Cholesterol is naturally found in the body because our system makes it on its own. When we eat foods that are high in saturated fats, we create an over abundance of cholesterol which in turn can cause cardiovascular and heart disease. The older you get without balancing out the cholesterol you eat with the amounts that your body makes naturally; increases your risk of having a heart attack.

LDL and HDL

Cholesterol comes in two forms, LDL, low-density lipoprotein, which is the bad cholesterol and HDL, high-density lipoprotein, which is the good cholesterol. You need the HDL to balance out the LDL in order to keep your arteries in good shape. You can also help keep your cholesterol in balance naturally by making just a few simple changes to your diet and lifestyle.

Physical activity works wonders.

Exercise or some type of physical activity everyday is a great natural way to keep your LDL levels in check. Thirty minutes of walking or if you choose to, you can go do a mega work-out in the gym. Either way, these types of activity really can help you keep your heart healthy.

What foods should you eat.

We focus a lot on foods here on this website, and that is because it is food that gets you into the high cholesterol level trap, and it’s going to be food that gets you out of it. There is no getting around this fact. So changing your eating habits will make a huge contribution to getting your cholesterol levels into the normal range again.

You can make small changes in your diet by not eating red meat, foods with high fat content and by eliminating all junk and processed foods from your meal plans. Cakes, potato chips, cookies, some types of breads and all fried foods are absolutely a death sentence for a person with already high cholesterol levels. Once you get rid of these foods, you have the battle more than halfway won.

While you are slimming down your food list, you need to keep in mind how you cook the healthy foods you will eat. Frying or adding fatty oils to your diet will not help you manage your cholesterol naturally. Try steaming, baking and broiling instead. Cholesterol only comes from animal products so eat more fruits, vegetables and grains.

Fiber is your friend. You should try and eat as many fiber-rich foods as you can. Fiber binds to the cholesterol and fats and helps move them out of the body before they can do any harmful damage to your arteries and heart. Make sure to drink plenty of water to help wash out the toxins from your body.

Beware of milk.

Stay far away from milk products. They are high in fat and in general are not good for a person who is trying to get his/her cholesterol levels down. Try drinking soy, or rice milk. We eliminated milk from house 15 years ago and never looked back. We love rice milk. If you must drink milk, then please make it the low-fat variety.

The best way to naturally lower your cholesterol is to get physical activity and change your eating habits. Food is the one and only culprit that cause high cholesterol levels. Once you get yourself on an eating plan that removes the offending foods, then you will be well on your way to a long and healthy life.