Cardiologist shares tips for preventing high cholesterol during holidays

Health Digest describes in its article that the holiday season often brings a mix of festive foods and social gatherings, making it easy to overindulge in rich, high-fat meals. 

Overindulgence and the holiday season are inseparable, much like festive wrapping paper and curled ribbons. Even if you usually commit to healthy, balanced eating, it's easy to give in to tempting, calorie-laden, sugary, fatty, and salty treats. This can result in a spike in your cholesterol levels, which could be problematic if you're working to manage your cholesterol.

To help you avoid rising cholesterol levels during and after the holiday season, Health Digest consulted Dr. David Sabgir for advice. A cardiologist and spokesperson for Love One Today, Dr. Sabgir emphasizes that you shouldn't be too hard on yourself after a single night of indulgence.

"One meal or one day of eating isn't going to drastically change your cholesterol levels," he explains. "Eating a high-fat, indulgent meal can temporarily spike cholesterol and triglycerides (another type of fat in the blood), but these usually go back down after digestion."

Instead of trying to avoid all the tempting treats, Dr. Sabgir offers two suggestions for maintaining good habits most of the time, so you don't feel like you're missing out on the festive fun.

Even with a busy schedule filled with social events, it’s important to stay active. Dr. Sabgir suggests that even a brisk power walk can be beneficial, as it helps with digestion and may reduce the temptation to go back for seconds.

Dr. Sabgir is a strong advocate for increasing your steps during the holiday season. "Daily movement is good for so many reasons, but it also supports healthy cholesterol levels by helping to raise HDL (good) cholesterol and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels," he explains. "Try getting in a 30-minute walk five times a week and move at a pace faster than a stroll."

For those with little time to hit the gym, Dr. Sabgir suggests making the most of whatever time you have. "Some movement is better than none, so don't worry if you only have 15 minutes one day," he says. "[It] all adds up!"

By Naila Huseynova