Alcohol and
Cholesterol
The Relation Between
Alcohol and Cholesterol
Many
understand that alcohol will affect the body in a negative way.
If you drink too much, your
reflexes and judgment will be affected and over time you can suffer weight gain
and chronic liver disease.
You may have heard about
alcohol and cholesterol. How are the two related?
How Does Alcohol Affect
Cholesterol Levels?
If you only drink a moderate amount of alcohol,
studies show that you will see your good cholesterol or HDL have a
positive change.
This good cholesterol is believed to slow down your bad plaque
buildup. It is the arterial plaque that causes your arteries to harden and this
puts you at risk for heart diseases.
Red wine, in particular is believed to offer the most benefit in
regards to cardiovascular disease.
This is because of the wine containing a large amount of plant
chemicals, in specific resveratrol. These are powerful antioxidants that have
been shown to protect artery walls.
However, it is important to remember that heavy drinking can be linked
to high levels of bad cholesterol or LDL.
When you have high LDL levels, your risk for heart disease
increases.
Should You Drink
Alcohol Then?
If you’re thinking about alcohol and
cholesterol, you need to remember to only drink in moderation.
For an average adult, this would mean one drink a day for women. For
men under 65 it means two drinks, over 65 it means one.
A drink is considered 1.5 ounces of liquor, 12 ounces of beer, or 5
ounces of wine.
However, for those who never drink, the benefits of seeing higher
levels of HDL cholesterol are not strong enough for this to be a
recommendation.
You can never rely on alcohol to improve your cholesterol. If you
want to drink alcohol, you should speak with your doctor first.
Over-consumption is always forbidden. If you over-consume alcohol,
you may increase your risk for heart disease, increased blood pressure,
obesity, stroke, and increased triglycerides in your blood.
There are other downsides that come along with drinking alcohol such
as cirrhosis of the liver, certain cancers, and risk of more accidents.
Natural Ways to Improve
Cholesterol Levels
The key of the relation between alcohol and
cholesterol is moderation. Then are there any other ways to improve the
cholesterol levels?
1. Choose
Foods That Are Heart Healthy
- Full fat dairy and red meat are the
biggest culprits when it comes to saturated fats. Saturated fats raise
your LDL or bad cholesterol. As a rule, you should get no greater than 7
percent of your calories from these fats. Choose leaner meat and try
reducing your consumption.
- Get rid of all the trans fats in your
diet. Trans fats will increase your bad cholesterol, and also lower
your good cholesterol.
Trans
fat is in fried foods, and commercial items such as crackers, cookies, and
other snacks.
US
labels can be tricky, if there is less than 0.5 grams in a serving, they can
label 0-trans fat.
Even
small amounts of this fat can cause issues. Read labels and steer clear from
partially hydrogenated oils.
- Add more omega-3 fatty acids to your diet.
Omega-3 fatty acids don’t have an effect on your bad cholesterol.
They
do offer benefits to your heart by increasing your good cholesterol, lowering
triglycerides and lowering blood pressure.
These
essential acids can be found in fish such as herring, mackerel and salmon. You
can also get it from almonds, flaxseeds, and walnuts.
- Another healthy addition is soluble fiber.
You can get this from oats, fruit, beans, veggies and lentils. It will
help lower your LDL cholesterol.
2. Get
More Exercise
You can improve your cholesterol levels by exercising more. Even
moderate exercise can raise your good cholesterol.
After checking with your doctor, you should shoot for 30 minutes or
more of exercise every day.
Just remember any physical activity is helpful. Take steps to insure
you keep up with the changes you are after. Think about:
· Adding a walk to your daily lunch break
· Taking swimming lessons
· Getting out to play a sport
· Taking a bike to walk
· Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
3. Stop
Smoking
Besides alcohol and cholesterol, you should also consider smoking
and cholesterol.
Ask your doctor for help because quitting can improve your HDL
cholesterol levels. The benefits just start there.
In just twenty minutes after you’ve quit, your blood pressure and
heart rate will be lower.
After a year smoke-free, your heart disease risk is half of a
smoker’s risk.
After fifteen years smoke-free, your risk for heart disease is
similar to someone who never smoked.
4. Drop
the Extra Pounds
If you lose five or ten percent of your weight you will see
improvement in your cholesterol numbers.
Take stock of your daily eating habits and routine. Look where you
struggle and brainstorm solutions to the problem areas.
Even small changes can help. If you notice you eat when you are
frustrated or bored, try taking a walk instead.
If you eat fast food every day, prepare by packing a goodie bag from
home.
Keep looking for new ways to add more activity to your day.
Park further away from the door when shopping or going to work.
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