Cholesterol Lowering Foods
January 28th, 2008    Subscribe To Our FeedEating cholesterol lowering foods can help you reach the weight loss goals you have been striving towards. Before looking further into the diet aspects of low cholesterol it’s important to understand what cholesterol does for your body.
Your body requires cholesterol for many different purposes. The main thing it does is digest fats, create cellular walls and manufacture hormones, among other things vital to your bodies health.
While cholesterol can be a good thing for your body too much of it can be harmful. A constant overload in cholesterol is known to cause high blood pressure and all the ailments that come with it like heart disease. This is where eating cholesterol lower foods will really help you. You’ll get to dodge unhealthy problems such as these.
A low cholesterol diet involves keeping a close eye on your intake of foods that contain cholesterol and saturated fats. Pay close attention to your food groups. Our main source of cholesterol is from things like red meat, egg yolk, as well as dairy products like cheese and whole milk.
While it’s a smart idea to reduce your consumption of high-cholesterol foods like this it isn’t a good idea to cut them out completely since cholesterol still provides many benefits to your body. So completely eliminating it from your diet probably wouldn’t be a good idea.
Your diet should also be complimented with a healthy and consistent dose of exercise. You can keep it to something easy, like a daily walk. If you have a pool in your backyard, use it for exercise. The local gym will also give you plenty of different ways to put your heart rate up.
Get your necessary vitamins from fruit and veggies. Don’t ever fry your foods. This only increases the cholesterol content. Opt instead to reduce the cholesterol with alternative cooking methods like grilling or roasting. If a recipe calls for cooking oil, opt for a healthier low fat oil that is commonly available at your local market.
As you can see there are plenty of healthy ways eating cholesterol lowering foods can work for you.
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Bad Cholesterol
August 9th, 2007    Subscribe To Our FeedGood and Bad Cholesterol
Cholesterol is not just cholesterol there is good and bad cholesterol. Do you know the difference between the two? Most people do not even though this is one of the most important things to know with regard to keeping healthy and avoiding heart attacks.
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is an important substance in our body which is found in our blood stream and cells. The body needs it in order to be able to function at its optimumand it contributes to a number of hormones and produces cell membranes.
Good cholesterol is also known as high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and is already in our blood stream. The reason this cholesterol is considered good is because it protects our heart from a stroke or any other such diseases. The right level for good cholesterol is a minimum of 40mg/dL or more.
Bad cholesterol, which is also known as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is bad because a high amount of it can clog the arteries and provoke a heat attack and other heart related diseases. The normal level of bad cholesterol is 200mg/dL or less in order not to pose a risk of any heart problems.
How To Control and Lower Bad Cholesterol
If you already have high levels of the bad cholesterol then the best thing to do is consult your doctor about an efficient drug that will help you lower it gradually. There are many cholesterol drugs that are available over the counter and many natural remedies as well. However, it is strongly suggested that you do not self medicate as some of the cholesterol drugs have serious side effects which only your doctor can point out as he is familiar with your medical history and conditions.
If you have normal levels of good and bad cholesterol all you may want to do is ensure that you stay that way and you can do that by eating healthily and exercising. Eating healthily means eating foods that are low in saturated and trans fat as well as in cholesterol.
Get in the habit of reading food labels as they all have to provide all the above mentioned data by law and therefore it is easy for you to choose which food items are good and which are harmful for your health.
Food items that contain high levels of cholesterol include egg yolks, poultry, meat, shellfish, butter and cheese.
Take a minute and learn about your good and bad cholesterol levels, monitor closely your food intake and that of your family making them aware as well of the importance of staying below the limits of the bad cholesterol. A few minutes of self-education could save your life or that of a family member.
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