Cholesterol is one of the leading health problems in India. Few of the high cholesterol risk factors such as family history and age can’t be controlled. How ever, many life style choices can be changed to lower it. Reducing your stress is also a key factor in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Every one, today is caught up in materialistic modern life, to reach working deadlines, family needs and household responsibility – perhaps in buying a house or even looking into academics of children, to make sure they are faring well and progressing towards the right path in life. During stressful time, chemical messengers are released. If you over eat, smoke or turn into a couch potato in response to high anxiety, you are giving into unhealthy lifestyle habits that can raise level of LDL’s and also erode level of HDL’s. One such theory is, stress hormone increases the fuel available to the body by flooding it with glucose while at the same time inhibiting insulin production. This then prevents cortisol from being stored and instead encourages it to be used immediately. But if this energy is not used because we are not physically active then it may build up eventually leading to the formation of fat tissues and eventually cholesterol in arteries.

One can get into many activities to manage your stress, such as going out for walk or joining a gym, involving into few of the yoga exercises, practicing deep breathing exercises, talking to a

friend, practicing time management and above all changing one’s diet to bring in a complete life style change.

Eat Heart Healthy diet

To lower cholesterol eating a dietary pattern that emphasis on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy products, poultry, fish and nuts. Red meat along with sugary food and beverages should also be limited. Saturated fats found in red meat and dairy products raise your total cholesterol and also the bad cholesterol especially LDL. Look in for leaner cuts of meat, low fat dairy (skim or double toned milk). Food higher in polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) include a number of plant based oil as well as fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and trout. Other sources include some nuts and seeds such as walnuts and sunflower seeds, tofu and soya beans. Many diet fit that pattern including DASH – DIETARY APPROACHES TO STOP HYPERTENSION. This can be easily adapted based on your cultural and food preferences.

Get Moving

Being physically active is also important to prevent heart disease and stroke. 40 minutes of aerobic exercise of moderate to vigorous intensity done 3-4 times a week is enough to lower both cholesterol and high blood pressure. Brisk walking, swimming and bicycling are few good examples. To stay motivated, find an exercise friend or join an exercise group. Any kind of activity is helpful. Even taking the stairs instead of elevator or doing few sit-ups can also make a difference.

Legumes

I would recommend to combine legumes with easily digestible whole grains like rice or quinoa. You can also well combine them with fruits, vegetables, nuts or whole grain as they would not bother you as much as you eat them sporadically.

Include Soluble Fiber

There are two types of fiber soluble and insoluble. Both are considered heart healthy. But soluble fiber gets solubilized in the blood and lowers your LDL level. It also helps to lower sugar levels in diabetes. Add soluble fiber to your diet by eating oats in breakfast and adding oat bran to your meal. Lentils and whole fruits along with peels are good examples of soluble fibers

Add whey Protein

Whey protein is one of the two proteins in dairy products. It is the left over translucent water in making cottage cheese (paneer). Whey protein may account for many of the health benefits attributed to dairy. For better results one can also add oat bran to the whey water.

Quit Smoking

Quitting, improves your HDL cholesterol level. It has been observed that within 20 minutes of quitting, your blood pressure and heart rate decreases. Within one year your risk of heart disease is half than that of a smoker. Within 15 years, your risk of heart disease is similar to some one who never smoked.

Lose Weight

Carrying even a few extra pounds contributes to higher cholesterol. Losing 5-10% of your weight can also improve cholesterol level. Start by evaluating your eating habits and daily routine. Consider your challenges to weight loss and try to over come them. Small changes help, if you are busy in your work schedule and don’t have time to prepare your meal, pack some thing healthier for home. For snack munch on carrot sticks, seasonal fruits and berries or air popped popcorns instead of potato chips and look for ways to incorporate more activities into your daily routine.

I feel eating right diet is like a bank account. Good food choices are good investments for over all well-being of every individual.