There are two basic ways to reduce the level of cholesterol in your body. Your diet is the first and easy way to prevent heart disease. The risk of heart attacks increases with bad cholesterol levels. It's life-threatening to have low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels of 100 and above. It's better to change your lifestyle and lower your LDL cholesterol level to 80 or lower to a suitable status. According to a study by UCLA medical experts, learning heart-healthy living skills becomes easier by practicing them.
Trans fats in our diets trigger the “bad” cholesterol and reduce (inhibit) the “good” cholesterol. High quantities of hydrogenated oils in the food you eat are a gradual approach to a heart attack. You can reduce your risk of heart attack by slowing down on cookies, and snacks that are made from trans-fat.
Eating insoluble fiber can spike your LDL cholesterol Levels. However, you can reverse the high risk of heart attack; add soluble fiber to your diet. The morning breakfast is incomplete without soluble fiber from sweet potatoes, veggies, or oats.
Substitute your cravings for snacks that contain unsaturated oils (excess of 0.5 grams) with nuts. Diets from nuts and seeds like walnuts and almonds are heart friendly. Avoid salted nuts and seeds because the sodium in salts can spike blood pressure.
Legumes contain collagen and protein; they are foods that build the blocks of life. Eating protein-rich plant foods is better than meat. You can reduce cholesterol and fat levels by consuming legumes. Beans, peas, soybeans, and lentils are some examples of legumes.
Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils can lower your non-HDL cholesterol. Salmon, sardine, trout and herring, and mackerel are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids. They don't increase your risk of cardiovascular-related problems.
Whey proteins don't contain cholesterol and fat. A diet of whey protein has heart-health benefits. Whey protein powders from dairy products lower your non-HDL cholesterol and leave you with clean arteries.
Dark and leafy green veggies are the culinary delight of many consumers. Apart from the rich content of vitamins and inflammatory properties in veggies; they are good for the heart. You can eat leafy veggies with carrots and salads or mix them with odd foods like brown rice and barley.
A fruit diet can help people shed weight and lower their cholesterol levels. You can promote heart-healthy living by regularly eating a mixed fruit salad of pears, apples, and bananas. Juice made from lemon, tangerines, and grapes will increase the 'good' cholesterol and shoot down the ‘bad' cholesterol.
There are dietary supplements made from sterols. Sterols are naturally occurring plant extracts. At least two grams of Sterols supplements daily can lower LDL cholesterol levels. People that are undergoing weight management use dietary supplements to maintain a heart-healthy lifestyle.
Organ meat from animals should be avoided because it can form grease in our arteries. Meat portions from the kidneys and liver of animals have high calorific value. Switching to non-red meat is beneficial for heart health.
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