Martine McCutcheon discusses why Christmas is 'special' to her

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Martine McCutcheon, 45, star of Love Actually and Celebrity Gogglebox, has shared her top tips to lower cholesterol. The actress and pop star shared the tips she follows to keep her cholesterol levels healthy, discusses the importance of regular testing and reminds readers to “be kind to yourself”.

Martine McCutcheon, ex-Eastenders star and pop Icon, has spoken out about her family’s experiences with raised cholesterol and the importance of managing your cholesterol.

The singer and actress, perhaps best known for her role as Natalie in festive favourite Love Actually, is sharing the two tips she swears by for keeping her cholesterol healthy.

Martine has partnered with Flora ProActiv, whose new research discovered a whopping third of the British population has never had their cholesterol checked.

One in five people had been told they have high cholesterol levels, but of those half did not know how to bring their cholesterol levels down.

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A post shared by Martine McCutcheon (@martinemccutcheon)

Martine said: “I was shocked to learn in new research for National Cholesterol Month that a third of Brits have never had a cholesterol test.

“I remember when I found out my family had a history of raised cholesterol – my nan ended up having an operation on her heart because of the complications it caused.

“I think it’s really important for people to get tested so they can manage their cholesterol before it creates bigger health concerns further down the line.

“I know some people are worried about getting tested or finding out what their levels are, but it’s key that you know so you can take steps to manage it.”

High cholesterol is incredibly dangerous, so much so it is sometimes nicknamed the “silent killer”.

This is because high cholesterol has no symptoms, so unless you have your cholesterol levels tested, you may not know if your cholesterol is creeping up.

In the most tragic circumstances, people may only learn they have high cholesterol in the event of a serious cardiac event, such as a heart attack or a stroke.

The British Heart Foundation says high cholesterol is linked to a quarter of all deaths from heart and circulatory diseases in the UK.

To reduce your risk of cholesterol-related complications, it is vital you have your cholesterol levels checked often.

Martine said: “I was shocked to learn in new research for National Cholesterol Month that a third of Brits have never had a cholesterol test.

“If you do have raised cholesterol, or you have family history of raised cholesterol like I do, it’s beneficial for your health to find out early, and then learn how to help manage it with healthy eating and lifestyle choices.

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A post shared by Martine McCutcheon (@martinemccutcheon)

“Taking these steps early on can mean you avoid more serious health conditions in later life.”

Knowing her family history of high cholesterol, Martine swears by two golden rules to keep her cholesterol levels healthy.

She says: “My main tip for helping people to lower their cholesterol would be, avoid saturated fats. If you can have a balanced diet with good fats and low in saturated fats you’ll really help yourself out in the long run.

“I’ve been using Flora ProActiv spreads which contain added plant sterols which are clinically proven to lower cholesterol.”

Plant sterols and stanols help to reduce the amount of cholesterol absorbed by your gut and therefore reduce the levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol in your blood.

Swapping butter for a plant-based spread like Flora ProActiv is a great first step towards lowering your cholesterol reading.

Martine also swears by walking every day, she said: “Try and get a 30-minute walk into your day. It’s a bit of a cliché to say it but I suppose it’s a cliché because it is so true.

“It will really help with your mental and physical health.

“Final tip: be kind to yourself, if you miss a day or fancy a treat don’t berate yourself after, just remember to get back on the wagon tomorrow!”

For anyone who wants to find out more about how to lower cholesterol, Flora ProActiv has published free-to-dowload guide here 

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