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The Curious Bag
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Many Americans suffer from high cholesterol, which can lead to serious complications like heart attacks and stroke. There are many steps everyone can take to improve their cholesterol and, in doing so, their overall health.
Healthy Foods
Five foods identified by the Mayo Clinic to help lower cholesterol include oatmeal and oat bran, walnuts and almonds, fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, olive oil and foods with plant sterols and stanols.
Diet Tips
Cutting back on saturated and trans fats in the diet helps reduce the total amount of cholesterol in the diet. The Mayo Clinic recommends eating no more than 10 percent of daily calories from saturated fat.
Exercise
Exercise is an important element of balancing good and bad cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of aerobic exercise on most days of the week (if not every day).
Smoking
It is important for overall heart health and to maintain good cholesterol levels to not smoke or to quit smoking, according to the American Heart Association.
Medication
People who cannot control their cholesterol with diet and exercise and smoking cessation may require medications to help lower their cholesterol, according to the American Heart Association.
Source:
Mayo Clinic: Cholesterol: The top 5 foods to lower your numbers
American Heart Association: Get Moving
American Heart Association: Avoid Smoking
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