First of all let me tell you that your body needs and produces cholesterol. It is used to coat, protect and build cell walls. However high levels of cholesterol infused with trans fats is thicker, stickier and can plug arteries.
Reduce Trans Fats We have to restrict the trans fats because they make the cholesterol more dangerous. These are oils that have been hydrogenated. Read labels and cut as much of this out as possible.
Alkalize Since the cholesterol is protecting our vessels and bodies from our built up acids and toxins; we must strive to increase our pH. The main ways to increase pH is to eliminate alcohol, coffee, and soft drinks, and add more minerals like potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
Cut Carbohydrates Another thing we should reduce is carbohydrates. Low-carb diets, not low fat diets, have proven to lower cholesterol. The sugar is broken down and stored as fat. Cholesterol is one of the first fats produced. It flows through our blood stream till it finds a place to be stored.
Eliminating these things completely is pretty much impossible. Fortunately there are many cholesterol reducing foods we can add to our diet.
Fiber Fiber appears to be important in treating diabetes, elevated cholesterol, colon polyps, and cancer of the colon. Fiber comes from plants and we should have a goal to eat 25-35 grams of fiber per day.
Soluble fiber binds up cholesterol allowing it to be eliminated with the stool. If enough is removed it can lower the blood cholesterol 10-15%. Soluble fiber is found in oatmeal, oat bran, fruit, psyllium (in most fiber products), barley, and legumes.
Foods with the highest grams of soluble fiber in order are baked beans (in tomato sauce- 8.9gms), all types of beans and lentils, peas, apples, raisins, and prunes. In general eating the skin of the fruit or vegetable adds fiber.
Plant Sterols or Stanols Plant sterols or stanols come from plants and help block cholesterol absorption. Plant sterols have shown to reduce bad cholesterol by 10%. For that reason plant sterols have now been added to fiber products and foods such as orange juice and of all things margarine. You should drink two 8 ounce glasses of plant sterol fortified orange juice per day to reduce cholesterol.
Curcumin Curcumin is known to have antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and cholesterol-lowering effects. One test showed that animals fed small amounts of curcumin had a 50% reduction in cholesterol. New studies (done on rats) indicated that curcumin increased resistance to heart failure and inflammation. In one test it even reversed heart enlargement.
Curcumin is an ingredient in the curry spice turmeric. So adding this safe natural spice in your cooking may be beneficial. Think curry rice with meat and vegetables, which is a staple in India. Most people may want to start slowly to taste. Curcumin is also available in capsules.
Walnuts and Almonds Studies have shown that walnuts and almonds can significantly reduce cholesterol and help the vessels become more elastic and resilient. Twenty percent of your daily calories from these nuts would be beneficial. For most of us that is over a third of cup per day. Try adding them to salads and ice cream, cook and bake with them, and eat by the handful. Just remember they are high in calories.
Soy Diets rich in soy protein have many heart health benefits, including lowering cholesterol. In animal testing it lowered cholesterol by 30%. 5-6 grams of soy protein daily is recommended. Soy drinks, tofu and supplements are available.
Cinnamon One study of type 2 diabetics found that cinnamon lowered blood sugar and cholesterol levels. They used the whole powdered spice and found that 1gm or 1/2 tsp daily in two doses lowered cholesterol up to 20% in 40 days and effects lasted another 20 days afterwards.
So sprinkle it on toast, cereals, cook with it etc. A daily bowl of apple and cinnamon oatmeal sounds better than any pill.
Green Tea Green tea has proven to lower cholesterol. Japanese men who normally drink green tea were tested and found that the more green tea they drank the lower their cholesterol was. Generally those drinking more than 9 cups had much lower cholesterol levels. For best results drink 10 cups a day or supplement.
Please don't take cholesterol medication until you have tried safe and natural things first. If you are already on cholesterol medication; talk to your doctor before trying natural alternatives. You will need to be careful to avoid low cholesterol. Reducing the bad things and adding these food products are all safe ways to fight high cholesterol
How does high cholesterol come about? Sometimes, it's a predisposition you are born with. It does run in some families, in which case, even more care is necessary to bring it down. It can also be a result of smoking or eating a high fat diet. Lack of exercise and being obese could also see your cholesterol levels spiraling! The reason high cholesterol is a source of worry is the fact that it is, very often, the cause for serious complications like cardiac ailments.
Most people look at a low cholesterol diet as a diet restriction. It is not, in fact so. It just is a healthy diet. It just requires a little bit of tweaking as regards your regular everyday diet. It can also add a lot more variety to your diet if you allow yourself to look around and experiment.
The first rule is to lower the fats in your food. Look at the labels on the supermarket shelves for fat content and pick the lowest. Put in a lot more fruits and vegetables into your cart. Walk past the products that are fried in or contain trans fats. Today, a lot of manufacturers are putting this information on the label. When your problem is high cholesterol, trans fats can be lethal. These are basically partially hydrogenated oils and they are used in so many products because they are supposed to add taste! And it is ubiquitous - you'll find it in cookies, cakes, potato crisps, etc. When you are in the snacks area, choose baked over fried products.
Try and avoid the "white" refined stuff. Whole grain flour is definitely better that white. Substitute some of the sugary items with dried fruits or use natural sweeteners like honey or molasses. Skim milk is preferable to full-fat milk as is lean meat like chicken and turkey to the regular red meats. Try and poach, boil, broil, saute or bake instead of frying. Choose oils like olive oil which is high in unsaturated fat, which actually helps lower cholesterol levels.
Make mealtimes colorful and appetizing. Just because you've cut down on the fat, the meats and the sugar is no occasion to mourn. Dress up whatever you serve so it looks good to eat. Make sure you have large helpings of vegetables and fruit and serve them so they look great. A vinaigrette dressing can spice up a salad. A fruit salad topped with honey and chopped nuts makes a great dessert. So does a fruit ice.
Alcohol and smoking are best avoided. Cut down on the salt you use as well. Do remember to check the labels of all your food items so they are "low" in everything - fats, carbohydrates, calories. If you eat out a lot, choose restaurants that specialize in low fat food. Most of all, don't be too hard on yourself. Make the lifestyle change slowly but surely. If you cut everything you love out of your life, you'll hate the new diet. Let yourself get used to it and you'll find you begin to love it!
Both Erilyn Littlefield & Ben Franklin are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Erilyn Littlefield has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health, High Cholesterol and Health. The author is a nurse who is fed up with the health care system. Drawing from her education and background she started a website and newsletter to help people get and stay healthy safely.Erilyn Littlefield RN. Erilyn Littlefield's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.