Thousands of people die because of heart diseases and high cholesterol level is the prime reason for that. High cholesterol level if unattended can be fatal to your health. Low-density lipoprotein or LDL is a bad cholesterol which collects in the wall of blood vessels and causes blockage. Higher level of LDL can put a person at a higher risk for a heart disease. So, it is very essential to keep a regular check on your LDL cholesterol levels.
So, what can you do to keep a check on your cholesterol levels?
Apart from taking the right medicines and exercising regularly, right food is one of the best ways to keep your cholesterol levels under control. Our body does need a certain amount of cholesterol, but that doesn?t mean that you can eat the large fries for the second time in the day. Try to pack a healthy lunch instead of snacking on junk food.
Here are the best home remedies for cholesterol control.
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Drink fluids
Orange juice is one of the best home remedies for cholesterol control. It is advised to drink two glasses of orange juice daily as it helps to maintain a healthy blood stream in the body. But remember to drink fresh juice instead of packaged ones. For sweetening the juice try not the add sugar, but use honey as a healthy alternative.
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Eat 6-7 small meals in one day
People who eat six to seven small healthy meals in one day show a rapid reduction in cholesterol rate and are at 10-20% reduced risk of heart disease.
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Wine is healthy
Having a sip of wine every evening is surprisingly healthy for your body. It helps to reduce your cholesterol level. Wine and draught beer boost the HDL cholesterol levels. Red wines are rich in saponins which has a positive impact on cholesterol levels.
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Whole Grain Bread
White bread will just add extra carbs to your body. Eating whole grain bread will increase HDL levels and lower a type of blood fat called triglycerides that when high, can increase your risk of contracting heart diseases.?It also provides you with dietary fibres to keep a check on cardiovascular diseases.
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Use paper filters for your coffee
Skip espresso and go for paper filters. Cafestol and kahweol are known to increase the levels of cholesterol. Paper filters help to trap these substances and make your coffee healthier.
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Use olive oil
Olive oil has monosaturated fats which reduces the LDL cholesterol found in people suffering from metabolic syndrome or diabetes. Start by using olive oil in little amounts and later move to cooking your entire dish in olive oil.
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Incorporate cinnamon in your diet
It has been found out that having 6 grams of cinnamon everyday will reduce the cholesterol level in a person suffering from type 2 diabetes by 32%. You can add cinnamon in your daily diet by adding it as a spice in your curries and desserts.
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Have oatmeal for breakfast
Oatmeal is full on soluble fibre and beta glucan which will help you to reduce your LDL by 12 to 24%. So, it has been advised to have a breakfast containing one cup of oats every morning. You can make your breakfast interesting by adding a few raisins and almonds in your breakfast.
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Fibre rich grapefruit
Grapes are rich in pectin and contain soluble fibre. These are cholesterol-reducing components, but these can interfere with different medications and hence one should check with a doctor before eating grapes. Not only grapes, but berries and apples should be eaten as well.
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Replace sugar with honey
Instead of drinking your tea with sugar, have it with honey. Try to replace all the sugar in your diet with honey. You can also have a warm glass of water with honey every morning. Natural honey has cholesterol-reducing components and especially attacks homocysteine, a type of amino acid known to increase the risk of peripheral vascular disease and heart disease.
Apart from including these in your daily routine, it is necessary to make some lifestyle changes. Try to exercise more, cut down on junk food and alcohol. It has been advised to quit smoking to improve your cholesterol level. Also, don?t rely completely on these home remedies, consult a doctor as well.
Small changes in your lifestyle will go a long way in maintaining a healthy body.
