrease the amount of cholesterol you have directly; instead it keeps your blood flowing quickly. This prevents your arteries from getting inflamed or clogged, two of the most direct causes of hardening of the arteries. It is important to keep your daily exercise up to the tune of at least 30 minutes. This does not have to include vigorous workouts – a simple, brisk walk will do. Make sure you reach at least 10,000 steps for the exercise to count. 10,000 steps is easily attainable in a single day – buy a pedometer and see how much you really move.

There are many ways on how to lower cholesterol naturally. You simply have to be determined to take advantage of the natural foods and exercise that are available to you. Not everyone will be able to lower their cholesterol naturally, especially if you are in immediate risk of health problems. Discuss the situation with your doctor and see if you can avoid medicine. If you can, you already know how to lower your cholesterol naturally.