Diet To Lower High Cholesterol
If you want to lower high cholesterol levels, the first thing you should change is probably your diet. Diet is more likely to contribute to high cholesterol levels than any other factor. This increases your risk of developing heart diseases that can lead to hypertension and heart attack. So if you want to live a healthy life, where do you start?
Know your enemy
The best way to know which foods to include in your diet to lower high cholesterol is to first learn what cholesterol is. Cholesterol is that fatty substance that can only be found in human and animal cells. It is not considered as an essential requirement for our diets because our bodies can produce it. About three-quarters of the total cholesterol in the body are produced in the liver.
There two kinds of cholesterol: the good cholesterol and the bad cholesterol. Despite the bad reputation it has gained over the years, cholesterol is actually needed by our body to perform its functions. It is essential in the making of cell membranes and for producing hormones for the adrenal and sex glands. It is only when levels of bad cholesterol are high that problems begin.
How high should cholesterol be?
Your cholesterol level is about 70 by the time you are born. This rises and reaches 150 by the time you are 17 years old. When you begin to live life as an adult, your cholesterol hovers between 210 and 220. If you maintain a bad diet, there’s a good chance your cholesterol can break 250.
That’s not good news. Studies have shown that cholesterol levels at 235 to 245 can place you at a high risk of heart attack. However, just because your total cholesterol is high doesn’t automatically make you a candidate for heart disease. Take your total cholesterol and divide it by your good cholesterol. If the figure results to 3.5, you’re in good shape. If it’s over 4.5, you should start thinking about lowering and maintaining an ideal cholesterol level. You can start that now by making some changes in your diet.
How much fat is enough?
Cross out these fats from your diet: LDL or low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, hydrogenated fats and most saturated fats. These fats can usually be found in the most popular meal of all: a large order of hamburger with cheese, French fries and milk shake. While very filling and satisfactory, these foods contain as much fat as 1/8 lb. of butter. Imagine chomping on THAT the next time you order a burger meal.
If you want a diet to help you lower high cholesterol by avoiding fats, try to keep your saturated fat intake to 10% of your total caloric intake. That is the ideal figure to maintain during the first stages of your goal to lower high cholesterol. Later on, you can go even further and keep your bad fat intake to just 7%.
Bulk up.
Regular inclusion of fiber-rich foods in your diet can significantly lower high cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber found in natural, unprocessed grains, oats and fruits are great choices for meals and snacks. Soluble fiber is particularly effective in helping lower your blood cholesterol and reducing your body’s rate of sugar absorption. For men 50 years old and younger, the ideal daily amount of fiber intake is about 38 grams. This decreases to 31 grams for men 51 years and older. For women, it’s 25 grams for those aged 50 and below and 21 grams for older women.
A lifetime commitment
You don’t have to follow an ultra-strict diet regimen that will make your life joyless and monotonous. All you have to do is to combine a reasonably active lifestyle with a good diet, something you will have to commit to for the rest of your life.
The main challenge you will have with foods that contribute to high cholesterol is that they are so easily accessed and consumed. That makes it more important for you to monitor your diet and ensure that it is ideal for lowering high cholesterol levels. Be informed and live a healthy life.