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High cholesterol levels can affect your heart health. Well, this does not only impact cardiac health but also overall well-being. With hectic daily life, a healthy lifestyle takes a back seat. In this context to bring about awareness of the benefits of cardiac health, GS Hospital Hapur, one of the best heart hospitals in Uttar Pradesh takes an initiative to raise awareness about healthy heart benefits.
But, before we dive into the benefits of good cardiac health, let's give you a sneak peek at one thing which is very harmful to overall heart health. Yes, you got it right, it's the cholesterol. In this blog, GS Hospital Hapur, the heart specialist hospital in Delhi NCR, takes a step forward to bring about the top 5 lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol levels. So, let's begin and take a pledge towards achieving a healthy lifestyle for the best cardiac health. Here is a deep dive into what cholesterol is, the risk of high cholesterol levels, and how to control it with a healthy lifestyle.
Cholesterol is considered a type of fat that is required for body functions to build, repair cells, and produce hormones. It is important to maintain a healthy range of cholesterol levels. High cholesterol has adverse effects on the heart and overall well-being of the body.
Let us know the ideal range of cholesterol in the body to maintain a healthy heart.
The ideal range of the cholesterol is as follows:
All the cholesterol in our body is not considered bad cholesterol. Some amount of cholesterol is also considered good cholesterol which is required for the protection of nerves and cells.
Based on this, the different types of cholesterol are as follows:
However, accumulation of high LDL or bad cholesterol can affect the arteries leading to the formation of plaques causing narrowing and hardening of arteries resulting in atherosclerosis, heart attack, or even a stroke.
A healthy lifestyle can help in lowering the deposition of bad cholesterol and help in improving overall cardiac health.
During a silent heart attack, there is a sudden disruption of oxygen and blood flow to the heart. This causes damage to the heart muscles. There may be a high risk of heart failure at times if ignored. In medical terms, a silent heart attack may cause an infarct of a certain part of the cardiovascular system causing a sudden cut off to your blood and oxygen supply.
The 5 warning signals of high cholesterol levels are as follows:
Awareness about cholesterol is a must to prevent and eliminate the problems arising due to high cholesterol. Managing cholesterol with a healthy lifestyle is very important. Cholesterol can be well-controlled with a comprehensive treatment plan by includes medications and healthy lifestyle solutions.
GS Hospital Hapur, a top heart care hospital in Ghaziabad has an eminent team of cardiologists who are focused on improving the cardiac health of the patients. They have rounded up the top 5 lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol levels under the expertise of top cardiologists for better cardiac health. Here are the quick top 5 lifestyle changes that you must adapt for a healthy heart and overall well-being.
An increase in physical activity can help reduce LDL or bad cholesterol. This helps in burning fat and helps maintain a healthy weight. Fat burn is essential to get rid of LDL or bad cholesterol. It is important to increase physical activity during the day. Along with this, you can add up to 30-45 minutes of exercise 6 times a week to burn fat and reduce cholesterol levels.
Exercising regularly helps in reducing stress levels or cortisol hormones. Cortisol or stress hormones trigger inflammatory responses that cause unhealthy fat deposition. Exercise and sweating out help release “feel-good hormones” by burning fat in the body.
Give up on your addictions for a healthy heart. Get addicted to a healthy lifestyle by quitting on alcohol, smoking, and caffeine. Alcohol and smoking are toxic to the body and cause inflammatory changes. This triggers the deposition of the fat into the body increasing the chances of deposition of cholesterol into the arteries hampering the body flow. A toxic body is considered an unhealthy body.
It is important to focus on a healthy diet with veggies, and fruits. A high-fiber diet can work wonders to clear the gut and cleanse the body. This can help maintain a healthy metabolism and prevent deposition of the fat in the body.
Fiber helps in absorbing the cholesterol level. The best source of fiber that is worth mentioning for high-cholesterol patients is oats. Another source of high-fiber food is a simple apple. We are well aware of the quote “An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Apple has a high content of fiber called pectin which helps in the absorption of excess cholesterol.
Poor and unhealthy diet leads to obesity which triggers high cholesterol levels. A body mass index of more than 30 puts you at a higher risk of high cholesterol levels.
Hydration helps in natural detox and improves the solubility of the fat. Moreover, 90% of the blood is water. Hydration helps in healthy blood circulation to the heart as well as other part of the body. This prevents the deposition of bad cholesterol in the arteries.
Along with a healthy lifestyle, it is recommended to consult your doctor and monitor your cholesterol levels through blood tests. If you have been detected with high cholesterol levels which are above 200, your doctor will prescribe you cholesterol medicines that can help you reduce the levels. Regular monitoring is essential through lipid profile, and other blood tests. Following a healthy lifestyle will help you reduce the medication dose effectively.
Lifestyle changes work as a preventive therapy to maintain a healthy heart and for overall well-being. The heart carries out a major function of pumping the blood to the various organs of the body to allow all systems of the body to work harmoniously. Hence, a healthy lifestyle is a must for a healthy heart.
Set goals and targets to achieve them with focus and dedication. Improve healthy options for meals and incorporate physical activity. Try this for 15 days religiously and you will get addicted to it.
Avoid fried fatty foods which can cause an increase in cholesterol levels. Ensure to have a healthy diet and healthy form of fats rich in omega-3 fatty acids. It is important to walk and exercise for 30-45 minutes daily.
If your cholesterol levels are above 240 mg/dL, it is important to consult your doctor who will evaluate your case and advise you on anti-cholesterol medicines. Along with this, it is important to practice a healthy lifestyle.