Cholesterol is needed by the body to build healthy body cells and produce hormones. However, cholesterol levels that are too high in the blood increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Understand how to lower cholesterol easily naturally through a healthy diet and lifestyle.
High cholesterol can cause fatty deposits in the blood vessels. These deposits will block the flow in the arteries. As a result, important organs in the body do not get enough oxygen-rich blood.
Fatty deposits in blood vessels also increase a person's risk of having a heart attack, coronary heart disease, angina, and heart failure. Meanwhile, reduced blood flow to the brain can cause a stroke.
Most people with high cholesterol have an unhealthy lifestyle. For example, often consume saturated fat foods, consume alcoholic beverages, smoke, and rarely exercise. However, high cholesterol can also be caused by heredity, alias inherited from parents.
Cfig Mlower Cholesterol with Malready
For people with high cholesterol, cholesterol levels can be lowered by improving an unhealthy lifestyle, including:
- Cut out saturated fat and trans fat
Studies reveal that consumption of healthy fats, such as monounsaturated fats, can lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase good cholesterol (HDL) in people with high cholesterol. Meanwhile, healthy fats can also lower cholesterol while reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. Therefore, start reducing the consumption of foods that increase cholesterol and increase the number of foods that lower cholesterol levels.
- Increase fiber
A study also shows that increasing fiber intake can prevent the risk of developing heart and blood vessel disease. So, eat various types of cholesterol-lowering vegetables that are rich in fiber, if you want to lower cholesterol levels that are too high in the blood.
- Sport
Regular exercise also helps weight loss and inhibits the formation of cholesterol in the body. It is recommended to do at least 30 minutes of exercise five times a week, to get the benefits in reducing cholesterol levels.
In addition to maintaining food intake and exercising, the habit of smoking and consuming excessive alcoholic beverages also needs to be stopped. In smokers and drinkers of alcohol, the body has a decreased ability to move cholesterol from the blood vessels to the liver, so the arteries will be more prone to blockage. This can result in disorders of various organs that are fatal.
How to Lower Cholesterol with Supplements
Some supplements that contain the following ingredients are believed to reduce high cholesterol levels in the blood:
- Lotus leaf extract
People in East Asia, such as China, Japan and Korea, have long believed in the efficacy of lotus leaf extract as traditional medicine. Lotus leaf extract is often used to treat stomach ulcers, diarrhea, headaches, and bleeding after childbirth.
Based on research, lotus leaf extract can also lower total cholesterol and reduce fasting blood sugar levels. This nutritious plant also has anti-obesity properties and slows the rate of fat metabolism, so it can help you lose weight. However, this benefit still needs to be studied further clinically.
- L-carnitineL-carnitineare amino acids that are naturally produced by the body. in the body,L-carnitine plays a role in fat processing and energy production. In certain doses,L-carnitine can lower bad cholesterol (LDL) in the blood and has the potential to have a good impact on heart and blood vessel health.
- Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), also known as linoleic acid, is naturally found in animal meat. Although included in saturated fat, linoleic acid has benefits for the body. Linoleic acid is believed to have the effect of losing weight and improving the body's metabolism, although this benefit still needs to be further proven through clinical trials.
If you decide to use supplements as a way to lower cholesterol, make sure to take them according to the dosage and instructions for use listed on the packaging. Pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, and people with chronic diseases should be more careful in taking supplements. It is recommended to consult a doctor first to ensure the benefits and side effects of cholesterol-lowering supplements that you will use.
