How to Lower Cholesterol & Blood Pressure Naturally

Cholesterol is a fatty substance found naturally in the body. It helps with hormone production, digestion and makes vitamin D, all things the body needs. When too much cholesterol deposits on the walls of the arteries, blockages occur, leading to heart disease. High blood pressure occurs when arteries are too narrow and excess amounts of blood are pumped. High blood pressure can lead to heart attack, stroke, kidney problems, eye complications and hardening of the arteries. These conditions must be controlled for optimal health.

Instructions

• 1

  Eat a well-balanced, low-fat diet by including more fruits, vegetables and whole grains and less high-fat meats--especially those with high levels of saturated fat. Also, reduce the amount of carbohydrates in your diet if your triglycerides are high.

• 2

  Pay particular attention to the total amount of cholesterol in your diet. Consume no more than 200mg a day of cholesterol from all sources.

• 3

  Watch the amount of salt in your diet. People with high blood pressure should have no more than 1,500mg of salt daily. Check the amount of sodium in foods you buy. Only eat those low in sodium to avoid going over the daily limit. Find a salt substitute to season food with, so adherence to the limit will be easier.

• 4

  Exercise to raise HDL (good) cholesterol and lower triglycerides by improving the body's insulin sensitivity and controlling high blood pressure. Start slowly and increase the amount of exercise until you're able to do 30 minutes daily.

• 5

  Lose weight to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure naturally. Even a 10 percent reduction in weight will lower blood pressure readings. Maintain a healthy weight to keep blood pressure stable.

• 6

  Make lifestyle changes. Stop smoking and reduce the amount of alcohol you drink. Smoking causes hardening of the arteries, which leads to high blood pressure. Research has shown that drinking less alcohol can decrease systolic blood pressure readings by 2mm to 4mm and diastolic blood pressure by 1mm to 2mm.

• 7

  Control stress levels. Stress raises the heart rate, causing blood pressure to rise. Practice coping and stress management skills to learn to deal with everyday stress. Meditation, yoga and relaxation techniques are good practices to employ for stress reduction.