By Christopher Ross
Although very common, high cholesterol should be taken very seriously. It puts patients at a higher risk of heart attack or stroke. High levels are not relegated only to senior citizens who are overweight. You cannot tell by looking at a person whether or not they have this condition. The only way to know is with a blood test. Once identified, there is something you can do to improve your numbers. First listen to your doctor, and second become familiar with all the ways that natural cholesterol lowering is possible.
Understanding the measurements can be a challenge for many people. Basically there a three measurements, and it can be said that A plus B equals C. The first factor, A, is your LDL, the bad kind that silently clogs the arteries. The ideal LDL is below 100. The second factor, B, is your HDL, the good kind that fights disease. This ideal number here is 60 or above. A plus B equals C, your total level, which in a healthy patient does not exceed 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.
If you prefer a more simplistic approach, eat foods high in fiber, which pretty much eliminates processed foods. High fiber foods are a win, win situation as they are rarely high in saturated fats. Also eat foods that have Omega 3 fatty acids. This includes some fish, avocado and nuts. These will increase your good HDL.
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.
Learn to love legumes. Plants rich in protein such as soy, lentils and beans of all kinds but not refried, will lower your LDL and they all have many other health benefits. The diet described here will help you lose weight, if you are overweight. Having excess weight can be an indication of high cholesterol, and is detrimental to your health in many other ways.
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.
Do not try to be a martyr and cut out everything you love. Chances are your efforts will not last. Have the steak you love once a week in a moderate portion. Give into that donut or piece of pie on rare occasions when the time is right. Get creative with your cooking. Eat in more, and eat out less. Make sure you have regular tests to know where you stand.
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