How to Manage Cholesterol Naturally

Your blood contains fats, or lipids. Within the lipids is a waxy material known as cholesterol. Some cholesterol is necessary to develop healthy cells. Too much cholesterol can lead to heart disease. High cholesterol results in fatty deposits forming in your blood vessels. The fatty deposits cause a constriction of blood flow through your arteries. A heart starved of oxygen-rich blood may suffer a heart attack. Thankfully, high cholesterol is treatable.

Instructions

• 1

  Use physical activity to help lose weight.

  Lose excess weight to bring your cholesterol down. The Mayo Clinic suggests that losing 5 to ten pounds can lower your cholesterol levels.

• 2

  Consume more high-fiber foods.

  Incorporate more fiber into your diet. Eating oatmeal and oat bran can substantially lower your low-density lipoprotein, the bad cholesterol. A high-fiber diet reduces the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream.

• 3

  Eat omega-3 fatty acids help lower cholesterol.

  Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fish, including salmon and tuna. The Mayo Clinic recommends two servings of fish per week.

• 4

  Be on the look out for trans fats.

  Cut out trans fats from your diet. Trans fats are found in margarine, store bought cookies and crackers. Read food labels to cut out foods that contain partially hydrogenated oils.

• 5

  Cut out smoking.

  Quit smoking. As indicated by the American Heart Association, smoking causes fats to build up in your arteries; by quitting, you can reduce high cholesterol.