Before it accumulates silently.. Here is a lifestyle to reduce harmful cholesterol

Highlights: High levels of cholesterol in the blood lead to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Experts say, “The best way to control cholesterol levels is through a disciplined diet and healthy habits such as regular exercise and getting good sleep" Cholesterol is “a fatty substance. Triglycerides - another type of fat - contribute to its accumulation in the. blood, whether through the food we eat or what the liver produces” It is divided into two types: “Bad” cholesterol, a low-density lipoprotein, has the letter LDL, and “Good’ cholesterol, which is high- density lipop protein, is represented by the letters HDL.

Experts say, “The best way to control cholesterol levels is through a disciplined diet and healthy habits such as regular exercise and getting good sleep.”

High levels of cholesterol in the blood lead to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes (Getty Images)

Julia Kim, an American from Boston (64 years old), specializes in information technology. She spent half her life suffering from high cholesterol for genetic reasons, and after she was tired of the medication and its side effects, she decided to stop, saying: “I do not want to control cholesterol with medications, as every medication has its own Side effects, I need to find a natural way to treat this problem,” according to Marilyn Simons, a health writer, in her article in the Washington Post.

Kim is not the only one who is fed up with the drug - as Simons says - many people do not want to take cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins), and some people cannot take them. Although they are effective and safe for most people, they may increase the risk of side effects. Side effects for some people include “muscle pain, liver problems, mental confusion, and the possibility of diabetes,” according to the Mayo Clinic website.

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Although very high cholesterol “leads to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes,” according to the Mayo Clinic, “no one wants to start taking the medication,” said Dr. Donald Hensrud, an assistant professor of nutrition and preventive medicine at Simons. .

On the other hand, Simons says, “Following a disciplined diet can help lower harmful cholesterol, but it will not be easy or quick.”

A prerequisite before relying on the diet

Experts say, "The best way to control cholesterol level is through a disciplined diet and healthy habits such as regular exercise and getting good sleep." This is supported by Dr. David Katz, former president of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, saying: “When people are willing to commit to an ideal diet, there is no doubt that it is better than any medicine.”

With an important warning for those who are thinking about avoiding pharmaceutical solutions, make sure to see a doctor before stopping taking the medication, and do periodic blood tests to monitor their cholesterol levels.

Regular exercise contributes to lowering harmful cholesterol levels (PCCs)

When is the cholesterol level ideal?

Cholesterol is “a fatty substance. Triglycerides - another type of fat - contribute to its accumulation in the blood, whether through the food we eat or what the liver produces.” It is divided into two types:

“Bad” cholesterol,
a low-density lipoprotein, has the letter LDL.
“Good” cholesterol,
which is high-density lipoprotein, is represented by the letters HDL.

Cholesterol is measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL), and ideally, “its level in healthy people is less than 100 milligrams/dL of the bad type, and higher than 60 mg/dL of the good type.”

Simons confirms that "cholesterol is not inherently bad," as the body uses it to make certain cells, vitamins, and hormones, but an increase in the harmful type of it can accumulate inside the arteries, "which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke."

She explains that "a high level of good cholesterol helps protect the heart by keeping some of the harmful cholesterol out of the arteries and returning it to the liver, where it is broken down and eliminated."

A diet rich in fiber and exclusive of saturated fats

To help lower blood cholesterol, many experts recommend the Portfolio Diet, a plant-based eating plan designed by Dr. David Jenkins, a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto, that involves eating soluble fiber and avoiding processed foods.

A study conducted by Jenkins and his team compared the cholesterol-lowering effects of the Portfolio Diet with those of statin drugs, "and found no significant differences." The Portfolio diet includes foods such as:

Oat bran and flour, beans, apples, peas, citrus fruits, carrots, barley, and flax seeds.
Plant sterols, which are plant substances that help reduce cholesterol that is manufactured in the body, and are found in fruits, vegetables, olive oil, vegetable oils, seeds, and nuts.

A vegetarian or minimally processed diet helps lower blood cholesterol levels (Pixabay)

Although Dr. David Katz said that the Portfolio Diet is “the standard dietary plan for lowering cholesterol.” Dr. Hensrud, author of the book "The Mayo Clinic Diet," noted that several healthy eating plans, including the DASH, Mediterranean, and Mayo Clinic diets, are valuable, stressing that "they all include minimally processed foods." Most of them are vegetarian.

Experts also urge avoiding saturated fats, found in "fatty and processed meats, butter, and tropical oils such as palm and coconut oils." Choose unsaturated oils, such as corn, canola, sunflower, and sesame oil.

The only exception is saturated fat

Experts explain that saturated fats raise cholesterol in the blood, “with the exception of those found naturally in cheese and eggs” (a large egg contains 186 milligrams of cholesterol, more than half the amount recommended for daily consumption), according to the “American Heart Association.”

For this reason, the association suggests eating “one egg (or two egg whites) per day, as part of a healthy diet,” which is supported by a Chinese study published in the “Heart Journal,” which found that “one egg per day may keep the doctor away.”

For those who like “fried eggs,” Jo Ann Carson, a professor of nutrition at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, recommends using “corn or olive oils, instead of butter.”

Saturated fats raise blood cholesterol, except for those found naturally in cheese and eggs (Shutterstock)

Also, in 2018, some research indicated that “eating unprocessed cheese in moderation reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.”

Dr. said. Hensrud: “This and eggs may be the only exception to the rule of reducing saturated fat, provided they are not eaten in excess.”

Hereditary high cholesterol

Dr. points out Jenkins pointed out that some people who suffer from “hereditary hypercholesterolemia” may not be able to lower its level without medication, “although this does not mean that they may benefit from adherence to diet and lifestyle.”

This is what actually happened with one of his patients, who suffers from hereditary high cholesterol, as she succeeded in lowering her cholesterol level “by exercising and following a portfolio diet.”

Dr Jenkins said: “She has improved quite nicely and unexpectedly, due to the close attention to diet, but it is very, very rare.”

Source: websites