CHOLESTEROL DIET

Summary: A guide to good eating habits.

Are you gaining weight? Does this make you worry about your cholesterol level? Do you feel like you need to do something about your eating habits particularly your cholesterol diet?

Good idea…Unhealthy cholesterol levels like hypertension, does not exhibit symptoms until complications like serious heart disease resulting in heart attacks occur. Lowering cholesterols with medications have been found out to be effective. However, a lifestyle change that would include a good cholesterol diet as a first step would work best. Drugs as lone solutions to lowering a person’s cholesterol level may not be as efficient if not coupled with some physical activities and better cholesterol diet. These are very essential partners.

Regardless of the fact that fat is a major source of energy in the body; it is also not the only source. Too much fat in a person’s diet can increase the blood cholesterol levels resulting in heart attack. However, fat content is not a good gauge of a food’s cholesterol content. Liver and other organ meats may be low in fat but have high cholesterol content.

Here are some suggestions on cholesterol diet approaches;

• Taking fiber-rich foods such as whole grains as you primary source of carbohydrates. This should go hand in hand with an increase intake of fresh fruits and vegetables such as berries, oranges, apples, pears, grapes, bell peppers, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, tomatoes, dark leafy greens celery, squash and eggplant among others.
• Staying away from saturated fats which are mostly found in animal foods such as meat, poultry and dairy products is a good cholesterol diet. Opt for unsaturated fats instead, specifically omega-3 fatty. Good sources of these would be the vegetable and fish oils.
• Source out protein from soy protein, poultry, and fish instead of meat.
• Major lifestyle change as a part of cholesterol diet would mean weight control, exercise, and quitting smoking.

It usually takes a healthy cholesterol diet three to six months to show any change in cholesterol level. Some patients though, have seen results in about four weeks. While cholesterol diet is a good way to start a lifestyle change towards a healthier heart, keep in mind that proper exercise is as vital. Inactivity is believed to be one of the four primary causes of coronary heart disease. The three others are smoking, unhealthy cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Even with a newly-acquired low cholesterol diet and some learned simple exercises, you may want to think hard before lighting another one of those cigarette sticks!