Seriously high levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL) represent a menacing cause of heart disease. By lowering the LDL level in your blood, you will automatically lower the total level of the cholesterol in your body (the HDL also known as the ‘good’ cholesterol and the LDL – the ‘bad’ cholesterol) and it will prevent the occurrence of heart disease.
You can use a drug treatment to lower the cholesterol level, but you can also use a more healthy method – the dietary agents and food supplements that will lower your cholesterol in a natural way. In other words, a diet low in saturated fats and rich in fibres may help you lower cholesterol levels downwards to a normal limit.
We will offer you some piece of advice on what exactly to eat and what not to eat during a diet in order to lower cholesterol level. Keep in mind that this diet it is not very difficult to respect, it requires strength of will and determination to retain yourself from eating the ‘bad’ foods. The tips below should be followed for a period of one month, and then you should get your cholesterol level checked again to see the results of the diet.
1. The first thing you have to do is to reduce the amount of red meat in your daily alimentation. You will replace it with white meat (poultry) and fish which have a low fat level.
2. It is absolutely necessary for you to eliminate or at least to eat less saturated fats. This means that you should start having skimmed milk, low cholesterol spread or light cheese, instead of your normal foods. These light products may not be as tasty as the fat ones, but they care save your life.
3. A healthy diet means a healthy digestion. Foods that are high in fibre (like whole grain cereals or muesli) will eventually help you lower cholesterol by eliminating the dietary fats.
4. Stop frying your food and start grilling them. It prevents the loss of vitamins from the vegetables; therefore you will eat healthier.
5. Eating out can be a test for your determination to lower cholesterol. The best method to pass this test is to eat mainly in restaurants that are serving low cholesterol dishes. In order to avoid ruining your diet, you should ask for the dressings and gravies to be served separately so that you will control the quantity you are eating. Don’t eat them in excess. Try to eat a healthy salad instead of French fries. We know, it is not as tasty but it will lower the ‘evil’ cholesterol.
5. Stop being a ‘couch potato’, start exercising every day. You can do aerobics, you can walk or jog, you can even play basketball, but it is absolutely necessary for you to do it every day.
6. Tropical oils don’t do you good. If you want to get a lower cholesterol level you must start using vegetable oils (olive oil is the best choice) or canola oils.
7. Always read the label on the food products you are buying to be sure of what you are buying in terms of fats level.
8. Now let’s talk about alcohol. Drinking is not exactly your best activity during a diet, as it can ruin your efforts, but latest research has shown that a glass of red wine per day can lower cholesterol in some cases.
9. A cholesterol lowering medication if it is prescribed or recommended by a physician will have maximum effectiveness for your diet if you will respect it entirely.
10. And we saved the best for last. Always remember that a diet for reducing cholesterol level will definitely help you lose weight. Happy eating!
