9 natural ways to lower cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is made in your liver and travels throughout your bloodstream. It may not sound particularly good for your body, what with the “waxy” and “fat-like” descriptors, but cholesterol does have some merit.

It’s one of the ingredients the body needs to make new cells. And it’s essential for creating vitamin D, bile acids, and hormones such as progesterone and oestrogen.

But having too much cholesterol can put you at risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke. That’s why it’s so important you know your level and, if it’s high, take action. These nine lifestyle tips will help you control your cholesterol naturally.

Lowering cholesterol takes a multifaceted approach. It’s not enough to switch from donuts to oatmeal for breakfast or swap out butter for olive oil.

Slashing high cholesterol numbers requires you to make healthy lifestyle choices daily. That means looking at all aspects of your routine, from what you eat, to the activity you get, to bad habits you have.

One word of warning: if you’re currently taking medication, this isn’t a time to go cold turkey. Stay with your current medication dosage and schedule.

Fibre comes in two types: soluble and insoluble. Both types are an essential part of a healthy diet. But studies show that soluble fibre, found in high-fibre foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, seeds and legumes, can reduce LDL cholesterol by 5 to 10 per cent.

Soluble fibres dissolve in water and other bodily fluids. They don’t stick around long, escorting cholesterol to the toilet, so to speak. “Soluble fibre binds to cholesterol in the intestines and causes the cholesterol to be excreted in the stool,” says Dr Colleen Tewksbury, a senior research investigator and bariatric program manager at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia.

Insoluble fibre, on the other hand, absorbs water and other materials to form regular stools. You need both types, so be sure you get half of each, totalling about 25 to 30 grams per day.

By now, we know that we should limit saturated fats in our diets because it raises levels of bad cholesterol in the blood. But in addition to that, we should also be upping our intake of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

The unsaturated fats from foods like fatty fish, olive oil, vegetables, nuts and seeds are much healthier for the heart.

Case in point: a study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that diets rich in unsaturated fats can improve overall cholesterol levels. Not only were higher intakes of polyunsaturated fats associated with healthier total cholesterol levels, but higher intakes of monounsaturated fats were linked to healthier HDL levels too. “They improve cholesterol likely by requiring less work and leaving fewer/preferred by products of converting by the liver for transport to your cells,” says Tewksbury. Interestingly, the healthiest high-fat foods you should be eating may surprise you. Eggs, for example, are well known for their high cholesterol, but the truth about eggs is that it’s the saturated fats, not the cholesterol, that causes health problems for most people.

Here are 10 “facts” about eggs that are an absolute yolk.

Plant sterols (also known as phytosterols) are found in foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, vegetable oil, nuts and legumes. “They directly block the absorption of cholesterol,” Tewksbury says. Research published in 2018 in Nutrients indicates that consuming 1.5 to 3 grams of plant sterols per day could decrease LDL cholesterol levels by as much as 12 per cent. Plant sterols occur in small quantities, so food manufacturers fortify cereal, crackers, orange juice, margarine, and other products with them. Then they market the products as “heart healthy,” says Tewksbury. That means some of these so-called “heart healthy” foods are also loaded with saturated fat and sugar. Be sure to check the label and leave the ones high in saturated fat and sugar on the supermarket shelf.

Isn’t it a pleasant surprise to know something you’re probably already eating could help lower cholesterol? Well there’s a good chance you’re already ticking off this cholesterol to-do, at least to some degree. Sprinkling cinnamon in your coffee or oatmeal and cooking with garlic are probably things you’re already doing – without realising they could improve your cholesterol. “Studies suggest consuming certain spices, such as cinnamon and garlic, can help lower cholesterol,” says Tewksbury. Garlic has the potential to regulate slightly elevated cholesterol concentrations, while cinnamaldehyde, the active component in cinnamon, improves lipid and glucose metabolism.

To bring those high cholesterol numbers down, you might want to consider transitioning to a plant-based diet. “There is a plethora of literature supporting the use of a plant-based diet to treat and reverse multiple chronic diseases, especially heart disease and high cholesterol levels,” says dietitian Dana Hunnes.

That likely includes the 2019 ACC/AHA Guidelines on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease. The guidelines stated that eating a plant-based protein diet reduced amounts of cholesterol (and sodium) compared with an animal protein diet. Which means replacing animal proteins (think meat and poultry) with plant proteins (like tofu, beans and quinoa) can reduce the risk of plaque build-up in the arteries, a precursor to cardiovascular disease.

Watch out for these 11 signs you might be headed for a heart attack.

Processed foods are often high in LDL-raising saturated fat. But they come with an additional warning. The trans fats, refined sugars and carbohydrates in processed foods trigger inflammation in the body, says cardiologist Dr Neel Chokshi. “High cholesterol, in combination with inflammation, is what leads to atherosclerosis, or blockages in the walls of your arteries,” he says.

Here are 18 anti-inflammatory foods to eat to reduce pain.

You may not know this, but exercise ranks nearly as important as the food you eat when it comes to lowering cholesterol naturally. A huge body of research shows exercise reduces the unhealthy fats circulating in your blood – both LDL and triglycerides. “Cholesterol and fats provide fuel for your body,” Dr Chokshi says. “Exercise raises your body’s energy expenditure and, in turn, burns more of these fats.” Despite the evidence, exercise is rarely the favoured option to lower cholesterol. Some people may think it’s boring, unpleasant, or hard to squeeze into a busy schedule. But that’s not the case – you don’t have to grudgingly drag yourself to the gym in order to reap benefits. “All activity counts as exercise, so choose something you enjoy,” says Dr Chokshi. Better yet, grab some friends or family for fun and accountability. The key to lowering cholesterol is consistency. “We recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week, or 75 minutes of high-intensity activity per week,” he says. Beginners can start by walking 30 minutes a day at a comfortable pace, and then build to moderate-intensity activity. Doing two, 20-minute resistance training sessions a week can also help lower cholesterol by increasing muscle mass and raising your metabolism, Dr Chokshi adds.

If you’re overweight or obese, aim to drop some kilos. Even a little weight loss goes a long way towards achieving lower cholesterol. Research in Translational Behavioral Medicine found that people who lost 5 to 10 per cent of their weight showed a reduction in total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides. And the numbers got even better when people lost more than 10 per cent. Losing weight will lower your cholesterol and decrease your risks for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Check out these weight-loss tips to help get you started.