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Keeping cholesterol normal may seem difficult. Moreover, if you have been haunted by various negative thoughts, for example, you cannot eat well, you have to take various kinds of drugs, and so on. In fact, maintaining normal cholesterol is not a difficult thing and there are some simple steps you can take. What are the ways to prevent high cholesterol? Check out the details below.

Easy steps to maintain normal cholesterol

Uncontrolled cholesterol levels are a major trigger for heart disease and circulatory problems. Therefore, it is important for you to monitor and maintain normal cholesterol. Without spending a lot of time and money, here are some ways you can maintain normal cholesterol levels in the blood:

1. Take medicine according to the doctor's advice

If you do have high cholesterol levels in the blood, one way that is proven to be effective is to take medication as prescribed by a doctor. Usually, the doctor will suggest cholesterol drugs as well as cholesterol-lowering supplements that can help you keep your cholesterol at a normal level.

Medicines and advice given by doctors have been clinically tested and fit your condition. That way, you don't have to bother trying out drugs or supplements that haven't proven their benefits and compatibility with your body's health conditions.

Take cholesterol medication according to the advice and the dose given. Do not stop using the drug without consulting first. If there is something you don't understand about cholesterol medications, don't hesitate to ask your doctor. That way, you may be able to keep your cholesterol at a normal rate.

2. Apply a healthy diet for the heart

Apart from taking drugs and supplements, you also need to pay attention to your diet. One of them is eating on time. Avoid procrastinating eating, because the more you postpone the stomach the hungrier it will be. If your stomach is hungry, you have a tendency to ignore restrictions and eat whatever foods you like.

Of course this is not good if you want to keep your cholesterol normal. In addition, pay attention to your daily diet. Start by avoiding foods high in cholesterol and increasing your intake of foods that are good for cholesterol.

Not only that, according to the Mayo Clinic, foods that you also need to reduce your intake of are saturated fats and trans fats. The reason is, the more saturated and trans fats you consume, the higher the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the blood.

In order to keep your cholesterol normal, you need to reduce your consumption of foods high in trans fats such as:

• Fried
• J for food
• Sweet pastries
• Ice cream
• Packaged snacks
• Butter

Instead, choose foods that are rich in fiber such as cholesterol-lowering fruits and green vegetables which are equally useful for keeping cholesterol normal. You can also eat a variety of fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, mackerel, and nuts such as walnuts and seeds such as flaxseed .

3. Prepare healthy snacks

Apart from food, you certainly like to snack in your spare time. In fact, there is nothing wrong with that, as long as it is still in reasonable quantities and with healthy snack choices if you want to keep your cholesterol normal.

Generally, this habit is done while studying, working, or watching television. So that you can snacking , choose snacks that are healthy and safe for cholesterol. Avoid snacks that are unhealthy and have the potential to increase cholesterol, such as fried foods.

Snacks that have a low cholesterol content include nuts such as almonds. In addition, almonds and walnuts are rich in healthy fats or unsaturated fats. Choosing healthy snacks is one way to prevent high cholesterol. These nuts are certainly good for replacing saturated and trans fat intake that you might find in other snacks.

In addition, you can also bring a fruit salad or vegetable salad as a snack as a snack at work or when you are outside so you are not tempted to buy another snack. In addition to filling you up, the snacks that you prepare yourself from home are certainly more effective at helping you keep your cholesterol normal.

4. Bring your own drinking water when traveling

In addition to eating regularly, in order to keep your cholesterol normal while traveling or during holidays, be sure to always bring your own drinking water. When outside the house, you may be tempted to consume sugary drinks such as iced tea, soft drink , and other packaged drinks.

The problem is, consumption of sugary drinks can increase triglyceride levels in the blood. Cholesterol and triglycerides are different, but when you get used to drinking sweet drinks, the good cholesterol (HDL) levels tend to be low.

Bringing your own drink is one way you can also prevent high cholesterol while outside the home.

5. Regular exercise to maintain body weight

The next tip for keeping cholesterol normal is regular exercise so that you don't gain weight easily. Yes, maintaining an ideal body weight is one way to prevent high cholesterol. The reason is, the more piles of fat in the body, the higher the cholesterol levels in the body.

Therefore, keep your weight in order to stay ideal by exercising regularly. Try to do it every day, or at least five days a week. The ideal time to exercise is 150-175 minutes for one week.

You can divide it into several days, for example 30 minutes a day and do it five times a week. For starters, try aerobic exercise like jogging or cycling for at least 30 minutes.

Apart from taking the time to exercise, you can also work around this by increasing physical activity while doing your routine. For example, if traveling within a short distance and within reach, go on foot. Then, if there are stairs in the office, try to take the stairs instead of the elevator or lift.

You should also do this even though you are on vacation. Take the time to exercise to keep your cholesterol levels normal during the holidays. For example, by walking around a tourist attraction or going from one place to another that is not too far on foot.

This means, there is no reason to "take a break" from exercising, even when on vacation. You can also take advantage of lodging facilities, for example swimming in the pool, exercising in the gym hotel, or just jogging before starting the activity.

6. Schedule medical check-up with a doctor

Through medical check-up, You can have a cholesterol test to keep the levels normal. When you see a doctor, tell all your complaints about cholesterol levels. Also ask for things you don't understand.

Also, keep track of any precautionary instructions the doctor gives you. Tell your doctor if any of the medications prescribed to you have side effects. The doctor may provide alternative cholesterol treatments that may be more suitable for your condition.

With the right treatment, of course it will be easier to keep cholesterol levels normal. Other than that, medical check-up It is also important for people with high cholesterol levels to monitor the risk of heart disease, stroke, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and other chronic diseases related to blood vessel conditions.

How often do you need to do medical check-up will be different for each person, depending on their respective conditions. So, it's best to ask your doctor when you have to come back for another check-up.

7. Stop smoking

If you still like smoking, this is the right time to stop doing this unhealthy habit. Yes, smoking can be one of the causes of high cholesterol. Moreover, high cholesterol is a condition that has almost no specific symptoms.

Therefore, you will only feel the symptoms of high cholesterol after experiencing one of the complications of cholesterol. This means that your condition is getting worse and more difficult to treat. Before experiencing these things, it's better to quit smoking if you want to keep your cholesterol normal.

One way to prevent high cholesterol is of course powerful. Imagine, when you stop smoking for three months, blood circulation in the body and lung function will improve and get better. If you successfully quit smoking for one year, your risk of developing various heart diseases will decrease drastically.

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