To put it bluntly, high cholesterol can be life threatening and increases your risk of a heart attack or a stroke. Looks can be deceiving and a blood test is the only way to know if your cholesterol is high. If your doctor has diagnosed you with this condition there is a lot you can do to improve the situation. Listen to your doctor and follow his instructions, but understand that natural cholesterol lowering is real and attainable.
Understanding cholesterol measurements can be challenging for many patients. There are three measurements. First look at the LDL level, which is optimally less than 100. This is the bad kind that can clog the arteries. Then look at your HDL level, which is the good kind that will help your body fight heart disease. This number should be less than 60. The third measurement is your total number, which simply combines the LDL and HDL levels. This is ideally under 200.
There are foods that if eaten regularly will reduce your LDL levels or increase your HDL levels. These foods are not exotic or hard to find. The list includes oats, red wine, nuts, salmon or fatty fish, tea, beans, chocolate-not candy bar chocolate, margarine, garlic, olive oil, spinach and avocado. By incorporating these foods into your diet and eliminating foods that are known to increase levels, most people will see their numbers drop significantly.
As a general rule foods high in fiber and low in fatty acids are what you should be eating. Most foods that are high in fiber have little or no fatty acids. These foods, oats, beans, spinach will lower your bad cholesterol. Foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, such as certain fish, nuts and avocado will help increase your HDL, good levels.
A general rule of thumb is to reduces saturated fats as much as possible. Replace fatty red meat with legumes or broiled chicken. Pastries rich in butter, donuts and fried foods are foods that increase the LDL, bad numbers. Eat these foods vary sparingly.
Get to know legumes and how to cook them. These protein rich plants like soy, beans and lentils will effectively lower your LDL. They are beneficial to your health in other ways also. Following this diet in moderate portions may result in weight loss. Losing excess body weight is a good thing from any health perspective, and will likely improve your LDL and HDL numbers.
Plant sterol supplements and psyllium, as found in Metamucil, will both help lower your LDL. Changing your diet and incorporating supplements and psyllium will make a difference. However, sometimes this condition is a genetic issue and statin medication is in order.
Make sure you create a food plan that you can follow indefinitely, not only for a short period of time. Have the forbidden foods occasionally, and make that indulgence worth your time. Get creative with your cooking and learn how to substitute healthy choices. Regular testing will let you know how successful you have been.
Understanding cholesterol measurements can be challenging for many patients. There are three measurements. First look at the LDL level, which is optimally less than 100. This is the bad kind that can clog the arteries. Then look at your HDL level, which is the good kind that will help your body fight heart disease. This number should be less than 60. The third measurement is your total number, which simply combines the LDL and HDL levels. This is ideally under 200.
There are foods that if eaten regularly will reduce your LDL levels or increase your HDL levels. These foods are not exotic or hard to find. The list includes oats, red wine, nuts, salmon or fatty fish, tea, beans, chocolate-not candy bar chocolate, margarine, garlic, olive oil, spinach and avocado. By incorporating these foods into your diet and eliminating foods that are known to increase levels, most people will see their numbers drop significantly.
As a general rule foods high in fiber and low in fatty acids are what you should be eating. Most foods that are high in fiber have little or no fatty acids. These foods, oats, beans, spinach will lower your bad cholesterol. Foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, such as certain fish, nuts and avocado will help increase your HDL, good levels.
A general rule of thumb is to reduces saturated fats as much as possible. Replace fatty red meat with legumes or broiled chicken. Pastries rich in butter, donuts and fried foods are foods that increase the LDL, bad numbers. Eat these foods vary sparingly.
Get to know legumes and how to cook them. These protein rich plants like soy, beans and lentils will effectively lower your LDL. They are beneficial to your health in other ways also. Following this diet in moderate portions may result in weight loss. Losing excess body weight is a good thing from any health perspective, and will likely improve your LDL and HDL numbers.
Plant sterol supplements and psyllium, as found in Metamucil, will both help lower your LDL. Changing your diet and incorporating supplements and psyllium will make a difference. However, sometimes this condition is a genetic issue and statin medication is in order.
Make sure you create a food plan that you can follow indefinitely, not only for a short period of time. Have the forbidden foods occasionally, and make that indulgence worth your time. Get creative with your cooking and learn how to substitute healthy choices. Regular testing will let you know how successful you have been.
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