How To Lower Cholesterol Naturally With Minutes-A-Day Habits That Really Work
Turns out laughing with friends can deliver big heart-health benefits
Key Takeaways
- Women ages 55 to 65 are especially vulnerable to rising cholesterol during menopause.
- Simple daily habits like biking and eating pecans may help lower LDL cholesterol over time.
- Laughing more and adding psyllium husk fiber can support better heart health after menopause.
Struggling to keep your cholesterol in check? Our cholesterol levels peak between 55 to 65 years old, according to research in the U.S. Cardiology Review. Estrogen acts on the liver to help control cholesterol, so our levels of LDL “bad” cholesterol tend to rise when estrogen drops during menopause. You already know that following a healthy eating plan with plenty of insoluble and soluble fiber and scaling back on saturated fats and trans fats can make a big difference in your heart health. But that’s not all you can do to bring your LDL levels down. Here, we reveal how to lower your cholesterol with surprising, science-backed tricks that really work.
How to lower your cholesterol naturally
A healthy total cholesterol level is between 125 to 200 mg/dL. But many of us have numbers that are creeping up, and high cholesterol raises your risk of heart disease and stroke. In addition to following a healthy lifestyle (like getting 30 minutes of exercise a day and managing risk factors for high cholesterol), give these smart tips a try:
Snack on pecans
Whether stirred into oatmeal or tossed onto a salad, buttery pecans are a cholesterol-lowering powerhouse. A review in Nutrients of 52 studies spanning two decades found people who enjoyed a handful of pecans daily (roughly 15 to 20 halves) had significantly lower cholesterol levels than those who didn’t. Pecans are rich in heart-healthy fiber, antioxidants and monounsaturated fats that help lower cholesterol naturally.
Woman's World Answers
Take a ride
Turns out biking is a fun way to lower your cholesterol. A study in the Annals of Medicine and Surgery of recreational cyclists who rode just once a week found they had significantly better cholesterol levels than their non-cycling peers. And since biking is low impact, you can manage your cholesterol while going easy on your joints. Tip: Heading out for a ride around dawn or dusk? Slip on a lightweight headlamp, like the BioLite Range 300, to improve visibility.
Enjoy avocados
Planning a BBQ? Whip up some guacamole. Avocados brim with plant sterols, phytochemicals that compete with cholesterol for absorption in your intestines so you take in less of it. A single avocado contains the same amount of the potent cholesterol-buster beta-sitosterol as a dietary sterol supplement.
Laugh out loud
Call your funniest friend or scroll through silly memes. Loma Linda University researchers have been studying the effects of laughter on the body for decades, and found laughing may support heart health in ways similar to moderate exercise. Laughing helps lower the amount of stress hormones like cortisol in the bloodstream, which benefits overall cardiovascular health (including cholesterol levels).
Try psyllium husk fiber
Taking 10 grams of psyllium husk fiber a day significantly lowers cholesterol, Canadian scientists say. As it moves through your digestive system, psyllium forms a gel that helps trap cholesterol and eliminate it as waste.
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