[C624]Cholesterol Lowering Diet Plan

There are many natural ingredients that can help reduce cholesterol levels and thus reduce the risk of various diseases associated with elevated cholesterol: arteriosclerosis, heart disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus, kidney failure, etc. However, until recently medical scientists believed that diet alone couldn't substantially reduce cholesterol levels in persons confronted with high cholesterol problems. Compared to cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins (medications that block the enzyme that stimulates the production of cholesterol at the level of the liver), most diets were considered to be inefficient in dealing with cholesterol. However, a newly published diet has clearly contradicted such beliefs, proving to be as efficient as many existing cholesterol-lowering medications.

Combining a series of natural ingredients renowned for their efficiency in reducing cholesterol levels, the special diet can cut down cholesterol by up to 30 percent. Thanks to its remarkable efficiency, the diet is considered to be a good replacement for synthetic cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins, which are known to produce a series of pronounced side-effects on long-term use. The diet limits the intake of foods rich in saturated fat and simple carbohydrates and encourages the consumption of soy proteins, nuts, viscous fibers (found in barley and oats) and plant sterols ? substance with beneficial action, contained by non-starch and leafy green vegetables, as well as most vegetable oils.

A recently conducted clinical study has clearly revealed that the special diet is actually very efficient in reducing cholesterol levels and preventing the occurrence of multiple diseases associated with elevated cholesterol. The study involved the participation of 13 people, who were asked to follow the dietary plan over a period of one month. The subjects? regime consisted solely of the following foods: carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, onions, beans, cauliflower, red peppers, eggplant, oats, barley, almonds, fresh fruits, vegetal margarine and soy products (soy milk, tofu, soy substitutes for meat). The study participants had the liberty to choose the amount of foods consumed with each meal and combine the ingredients any way they wanted. However, all study participants were asked to only stick with the ingredients included in the diet.

By the end of the study, all subjects had substantially reduced their bad cholesterol (LDL) levels and had increased good cholesterol (HDL) levels. The average reduction in cholesterol levels registered in all 13 participants was around 30 percent, very similar to the effects of statins and other commonly used cholesterol-lowering medications. Considering the fact that it produces very efficient results, the special diet can actually be regarded as a suitable replacement for treatments with cholesterol-lowering drugs.