Although cholesterol is essential for humans, excess cholesterol is very harmful to he alth. Can you lower cholesterol without drugs? What does it take to keep it in check? The basis is diet and exercise. Only when this does not help in reducing cholesterol, drugs are taken. Elevated cholesterol - how to lower it?

How to lower cholesterol ? The most important in the prevention and reduction of elevatedcholesterolisdiet . Its essence is, on the one hand, limiting foods rich in cholesterol, and on the other, providing those that will increase the fraction of good cholesterol.

Thanks to this selection, you can keep cholesterol normal, and when you have too much of it - reduce this amount by at least 15 percent. It is best to ask a dietitian to determine the best menu for us, taking into account the individual needs of the body. A good diet must be properly balanced. By self-treatment, you can lower not only your total cholesterol, but also your good cholesterol.

Cholesterol - eggs, offal and animal fats on censored

The complete elimination of cholesterol from the menu is neither possible nor necessary. But its dose in food should not exceed 300 mg (the body absorbs 40-50% of cholesterol supplied with food). This means that you need to use your common sense.

On the blacklist, eggs are in the lead, because their yolk is a real cholesterol bomb (it almost completely covers the daily requirements of the body). On the other hand, it provides lecithin, which prevents it from accumulating in the walls of the vessels. Nutritionists allow he althy people to eat no more than 3-4 eggs per week.

People with elevated cholesterol should not eat more than 1-2 eggs a week. Next to the eggs on the censored one, there are any giblets. A he althy person can eat them once a month, but when their cholesterol is elevated, they must give them up.

The basis of a good diet is the reduction of animal fats, because they mainly raise the level of cholesterol in the blood.

Instead of fatty meat and cold cuts, choose poultry products without the skin. Avoid lard, butter, cream, whole milk and milk products. Butterit's not he althy at all. It contains a lot of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol, so it should not be treated as the main source of vitamin A.

Children may not eat a lot of butter, adults should not spread it on bread. Replace animal fats with oils and soft margarines, keeping in mind that the total amount should not exceed 2 tablespoons per day. Oily sea fish are of particular importance - they contain omega-3 fatty acids, which lower the level of total cholesterol and increase good cholesterol.

According to an expert dr hab. n. med. Małgorzata Kozłowska-Wojciechowska, Medical University of Warsaw, President of the Council for the Promotion of He althy Human Nutrition

The started therapy must not be interrupted

Disturbed lipid metabolism cannot be ignored as it leads to serious diseases of the heart and circulatory system. Therefore, people with elevated blood cholesterol require systematic treatment under the supervision of a doctor. You can do a lot with your diet. But when it doesn't help, sometimes you have to put your meds on.

Many people believe that by swallowing pills, they will be able to eat as much as they want. But good drug treatment must be combined with diet. In addition, you should know that you will have to take the drug for the rest of your life once administered. Meanwhile, patients often stop taking medication when they find that their cholesterol has returned to normal. This must not be done. Remember that the preparations work by inhibiting the activity of enzymes needed to produce cholesterol. It is kept at the right level thanks to medications. Once the treatment is discontinued, it will rise again, and with doubled strength.

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To break down cholesterol, eat he althy, colorful

Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits, whole grain cereals, thick groats. They contain fiber, which hinders the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract. Vegetables and fruits are also a source of antioxidants that prevent the oxidation of bad cholesterol, and it is this form that is most conducive to the development of atherosclerosis. If you have the opportunity, eat artichokes - the cynarin content in them, by inhibiting the synthesis of cholesterol in the liver and increasing the production of bile, can lower the level of total cholesterol and LDL fraction by up to 20%.

Garlic, linseed and bran have a therapeutic effect. Green tea lowers the levelscholesterol and improves the proportions between its fractions, and thanks to polyphenols, it protects cholesterol from oxidation. Fermented soy products also have antioxidant properties. The risk of atherosclerosis is reduced by a small amount of alcohol. Although the standards allow 30 g of pure alcohol a day for men, and half of this dose for women, it is better to drink alcohol occasionally, because regular drinking can be addictive.

Movement lowers cholesterol

When was the last time you played sports? It's high time to include him in your daily routine. Regular exercise lowers total cholesterol and increases good cholesterol. It is important to choose the type of sport. These should include endurance exercise such as running, swimming, cycling, or vigorous walks.

Exercise 3-4 times a week, preferably every day for half an hour (when fighting excess weight, training should last longer - only after 30 minutes the body starts to burn fat). If you suffer from any chronic disease, consult your doctor about the type of activity. Remember that every move is better than none. Walk more often, climb stairs instead of taking the elevator, and jump on your bike instead of taking the car.

Problem

Beneficial sterols and stanols

These substances are found in many plant products (corn, nuts, soybeans, sesame seeds, oils). They have the ability to lower the concentration of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol by partially inhibiting their absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. The daily dose of 2 g of sterols and stanols reduces LDL by about 12%. Regular consumption of at least 2 g of sterols reduces the risk of ischemic heart disease by 25%. The problem is that the amount of these substances in a normal diet is too small to obtain a therapeutic effect. That is why they began to be added to some foods. They are in margarines: Flora pro.activ - 25 g (the amount to be spread on 3-4 slices of bread) provides 1.6-2 g of sterols; Benecol - by spreading 3 slices of bread, you will cover the daily requirement for stanols, and also in Danacol yogurt - just drink one bottle a day (1.6 g of sterols).

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Lowering cholesterol: pharmacy support

Adequate diet and plenty of exercise will usually restore your cholesterol levels to normal. Only in some cases is it necessary to take blood lipid-lowering drugs. The doctor selects them individually, taking into account the metabolic capabilities of the body, general he alth, age, gender.

First, an average dose is recommended and then the treatment is adjusted. However, these types of preparations reduce the level of not only bad, butnot infrequently also good cholesterol, so the ratio of the values ​​of both fractions remains ultimately the same. Medicines should be taken under the supervision of a specialist.

Under no circumstances should you change the dose yourself or stop taking the medication. Also, do not take the preparations on your own, because you can harm yourself. In 10 percent However, patients with this type of drugs have side effects.

Read more:

  • In the cholesterol trap
  • What's with that cholesterol?

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