Here are four of them, each checked against NHLBI, Mayo Clinic or Charaka Samhita, with the fix for each.
Habit 1: Sitting all day, and why it is one of the habits that raise cholesterol
Desk, car, sofa → 30 minutes of brisk walking, 5 days a week
- NHLBI lists lack of physical activity as a factor linked to a higher risk of unhealthy blood cholesterol levels.
- Mayo Clinic suggests working up to at least 30 minutes of exercise, such as brisk walking, five days a week, or at least 25 minutes of vigorous activity three days a week.
- A meta-analysis found that about 120 minutes of aerobic exercise a week raised HDL ("good") cholesterol by about 2.5 mg/dL (Kodama et al., 2007).
What Ayurveda says: Charaka lists too little exercise (avyayama) among the causes of excess meda (fat), and advises people reducing it to take up physical and mental exercise (Charaka Sutra 21/4 and 21/28).
The easiest start: a short walk after each meal. Read walking after meals: the one habit every high-cholesterol person should know.
Habit 2: The after-lunch nap. Is sleeping after lunch bad?
Lying down after lunch → A short walk, or a doze sitting upright
The NHLBI and Mayo Clinic lists above don't mention daytime naps, but Charaka is direct about them. Here is the full rule from Charaka Samhita, Sutra Sthana 21:
- Daytime sleep is a cause of excess meda (21/4).
- Who may sleep in the day: people exhausted by work, illness or stress, the very young, the very old and the weak (21/39-41). In summer, when nights are short, daytime sleep is allowed for all (21/42-43).
- In other seasons, daytime sleep aggravates kapha and pitta (21/44).
- Who must never sleep in the day: people with excess fat, those who regularly eat fatty food, and those with excess kapha (21/45). This holds even in summer.
- Ill effects listed: heaviness of the body, malaise, loss of digestive power, headache, cold and others (21/46-48).
- The exception: staying awake at night makes the body dry, daytime sleep makes it unctuous, but dozing while sitting upright does neither (21/50).
- Night sleep is the best sleep, called the nurse of all beings (21/59).
A note on the science: NHLBI links little or poor-quality sleep at night with lower heart health. We did not find a clear study linking an afternoon nap directly to cholesterol, so this habit rests on Charaka, and we say so plainly.
Habit 3: Smoking. Does smoking raise cholesterol?
Cigarettes, bidis → Quit, with your doctor's help
- NHLBI: smoking lowers HDL ("good") cholesterol, particularly in women, and raises LDL ("bad") cholesterol.
- Mayo Clinic: quitting smoking can help raise HDL, and the benefits start quickly. Within one year of quitting, heart disease risk is cut in half compared with someone who still smokes.
If quitting on your own hasn't worked, ask your doctor about support to quit.
Habit 4: Heavy, sweet, fatty snacking: foods that raise cholesterol
Mithai, namkeen, cream biscuits every day → Roasted chana, a few almonds, fruit
- NHLBI: eating a lot of foods high in saturated fat raises LDL cholesterol.
- Mayo Clinic: saturated fats can raise total cholesterol, especially LDL, and trans fats are harmful fats that were often found in packaged cookies, crackers and cakes.
What Ayurveda says: the first cause of excess meda in Charaka's list is over-nourishment from a "heavy, sweet, cold and fatty diet" (Charaka Sutra 21/4). A daily round of mithai, fried namkeen and chilled sweet drinks ticks every box.
The fix: five easy swaps, with the proof for each, in food swaps to lower cholesterol.
Bonus: alcohol
NHLBI says drinking too much alcohol, more than two drinks a day for men or one for women, can raise your total cholesterol. If you don't drink, there is no reason to start.
All habits that raise cholesterol at a glance
Habit | What it does | The fix | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
Sitting all day | Linked to unhealthy cholesterol levels | 30 min brisk walk, 5 days a week | NHLBI; Mayo; Charaka 21/4 |
After-lunch nap | A cause of excess meda; aggravates kapha | Short walk, or doze sitting upright | Charaka 21/4, 44, 45, 50 |
Smoking | Lowers HDL, raises LDL | Quit, with medical support | NHLBI; Mayo |
Heavy, sweet, fatty snacks | Saturated fat raises LDL | Roasted chana, almonds, fruit | NHLBI; Mayo; Charaka 21/4 |
Too much alcohol | Can raise total cholesterol | Stay within limits, or don't drink | NHLBI |
Because it's silent, test it. A routine lipid test is how most people find out (NHLBI). If you've changed any of these habits, a repeat test shows you what it did.
Fixing the habits that raise cholesterol? Add daily support. Ayuvya Cholest Pro Juice is made for people working on healthy cholesterol levels. Make it part of the same daily routine.
Read next:
- Walking after meals: the one habit every high-cholesterol person should know
- Food swaps to lower cholesterol: 5 easy kitchen changes
- Foods to avoid at night: 5 mistakes that hurt cholesterol
This article is for general education and is not medical advice. It does not diagnose, treat or cure any disease. If you have a heart condition, diabetes or another medical condition, take medicines, or are pregnant, ask your doctor before starting exercise or changing your routine.
Sources
- NHLBI: Blood cholesterol, symptoms
- NHLBI: Blood cholesterol, causes and risk factors
- Mayo Clinic: Top 5 lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol
- Kodama S et al. Effect of aerobic exercise training on serum HDL cholesterol: a meta-analysis. Arch Intern Med, 2007 (reported by ScienceDaily)
- Charaka Samhita, Sutra Sthana 21 (Ashtauninditiya Adhyaya): causes of excess meda, and the rules on day sleep
