A High Level of Bad Cholesterol? Healthy Tips to Lower It!

January 28, 2020
Cholesterol from food sources makes up about 30% of total cholesterol, which is why it's so important to eat a diet rich in healthy fats.

The human body has two types of cholesterol: bad cholesterol, and good cholesterol. The latter, also called HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is a kind of fat that helps clean out your arteries and improve cardiovascular health with its important functions.

Bad cholesterol, known as LDL (low-density lipoproteins) is a kind of fat that accumulates on artery walls. Over time, this accumulation can clog arteries and affect blood circulation. If you have high levels of LDL cholesterol, you need to see your doctor.

Although cholesterol is produced by the liver, it’s estimated that between 20% and 30% of the cholesterol in your body comes from what you eat. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you eat well.

So, let’s look at some dietary guidelines for managing cholesterol levels.

Increase your vitamin intake

healthy fruits and vegetables

Vitamins C, E, and B can help reduce bad cholesterol levels, thus preventing them from becoming harmful to your body.

Foods that are rich in vitamin C

This vitamin protects your heart by keeping the walls of your arteries clean.

Foods that are rich in vitamin C include lime, orange, grapefruit, mandarin, and kiwi.

Foods that are rich in vitamin E

Vitamin E helps dilate your blood vessels and removes bad cholesterol from the bloodstream.

  • Foods such as the following contain this vitamin:
    • Flaxseed
    • Sunflower seeds
    • Wheat germ

Foods with B complex vitamins

Vitamins B6 and B3 help hold your cholesterol level in check. Eating foods containing them is a great way to maintain a healthy liver.

Decrease Your Egg Consumption

One egg contains 275 milligrams of cholesterol. That said, some studies show that eating eggs in moderation won’t put you at risk of having higher cholesterol. In fact, in order to avoid this hazard to your health, only consume egg whites and avoid the yolk. This is the part that specifically contains cholesterol.

Avoid Saturated Fats

junk food

It’s important that you minimize your consumption of saturated fats, which are high in cholesterol.

  • These fats are found in beef and pork, butter, cheese, whole milk, and hydrogenated oils, for example.
  • Fortunately, there are lots of alternatives good for you. Choose more fish, poultry, plant-based foods, as well as olive oil.

Avoid Being Overweight or Obese

Being overweight or obese is a health problem. It makes you prone to numerous disorders. For example, it can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Studies suggest that it’s also closely related to high cholesterol levels.

If you’re obese or overweight, then it’s important that you contact a nutritionist. This health professional will help you plan a diet to lose those extra pounds.

Discover: 6 Tips to Help You Prevent a Stroke

Avoid Bad Habits

Lower a high level of bad cholesterol by quitting tobacco.

There are several bad habits that can lead to an increased level of bad cholesterol. A sedentary lifestyle and tobacco use, as well as excess consumption of alcohol, are some of them. It’s important that you avoid them. In other words, adopt a healthier lifestyle for a healthier you.

Eat Raw Garlic

Eating raw garlic is indeed one of the best ways to reduce high cholesterol.

Some controlled studies show that garlic contains antioxidants and other important nutrients that protect the heart by promoting good cholesterol and reducing bad cholesterol.

You should eat a clove of raw garlic on an empty stomach to take full advantage of its benefits.

Flaxseed

flaxseed

Flaxseed is the best source of essential omega-3 fatty acids. There is some evidence that they may help reduce the levels of LDL cholesterol as well.

You can also add flaxseed to your salads, smoothies, and desserts.

See: Six Home Remedies to Clean the Artery Walls

Apples

According to these studies, apples are ideal for reducing cholesterol in your body thanks to their high content of pectin.

Pectin cleans your arteries and helps prevent cholesterol from sticking to the walls of your arteries.

Drink eggplant water with canary seed oil

eggplant

Canary seed water with eggplant is a popular natural weight loss remedy and can also act on your lipid profile.

Mix two tablespoons of canary seed and a medium eggplant, sliced. Boil a little water and simmer these two ingredients for another 20 minutes. Let it sit, add some lemon juice and enjoy this eggplant water with flaxseed oil before breakfast.

Remember that these remedies should be complements to your doctor’s instructions. Don’t put your health on the back burner, make it a priority!

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  • Josué Gonzalez. (2013). Colesterol. 1. https://doi.org/10.1109/FCST.2015.28
  • Cenipalma, & Humana, S. Y. N. (2001). Metabolismo del Colesterol. Lípidos y Salud.
  • Clínica, G., Galega, S., & Interna, D. M. (2011). Lípidos , colesterol y lipoproteínas. Galicia Clínica | Socieda de Galega de Medicina Interna.
  • Maldonado Saavedra, O., Ramírez Sánchez, I., García Sánchez, J. R., Ceballos Reyes, G. M., & Méndez Bolaina, E. (2012). Colesterol: Función biológica e implicaciones médicas. Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Farmaceúticas.
  • Al-Rejaie, S. S., Abuohashish, H. M., Alkhamees, O. A. et al. (2012). Gender difference following high cholesterol diet induced renal injury and the protective role of rutin and ascorbic acid combination in Wistar albino rats. Lipids in Health and Disease, 11(41). https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-511X-11-41
  • Fernández, M. L. (2010). Effects of eggs on plasma lipoproteins in healthy populations. Food & Function, 1(2). http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C0FO00088D
  • Leiva, A. M., Martínez, M. A., Cristi-Montero, C., Salas, C., Ramírez-Campillo, R., Díaz Martínez, X. et al. (2017). Sedentary lifestyle is associated with metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors independent of physical activity. Revista Médica de Chile, 145(4), 458-467. https://doi.org/10.4067/s0034-98872017000400006
  • Ebrahimi, T., Behdad, B., Abbasi, M.A. et al. (2015). RETRACTED ARTICLE: High doses of garlic extract significantly attenuated the ratio of serum LDL to HDL level in rat-fed with hypercholesterolemia diet. Diagnostic Pathology, 10(74). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13000-015-0322-0
  • Avelino, A., Oliveira, G. M., Ferreira, C., Luiz, R. y Glorimar, R. (2015). Additive effect of linseed oil supplementation on the lipid profiles of older adults. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 10, 1679–1685. https://doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S75538
  • Aprikian, O., Busserolles, J., Manach, C., Mazur, A., Morand, C., Davicco, M. J. et al. (2002). Lyophilized Apple Counteracts the Development of Hypercholesterolemia, Oxidative Stress, and Renal Dysfunction in Obese Zucker Rats, The Journal of Nutrition,132(7), 1969–1976. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/132.7.1969
  • Magnuson, B. A., Patterson, C. A., Hucl, P., Newkirk, R. W. Ram, J. I. y Classen, H. L. (2014). Safety assessment of consumption of glabrous canary seed (Phalaris canariensis L.) in rats, Food and Chemical Toxicology, 63, 91-103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2013.10.041
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