High cholesterol often comes from an unhealthy lifestyle. Eating well, exercising, quitting smoking, and even reducing stress can help lower your cholesterol and protect your heart.
High cholesterol is not just a random health issue, it is often the result of daily habits. A sedentary lifestyle, processed foods, smoking, and high stress levels are major contributors to high cholesterol. But you can always control it by following a healthy lifestyle, which includes a healthy diet, a daily workout routine, and quitting smoking. Making positive changes to your everyday habits can lower your cholesterol levels and protect your heart health. Not only this, but they can also manage your weight, one of the biggest risk factors for heart disease.
Can physical activity really improve your heart health?
Absolutely. A sedentary lifestyle is one of the biggest culprits behind rising “bad” LDL cholesterol. Your body is designed to move, and when it does not, your metabolism slows down, making it harder to manage fats in your bloodstream.
- Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. This could be brisk walking, jogging, swimming, or cycling, as per the American Heart Association.
- The benefit of regular exercise goes beyond just burning calories. It actively helps increase your good HDL cholesterol, which works to clear out the bad LDL. You can even explore yoga asanas for LDL management as a gentle yet effective option.
What foods are secretly sabotaging your cholesterol levels?
Your diet has a direct impact on your cholesterol levels, and some foods may be sabotaging your health without you realising it.
- Trans fats: These are often found in fried foods, baked goods, and processed meats. They are known to significantly raise LDL levels.
- Saturated fats: Replacing saturated fats from red meat and full-fat dairy with healthy fats from olive oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds can make a big difference.
Instead, your diet should be rich in soluble fibre such as oats, beans, fruits, and vegetables, which is also crucial for actively lowering LDL. Diets such as the Mediterranean diet, which emphasise these healthy fats and fibres, are proven to support heart health and improve cholesterol. Small, consistent food swaps can have a major long-term impact on your cardiovascular well-being.
How does quitting smoking impact your cholesterol?
Quitting smoking does not just improve lung health, it also has a positive impact on your cholesterol. Smoking damages blood vessels and promotes plaque buildup, increasing the risk of heart disease. It also lowers HDL (the good cholesterol), which helps remove excess LDL (the bad cholesterol) from the bloodstream, as per the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
The benefits of quitting begin quickly, and the HDL levels can start to improve soon after you stop smoking. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also highlights smoking cessation as one of the most effective steps to reduce heart disease risk. It may reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation, sudden cardiac death, heart failure, venous thromboembolism, and peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
Is stress quietly wrecking your heart health?
Chronic stress can indirectly but significantly impact your cholesterol. When you are stressed, you’re more likely to fall into unhealthy habits like overeating comfort foods, skipping workouts, or smoking. Here’s how to manage it:
- Instead of reaching for unhealthy snacks, try stress-reducing activities like meditation, yoga, or spending time in nature.
- Prioritise your sleep and make sure you sleep for 7-8 hours every night.
- Reduce your screen time because sometimes excessive screen time can be the source of stress.
By making small, sustainable changes to your daily routine, you can reduce your risk of high cholesterol levels and improve your heart health.
