How to Reduce Cholesterol Naturally and Lead a Healthy Life? (7 Days Diet Plan)

“Here are some food and lifestyle recommendations to lower harmful LDL cholesterol and improve heart health.”

This diet emphasizes plant-based meals, whole grains, fish, lean chicken, and extra-virgin olive oil.

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What’s cholesterol?

Cholesterol: A waxy, fat-like molecule found filling the body and many foods. Cholesterol is needed for normal cell activity, hormone production, vitamin D production and digestion.

Cholesterol may be harmful. Imbalances of “good” (HDL) and “bad” (LDL) cholesterol can negatively affect heart health. Excessive bad cholesterol and triglycerides might lead to hyperlipidemia, a disease characterized by high levels of cholesterol.

High cholesterol causes include

Your lifestyle and genetics may be behind elevated cholesterol. Some people have both conditions (known to cause high cholesterol). For decades, diet and exercise were blamed for high cholesterol. Making the rounds recently has been discussion about how food and exercise affect cholesterol levels. Elevated levels in some may be due to genetics, rather than lifestyle.

That doesn’t mean everything is fair game. If you have high cholesterol, then you should eat low-cholesterol. For example, decreasing saturated fat and sugar reduces hyperlipidemia.

Foods to lower cholesterol:

• Oatmeal
• Quinoa
• A brown rice
• Whole grains like barley
• Cruciferous vegetables are kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower.
• Legumes: beans, lentils and peas.
• Avocados
• Certain fruits: dried apricots, prunes, apples, pears, oranges
• Walnuts, almonds, chia seeds and other high-fiber, good fats.
• Low-fat dairy1. Substitute the bad fats for better ones.
• Trans and saturated fats should be supplanted with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in foods such as olive oil, the fatty fish salmon, avocados and nuts (especially those of the almond or seed variety).

Trans fat should not be part of your diet. These fats lower HDL and increase LDL. Trans fats can be found in cookies, crackers, vegetable shortening, fried foods and coffee creamer as well as many processed foods. Watch out for trans fats in food, although many manufacturers have fazed them out. If the label reads “partially hydrogenated oil,” it contains trans fats.

To protect your health, you should try to decrease the amount of saturated fats you consume and remove trans fat from your diet entirely — both are known to raise risk for heart disease.

Eat more fiber

In Image: Plate full of Cereal for breakfast

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The daily recommendation for fiber is 25–35 grams. Fiber eliminates cholesterol. Eating more whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits can increase fiber.

Soluble fibre is more beneficial for cholesterol, but insoluble fibre does wonders for your gut health. Mix both well.

High-fiber foods like beans, lentils, apples, blueberries, flax seeds and oatmeal lower cholesterol. A sudden increase in fiber can cause digestive upset (constipation or diarrhea). Ramp up fiber gradually and drink lots of water to keep your gut happy.

Eat flax

In Image: Flax Seeds

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Hippocrates used flax for its health benefits. Triglycerides may drop. Another plant omega-3 present in flax is alpha-linolenic acid.

High-quality proteins

In Image: Egg Potato Spinach

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Flax is rich in potassium, phytoestrogens and antioxidant lignans. Pick flax, not pills or oils that lack fiber, lignans and protein. So if you’re looking for the most bang for your buck from flaxseed, you want it crushed. So that means grinding flax, and refrigerating it immediately. The flax can be stored at room temperature up to a year as long as the flax seed itself remains whole: Once ground, it gets gross; so do this slowly. Eat 2–3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed per day. Put it on cereal, yogurt and salad.

Consume plant sterols to lower cholesterol levels, according to Milks.

Plant sterols are natural cholesterol-like compounds found in plants. These compounds can be found in different amounts across grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes nuts and seeds. They snag artery-blocking LDL particles and block their entry into the bloodstream as they move through the digestive tract. That is because when added to many products, sterols lower cholesterol. Margarine, orange juice, cereals, yogurt and granola bars have sterols in them. All of which can be found in the grocery store.

Increase healthy proteins and decrease bad ones

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in salmon and tuna Mother nature bless us with … omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids that enrich your lipids and metabolism. Good sources of protein that don’t bring omega-3s along. Tofu and vegan sausage are also good sources of protein.

Fish and plant-based proteins lack saturated fat

In Image: Salmon Fish Food

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which is the main reason to eat them instead of meat. Our body turns saturated fat into terrible cholesterol. Select lean cuts of meat and trim the fat before cooking. Have chicken or fish instead of pork or red meat.

Use plant-based oils

Swapping out butter for plant oil lowers the saturated fat content and includes omega-3 acids. Shortening is firm at room temperature, whereas olive oil consists of mostly monounsaturated fat (something we want). Milks advises grape seed, walnut and sunflower oil for their higher level of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Heart rate up

Cardio makes you fat and elevate HDL. Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise should be performed daily for 20–30 minutes. Examples include brisk walking, light jogging, swimming and cycling. On a scale of 1 to 10, you should feel around like you’re working at 4–6.

