Kick Cholesterol!

Do you know that the seasons can affect your cholesterol level? It’s a fact, though only a few people have any idea about it. It was discovered that during winter season the cholesterol level is quite high, whereas in the summer and autumn, it is relatively low. These findings were confirmed by the significant decrease in the cholesterol levels during warm seasons.

Cholesterol is the fatty and waxy substance produced by the body in order to provide fat to the arteries and its surrounding walls. It also helps in producing sex hormones, along with keeping an eye over the artery functions. So what brought about the changes in the cholesterol levels in relation to the seasons?

These changes are mainly due to the eating habits and the type of food people consume during those different seasons. In winter, people usually consume a lot of fatty foods in order to gain heat and energy. This results in high cholesterol levels. Women too have been noticed to consume more food rich in fats and oils in winter. That’s why, according to statistics, more people suffer from heart attacks and strokes in winter compared to summer.

On the other hand during the summer season, the consumption of fish and meat products decrease significantly whereas in winter, they are the favorite foods. High cholesterol foods are avoided during this season as they generate more heat in the body. Also in summer, the body burned and broke the consumed cholesterol into pieces which results in low cholesterol level. The same is true in autumn where the cholesterol level is lower than normal.

With this finding, it is recommended to watch your cholesterol level before and during the season to know if you’re on a normal level. It is best too, to do some physical activities during winters so the fat and cholesterol will not deposit in one part of the body. Doctors advise not to consume high cholesterol foods during winter season.

Try to change your cholesterol requirements during summer and winter. The body needs different diets for different seasons. Although the body needs more fat during winter compared to summer, try to control your intake so there’ll be no excess. Keeping an eye on your diet will let you enjoy the different seasons, and not worry about your health.

With the increasing awareness of the danger of high cholesterol levels, so to is the number of various drugs promising to lower it. These drugs may be effective for some people but, somehow, they have adverse effects on some. Well, you don’t need these drugs to maintain a healthy cholesterol level in the first place. There are different natural ways to do it. They are very simple and easy to do.

Cut Out The Fat
It is a wise thing to do to cut back on foods rich in saturated fat, such as meat, butter, cheese and hydrogenated oil. As much as possible, replace these items with fish, poultry, low-fat dairy products and polyunsaturated oils.

Eat more Beans
Nutritious and inexpensive, beans and other pulses (edible seeds such as beans) contain a water-soluble fiber called pectin that helps clear cholesterol out of the body.

Indulge in Fruits
Fruit also gets its cholesterol lowering punch from pectin, so by eating lots of fresh fruit you will help to lower your cholesterol levels.

Watch your weight
Your body will produce more cholesterol if you are overweight, so keep your weight down if you are overweight. A healthy diet will help you with this endeavor.

Use Olive Oil
Olive oil contains monounsaturates which are said to help lower cholesterol levels if added to your food on a daily basis. Two or three tablespoons full a day should be sufficient

Go Easy On The Eggs
You don’t have to remove eggs from your diet. Just limit your intake to about 3 per week, or much better to eat the egg whites only.

Consume More Oats
Oat bran also helps to lower cholesterol in a similar fashion to pectin rich fruit. In fact it was a high oat bran diet that helped me to reduce my cholesterol level. I used it on cereals, and mixed it into meals that I ate. It looks a bit like sawdust, but it's really effective.

Two Carrots a Day

Eating carrots is also good in lowering cholesterol. Carrots help by way of their pectin content the same as fruit. Two carrots a day should be enough to help when combined with other foods which have been recommended. Eat them raw if possible.

Take Garlic
Eat raw garlic. As well as reducing your circle of friends, it will reduce harmful blood fats. If you don't fancy eating raw garlic, then use the liquid garlic extract which can be bought in capsule form. These can be purchased at your local supermarket or health food store.

Don't Smoke
Studies have shown that heavy smokers have a higher cholesterol level than non-smokers, so here's another reason to it give up. In smoking trials which were carried out in Sweden, smokers tended to suffer from low levels of the beneficial HDL cholesterol.

These ways may not be as simple as it may seem to some people. But if you want to have a healthy life, these are not hard to do. By doing these steps, you’ll lower your risk of having heart diseases, which are the effect of high cholesterol level. These are natural ways, so you don’t have to worry about any side effects. If all else fails, cholesterol lowering drugs is your last option.