If you have high cholesterol you are not alone. With increasing regularity more and more people are finding themselves falling victim to this dangerous condition. It has been found that those with raised cholesterol levels are at an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
To combat this problem a combination of healthy diet with cholesterol lower foods and exercise works for the vast majority of people but it is important to follow the instructions of your doctor, who may prescribe medication for those with dangerously high cholesterol levels.
The good news is that high cholesterol is controllable and here are ten proven ways to get high levels back under control.
1. Eat a sandwich. But make sure to build it on whole wheat bread or in a pita and hold the mayo. Lean turkey or chicken breast is the meat of choice. Bologna, salami, and many other processed lunch meats need to be avoided as they are high in fat and cholesterol.
2. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in salmon and flax seed, have been shown to help reduce cholesterol levels. You can also buy these in supplement form.
3. Trans fats need to be avoided as much as possible. These types of fats are notorious for raising bad LDL cholesterol levels while lowering good HDL levels. Unfortunately many foods contain Trans fats so it is important to read food labels. Avoiding margarine, shortening, and most processed foods that contain partially hydrogenated soybean oil will help limit exposure to these fats.
4. Nuts are a good source of healthy fats. Walnuts, macadamia nuts, cashews, and pecans are all healthy snack choices. If you like peanut butter stick to the natural kind as the normal kinds contain trans fats.
5. Eat high fiber foods. These include whole wheat breads, oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, beans, and high fiber cereals. Many high fiber products come in packaging that says "May help lower cholesterol".
6. Cut back on deserts and sugary snacks. Healthier choices include angel food cake, graham crackers, Jell-O, and fat free yogurt.
7. Your barbecue grill is a great way to cook. Lean cuts of meat and burgers cooked on the grill not only tastes great but much of the fat and grease falls between the grates.
8. Check your salad dressing ingredients. Many contain high amounts of trans fats and cholesterol. Olive oil with vinegar and lemon is a good substitute for the creamy cholesterol increasing varieties sold in most grocery stores.
9. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. They contain no cholesterol and are full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.
10. It is best to avoid fast foods and fried foods of any type. Deep fried foods are high in Trans fats and are a known to raise cholesterol levels rather easily.
By following these guidelines, eating cholesterol lower foods, and adding in some exercise you will soon see your high cholesterol drop back to more normal levels.
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