How to reduce blood cholesterol

If after visiting the doctor you learned that you have a high level of cholesterol or just decided to take care of your health, you may get lost in the stream of information that has accumulated a great many on the Internet. WITHthe sources of information are trumpeting about all sides, whatcholesterol is harmful and dangerous, it urgently needs to be reduced by any means. But do not immediately hit the panic and run to the pharmacy for medicines - we will try to deeperly understand the issue and consider alternative ways to reduce cholesterol with folk remedies.

What is cholesterol

Cholesterol is an organic matter, alcohol that holds fats, which for our body ¾ synthesizes our own liver. And only ¼ cholesterol we get from various foods. Let's look at the origin of the word: translated from the Greek “chole” - “bile”, “stereo” - “hard”. Already from the name itself, some functions and properties of this compound become clear: cholesterol is part of cell membranes - roughly speaking, due to its relative strength, forms a partition between cells,and alsoparticipates in the isolation of nerve fibers. In addition, it helps the production of some hormones and transform sunlight into vitaminD.Insufficient cholesterol leads to malaise, weakness and even anemia.As you can see, do not have cholesterol ascribesto do exclusively negative properties. For simplicity, it is even customary to divide cholesterol into “good” and “bad”.

How does cholesterol from the "good" become "bad"? Usually this is explained as follows: we supply it to the body in the excess along with food. In this case, the liver continues to produce the same amount of cholesterol, and the excess does not have time to process in the body, andthroes blood and settles from the inside on the vessels in the form of plaques. Blood circulation becomes worse, and body tissues do not receive a sufficient amount of oxygen, which cannot but affect well -being. Over time, cholesterol settlement can lead to blockage of the vessel - that is, to the formation of a thrombus. If a blood clot appears in the heart, a heart attack usually occurs if a stroke in the vessels of the brain.

However, some modern theories generally argue that the connection between the high level of cholesterol and vascular diseases is not appropriate. Scientists cite as an example the widespread spread of atherosclerosis among the poor population of the third world, where a shortage of protein food of animal origin is historically observed. Where does the high cholesterol level come from? Or the so -called "French paradox." Remember what French gourmets? How much their kitchen is far from dietary dishes and products: fat cheese and croissant for breakfast, skillfully cooked meat and glass of wine at dinner ... And yet, cardiovascular diseases in France are much less common than in other countries. Perhaps the point is just in a moderate dose of high -quality dry red wine, but no one can say for sure.

Another reason to think is contradictory reviews about statins. By this common name, this refers to drugs that reduce cholesterol. Some doctors argue that statins are non -gas, and sometimes you can’t do without them: a stroke or heart attack that has already occurred, diseases or heart surgery oblige the patient to take statins for life. Others believe that statins are useless at best or scold them for side effects: possible complications on the kidneys, Alzheimer's disease in the future.

If you have a blood test, and the doctor informed you that the cholesterol level is increased - do not panic and take extreme measures - to run to the pharmacy and buy drugs that reduce cholesterol. The effect can be achieved differently. It is time to reconsider your lifestyle and make positive changes. Regardless of which theory is true - the high level of cholesterol on health or does not affect - our tips in any case will help you improve your health.

Physical activity to reduce cholesterol

The main recommendation to eliminate any stagnation in the body is to become more active. No wonder since ancient times there is a winged expression "life requires movement." Life is movement. Our body was created by evolution suitable for maintaining a high level of activity: to constantly be on the alert, to pass many kilometers in a day in search of food, to fight for life. Even 100 years ago, people had to make much more physical efforts daily in order to provide their life. What to do: laziness is the engine of progress. Today we can live much more relaxed, easier to overcome long distances, spend less energy and get less physically, but our body has not yet managed to adapt to this. Such changes occur much slower. The body still wants to move as a thousand years ago. And we must give him this load. This will not only reduce cholesterol, but also strengthen health in general.

Try just starting with a walk. No matter how trite it may sound-go to the stop earlier, walk to the store, in the end, to take out the garbage once again. One weekend, specially allocate time for a walk in a place that you really like: a beautiful park, the embankment, the historical center of the city. Walk slowly, enjoy fresh air, let yourself breathe deeper to saturate the body with oxygen. Try to enjoy every step, feel how the muscles rejoice in the load. Of course, you can find an excuse that it is once idly walking, time does not tolerate. But health also does not tolerate: do not want to waste time on a calm walk now - then you will have to run around clinics.

