Cholesterol and Keto – What You Need to Know
If you have recently found out that your LDL is too high, you may want to know what you should do to lower it. The keto diet is one method of lowering your cholesterol and improving your heart health. Find out how keto can help your cholesterol and keto work together, the best foods to eat for a healthy heart, and more.
Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol commonly referred to as LDL, is not the type of cholesterol you want to have. If your LDL is too high, plaque will begin to form around the arteries. When this happens, you will have a much greater risk of suffering from heart disease, stroke, and heart attacks.
Your health is at stake when your LDL cholesterol is at a higher level. Knowing what steps to take to lower your cholesterol and improve your health is essential.
If you have recently found out that your LDL is too high, you may want to know what you should do to lower it. The keto diet is one method to consider trying. Before you start to make this significant dietary change, you should know more about the diet and how it has a positive impact on your overall health.
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Cholesterol and Keto – What You Need to Know
Why You Need to Lower Your LDL Cholesterol
Having high LDL cholesterol can cause cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately, heart disease is one of the leading causes of death. Not everyone realizes they have high cholesterol or are on the brink of suffering from serious heart-related conditions. The signs are not always there.
However, if your physician has told you that you have high LDL cholesterol, now is the time to make changes.
It would help if you lowered your cholesterol to improve your health and lower risks. Besides heart conditions caused by LDL, high cholesterol can also lead to blood clots throughout the body.
If your blood is not flowing freely, you can end up hospitalized with the risk of needing amputation. High LDL can even lead to erectile dysfunction in men.
How Does the Keto Diet Help Lower LDL Cholesterol?
The Keto diet helps lower cholesterol by getting people into ketosis. The body reaches a state of ketosis when an individual does not consume an excessive amount of carbohydrates. The purpose of the Keto diet is to avoid carbs as much as possible.
When the body reaches ketosis, fat within the body breaks down much faster, and you will have more energy. Your body will start burning the extra fat to help you lose weight. The Keto diet can help you reach the ideal weight to avoid putting a strain on parts of your body, including the heart.
As you start losing weight, your LDL cholesterol may begin to drop. You can visit your physician to continue monitoring your cholesterol levels. If you start making progress after switching to a Keto diet, you may choose to stick with the diet even longer.
New to Keto? Check out the Keto Starter Guide!
The Keto Starter Guide is an amazing resource as you get started on your keto/low carb journey. This guide has everything you need to get started in 9 simple video lessons and also includes workbooks with step by step instructions for beginners.
- What’s a macro and why do I count them?
- How do I find the best recipes?
- What is ketosis and how do I get my body there?
- What fruits are allowed on a ketogenic diet?
- Will I get “Keto Flu” and what do I do about it?
Get the Keto Starter Guide today!
How to Follow the Keto Diet
When you are new to the Keto diet, the idea of sticking to it might seem challenging. Sure, you are giving up a lot of the carbs that you would have usually consumed.
However, you can find alternatives for just about anything you want to eat. Some people assume that Keto means only eating vegetables and meat all the time, but this is the furthest thing from the truth.
You may notice that you can find hundreds of fantastic recipes to easily prepare if you perform a quick Google search. You can find recipes for Keto taquitos, spinach stuffed chicken breasts, and even cauliflower fried rice.
While you are drastically reducing your carb intake, you will still get to prepare flavorful, impressive meals that will satisfy you.
What to Do If LDL Increases on the Keto Diet
In some cases, people have managed their diabetes while on the Keto diet but still have high LDL. You want to keep that from happening to stay healthy. It is all about what you choose to eat while following the Keto diet. Even though you are avoiding excess carbs, you still need to remain mindful about what you are consuming each day.
It is a good idea to avoid saturated fats as much as possible. Consume some naturally healthy fats, including avocados and olive oil. There are certain foods that are good for lowering your LDL, including nuts, strawberries, and eggplants.
Just because you have high LDL cholesterol does not mean you cannot fix it. While you have a greater risk of suffering from severe health conditions, you can take steps to lower your risk and your cholesterol.
The Keto diet is one method to consider trying to see how much of a difference it can make for you. The low-carb diet can have a significant impact on your health and wellbeing.
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