Using Your Diet To Lower Bad Cholesterol
If your cholesterol is higher than normal, you probably already know that this is bad thing. High cholesterol can lead to several other health conditions, including an increased risk of having heart disease, strokes, and heart attack. It is also claims the lives of thousands of people each year.
However, just because you have high cholesterol does not mean that there is nothing that you can do about it. In fact, you can even prevent yourself from getting high cholesterol. All you have to do is make a few small adjustments in your diet so that you are following a low cholesterol diet plan. This can help you to prevent and cure many of the common problems associated with high cholesterol.
If your cholesterol is really high, you may have to start out on a special medication to help lower it. Your doctor will make the determination based on your personal cholesterol level, your age, and also if you have any family history of high cholesterol problems. If your cholesterol level can be lowered through diet alone, your doctor will also be able to provide you with additional information of the types and amounts of foods that you should eat. You may also have to make adjustments to your daily exercise routine, or start one if you are not currently exercising.
One of the most common myths about high cholesterol is that it only comes from the types of foods that you eat – primarily foods that are high in fat and cholesterol. However, for many people this is not the case. Your family history and your activity level are also major factors in your cholesterol level, and may play a more important role than diet alone. So if you have severely elevated cholesterol levels, your diet may not be the only thing that you will have to change to bring them down. Always take any cholesterol-lowering medications as directed by your doctor.
It is also helpful that you know a little bit about cholesterol itself as well as the types of food that can help you keep cholesterol at bay. HDL cholesterol, also known as high density lipoprotein, is the “good” cholesterol that your body needs to function properly. LDL cholesterol, also known as low density lipoprotein, is the “bad” cholesterol. Your diet needs to include both foods that have a high level in HDL cholesterol and foods that have a low level of LDL cholesterol.
Doing this involves a simple look at the labels of the foods you are eating. High amounts of saturated fats equal high amounts of LDL. That means that if you are watching the cholesterol levels in your diet, you will want to stay away from high-fat sweets, lard, greasy sauces, fatty meats, and butter. Look for foods that are lower in cholesterol when you are making your diet choices. If you are trying to lower your cholesterol, some foods like oats will also help bring down the levels that you currently have.
If you are trying to raise your level of HDL cholesterol, then there are some foods that you can consider as well. Some nuts, avocados, and dark chocolate all are good natural sources of HDL.
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