Print Article for : How To Lower Cholesterol Through Diet

Your Online Guide » Guide to Medical » High Cholesterol

[H1353]How To Lower Cholesterol Through Diet

by Jam, Jam

Although most people believe that the trend towards cutting off cholesterol in diets is brought on by the fact that the young generation is dieting themselves to death; it is not so. Limiting the body's cholesterol levels is not only for appearance's purposes but also for health reasons. Cholesterol levels in the body, when at a certain level, can cause a host of body complications and disease that can even eventually cause death.

Problems like hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes come in mind. This is especially true with people who are already old and in their middle ages because of the slowing down of the bodily processes particularly the digestive system and the body's ability to convert fats to energy. This is perhaps why most older people, especially those that have weight issues, are being asked by their doctors to lessen their cholesterol intake.

What is cholesterol?

People have been talking about cholesterol but do they what it is and how it affects the body. Because of news about rising cases heart problems in the country, cholesterol has become an overnight antagonist. Everybody thinks that cholesterol is bad.

Actually, not all cholesterol is bad for the body. In fact, our bodies need cholesterol to make bile salts. It is also a major ingredients in maintaining hormonal balance as well as in the production of Vitamin D. Things become troubled when the levels become too high that the cholesterol already clog the arteries, making it hard for the blood to flow and the heart to pump.

There are two kinds of cholesterol, the good and the bad. The LDL, which is the bad kind, adhere to the arterial walls, forming plaques that eventually clog the passageway. Saturated fats and the trans fatty kind are sources of this kind of cholesterol. This is frequently found in pre-packed foods like potato snacks and canned goods.

The HDL, on the other hand, can lower the levels of LDL cholesterol. This is because the good HDL helps transport the LDL cholesterol from the arterial walls back to the liver where it is excreted out. These are found in nuts and in seafood particularly fishes.

People who want to lower their LDL levels are also advised to eat a lot of fruits because of the fiber that they bring to the body. Oats, cereals, and legumes are also great sources of fibers that can help combat the rise of LDL cholesterol, eventually decreasing the risk of heart disease.

Factors that affect cholesterol levels

Contrary to popular opinion, it is not just the diet that should be taken into consideration when dealing with high cholesterol levels. There are actually a lot of factors that affect the condition. One of these is the age and the gender. Older people are more affected by increased levels of cholesterol because of their bodies' slowing processes. Another factor is the level of physical activity. Exercise can actually help in lowering down of LDL cholesterol. Also, it can help in strengthening the body and in toning the muscles.

Lowering cholesterol levels

From what was mentioned above, it seems remarkably simple to lower the body's cholesterol levels... that is if one has the discipline to see it through. Just eat right and exercise regularly, avoid canned and pre-packed foods and you are on your way to lower cholesterol levels.

It is important to lower cholesterol level because cholesterol has been associated with the development of coronary heart disease. The higher the level of cholesterol in an individual, the more likely he will be developing heart disease later on. High cholesterol levels can also put a person at risk of suffering from a stroke or a heart attack.

According to health experts, cholesterol fighting foods may help you in lowering cholesterol level. This is because the food intake itself can control the amount of bad cholesterol that enters your body.

Changing your lifestyle and dietary habits contribute a lot in lowering bad cholesterol. Below are some easy to follow guideline that will surely help you to lower your bad cholesterol.

1.Include plenty of green vegetables in your diet because they are considered the healthiest food to lower cholesterol. Vegetables are high in dietary fiber, and full of dietary nutrients that help maintain a person's efficient metabolism. These are perfect cholesterol fighting food because they are low in calorie-content.

2.Fruits are also effective cholesterol fighting food because these are low in calories. These are also an effective means of controlling weight because they are all-natural product rich in dietary fiber to boost satiety.

3.Soymilk and soy sausages, oat bran cereal and bread as well as nuts make up a complete low cholesterol diet. Soy protein, nuts, and fiber rich food such as barley and oats can effectively cut cholesterol levels by up to seven percent.

4.Minimize your intake of saturated fat and other fat substances by 25-30 percent. The best diet for avoiding coronary heart disease includes consuming unprocessed non-hydrogenated fats rather than the hydrogenated variety.

5.Increased your intake of omega-3 fats from fish, fish oil or plant sources such as flaxseeds. Also limit your daily sodium intake somewhere in the level of 2400 milligrams daily.

Make sure to follow all these guidelines for a long period of time, rather than a day or two. These are effective ways to lower bad cholesterol naturally and make your life healthier.

Note: Remember these natural treatments can't replace your cholesterol lowering medication but can only support your treatment.

Copyright ? Nick Mutt, All Rights Reserved. If you want to use this article on your website or in your ezine, make all the urls (links) active.

Article Source : Pg. 16

About Author

Both Jam & Nick Mutt 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.

Jam has sinced written about articles on various topics from Lawn and Garden Tools, Gardening and High Cholesterol. Jam is a postgraduate medical intern who loves to research and write about , particularly about. Jam's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.

Nick Mutt has sinced written about articles on various topics from Diabetes, Supplements and Fitness. Looking for some more ? Check out the biggest. Nick Mutt's top article generates over 201000 views. to your Favourites.