When your doctor decides that it is time to test your cholesterol, he or she will send you for a blood test, and then wait for the cholesterol results and numbers to come back. You would do well to spend a few minutes discussing these numbers with your doctor, covering how you can optimize them if that is in fact needed, and ask what your risk is for heart disease.
If your cholesterol numbers are not acceptable, your doctor may advise that you take prescription medications to help get your cholesterol levels under control as quickly as possible. If you do not do this it could lead to strokes, so take seriously the medical advice you are given.
Now, if your numbers are acceptable, your doctor may just encourage you to improve your diet, moving to a low cholesterol diet, and does not contain many high cholesterol foods on a regular basis.
Once you are aware of the foods that you should and should not be eating, then switching to good foods should be no difficulty, especially since you know that once you are eating better, your heart health will be improving, and your risk of heart problems will be getting lower.
This is exactly what you want, a strong heart. But along with the low cholesterol diet, you should also be exercising, may be every other day going for a brisk walk for about 30 minutes, as this will help your fitness level, and your overall health.
So, if you are to consume foods low in cholesterol , what does that mean you will be consuming, and what foods should you avoid? It is good to avoid an excess of foods from animals, so things like red meats should be consumed in moderation, with only the leanest cuts of meat being considered. Egg yolks are also high in cholesterol, but the egg whites are good for you, so think about moving over to egg white products rather than complete eggs.
On the list of not recommended is butter, as it is derived from an animal, so if you still want to in oil, think about using olive oil, especially virgin olive oil. This is processed less than light olive oil which is called that just because it is lighter in color, not lighter in calories.
Oat meal and oat bran is a good food to eat, and is also a great breakfast food. It provides you with soluble fibre, which is also found in barley, pears and apples.
Pulses, or legumes, or dried peas, dried beans and lentils are good for you, because not only do they provide you with soluble fibre, but they also contain non-animal protein, which is good for the growth of muscles and tendons, as well as good for healthy blood, bones, hair and internal organs too.
Naturally, there are a lot more foods that could be mentioned for a diet of low cholesterol, but there is limited space here. What is important is to start reducing your cholesterol now, so that you are not at risk of heart disease or strokes. But of course, the choice is yours, lower your cholesterol now, or run the risk of heart attacks and strokes in your future.
Tags: calories, cholesterol, high cholesterol foods, low cholesterol foods, low fat diets, recipes
