Our bodies are marvelously complex machines, conducting myriads of processes every second of every day to keep us alive. Naturally, we have our built-in detoxing systems and organs that help our bodies flush out any excess elements – but those processes work best when aided by our own healthy choices. When it comes to cholesterol build-up, it’s important to know what you can do to stay healthy.
Cholesterol comes in two distinct forms, the HDL or the “good” kind that serves to clear your blood vessels of the LDL or the “bad” kind of cholesterol. The former keeps your arteries strong and clean, while the latter clogs them, which is why high levels of LDL cholesterol can be so detrimental to our health.
To manage and reduce your cholesterol, all you need is our “four-legged stool”: a lifestyle based on the following four principles of health.
Try switching to the Mediterranean diet
Heart-healthy foods can be found in every healthy eating system out there, but the Mediterranean diet has been shown to have the best possible impact on keeping your heart strong and your blood vessels clean.
- Build your meals around plants such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, as well as healthy oils like olive oil, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Diversity is key to promote vitamin and mineral balance.
- Once or twice per week, introduce a seafood-based meal.
- Pick lean protein sources like poultry, nutrient-dense eggs, and probiotic-packed dairy.
- Eliminate or at least maximally reduce foods like beef and pork, laden with unhealthy fats and trans fats when fried.
- Reinforce your diet with omega-3 fatty acids in the Fab4 Bundle, as well as the probiotics for elevated gut health.
- Mediterranean diet is rich in fiber, so you can also add Herbulk and help your intestines work properly with ample fiber.
Move your body as much as possible
Movement is another main “leg” of this lifestyle stool of ours, and it’s one without which the rest cannot deliver optimal results. Regular exercise and reducing your sedentary hours helps your body metabolize all the amazing Mediterranean-inspired foods, but it also affects your overall health.
- If nothing else is an option – walk as much as you can! Take the stairs, walk to work, organize walking coffee dates and lunches on the go.
- Preferably, pick a sport that will help you keep your cardiovascular health up to par.
- Take regular breaks during work hours to move, stretch, and perform a few exercises to get your blood flowing.
Correct your physiology
Perhaps you’ve been under too much stress lately, so your hormones might not be balanced. Then again, maybe your lack of sleep has made your cravings impossible to tame. The end result? Your heart is under fire and your cholesterol levels too high. Functional medicine targets the underlying cause in order to repair the consequence, but it also looks at the whole organism in order to heal its parts.
If your physiology is suffering in any way, it’s essential that you work with an expert to find the cause and create a targeted plan to improve your resilience. Perhaps you’re in need of a thorough detoxing program that will cleanse your body properly and help cleanse your arteries, too.
Imbue your life with love
The final leg of the stool might seem somehow out of place on this list, but it’s actually as vital as the previous three for reducing your high cholesterol levels. If you’re surrounded by negative people, too much stress, and you don’t practice self-care in the form of healthy eating and exercise, that’s more than enough to overwhelm your body into producing more LDL than you can handle.
Focusing on your mental health means working on your heart health, too. It means taking care not to be under constant pressure, or spend time with people who only drain your energy and make you feel miserable. You’ll sleep better, eat better, be motivated and energized enough to train, and you’ll give your heart the love it needs to stay healthy.
Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? However, staying dedicated to this lifestyle can be challenging, which is why you can get in touch with our functional medicine experts and refine your approach. By addressing your high cholesterol issues, you’ll also actively work on leading a healthier life based on vitality and resilience, and we can help you reach your goals.
