LDL Cholesterol_Activ Living

How Can You Lower The Level Of Bad Cholesterol This Summer Season?

  • Last Updated On: July 17, 2023
  • 2 minute read

With the summer season in full swing and high temperatures raging throughout the day, it is imperative to maintain a healthy lifestyle now more than ever. With the #HealthySummerWithActivLiving campaign, let your mental and physical well-being take precedence over heat-induced lifestyle conditions.

What you need to know:

What is cholesterol?

Multiple factors such as inflammation, blood pressure, and high levels of low–density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol can cause cardiovascular diseases. Cholesterol is a compound of the sterol type of lipid, which is found in most body tissues. It is important in making cell walls, hormones, and tissues, and produces bile acid in the liver. Any temperature change may influence cholesterol levels as it regulates the survival sensitivity of mammalian cells to high temperatures. The change in climate and the human behavior that follows can affect your lipid metabolism.

How climatic changes and behavior affect cholesterol levels?

You tend to step outside more often and are more active in summers as compared to winters. Not only seasonal change, but also a variety of factors come into play about rising cholesterol levels: temperature, light exposure, physical activities, food consumption patterns, and blood volume. In the colder months, people hole themselves up in their homes and get fewer exercises. When you consume a high-fat diet, it can thicken the lining of your arteries. This is where LDL cholesterol increases. The shorter days of winter are marked by less sun exposure. This lowers the concentration of vitamin D, further increasing bad cholesterol levels.

Summers come as a respite, displaying a positive balance of the lipid levels and higher levels of triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol. When you lower the risk of high cholesterol levels, you also, in a way, prevent diabetes and heart diseases and control blood pressure. Cold does not directly affect cholesterol levels, but your behavior in cold weather does. If you continue to eat healthy food and exercise the whole year, then you can keep your cholesterol levels in check.

Keep your cholesterol levels in check this summer

Utilize the summer months to improve your HDL cholesterol. Follow the tips given below to increase the level of good cholesterol in your body:

  • Eat heart-healthy summer food. Consume olives, which convert bad cholesterol into good cholesterol. Add oats to your diet as it binds with the bile acid in your gastrointestinal tract and protects the heart against LDL cholesterol. Flaxseeds are complex carbohydrates rich in lignans that can help lower cholesterol. The beta-carotene content of apricots prevents LDL cholesterol from clogging and oxidizing the arteries. 
  • Avoid smoking cigarettes and consuming alcohol to reduce the risk of heart diseases.
  • Take a walk after every meal. Stay active and exercise every day. Find a sport or an energizing activity to increase your HDL cholesterol. 
  • If you are obese or overweight, try to lose weight to lead a long healthy life.

Here is your chance to make the most out of the summer season to stay active and lead a healthy life. Stay tuned to get more updates on the #HealthySummerWithActivLiving campaign. 

To get more information on nutrition and mindfulness, visit Activ Living by Aditya Birla Health Insurance.