Quit smoking

Smoking reduces HDL cholesterol and is damaging to your lungs. The good news: It’s never too late to quit. Smokers should stop ASAP. Nicotine patches and gum may help reduce cravings. Smoking decreases HDL, which is bad for your heart, Lima says.

Go crazy

Eating eight almond kernels a day increased HDL levels by 16 percent over 12 weeks, one study published in the Journal of Nutrition found. The components of almonds may decrease the absorption of LDL cholesterol and increase its expulsion, researchers say.

Be moderate with alcohol.

The more you drink, the greater your risk of heart disease and other diseases. The National Institutes of Health recommends reducing or eliminating alcohol to lower blood lipids. If you drink, stick to one daily for women, two for men. One drink is equivalent to 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of spirits.

Avoid added sugars

Milks advises limiting added sugars since they raise triglycerides quickly. Foods high in sugar include:

Eat plant-based foods

In Image: Plant based foods

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That is why plants lower cholesterol intake. Bhatt contends that evidence of a plant-based, low-fat diet that reduces cholesterol and triglycerides has been available for decades.

Breakfast

Start the day with high-protein yogurt that’s low in sugar or saturated fat. I eat oatmeal or a whole-grain breakfast bar and a banana or citrus. My family enjoys egg-white omelets with fruit and veggie sausage for lighter, protein-rich weekend meals.

Lunch

Lunch is the most manageable meal of the day. It’s one of those you can either pack for work or grab while you’re out options. Lunches of choice include a citrus and greens salad with tuna or tofu crumbles, black bean soup or coleslaw (with vinaigrette in place of mayo), homemade lentil, tomato and portobello soup, and a whole grain tuna-cucumber sandwich with carrots or kimchi.

Snacks

Sugar-free snacks that are rich in protein: fresh fruits, vegetables with hummus, Greek Yogurt with berries, mixed nuts and whole-grain crackers with avocado Rich in vitamins and minerals, crisp vegetables show less calories but provide essential micronutrients to keep you healthy and energized throughout the day.

Dinner

A healthy dinner could be grilled salmon, a side of quinoa, steamed broccoli and mixed greens with olive oil and lemon. This is a balanced meal with lean protein, fiber and healthy fats. It’s also loaded with vitamins and antioxidants, promoting heart health and overall wellness. That is a comforting yet nutritious dinner to have, even when you are focused on healthy eating.

A Week Long Plan for Cholesterol Diet

Day	Breakfast	Snack	Lunch	Snack	Dinner
Day 1	Oatmeal with fresh berries	Apple	Mixed green salad with grilled chicken	Handful of almonds	Baked salmon with steamed broccoli
Day 2	Smoothie with spinach, banana, and almond milk	Orange	Lentil soup with whole-grain bread	Carrot sticks with hummus	Grilled chicken breast with brown rice
Day 3	Whole-grain toast with avocado and poached egg	Pear	Chickpea salad with mixed greens	Greek yogurt with berries	Baked cod with roasted sweet potatoes
Day 4	Oatmeal with banana slices	Handful of walnuts	Spinach salad with cherry tomatoes and grilled shrimp	Celery sticks with almond butter	Turkey meatballs with marinara sauce
Day 5	Smoothie with kale, mango, and almond milk	Apple	Quinoa salad with black beans and avocado	Greek yogurt with honey	Grilled salmon with steamed Brussels sprouts
Day 6	Whole-grain toast with peanut butter and sliced banana	Pear	Tomato and basil soup with whole-grain bread	Carrot sticks with hummus	Baked chicken breast with quinoa
Day 7	Oatmeal with apple slices and cinnamon	Handful of almonds	Grilled vegetable wrap with hummus	Greek yogurt with berries	Baked trout with roasted sweet potatoes

7 Day’s Diet Plan

Basic sample weekly food plan for cholesterol reduction Each day features balanced meals and snacks containing heart-healthy ingredients. The plan emphasizes that your diet should include plenty of whole grains, lean meats, fruits, vegetables like dark leafy greens and nuts, healthy fats.

Day 1 starts with breakfast topped with fresh berries and snacks like an apple and almonds. Lunch is a mixed green salad with grilled chicken, supper baked salmon with steamed broccoli.

Breakfast is a smoothie made with spinach, banana and almond milk on Day 2. Snacks include orange and carrot sticks with hummus. Lunch is lentil soup eaten with whole-grain bread; supper is grilled chicken breast served with brown rice.

Meals on Day 3 include whole-grain toast with avocado and a poached egg for breakfast, pear and Greek yogurt with berries for snacks, a chickpea salad with mixed greens for lunch and baked fish with roasted sweet potatoes for dinner.

Day 4 to Day 7 follow this same pattern, making sure a variety of nutrient dense meals are consumed on each day. The menu features items including spinach salad with grilled shrimp, quinoa salad with black beans, tomato and basil soup and baked fish with roasted sweet potatoes.

“Overall, this chart provides a structured but yet adaptable guide for eating heart-healthy, cholesterol-controlling diet.”