Former Strictly Come Dancing sensation Pasha Kovalev has tweaked his daily routine after undergoing a "quick, easy and stress-free" health check-up. The 45 year old dancer, he was advised to focus on improving his sleep and reducing his bad cholesterol to prevent potential future complications.

Speaking about his experience with Bupa's Knowledge Is Power campaign, Pasha remarked: "I didn't know what to expect, there is nothing wrong with me, which is very good. But, there are little things that you have to pay attention to, and it's little things that you don't really think about."

Pasha reflected on the impact of seeing his health data in black and white: "But, after having them on paper laid out you think, OK, I can change this, things in my lifestyle and dietary habits can be adjusted, [my] sleep pattern", reports Bristol Live. 

Despite not being at a critical level, Pasha has taken his LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol readings seriously and implemented some "strict" lifestyle alterations.

He divulged his new habits: "I've definitely changed my sleep pattern and I've started going to bed a bit earlier," and added, "I have [also] reduced the amount of carbs intake, I've cut down to almost nothing and [my] exercises are there, I just need to be a bit more consistent."

The NHS recommends adopting a healthy diet and increasing physical activity as ways to lower LDL cholesterol levels. Excessive bad cholesterol can lead to clogged blood vessels, raising the risk of heart conditions or strokes. The health website suggests increasing the intake of foods such as fruits, vegetables, oily fish, wholegrains, and nuts and seeds.

It also recommends reducing consumption of foods potentially high in unhealthy fats and/or sugars, like fatty meats, cakes, cream and hard cheeses, including cheddar. Pasha was especially eager to take the test to ensure his optimal health for his two young children, whom he shares with his wife, Rachel Riley.

"I've never done a proper check and I'm at the age where I've got family growing up, I'm not getting younger, and I thought it's the right time to start monitoring actually what is going on inside," he revealed.

"You might feel good, but there can be things that happen underneath and then if you can catch them straight away you might be [thankful] later," he emphasised.

His busy life as a father also prompted Pasha to step back from Strictly Come Dancing in 2019 after an eight-year stint. While his former co-star Aljaz Skorjanec returned to the show after a break last year, Pasha has no intentions of following suit.

"To be honest, I'm not planning on going back to Strictly, I am happy where I am," he confessed. "I had an amazing time on Strictly, I won it once which is amazing, but once you start having a family, my priorities changed a little bit. I just wasn't ready to divide my attention between family and Strictly, so something had to go."