Low Cholesterol Diet

Adopting a low cholesterol diet can be simple with just a small guidance which can be offered by this article. Blood cholesterol can be a fairly complicated issue and in most cases, people prefer using natural means to lower its levels like a low cholesterol diet. We know that heart disease risk increases when LDL levels are high, especially above 200. There are a few things that people basically agree on when it comes to ways to decrease these numbers. Some useful information is listed below.

High cholesterol causes

High cholesterol can be genetic and this should be one of the things that you should know. People’s livers process cholesterol different from other people, so it is normal for some people to be more sensitive to fast increases in cholesterol levels. Also, conditions such as hypothyroidism and diabetes can exacerbate high cholesterol levels. Diseases we are genetically predisposed to can be influenced by diet. When it comes to this subject, more and more experts agree by the day.

Cholesterol and obesity go hand in hand. To consume a healthy, low cholesterol diet is very important to individuals that have high levels of cholesterol. Individuals can reduce their cholesterol levels through the help of a low fat diet such as a vegetarian diet or a Pritikin diet.

What is a low cholesterol diet?

Well, first of all it might be useful to know what cholesterol is. Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is produced by the liver, but is also present in many foods we eat such as animal products. Your body can be led to producing more cholesterol than is necessary by eating too many foods that are high in saturated fats such as palm oil and eating too many animal based foods. In order to be healthy, everyone needs some cholesterol in his or her body. However, when those cholesterol levels become too high, it can become problematic.

Excess amounts of LDL or low-density lipoprotein ends up as plaque on artery walls. LDL carries cholesterol from the liver to the rest of the body. The risk of heart disease is increased by the formation of plaque. HDL carries the cholesterol away from the arteries. This substance is also known as high density lipoprotein or “good” cholesterol. Next to these two abbreviations, you will see numbers when you have a lipid profile done. When you have this lipid profile done, the results are good if the LDL level is lower than 200 and the HDL levels are higher than 45.

Low Cholesterol Diet in Secondary Prevention of Coronary Disease

Going on a low cholesterol diet is not something to be taken lightly. A low cholesterol diet is indeed a lifestyle change, that not only you, but perhaps your entire family can go on. A low cholesterol diet is important for many people around the world who are at risk for heart disease and other medical conditions associated with heightened cholesterol. The diet is just as much about all the wonderful foods you can eat as it is about those foods you want to find alternatives to.

People have experienced over several generations that the body not only likes, but requires the vitamins, minerals, proteins, oxygen, enzymes, and hormones that are in these non-cooked, living super foods. Whether you simply would like to add more living super foods to your diet, or want to change your lifestyle in a more meaningful way, living super, natural foods are what you need to look at for these changes to happen.

Super foods

Super foods are getting a lot of publicity in the media today and that is because they are very vitamin and nutrient packed and they have lots of antioxidants that help prevent against illnesses and disease. They are effective in providing oxygen to the cells, detoxifying tissue, supporting thyroid functions, and providing the body with a natural source of commonly known vitamin and minerals such as calcium, sodium, and potassium, as well as trace nutrients some of which we have yet to be "discovered" or understood. Super foods are nutritional powerhouses high in phytonutrients-chemicals that occur naturally in food. Super foods are extremely rich in health promoting plant compounds like phytonutrients, co-factors, antioxidants, enzymes and much more.

For the best metabolism boosting results make sure you introduce super foods to your existing healthy diet and you will notice the benefits. Always buy your food in season and local if you can as they are grown in the same environment as you live and your body can use them much better than other foods. You will notice that these foods will make you feel better as soon as you start eating them. Keep on trying and experimenting with different foods until you find what is best for your body. Eating only super foods will not do you much good in the long run. The 10 healthiest super foods are blueberries, citrus fruits, garlic, tomatoes, brocoli, oats, salmon, spinach, nuts, and yoghurt.

