Dr Amir Khan reveals 5 easy ways to keep your cholesterol levels 'healthy' with simple lifestyle habits

While cholesterol gets a bad name, it's "essential" for our bodies to function as it helps to make hormones and vitamin D among other vital processes, the doctor says. However, he warns that our livers make enough of the fat-like substance so there's no need to try and "add any more through diet".

In fact, adding more cholesterol to your body is like "adding sand to a beach", he says. "It's just not needed."

Too much cholesterol can cause "fatty material to build up on the inside of your artery walls, and that can increase your risk of heart disease and strokes," he says.

There are things outside of our control when it comes to our cholesterol levels, such as family history, age, and genetics, but a couple of simple changes can help keep your levels healthy, such as including more cholesterol-lowering foods in your diet. Of course, the doctor warns, "you should always take medication as prescribed".

How to keep your cholesterol levels healthy

1. Choose healthy fats

The doctor says there's no need to completely eliminate fats if you're looking to lower your cholesterol levels naturally or keep them healthy. Instead, look to swap out trans fats and saturated fats with monounsaturated ones and omega-3 fatty acids.

Foods rich in 'healthy' monounsaturated fats include:

• Olive oil
• Nuts
• Avocados
• Oily fish like salmon, mackerel, and tuna
• Walnuts
• Chia seeds

"Trans fats are found in things like margarines, pastries, microwave popcorn, and many fast foods," he notes. They are also found in many ultra-processed foods.

2. Make friends with fibre

You might have heard that getting more fibre in your diet is essential for staying full throughout the day and for better gut health. It's also a winner for keeping your cholestrol levels healthy.

"Make friends with fibre, especially soluable fibre, which forms a gel-like substance in your gut and can reduce fat absorption", says Dr Khan.

Foods rich in soluble fibre include:

• Oats
• Beans
• Lentils
• Seeds
• Vegetables

3. Move regularly

"Move regularly and maintain a healthy weight" to keep your cholesterol levels healthy, the doctor says.

"Regular movement, whatever that looks like for you, has been shown to reduce harmful fats and increase beneficial ones in our body," he says.

That doesn't necessarily mean exercising for hours on end. Research published in the Sports Medicine Journal shows that walking for 30 minutes, three times a week, is enough to raise the 'good' cholesterol (HDL) and lower levels of 'bad' cholesterol (LDL).

The NHS recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week to stay healthy. That's movement where you're a little out of breath and sweating but can still hold a conversation.

"Find something you enjoy doing...and do it regularly," advises Dr Khan.

4. Stop smoking

We know that smoking is harmful to us. The impact it has on our cholesterol levels is another reason to quit, says Dr Khan.

"Smoking causes an increase in harmful fats, causes cholesterol to build up on your arteries and hardens your arteries, all of which are a recipe for heart attacks and strokes," he says.

"There are lots of free smoking cessation clinics available on the NHS, so speak to someone at your GP surgery."

5. Think about plants

And in particular, "something called plant sterols and stanols. These have similar chemical structures to actual cholesterol and can block the absorption of cholesterol from your gut, so you end up pooing it out instead," he says.

"They are found in small quantities in things like fruit, vegetables, and nuts, but to get the recommended amount, which is around two and a half grams per day, you need to consume foods that have been fortified with them, such as certain yogurts and spreads," says Dr Khan. "But, as always, as part of a balanced diet."