5 Ways to Improve Your Cholesterol

Do you suffer from high cholesterol? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 100 million adults in the United States have higher-than-normal cholesterol levels. Unfortunately, high cholesterol is a serious problem that, when left unchecked, increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. The good news is that you can lower your cholesterol levels by making a few changes to your lifestyle.

#1) Skip the Trans Fat

When shopping for groceries, look at food and beverage labels to see if they contain trans fat. If you're concerned about your cholesterol levels, do not purchase or otherwise consume any foods or beverages containing trans fat. Trans fat has been shown to increase bad cholesterol levels in the blood and lower good cholesterol levels in the blood. By keeping this substance out of your diet, you are less likely to experience high cholesterol.

#2) Lower Intake of Saturated Fat

You don't have to necessarily avoid saturated fat in your diet, but you should keep it to a minimum. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends consuming about 6% of your total daily calories from saturated fat. If you consume 2,000 calories in a day, for example, only 120 should come from saturated fat.

#3) Cook With Olive Oil

You might be surprised to learn that cooking with olive oil can lower your cholesterol levels. Derived from the juice of pressed olives, olive oil contains high levels of unsaturated fat. Unlike trans fat and saturated fat, unsaturated fat is good for your health because it promotes low cholesterol levels. So, the next time you're cooking a meal, use olive oil instead of other cooking oils like vegetable oil. Along with the other tips listed here, this will help you regain control of your cholesterol levels.

#4) Eat More Fiber

How much fiber do you consume in a typical day? Fiber is an essential nutrient that helps flush bad cholesterol from the arteries and, therefore, protects against high cholesterol levels. Of course, many people don't consume enough fiber in their diet. As a result, they tend to experience high cholesterol levels.

Some of the top fiber-rich foods include:

• Beans
• Rice
• Peas 
• Lentil
• Broccoli
• Chia seeds
• Nuts
• Bread
• Spinach

#5) Exercise

Finally, make sure you are getting enough exercise. People who rarely or never exercise are more likely to develop high cholesterol than their physically active and fit counterparts. For healthy cholesterol levels, try to get at least 75 to 150 minutes of exercise per week.