Exercise

Exercise is important though in keeping healthy and is normally good for keeping the high cholesterol levels down as well. Exercise itself doesnt directly lower cholesterol, but will strengthen the heart and entire circulatory system. Exercise has so many benefits - maintaining function, controlling weight, lowering blood pressure, fighting depression, etc. A scheduled exercise program of aerobic exercises, strength training or even yoga can go a long way in toning up the lazy muscles. Ensure that you follow the exercise routine systematically and regularly.

Conclusion

The objective of every cholesterol diet is the same, though: to reduce circulating levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL, the bad kind of cholesterol) and increase high-density lipoproteins (HDL). If you are in a high risk group, such as if you have diabetes, a no-cholesterol diet is even better than a low cholesterol diet. Bringing your diet and your cholesterol level under control with a low cholesterol diet is the best thing you can do to save your heart.

Adopting a low cholesterol diet is the other proven and highly recommended way for people to reduce cholesterol to healthier levels. The key to long term success with a low cholesterol diet is to continually monitor the cholesterol and saturated fats in the food you eat, to make sure no bad stuff gets back in. Probably the most important thing to do when shopping for food as part of a low cholesterol diet is learning to read labels. As always when dealing with health factors, you should consult a physician before self-prescribing a diet plan, exercise regime, or any dramatic life altering solution.

Low Cholesterol Diet - Which Foods Will Help You to Lower Your LDL Cholesterol Levels?

By a low cholesterol diet, it is meant that the diet will help to lower your LDL cholesterol levels. LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol is the "bad" kind of cholesterol. It is this type of cholesterol that can build up on the linings of your arteries and restrict your blood flow causing blockages to your heart, brain and other bodily organs and systems. This is commonly known as atherosclerosis. The high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is the "good" cholesterol because it acts to sweep away the LDL type and prevent arterial blockages. Your total cholesterol number is the combination of your LDL cholesterol number and your HDL cholesterol number.

Cholesterol is a waxy and soft substance that is found in fatty tissues and is absolutely vital for all mammalian life forms. Humans and other mammals use cholesterol to manufacture new cell membranes and produce some very important bodily hormones. However, if you develop overly-high levels of cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia), then you become very prone to a variety of negative health conditions including congestive heart failure, myocardial infarctions (heart attacks), strokes and more.

Cholesterol is a type of fat and therefore cannot be dissolved in the blood. For this reason, cholesterols must be transported throughout the body by attaching to lipoproteins - specifically the aforementioned LDLs and HDLs.

It is your liver that produces cholesterol naturally. Your liver produces about 1 gram of cholesterol each day. That is all that you need. You get the rest of the cholesterol in your system from the foods that you eat. The excess from your diet must be metabolized and dispelled from the body. Foods that are high in saturated and Trans fats are to avoided for many reasons - including the fact that they significantly contribute to the buildup of LDL cholesterol levels inside of your body.

Your cholesterol lowering diet should be based as follows:

Low cholesterol foods

• Vegetables;
• Fruits;
• Whole-grain foods;
• Legumes;
• Whole foods that lack labels;
• Almost all foods that are low in saturated and Trans fats;

High cholesterol foods:

• Fatty red meats;
• Animal organs;
• Duck;
• Goose;
• Egg yolks;
• Poultry;
• Shellfish;
• Butter;
• Cheese;
• Almost all foods that are high in saturated and Trans fats;

Your diet to lower cholesterol is actually just a sensible approach to eating. Plants and foods that have no labels are what to include. Animal muscles and organs and foods with multi-ingredient labels are not. Just think of food selection as a natural process. It really isn't difficult to discern that a delicious and succulent apple is better for your cholesterol levels (and everything else) than is a steak and egg biscuit soaked in grease. Clean plant foods do not have any cholesterol to build up on your arterial walls.

A low cholesterol diet combined with daily exercise is your best defense to cholesterol-based health issues. Take the facts very seriously. The American diet is an atrocity for all of us - and especially for our children as they look to us for guidance in all areas including diet. Set the standards for your family's dietary intake and initiate positive changes starting today. A low cholesterol diet and healthy exercise plan can turn all areas of living around and help your family to thrive!