Cholesterol is a fat that the body produces and is actually need for us to be able to function healthily. The problem with cholesterol however is that due to the change in our diet in recent years, we are now consuming too much fatty foods and therefore creating too much cholesterol. Having too much cholesterol in your body is detrimental to your health and increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke. When diagnosed with high cholesterol, before issuing medication, doctors sometimes advise the patient to lose weight as this will reduce the amount of cholesterol in your diet. If you are going to attempt to reduce your cholesterol, you need to be reducing the overall amount of fats that you eat on a daily basis. The only good fats for you at this time are the omega 3 and 6 fish oil for cardiovascular health. It has been recommended that no more than thirty percent of your daily calories come from fat. This means that if you are eating 1,250 calories a day, you should not be eating in excess of 42g of fat. There are three main types of fats. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats can actually help lower your cholesterol and these are usually great alternatives to saturated fats. Fish is an important low calorie meal that also provides you with the required fish oil for cardiovascular health. If you don't like eating fish or you tend to eat on the run most working days and don't want to stop to cook your meals, just take the capsules of fish oil for cardiovascular health. Certain fibres can also help lower your cholesterol. The best type of fibre can be found in oats and pulses, as well as in some fruit. Here is an example diet plan for reducing cholesterol: Breakfast: Grapefruit, half a cup Piece of fruit (Apple, banana) Egg white, quarter of a cup Wholegrain cereal Whole wheat toast 2 slices Lunch: Homemade vegetable soup A lean hamburger Wholemeal bread roll Salad Fresh fruit salad Dinner: Fruit juice Steamed skinless chicken breast Brown rice Broccoli Wholemeal bread roll Salad Low fat yogurt If after you have lost weight you still have high cholesterol you may be prescribed statins which is a drug that helps to reduce your level of cholesterol which helps prevent the risk of heart attacks and strokes. However, there has been some concerns about whether this drug is linked to cancer, and although the risk is minimal and out weighed by the benefits the drug offers, prevention is better than cure, and so start lowering your cholesterol now. Along with your diet change remember to include some fish oil for cardiovascular health in your daily food plan. This is one way to help your heart without needing to take possibly dangerous medication.
Please Rate this Article 5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5
Not yet Rated
