The #1 thing I did everyday to lower LDL cholesterol

Your heart health is super important. But sometimes it seems like an overwhelming task to make the right lifestyle changes that will lower your risk of heart disease. Well, I’m here to tell you about one thing you can do everyday that will lower LDL cholesterol and give you back your life. I know because I did it myself. Check it out!

Important note: I am not a healthcare professional. I am simply telling my story of the successes I had with lowering my cholesterol. Please talk to your doctor for specific advice about steps you can make to lower LDL cholesterol levels.

What is LDL cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance in your blood vessels that restricts blood flow. According to the American Heart Association, LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is considered bad because it contributes to fatty deposits in the arteries. This narrows the arteries and increases the risk for heart attack, stroke and peripheral artery disease. This shouldn’t be confused with HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol which is good cholesterol because a healthy level of it protects against heart attacks and stroke.

What motivated me to lower my cholesterol?

After my 40th birthday, I decided to face the music and got a blood test after my annual physical. My healthcare provider called me and said that my cholesterol was 134, which is apparently considered borderline high. An LDL cholesterol level below 100 is considered normal.

To add to the bad news, my A1C level, which determines your blood sugar level and is used to diagnose prediabetes, was 5.7%. This is the lowest level in which you are considered prediabetic.

Basically, I was welcomed into middle-age with high cholesterol and prediabetes. Although diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease runs in my family, I didn’t want that to be an excuse to not make a change in my life. Plus, I did NOT want to start taking a life-long pre-diabetic medication or cholesterol-lowering medications or be at risk of heart attack. So, I was determined to lower my cholesterol levels to a healthy range on my own. But it wasn’t eating whole grains or a Mediterranean diet that made the biggest difference.

What I did every to lower my LDL cholesterol

There were a lot of contributing factors I did to lower cholesterol, such as losing weight, making dietary changes such as eating less red meat (fast foods) and trans fats and eating more salads and soluble fiber and drinking less soda. However, over the course of an entire year in which I worked to lower my cholesterol, there was one thing that I did everyday that made the biggest difference. What was that, you might ask?

I walked between 15,000 to 20,000 steps every single day

Basically, I walked and walked and walked and it made a big difference. Any physical activity is good but studies show that a brisk 30-minute walk three times per week, even without weight loss, is shown to improve your cholesterol levels.

Many health experts say 10,000 should be your goal, so I wanted to see how doubling that number would impact my overall health. I was pleasantly surprised. My cholesterol went down and so did my weight! Combined with healthy eating, I lost 20 pounds and my LDL cholesterol decreased by 29 points! And, I also lowered my A1C from 5.7% to 5.6% which is considered normal. I didn’t have to get on prediabetic medication either.

Tips and tricks to walking 20,000 steps per day

Although I wasn’t able to walk 20,000 steps every single day, my daily average was between 15k and 20k consistently every month. It had such a positive effect on my overall health. Here’s how I did it:

• Buy a fitness tracker. I love my FitBit and this is a must if you’re going to be serious about walking everyday.
• Buy a nice pair of walking shoes. If you’re going to be putting on that many miles a day, your feet will need some support. I prefer Altra running shoes myself.
• Go on a long morning walk. The best way to fit in 20,000 steps in one day is to start early in the morning. I usually wake up at 5:45 a.m. and walk four miles. Then, the rest of my 20,000 steps naturally happen throughout the rest of the day.
• Involve family and friends. My husband is awesome because he’s always willing to go on a walk with me. Or find a friend to walk with. It makes walking more fun and enjoyable.
• Listen to podcasts. I really look forward to my long walks now because I get to listen to my favorite podcasts. Since I’m learning Spanish, I listen to DuoLingo. It kills two birds with one stone!
• Don’t let winter get you down. Although my step count went down a bit during the winter, I was able to still maintain a good daily average. If you bundle up with a warm coat, gloves and hat, you can walk in any weather.
• Consistency is key. When I was starting to walk more everyday, I really had to dig deep inside to find the motivation. It was super hard at first. But, the more consistently I walked everyday, the more I started to enjoy it.

Other positive side effects of walking more everyday

Aside from the fact that I lowered my cholesterol and lost weight, walking everyday has helped me in other ways. I believe my mental health is much better. When you walk 20,000 steps in a day, you are inevitably outside more often. I was able to have a moment to myself to think and ponder and de-stress.

Also, even though I’m not super sweaty and breathing hard, brisk walking is an aerobic exercise and is super healthy for you. It is also great for your joints and strengthens your muscles. And the list goes on.

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