This Morning's Dr Chris discusses the signs of high cholesterol
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This type of cholesterol blocks the arteries and worsens health.
The most effective way to control, and lower or increase cholesterol, is through diet.
Certain oils can enhance the benefits of a person’s diet, including olive oil.
This oil can be used to improve heart health, reduce inflammation, improve your mood, brain function and could protect against chronic disease says BBC Good Food.
Just because olive oil is effective, doesn’t mean there aren’t more effective options out there.
New results from Greece suggests that sesame oil is superior to olive oil at reducing cholesterol.
A study has found that “after sesame oil consumption cholesterol LDL [was] significantly decreased… and HDL was increased”.
So, not only does sesame oil decrease levels of “bad” cholesterol, it also increases level of “good” cholesterol; the proverbial two birds with one stone certainly appears to be in action in this case.
Although sesame oil may reduce cholesterol levels, it is not the only food one can consume to improve cholesterol.
The NHS suggests that consuming oily fish such as mackerel and salmon is also an effective way to reduce levels of LDL cholesterol.
So too is consuming brown rice, bread and pasta as well as nuts, seeds and, of course, a healthy level of fruits and vegetables.
It’s not just about what a person should eat, but also what they shouldn’t.
Foods to avoid include meat pies, sausages, and other fatty meats.
Butter, lard, ghee, cream, and hard cheeses are also verboten if the end goal is to lower cholesterol.
Other sugar-based sacrifices include cakes, such as the office birthday variety, and biscuits.
While sesame oil has been found to reduce cholesterol, other can have the opposite effect, such as coconut oil and palm oil.
As well as diet, lifestyle changes should also be implemented to lower levels of unhealthy cholesterol.
Exercising at least two-and-a-half hours a week as a minimum is a good place to start.
Quitting smoking and cutting down on alcohol consumption are other ways to get fitter and lower cholesterol.
However, it is well recognised that reducing or removing consumption of the former can be incredibly hard and sometimes purgatorial in nature, but there are plenty of support groups to help a person en route to a smoke-free life.
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