You are at a higher risk of heart disease if you have high cholesterol. The cholesterol can be controlled and maintained naturally. We can lower the bad cholesterol (LDL) by making very simple changes in our daily lives. Incorporating lifestyle changes can bring about improvements in our health, which can significantly be seen within six weeks of making our change. We may need to take medicines to get our cholesterol at a moderate level, but a few small changes might be helpful in lowering the cholesterol levels as well as medicine doses.

It’s always better to try the natural ways before starting using medicines.

Ban fatty foods
Fried foods, baked foods like cakes, pie crust pizza, cookies. All tend to raise the LDL and lower the good cholesterol increases the risk of stroke. It is advisable to bring down the intake of such kinds of foods. Even while shopping we should always check the labels and avoid ‘partially hydrogenated oil’ packed foods that are just another name for bad fats.

Manage your weight
If you want to know how to naturally lower LDL cholesterol, then this will be the best way to combat the same. To lower the cholesterol levels we need to lose weight. If you are overweight a drop of few kilos would be sufficient and would lower the LDL by 8%. But to reach a safe goal you need to work out considerably. Diet plans have to be managed so that a woman has 1000 to 1200 calories a day and the men 1200 to 1600 calories. This amount of calorie intake is good enough to lose weight.

Exercise regularly
It is very important to exercise at least 3 hours a week to raise the HDL ( (good cholesterol) and improve the LDL and triglycerides. It is advisable to get active slowly and increase your workout time. Even a 10-minute activity counts. Choosing exercises that you could enjoy would be an advantage. Having an exercise partner to accompany and motivate you also helps.

Consume fibrous foods
Food items like apples, prunes, beans, and oatmeal are high in soluble fiber. These phones help in absorbing cholesterol from the body. People who have 5 to 10 grams of fibrous food each day can see a drop of their LDL. Eating of fiber makes you feel full which curbs the hunger pangs and limits you from snacking much. You should always keep a count of the quantity of fiber intake. Don’t eat too much of fiber as it can result in abdominal cramps and bloating. The fiber intake should be increased slowly.

Have more intake of fish
Try eating fish 2 to 4 times a week. It is very rich in omega-3 fatty acids and replacing it with red meat helps in lowering the cholesterol levels by reducing your exposure to saturated fats which is in large amounts in red meat. Wild salmon, sardines, and tuna fish can be the best choices here. This is how you will naturally lower LDL cholesterol levels.

Choose olive oil
Using olive oil instead of butter and other vegetable oils helps in reducing LDL cholesterol as much as 15%. This is equivalent to the effect of a low dose medication. The good fat in the olive oil benefits the heart. Choosing extra virgin olive oil is the best. This is because it is less processed and contains antioxidants which help to prevent diseases.

Eat nuts
All kinds of nuts help in lowering the LDL. They contain sterol, which like fiber, helps in absorbing the cholesterol of the body and this is how you can naturally lower LDL cholesterol levels. Not in big amounts, a proportionate balanced amount of nuts is always helpful.

Stop smoking
Smoking raises the LDL and lowers the HDL. Quitting smoking improves the cholesterol levels. A person who has stopped smoking for about 1 year can raise the good cholesterol by 5%. Passive smokers also have high chances to get high cholesterol. 

Spice it up
Spices like ginger, coriander, black pepper, cinnamon, cumin, and garlic, not only enhance the taste of your food but also help in improving cholesterol levels. Research shows that eating half to one clove of garlic each day can lower the cholesterol up to 9%. Adding extra seasoning to food reduces your appetite, and this is how you can drop excess weight and lower LDL cholesterol levels. 

De-stress
When we are stressed cholesterol can go to very high levels. So it is very important to de-stress yourself. Read a book, meet friends, do yoga or meditation. These all help to keep a check on your cholesterol. Laughter is the best medicine. Laughing increases HDL so always keep laughing and stay healthy.

Small and simple measures can avoid big things like bad cholesterol, leading to heart attacks and stroke. So, know how to naturally lower LDL and follow these steps as it is always rightly said: “ Prevention is better than cure.”