By Suzana Manage and Control Your Health Safely and Naturally and Lower Cholesterol by Diet and Exercise
It is important that you take responsibility for your own health. Research shows that unhealthy cholesterol levels can contribute significantly to health problems that can lead to heart disease and stroke. If you want to lower cholesterol by diet you need to know that it requires some knowledge about the foods in your diet and also some basic understanding of cholesterol. Given time and practice you’ll be able to create and adapt to a new diet and enjoy a healthier lifestyle.
Why It’s Important to Reduce Cholesterol Levels
When you order a test for your cholesterol profile you’ll typically obtain three results. These will be measurements of your levels of LDL, HDL, and triglycerides.
HDL or high-density lipoprotein is generally considered as “good” cholesterol because they contain more protein than cholesterol. Increased HDL levels can help lower your risk of heart disease. LDL or low-density lipoproteins however is considered the bad guy since it is essentially responsible for cholesterol deposits within the arteries and consequently increases your risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Triglycerides are essential to our health but too much of it could also cause heart problems.
Food You Can Eat
When preparing your meals it is better if you know the types of food which can help lower cholesterol by diet. So do your research on foods. The more foods you find that you can include in your low-fat and low cholesterol diet the better. Having variety in your diet will help keep you healthy and prevent you from being tempted to eat foods which may increase your cholesterol levels.
Olive Oil
Leading a health-conscious diet doesn’t mean you have to stay away from everything fried or anything that has to do with oil. When you’re frying, sauteing or cooking food, you can try replacing cooking oil or butter with olive oil. It’s not the ideal way to reduce your cholesterol levels, but it’s a lot healthier than using ordinary cooking oil or butter for your food preparation.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Fatty fish are considered excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to reduce heart problems. Examples of fish you can include in your diet are mackerel, salmon, herring and halibut. Canola oil and ground flax-seed are also good sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
High-Fiber Foods
Increase your intake of oat bran or oatmeal, which has high levels of fiber. They’re very effective in reducing your body’s LDL levels. Soluble fiber can also be found in foods like apples, kidney beans, and prunes.
Nuts
Believe it or not, but having a nutty diet can do remarkable things for your health and, more specifically, your cholesterol levels. You can include them in your diet by replacing add-ons like croutons and cheese with nuts. Just make sure that you’re eating them in their natural state. Those mixed with salt or are sugar-coated can still cause you health problems, albeit in a different way.
Exercise is Essential
Whereas diet is good for weight loss and improving your health, it’s not enough to get your body into shape. Exercise is what you need if you want your skin to regain its previous firmness and for your muscles to be more toned and defined. With proper and regular exercise, you can be sure that your efforts to lower cholesterol by diet would be twice as effective.