High cholesterol: Nutritionist reveals top prevention tips
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High cholesterol is often the product of poor lifestyle choices. However, changing up your dietary and exercise regime could pose as an antidote against the fatty substance. A case report suggests that four cholesterol-lowering foods in tandem with moderate exercise could slash “bad” cholesterol by a whopping 52.8 percent.
From a diet low in saturated fats to aerobic exercise to bust the fatty substance, lifestyle interventions are considered extremely potent at reducing cholesterol levels.
In fact, a case study of a 33-year-old man, published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, shows how much can be achieved by simple tweaks in just six weeks.
The man started the research with moderately elevated cholesterol levels and a family history of cardiovascular disease.
This volunteer was put on an “altered” dietary plan paired with moderate exercise, without the addition of cholesterol-lowering agents like statins.
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The 33-year-old had an office job which had him spending large amounts of time sitting, with time for exercise only possible after his working hours.
His usual diet before the intervention included bread and dairy products, such as butter and cheese – both of which are packed with saturated fat which can hike your risk of “bad cholesterol”.
Furthermore, his dinners would usually include protein sources, such as rump steak and grilled chicken, accompanied by a carbohydrate source like potatoes.
During the study, the new dietary regimen saw him incorporate clinically proven cholesterol-lowering foods, such as 1/3 cups raw oats, 30 grams of almonds, at least half an avocado, and extra virgin olive oil.
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Oats and almonds are great sources of dietary fibre which has been proven to bust high cholesterol, while avocado and olive oil are packed with unsaturated fats which can help lower “bad” cholesterol levels.
The 33-year-old also added omega-3 supplements to his diet. He used conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), vitamin C, and a multivitamin prior to the altered diet as well.
The researchers penned: “Because 500 mg vitamin C per day has a proven positive impact on fat oxidation during moderate exercise, it remained as part of the altered lifestyle.”
Furthermore, the researchers let the man take CLA as well to limit the amount of things taken away from his regimen.
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When it came to physical activity, the volunteer exercised for a minimum of 30 minutes, twice per week.
This half an hour also included about 10 minutes of cardio exercises.
The research team then conducted a follow-up after six weeks of adhering to these new lifestyle changes.
Interestingly, the man was able to lower his total cholesterol by 40.25 percent while his “bad” cholesterol fell by a whopping 52.8 percent.
In case you aren’t aware, “bad” cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is the one that hikes your risk of serious health problems like heart disease and strokes.
What’s more, the man’s cholesterol levels remained within normal ranges even six months later.
The researchers concluded: “This case illustrates that in some individuals, lifestyle change alone is sufficient to lower moderately elevated cholesterol levels.”
While this study shows some promising results, the caveat is that it only looked at one man with moderately elevated cholesterol levels.
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