When the pulse quickens during physical exertion, the blood circulates more actively through the body, therefore, it is more efficient to wash the body tissue. And the blood itself remains cleaner - cholesterol simply does not have time to settle on the walls of the vessels, but is excreted from the body along with excess fats. The more intense the exercises, the less harmful substances are delayed in our body.

There is a thousand way to diversify your physical activity: go to the pool or dancing.Just let yourself love the movement nie - and you will see how the day after day will begin to improve not only health, but also your life as a whole.

Proper nutrition to reduce cholesterol

The second rule of your healing is to revise the menu in favor of healthier foods.

Usually, in cases of high cholesterol, they promote a complete rejection of meat and eggs, and a partial refusal of dairy products. But this is only half the truth. Any natural product is useful and necessary for the body, provided that you know your measure and carefully monitor your reaction to it in order to understand whether this food is suitable or not. Another thing is when there is a strong skew towards certain dishes and their components, unconscious chewing behind the screen of a TV or computer, a snack of fast food on the run.

Establishing food needs to be treated responsibly - we are what we eat. If you have caught yourself thinking that sinful with something of the above, then think about correcting your food behavior-this leverates your health and well-being as a whole.

Be prepared to change, move the diet in the direction of vegetarianism: “bad” cholesterol lives only in animal products, so it will gradually have to reduce their number. But this must be done gradually so that there is no risk to break. Moreover, in our climate, you can’t stretch for a long time on one vegetation, especially in winter, the menu should be balanced - so you will have to take care of its thorough compilation. In the meantime, include products that reduce cholesterol and cleansing blood and blood vessels in the diet:

• Vegetables and fruits. I probably did not hear about their benefits, only a person isolated from society. The wealth of vitamins, which removes the toxins of the “organism of the body” pectin, fiber - and at least calories. Salad is a great option to eat them at each meal. Not only cholesterol, but also weight will decrease. And this is undoubtedly a plus.
• Do not forget about greenery: we will take here not only parsley and dill, but also green onions and garlic, as well as Cheremsh - wild garlic, which is visiting the market shelves in early spring.
• Remember about legumes: this is an excellent source not only of plant protein, but also a pectin, which, as we already know, copes with the function of cleaning at the cell level.
• Fish days. It is ideal if the red sea fish is present on the table - a storehouse of trace elements (fluorine, phosphorus, iodine) and polyunsaturated fatty acids. From more budget options - pay attention to herring and mackerel.
• Vegetable oil instead of cream: now in stores a wide selection of vegetable oils - why not use it? Get up at home not only sunflower, but also other affordable oils: flaxseed, corn, and, of course, olive, which the ancient Greeks called “liquid gold”, emphasizing the usefulness and irreplaceability. This will not only diversify the taste palette of the menu, but will also bring a significant shift in the direction of health: vegetable oils are rich in useful, mono -saturated fats. You can not refuse butter completely, because it also has the necessary trace elements, just significantly reduce its consumption.
• A variety of spices: Indian science Ayurveda has long considered ginger powder and turmeric products that cleanse bloodand improving digestion.

And a few more words about the food that you will have to forget about. Products that reduce cholesterol will have no effect on it if you continue to buy street food from stalls - shawarma with fried chicken, abundantly flavored with mayonnaise, should remain in the past. The mayonnaise, which is sold in stores, is not at all a place on the table - there is one chemistry and fats. In order not to wonder how to reduce high cholesterol, you will have to carefully clean the meat from fat, and the chicken is from the skin. Eggs should also be limited: the yolk contains a significant amount of cholesterol. If you really want to, then it is better to eat several proteins, and the yolks “give the enemy”.

Good and bad habits to reduce cholesterol

If you smoke, and your cholesterol level is still normal ... Well, the keyword is “for now”. Smoking lowers the level of “good” cholesterol and, accordingly, increases the level of “bad”. Resins contained in smoke destroy the walls of blood vessels, and this increases the risk of sedimentation of cholesterol plaques. The sooner you begin to get rid of this habit, the better.

At first it will be difficult, but try to understand yourself and find the reasons: why you smoke. Often, when thrown smoking, there is a temptation to replace another - for example, switch from cigarettes to sweets. In this case, switch to respiratory exercises, which have developed a great many, from the technician of yoga to respiratory gymnastics, and add them to the arsenal that reduce cholesterol.

As you can see, if you set the goal, cholesterol is quite realistic to reduce at home. Watch sports, eat healthy food, produce healthy habits and believe in your strength.