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Cholesterol Reduction

According to the American Heart Association, a cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL usually doubles the risk of heart disease. Lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol levels while raising HDL (good) cholesterol levels can help to keep blood vessels healthy and make you less likely to suffer from health conditions such as high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, heart disease, stroke and artery disease. Lifestyle changes also need to be made to reduce excess cholesterol in your blood.

  1. Diet

    • The American Heart Association recommends a healthy heart diet that includes all vegetables and fruit, food rich in soluble fiber, food containing omega 3 fatty acid, and food high in niacin. Eat food such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Asian pears, apples, broccoli, carrots, brussels sprouts, avocados, prunes, oatmeal, beans and barley contain soluble fiber that lowers LDL cholesterol. Replace saturated and trans fats in your diet with monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, canola and peanut oil and food that contains omega 3 fatty acids. Grill or bake fish such as tuna, mackerel, swordfish, lake trout and salmon at least twice a week. Add ground flaxseed to other dishes. Eat food that contains niacin such as poultry, rice and sunflower seeds. Drink green or black tea brewed from loose leaves or tea bags several times a day.

    Fitness

    • Being overweight, obese and inactive raises triglyceride levels. High triglycerides usually means high LDL cholesterol levels and low HDL cholesterol levels. People with abdominal fat have a higher risk of developing conditions that cause heart disease than pear-shaped people. Physical activity can help you lose weight, lower LDL and raise HDL cholesterol levels. Walk, ride a bike, dance, swim, participate in a sport or exercise in a way that increases your heart rate for at least 30 minutes a day. You don't have to complete your fitness routine in 30 consecutive minutes--you can split it into fewer minutes several times a day. Fitness routines that build muscle, such as weight lifting helps you burn fat, lose weight and lower cholesterol.

    Smoking

    • Smoking lowers HDL cholesterol levels and makes chemical changes to HDL that causes it to lose beneficial effects. Smokers have HDL levels lower than nonsmokers, and a nonsmoker exposed to secondhand smoke has lower HDL level than someone who has not. According to Harvard Women's Health Watch magazine, not smoking can raise HDL cholesterol by up to 20 percent. LDL levels can be lowered and HDL levels can be raised only two weeks after quitting smoking.

    Niacin

    • Niacin lowers triglycerides and LDL while raising HDL. It is found in foods such as dairy products, fish, poultry, rice, eggs, and sunflower seeds but levels of niacin high enough raise HDL should be taken under a doctor's care. Over-the-counter niacin supplements labeled "slow-release," "timed release," or "sustained release" can damage the liver. When niacin recommended by your doctor is used with food that contains vitamin C, vitamin B5 and garlic, cholesterol levels are lowered significantly.

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