Making Simple Changes to Your Diet Can Lower Cholesterol
If you are looking to achieve healthy cholesterol levels there are several ways to accomplish this. Medications that are prescribed to do this are only one way. Many people are choosing natural ways to accomplish their goals. All you need to do is bring some new habits to your lifestyle. In order to lower cholesterol you do not have to take dramatic steps.
You need to start with your diet. The main thing that you have to be aware of is that there are foods which increase cholesterol levels and there are foods which decrease them. We will first look at foods which have the ability to decrease those levels. If we look at fats in the diet we see that there are some that have the effect of increasing and some that actually decrease your levels.
You want to bring polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats to your eating habits. Walnuts, salmon, trout and other fatty fish are some of the foods you want to consume. When cooking try to use olive, sunflower, canola and corn oils. These are the oils that contain good fat.
Walnuts, fish high in omega-3, olive oil and oatmeal are the best foods to lower your cholesterol levels. Oatmeal is a soluble rich fiber that can actually absorb cholesterol. By trapping the cholesterol absorption into the body is prevented. It is then removed from the body in the next bowel movement.
Fats that raise your cholesterol are saturated and trans fats. These ingredients are listed on labels and you should be checking them to avoid these bad fats. Many margarines now contain no trans fats. You want to check the label of your favorite brand and switch to a healthier product if it contains these killer trans fats. If you drink milk reduce the amount of fat you are getting from it. The easiest way is to do it gradually. Start drinking 2% milk and after a couple of months bring it down to 1%. By doing this gradually you will be more successful.
You want to avoid eating processed foods as much as you can. By cooking wholesome nutritious meals you have the ability to control the ingredients in them. Do a little research and you will find that it is easy to make low fat healthy meals that taste as good as the unhealthy versions. There is an abundance of information out there all you have to do is access it.
Over recent years we have made great progress in food labeling. Learn what products to buy and which to avoid. These labels will tell you how much fat is in a product as well as what type. By starting out with the healthiest ingredients you are assuring yourself that the food you are consuming is the best for the health of you and your family. It is very important to read these labels if you have high cholesterol or other conditions such as diabetes.
You do not have to give up the things that you enjoy eating. But you may need to make adjustments in them. Red meat is very high in cholesterol. You don’t have to give this up if you enjoy it you just have to use a little moderation. Eat red meat no more than twice a week but don’t eliminate it entirely. If you truly enjoy something eliminating it entirely will cause you to feel deprived and you will be less successful over the long term. Some examples of high protein low cholesterol foods that can be substituted would be chicken, fish, turkey or pork loin. These are excellent substitutions for red meat.
You may also want to consider a good nutritional supplement to help keep your cholesterol profile in check. There are several out there that can assist you in your goals that do not have the harsh side effects of some commonly prescribed medications.
Author Bio: Serious about how to accomplishing your goals? You need to find out how to lower cholesterol immediately. You will be on your way to a happier and healthier life.
Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: how to lower cholesterol,health