Brenda Khan
High blood pressure and cholesterol are serious health issues that can lead to heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. While medication is often prescribed to manage these conditions, making natural changes to your diet and lifestyle can also have a significant impact on improving your health. This includes reducing your sodium intake, eating more fruits and vegetables, and limiting processed foods. In addition, aerobic exercise can enhance the effects of a heart-healthy diet, and activities like yoga can help to lower blood pressure by reducing stress.
How to Naturally Reduce Cholesterol and Blood Pressure
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Diet | A largely vegetarian diet with cholesterol-lowering foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and plant proteins |
| Foods to Include | Oats, barley, psyllium, okra, eggplant, soy protein, almonds, whole grains, low-fat dairy, fish, lean meats |
| Foods to Limit | Trans fats, red meat, saturated fats, salt, alcohol, sweets |
| Supplements | Plant stanols and sterols, fish oil, psyllium |
| Exercise | 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week |
| Other | Quitting smoking, weight loss |
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What You'll Learn
Reduce sodium and increase potassium intake
Reducing sodium and increasing potassium intake is an important part of lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Firstly, it is recommended to limit your sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams (about 1 teaspoon of salt) per day. This includes all sources of sodium, such as during cooking, at the table, or in processed food products. One way to reduce sodium is to opt for low-sodium or sodium-free alternatives when it comes to food and condiments. It is also important to be mindful of foods that are cured, smoked, or pickled, as these can be high in sodium. Additionally, limiting processed foods can help reduce sodium intake.
While reducing sodium intake is beneficial, increasing your potassium intake is also crucial. Potassium can help lower blood pressure, and it is recommended to obtain it from food sources rather than supplements. Potassium is found in many fruits and vegetables, such as bananas, berries, apples, oranges, and leafy greens.
In addition to these dietary changes, incorporating regular exercise into your routine can also help lower cholesterol and improve overall health. A combination of moderate and vigorous physical activity can effectively lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels, while increasing HDL ("good") cholesterol.
By reducing sodium, increasing potassium intake, and engaging in regular physical activity, individuals can effectively work towards lowering their cholesterol and blood pressure levels, thereby reducing the risk of associated health issues.
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Consume more garlic, fruits and vegetables
Garlic has been shown to reduce both cholesterol and blood pressure when consumed daily for at least eight weeks. It is likely safe to consume garlic in the amounts normally found in food, even when pregnant or breastfeeding. However, it is possibly unsafe to use garlic medicinally during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and it may also increase the risk of bleeding.
Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are key components of a diet that substantially lowers LDL, triglycerides, and blood pressure. Aim for fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber, such as citrus fruits, which are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds that help keep your heart healthy. A 2021 study found that eating about four oranges' worth of fruit per day was beneficial for blood pressure management. Bananas, kiwis, and carrots are also good options, as they are high in potassium, a mineral involved in maintaining blood pressure.
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Exercise and lose weight
Exercise and weight loss are effective ways to naturally reduce high cholesterol and blood pressure.
Being overweight or obese tends to increase the risk of high "bad" LDL cholesterol and low "good" HDL cholesterol. Losing weight can help lower cholesterol levels, with a weight loss of 5-10% potentially improving cholesterol numbers and other heart disease risk factors. Weight loss can be achieved through a calorie-controlled diet, which may include reducing saturated fats and increasing fibre intake, as well as regular exercise.
Regular exercise, including strength training and aerobic exercise, can help lower cholesterol levels. It is recommended to get regular exercise or engage in physical activities that you enjoy, such as walking, swimming, or cycling. Joining a gym or running long distances is not necessary. Being active helps your body move "bad" LDL cholesterol to your liver, where it can be removed from your system.
In addition to weight loss and exercise, dietary changes can also help reduce cholesterol levels. This includes limiting saturated fats and trans fats, as well as avoiding refined grains and sugars. Instead, focus on consuming polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, whole grains, and three to five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
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Avoid processed foods
A heart-healthy diet is crucial for maintaining healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels. This involves eating a variety of fresh and unprocessed foods, limiting unhealthy fats, salt, and added sugars, and focusing on whole grains, fibre, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.
Processed foods are typically high in saturated and trans fats, which contribute to increased \"bad\" cholesterol (LDL) levels. These include meats, cheeses, dairy products, chocolate, baked goods, deep-fried foods, and snacks like chips. Reducing the consumption of these foods is essential for maintaining healthy cholesterol levels.
The Heart Foundation recommends limiting highly processed foods and incorporating more fresh and unprocessed options into your diet. This includes reducing takeaway meals, baked goods, chocolate, chips, sweets, and sugary drinks. Instead, opt for whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and plant-based proteins like lentils, chickpeas, and beans.
Making gradual changes to your diet is key. Start by reducing the frequency of consuming processed foods. For example, if you usually have takeaway meals three times a week, cut down to once a week. Gradually decrease the amount until you rarely consume them. This approach gives your body and mind time to adjust to the new eating patterns.
In addition to reducing processed foods, it is beneficial to increase your intake of soluble fibre, which helps prevent the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract. Aim for 10 to 25 grams of soluble fibre per day, found in foods like oats, barley, psyllium, okra, eggplant, fruits, and vegetables.
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Try natural remedies like astragalus and flaxseed
Natural remedies can be a great way to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Two options are astragalus and flaxseed.
Astragalus
Astragalus has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. It is often promoted for its effects on the immune system, liver, and cardiovascular system. Astragalus is also said to stimulate the spleen, liver, lungs, circulatory, and urinary systems. It is also used to treat osteoarthritis, asthma, nervous conditions, and diabetes. It may also lower blood sugar and blood pressure. However, there is limited evidence to prove that it is effective in lowering blood pressure and protecting the heart.
Flaxseed
Flaxseed is loaded with nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and beneficial plant compounds like lignans. Flaxseed may help lower the risk of some cancers, maintain a moderate weight, and reduce cholesterol and blood pressure. A research review of 31 randomized controlled trials found that flaxseed may have a beneficial effect on LDL (bad) cholesterol and total cholesterol (TC) in people with high LDL or lipid levels. Flaxseed's fiber content may explain these effects. Fiber binds to bile salts before your body releases them, and to replenish these bile salts, your liver pulls cholesterol from your blood, resulting in lower levels. Flaxseed is a versatile ingredient that can enhance the taste and texture of almost any recipe.
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Frequently asked questions
You can naturally reduce your cholesterol by making changes to your diet. Substitute polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats for trans fats and saturated fats, avoid refined grains and sugars, and eat three to five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
Fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, trout, herring, and mackerel), seeds, nuts, avocados, and soybeans are great sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, which help lower LDL cholesterol.
You can naturally reduce your blood pressure by reducing your sodium intake, eating foods that contain probiotics, and losing weight.
Reducing stress can help lower blood pressure. Practising yoga is one way to relax your mind, body, and blood pressure.
