Natural Ways to Cut Cholesterol

Eat more “good” fats
Replace butter with olive oil, use skim milk instead of whole and try low-fat cuts of meats.

Check your thyroid
Hypothyroidism (having an underactive thyroid) if left untreated, can raise cholesterol levels significantly. Symptoms include tiredness, increased sensitivity to cold, hair loss, weight gain, joint stiffness and depression.

Exercise
The combination of exercise and strategic eating can help to raise HDLs (the good cholesterol that transports LDLs away from artery walls). Exercise also lowers triglycerides, the other blood fat linked to heart disease.

Less Stress
Many studies indicate stress may increase the risk of heart disease.

Eat more Soluble Fibre
Abundant in oat bran, rice bran, beans, peas, barley, citrus fruits, strawberries, carrots and apples, this fibre brings down LDLs without lowering HDLs.

Eat more Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Found in salmon, mackerel and other fish, this fat can lower triglycerides. And since, fish is low in saturated fats, it is a great way to cut total cholesterol and LDLs too. Eat 85 to 110 grams several times a week.