Lowering Cholesterol - What Kinds Of Food To Eat With High Cholesterol

If your cholesterol reading is above 200mg/dl then you should try to reduce it. High cholesterol can lead to a number of health problems such as atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.

Reducing cholesterol is actually quite simple if you catch it before it gets high and there are no associated health problems have started. The treatment requires a change in lifestyle. This means changing your diet or taking on a bit more exercise. For many people it requires changing both.

This article will deal with the diet but a little bit on exercise to begin with. Exercise works on two levels. It helps to burn off the food that you eat each day thus preventing weight gain. Also by being active, you are not only working the leg or arm muscles but all parts of the body. This includes the cardiovascular, immune and digestive systems. In terms of the cardiovascular system, this will help blood circulate through the system and reduce the chances of LDL cholesterol sticking to the artery walls.
 
Start your exercise program of slow – say half an hour a day of low impact exercise. Gradually build this up over time. Consult your doctor before starting any intensive program like a gym membership.

Changing your diet is also quite simple. Essentially, you have to reduce the amount of animal products and fatty foods. If you are over weight then you may also have to watch the number of total calories consumed each day.

Although we need some fats in our bodies, saturated and trans fats are types to be avoided. Saturated fats are things like cream, cheese, butter and lard. Trans fats are another name for hydrogenated vegetable oil. It is a man made product that is cheap and acts as a flavor enhancers and food preservative. It is especially popular in processed foods that have to last a long time. Look at the food labels on cakes, biscuits and potato chips and you will find trans fats. Both saturated and trans fats raise the level of LDL cholesterol in the body.

Avoid full fat dairy products. Buy low fat milk. Avoid fatty meats and trim excess fat off meat you are preparing.

Best eating is fresh eating. Eat as much fresh food as you can. Especially fresh fruit and vegetables. Try to eat as much fresh fruit and vegetables as possible. Whole grain foods have a similar effect as fresh fruit and vegetables. Whole grain foods are things like porridge, muesli, some breakfast cereals and brown rice.

Plant sterols are naturally  occurring substances that are added to spreads and yogurts. When you eat plant sterols they compete with cholesterol when food is absorbed into the body. This limits the amount of cholesterol that can get into the body.

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