We all come to that point in our lives when we want to maintain better control of our cholesterol, this since it’s an important essential of remaining healthy. High cholesterol has become an epidemic in this nation which is brought on by poor eating habits, combined with stress and anxiety.
What happens is that fatty deposits accumulates and then clings on to the arteries and blood vessels inside the body. It then restricts the proper flow and movement of the blood, resulting in high blood pressure.
If this is not treated properly, it can then lead towards coronary heart disease, a precursor to more serious heart issues. The onset of high cholesterol is caused by a variety of factors, most we can’t control, such as older age, gender, and genetics, which increases the risk.
What we can control is our weight and fitness levels, our diet, and our stress levels, which also plays significant roles. These are the actions that we can take by altering our lifestyles.
The Two Types Of Cholesterol
It’s generally known that there’s two types of cholesterol. High density lipoprotein, or HDL, which is known as the good cholesterol. This type is extremely beneficial to have and at high levels, as what HDL does is it transports fat through the blood, while also preventing the deposit of fat on our arteries.
The “bad” cholesterol, which is known as low density lipoprotein, or LDL, is what you need to lower. The total recommended cholesterol levels should ideally be around 100-200 mg/dL for most healthy adults.
Your diet, what you eat plays an extremely important role when it comes to these cholesterol levels, and the type you have. The food you eat can either raise or lower your numbers. What’s obviously recommended is eating as many LDL cholesterol lowering foods as possible.
List Of Cholesterol Lowering Foods
Wholesome Beans
Eating the entire bean family and legumes is a LDL cholesterol reducing friendly treat. What beans are packed with are full of soluble fiber, which has been proven to correlate with lowering bad cholesterol levels.
Studies have shown that when consuming beans, the proteins which they contain are extremely beneficial, so make sure that you eat up to 2 cups of beans several times a week, this to reduce your levels by up 15% percent. This then effectively lowers your risk of heart disease.
Say Yes To More Walnuts
To some it may be a bit counter intuitive as walnuts contain fat, but consuming certain fats can actually lower cholesterol levels, provided that their monounsaturated fats.
They’re also high in the much needed omega-3 fatty acids, which effectively lowers the levels of triglycerides. What then occurs is they’ll lower the bad fat levels in the blood stream, which prevents plaque buildup in the arteries.
Studies have shown that eating just a handful of walnuts on a daily basis can lower your LDL cholesterol by up to 10% percent.
Eating Wholesome Eggs
Eggs are always controversial when it comes to high cholesterol. Some studies show that eating pure egg yolks can actually raise the bad levels. However, more advanced studies have shown that fresh egg yolks does indeed lower bad cholesterol, while raising the good cholesterol.
But this is applicable only if you already have a good diet to begin with. Most people don’t realize that raising HDL cholesterol actually lowers the risk of heart disease. It’s proven that eating a whole egg everyday can do wonders for your blood.
The Goodness Of Garlic
Garlic to most is a delicious flavoring and a widely used supplement. Studies support that consuming fresh garlic can lower LDL cholesterol levels, while maintaining HDL cholesterol levels.
These studies have found that the more garlic that you eat, the healthier you become. But keep in mind that while some studies support this, others have found that there’s no correlation.
Garlic is generally considered a delicious addition to any healthy meal, so at the very least, enjoy the flavor that it provides.
Oatmeal Is More Than Okay
Oatmeal for most is a breakfast staple, as it traditionally warms up our stomachs on cold mornings. Not only does it provide ample energy, oatmeal also is an excellent fighter of LDL cholesterol.
The soluble fiber which are found in whole grains are beneficial since they attach to the bad cholesterol in your intestines, flushing it out of your system before it’s absorbed in the blood.
One recent study has found that eating oatmeal along with other natural foods which lowers cholesterol, had the same effect as prescription medication.
An “A” For Asparagus
This particular delicious fresh vegetable is singled out because it pairs well with any protein. Asparagus is not only tasty for most, it also diligently works in lowering your cholesterol.
It’s packed with insoluble fiber, giving it that familiar stringy texture, and what steaming does is it softens these fibers. When you eat asparagus, what the fiber does is it binds the bile acids directly to the cholesterol, which purifies the blood.
What Is Psyllium
Psyllium fiber is a well known additive which is used to enrich foods. It was once used as a mild laxative. The soluble fibers that it contains helps to gel and then rid your body of unhealthy buildup.
Recently, psyllium has been discovered that it also reduces bad cholesterol. It acts in one of two ways, the first by reducing the absorption of cholesterol, and then by removing unwanted cholesterol through your bile.
A recommended amount of psyllium fiber is around 7 to 12 grams on a daily basis. Make sure that you build up your tolerance by supplementing just small amounts at the beginning, and then increase it over time. Too much of it at once can cause intestinal distress.