Low cholesterol diet
In order to lower your cholesterol you will need to make a few changes in your lifestyle and one of the main changes includes evaluating your diet. Now just because you hear the word diet does not mean you have to go on a crash diet and starve yourself. Basically it just means watching the types of foods you eat and eating less of those that are contributing to your high cholesterol. At the same time, you may find that there are plenty of other foods that you can eat plenty of and still feel great without causing any damage to your body.
First let’s take a look at cholesterol and why it’s important to maintain a healthy level. When you are diagnosed with high cholesterol it means that your body has too much of the fatty- wax like substance that is needed. It is necessary to have a certain amount of cholesterol in the body but it’s very important to have the right type of cholesterol and not too much. Cholesterol is made in the liver naturally but it is also in foods like meat, dairy and eggs. When our bodies make cholesterol and then we eat too many foods containing cholesterol it causes a buildup of plaque in the arteries which causes the blood flow to the heart to become restricted. When this happens it can cause heart disease. There are different types of cholesterol, good and bad. The bad cholesterol is known as LDL, which stands for Low density lipoproteins. This is the type of cholesterol that should be avoided in order to prevent build up in the artery walls. The good cholesterol is known as the HDL or High Density lipoproteins. This type of cholesterol actually helps to rid your body of the bad cholesterol in the blood. If your HDL levels are high that is a great sign because it means that your HDL cholesterol is doing good things for your body. When these levels drop and LDL levels go up then you run a much greater risk of developing heart disease.
A low cholesterol diet needs to include foods high in HDL cholesterols and foods low in LDL levels. Some of the foods you need to eliminate are the foods that are derived from animals. Fatty meats, butters, cheese, cream, ice cream , whole milk and eggs are all carriers of saturated fats. Saturated fats are the bad fats that lead to high cholesterol. Anytime you reduce the amount of fat you are eating you will lower the chance of eating too much saturated fat. People that tend to be overweight are those that stand a greater chance of having high cholesterol. Often cutting out some fat calories from the diet will help lower weight and lower bad cholesterol levels at the same time. For those that are not overweight and still have a problem with high cholesterol it is important to substitute the fat calories with foods that are high in complex carbohydrates.
Other fats to avoid are Trans-fats which are created when our food is processed. These fats are extremely hazardous to your health and your arteries. Try to stay away from all hydrogenated fat or trans-fats if possible. Be sure to read labels very well. There are so many saturated fats and trans-fats in foods we buy without even realizing it. Avoid any food that is considered junk food, such as chips, cookies, crackers, cakes, chocolate bars and buttered foods. These are all very bad for you and are loaded with unhealthy fats.
Start by eating lots of fruits and vegetables. Eat foods that are low in sodium but high in fiber. Stick to complex carbohydrates, pastas, whole grains, potatoes, oats, barley, brown rice and healthy proteins such as legumes. Eating some types of fish can be healthy too but try to stay away from fatty meats. Avoid eating at fast food restaurants since they are often sources of cholesterol ridden foods. If you have high cholesterol your doctor will be able to discuss the right types of foods to eat and the ones that you should avoid. Taking your high cholesterol levels seriously is very important in order to prevent further damage being done to your arteries.
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“A low cholesterol diet needs to include foods high in HDL cholesterols and foods low in LDL levels.”
Cholesterol in the intestinal tract is cholesterol, period. Further, cholesterol levels are markers and not a cause of disease. In fact low HDL and high triglycerides are more significant markers than total cholesterol or LDL. And what is the major driver of both low HDL and high triglycerides? It’s a diet high in carbohydrares, especially processed grains. Eat real food and stop fretting about your cholesterol levels.