Your body needs cholesterol. It’s essential for making hormones, building cell membranes, and producing bile (a substance that helps break down fat in your digestive tract). But too much can put your cardiovascular health at risk.
At MS Family Medicine Health Care, PC, in Mineola, New York, Dr. Michele Reed and our dedicated care team take a proactive approach to cholesterol management. Our focus is on wellness and preventive care, helping you take small steps now that lead to big differences later.
Here’s what you need to know about cholesterol and how to keep your levels balanced.
Cholesterol is a waxy fat produced in your liver. It plays a crucial role in cell function, hormone levels, and digestion. It moves through your bloodstream to do its job, and any extra is normally removed by the body.
However, genetics, age, and diet may affect your body’s ability to get rid of extra cholesterol. Having too much in your blood increases your risk of atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque along your artery walls that narrows or blocks the vessel, reducing blood flow.
High cholesterol and atherosclerosis are risk factors for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. That’s why balancing your cholesterol levels is so important for protecting your heart.
Dietary fiber is a nondigestible carbohydrate found in fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. It’s one of the most effective tools for lowering cholesterol naturally. Fiber binds with cholesterol in your digestive tract, reducing absorption and helping your body eliminate it.
Soluble fiber is especially effective, and good sources include:
Simple swaps go a long way: Have oatmeal for breakfast, add beans to your salad at lunch, and snack on almonds to help balance your cholesterol.
Regular exercise, even something as simple as walking, can make a big difference for your cholesterol. When you’re active, your muscles burn saturated fat, helping reduce the amount circulating in your bloodstream.
Too much saturated fat blocks the receptors that assist in clearing out cholesterol, causing your levels to rise. Saturated fat comes from foods like red meat, butter, and lard.
Walking at a brisk pace can help you burn off some saturated fat and lower your blood cholesterol. Regular walks also increase the good cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) that helps remove bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) from your blood.
Start with 10 minutes a day, 2-3 days a week, working your way up to 30 minutes, 5 days a week.
Excess body weight can disrupt how your body removes cholesterol and trigger your liver to make more of it. Getting to a healthy weight can help your body manage your cholesterol levels to improve the balance.
Being thin doesn’t automatically mean you don’t have to worry about cholesterol. You can have high cholesterol if you live a sedentary life or if it runs in your family, even when you’re a normal weight.
Whether you’re trying to lower your cholesterol or simply keep your numbers in check, these small, sustainable habits can make a big difference. And you don’t have to do it alone.
At MS Family Medicine Health Care, we’re here to help you take charge of your health with personalized and preventive strategies. Call us today or request an appointment online anytime.
