Can you burn cholesterol off

However, a number of studies have found that the cholesterol a person gets from food does not substantially increase blood cholesterol. Instead, what matters is eating a balanced diet with a variety of nutrients. Because cholesterol intake does not directly correlate with cholesterol levels in most people, people do not necessarily need to avoid foods that contain cholesterol. Instead, most people should focus on eating a balanced diet that is low in trans fats and saturated fats.

For some people, however, cholesterol intake does bear an important relation to serum levels, and they should monitor their cholesterol intake from food accordingly. Maintaining or achieving a moderate weight that is within the BMI range recommended by doctors can help lower cholesterol, while also reducing other heart disease risks.

A person should focus on achieving and maintaining a moderate weight with a combination of healthy eating and lots of physical activity, as both of these can also lower cholesterol. Physical activity exercises the heart, reducing the risk of heart disease.

It can also help the body more effectively remove cholesterol from the blood, steadily lowering bad cholesterol. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC recommend at least minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking, per week.

People who are not active can start slowly. Even a slight increase in physical activity can improve health, and may make it easier to work up to more exercise. Quitting or cutting back on habits such as smoking and excessive drinking can help lower cholesterol, while improving overall health. Cholesterol medications such as statins may be the fastest way to lower cholesterol for some people — usually within 6 to 8 weeks.

This allows a person to quickly reduce their heart disease risk while cultivating a healthy lifestyle. During this period, a person can focus on lowering cholesterol over time with lifestyle and dietary changes. Department of Agriculture. Final determination regarding partially hydrogenated oils removing trans fat. Food and Drug Administration. Accessed June 28, Cooking to lower cholesterol. American Heart Association.

Fekete AA, et al. Whey protein lowers blood pressure and improves endothelial function and lipid biomarkers in adults with prehypertension and mild hypertensions: Results from the chronic Whey2Go randomized controlled trial.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Douglas PS. Exercise and fitness in the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Accessed May 30, Hyperlipidemia adult. Rochester, Minn. Braun LT, et al. Effects of exercise on lipoproteins and hemostatic factors. Smoke-free living: Benefits and milestones. Accessed May , Cardiovascular benefits and risks of moderate alcohol consumption. Accessed May 31, Bonow RO, et al.

Risk markers and the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. See also After a flood, are food and medicines safe to use? Arcus senilis: A sign of high cholesterol? Get moving Cholesterol concerns? Lose excess pounds Cholesterol level: Can it be too low? Cholesterol test kits: Are they accurate? Researchers reported good news on this in in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.

They compared tens of thousands of runners to an equal number of walkers. Results showed that the amount of exercise was what mattered, not the type.

People who exerted the same level of energy when exercising experienced similar benefits, whether they walked or ran. Benefits included reduced risk of high cholesterol and high blood pressure. It takes longer to walk off calories than to run them off. You are likely to experience similar benefits. Lead author of the study above, Paul Williams, stated that walking 4. Hips and knees are vulnerable to arthritis, and we all do need to watch out for them. Studies have shown some positive benefits.

A second study published in Circulation found that cycling reduces risk of heart disease. Swimming is probably the most joint-saving aerobic exercise you can do.

In a study , researchers compared swimming with walking in women aged 50 to 70 years. They found that swimming improved body weight, body fat distribution, and LDL cholesterol levels better than walking did. Researchers also looked at the beneficial effects of swimming in men in the International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education.

They found that swimmers had 53 percent, 50 percent, and 49 percent lower risk of dying from any cause than did men who were sedentary, walkers, or runners, respectively.

It is the type of exercise most commonly recommended for reducing risk of heart disease. Some research suggests, though, that resistance training is also extremely beneficial for those with high cholesterol. Resistance training can also help you protect cardiovascular health. In BMC Public Health , scientists reported that combining resistance and aerobic exercise helped people lose more weight and fat than either of these alone.

The combination also created increased cardiovascular fitness. It helps people of any age. Need to go shopping? Park farther away than you normally do. Catching up on your favorite TV series? Also look for chances to bring motion into your daily life, such as walking while you talk on the phone. It also helps reduce blood pressure and builds your overall physical, mental and emotional well-being.

Even if you just go a little farther or a little faster than you usually do, that extra activity will be a big step in the right direction for your health. Your primary care doctor is a helpful partner along your journey. Your doctor can work with you to create an action plan just for you — one that combines diet, exercise and other lifestyle changes to help you lower and manage your cholesterol. For example, losing weight and quitting smoking can be big helpers for lowering cholesterol.

Quitting smoking can raise your good HDL cholesterol levels, and losing weight can lower your bad LDL cholesterol levels significantly. Fortunately, your primary care doctor can be a great resource to help you get started and find practical ways to stick with it. Plus, help with quitting smoking and losing weight may already be covered if you have health insurance.

Whether you want to quit smoking, lose weight or just learn more about how your personal health would benefit from lower cholesterol levels, regular check-ins with your doctor are key. They can also perform cholesterol tests — the only way to actually measure cholesterol — to check your progress and help you make adjustments based on the results.

Sound like a lot to take on? Rather, start with changing your mindset. Now is always the right time to start taking care of your heart health. If you need a little support, lean on friends and family. Make an appointment with a primary care doctor.