Cholesterol is a fatty wax substance that the body naturally produces to support certain digestive functions. However, high levels of cholesterol can increase the risk of stroke, high blood pressure, and heart problems. There are two main types of it: High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) and Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL). Medical professionals refer to HDL as good cholesterol that comes from healthy, organic, and natural food sources while LDL is a bad byproduct of processed foods rich in additives.

You must maintain low levels of LDL and high levels of HDL to strike a proper balance and reduce the risk of health complications down the line. This can be done in the following ways.

Maintain a proper diet
Switch to alternatives that promote HDL in the body. Also, avoid foods that are high in LDL, including red and fatty cuts of meat, such as pork, beef, and lamb. Refrain from having too much butter, egg yolk, cheese, and other highly saturated foods. Processed foods are rich in trans-fats that also increase LDL levels in the body. So avoid eating baked, fried, and processed foods taken from the shelves in the supermarket. Instead, incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy, certain fish, and an assortment of healthy nuts. HDL helps transfer fatty cholesterol to the liver to be expelled from the body and improve blood flow by unblocking arteries in the process.

Exercise regularly
Exercise is the key to maintaining a healthy body weight. Often, high levels of cholesterol can also trigger complications that arise out of obesity or generally being overweight. It is not nearly enough to switch to healthy eating unless the diet is supplemented with a proper active routine to keep the body weight in check. Certain aerobic and blood pumping exercises improve heart health and help the body flush out the bad cholesterol naturally without the need for taking supplements.

Change your lifestyle to suit the diet and exercise
Along with exercise, a few lifestyle changes are necessary to improve your overall outlook about living a cholesterol-friendly life. These include changing your cooking methods to incorporate more baking, roasting, and broiling in place of deep-frying or stir-frying. It is best to also quit smoking and regular consumption of alcohol. Smoking deteriorates lung capacity and alcohol impairs the liver function, thus making it difficult for the organ to expel LDL efficiently from the body.

Consult with a professional
Planning is key to losing weight, making lifestyle changes, and improving your eating habits. You must consult with a certified nutritionist to understand the effects and benefits of certain foods before incorporating them in your daily diet. Remember, change and progress can be quite slow in the beginning as it will take the body some time to get acclimatized with the new routine. There is absolutely no harm in consulting with a professional to plan and live a cholesterol-friendly life to improve longevity.