Cholesterol Count Help

How to lower Cholesterol

There are several ways in which cholesterol may be reduced. The first step to reducing cholesterol is leading a healthy lifestyle. A proper diet and an active lifestyle is a must for both prevention and cure of cholesterol. One must also give up smoking. However, if these are not enough for lowering cholesterol, one must take the help of medication. Several cholesterol lowering drugs are available in the market. These drugs raise the levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and lower the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL). Some of the medicines commonly prescribed by doctors are:

1. Statins
2. Absorption Inhibitors
3. Natural Supplements
4. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
5. Niacin

Low Cholesterol Diet

A proper diet is the best way to control cholesterol. A diet low in cholesterol should be planned with the following points in mind:

-Plenty of fruits (especially seasonal fruits) and all types of leafy vegetables should form an essential part of one’s diet. Fruits and vegetables are not only full of vitamins and minerals; they are also very low in calorie and fat content.
-Consumption of saturated fats should be brought down to a bare minimum.
-Partially hydrogenated oils have trans-fat which increases cholesterol; these too should be avoided.
-High intake of carbohydrates also increases cholesterol. Refined flour must be substituted by whole grains and whole grain flour.
-Milk and dairy products must be low fat or skimmed.
-Lean meats such as chicken and turkey are a healthier option than red meats such as beef and goat. However giving up meat altogether is the best option.
-Olive oil and canola oil are high in unsaturated fats and thus healthier oils. These should be used for cooking and salad dressings.

High Cholesterol Foods

One of the ironies/tragedies of our life (especially for foodies) is that the better the taste of a food, the higher seems to be its cholesterol content. High cholesterol foods are those which have high amounts of saturated fat, dietary cholesterol, and trans-fats. High cholesterol foods are also low in fiber content. Common high cholesterol foods are French fries, all types of fast food such as burgers, chips, foods containing eggs and refined flour and sugar such as pastries, cookies, cakes, chocolates and other sweets. Two basic components in food lead to high cholesterol. These are:

-Saturated fat, which is mostly found in animal products.
-Dietary cholesterol, a component in most animal foods.

Foods to Avoid – High Cholesterol

The following are the foods to avoid high that contain high cholesterol: butter, eggs, ice-cream, cream, cheese, whole milk dairy products, shrimp, organ meats like kidney and brain, duck, goose, and all foods containing saturated fats and oils such as beef, veal, egg yolks, fried food, fast food items, coconut, commercially baked foods, processed meat, palm oil, margarine, and ice-cream.

Natural Way to Lower Cholesterol – Proven Steps You Can Take to Reduce High Cholesterol Readings

When was the last time you heard of a doctor discussing the best natural way to lower cholesterol with his patients? For some reason, most medical professionals have no problem prescribing statin medication to their patients even though these drugs come with side effects that can be detrimental to your health.

As simple as it is to bring down high cholesterol readings by making a few changes in one’s diet, this type of a natural approach to cholesterol reduction makes much more sense than putting chemicals in your body.

If you want to know how to lower your cholesterol without using medication, here are some things you can do that have a wealth of scientific research behind their ability to reduce cholesterol levels.

1.) Remove saturated fats from your diet to the greatest extent possible. While healthy fats are essential, saturated fats contribute greatly to increased LDL and triglyceride levels.

2.) Increase the amount of cholesterol lowering foods such as vegetables and whole grains in your diet. These foods contain natural substances that have been shown to block cholesterol’s absorption into the body.

3.) A great natural way to lower cholesterol is to use cholesterol supplements that contain plant sterols. Skepticism is often required, however, since many supplements on the market will have absolutely no effect on your cholesterol levels.

4.) Begin taking fish oil supplements. Fish oil is relatively inexpensive and has many health benefits. The American Heart Association states that omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil substantially reduce the occurance of heart disease.

Be aware that fish oil has not been shown to lower cholesterol levels. It does however help reduce high triglycerides, which is extremely important.

Learning how to lower your cholesterol without using medication is one of the best things you can do to improve your health. In addition to improved cholesterol readings, you will find that you lose weight and have improved mental focus, two things that the makers of cholesterol medication will never be able to claim.

Visit my website where I discuss the natural way to lower cholesterol including cholesterol lowering diets and foods. Taking this first step will put you on the road to effectively lowering high cholesterol so that you will never need to resort to statin medication.