Are you battling with high cholesterol or triglycerides? Has your doctor recommended using pharmaceuticals to manage your cholesterol? Have you considered adjusting your diet to bring your cholesterol down to healthy levels? Consider this: adding healthy, cholesterol preventing and reducing foods have only one side affect- which is improving your over all health! That’s it!
It was once believed that cholesterol was caused by eating too many cholesterol containing foods. Research shows that actually, very few people are actually affected by dietary cholesterol (like that found in eggs and shrimp). High cholesterol is actually only a symptom of an imbalanced body, and a sign that dietary measures and adjustments need to be made to improve overall health and functioning of the body. Drugs only address the symptom, not the problem, and bring with them a handful of side affects and other reactions that don;t improve the body’s functions.
In laymen’s terms, cholesterol is a type of lipid, or fat, that is produced in the liver, and also found in certain foods. It is needed to make Vitamin D and some hormones, build cell walls, and create bile salts that help you digest fat. Too much cholesterol in the body can lead to serious problems like heart disease. “Free Radicals” in the body, or unstable molecules, are waiting to destruct cells in your body, and can oxidize these cholesterol cells. The cholesterol does not become harmful to the body until it has oxidized, and can then latch on to the artery walls. The more antioxidants you consume, the more they fight these free radicals, and the less likely those lipids are to oxideize and subsequently clog your arteries. The most important nutrients in preventing these fats from becoming harmful cholesterol are: dietary fiber and soluble fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, vitamin C, and all antioxidants.
As far as avoiding certain foods to reduce cholesterol, the most important ones are anything processed that contain artificial or altered ingredients. The problem is not necessarily meat, dairy, and eggs- our bodies should be able to process these natural ingredients in moderate amounts, especially when paired sufficiently with vegetable and produce rich diets. It is our American diet of fast foods, convenience foods, and processed junk that creates the imbalance in the body. Ingredients like partially hydrogenated oils and chemical additives are creating an excess of free radicals in the body, making it impossible to fight them with normal amounts of nutrients. Forget about taking eggs, shrimp, and dairy completely out of your diet- focus on ditching the processed packaged food with labels longer than you can read. Whether or not these foods contain dietary cholesterol is inconsequential- it’s the reaction (which is NOT listed in the dietary facts) that occurs in your body and cells that you need to be worried about!
Did you know that eating kiwi every day can reduce cholesterol? It is an excellent source of vitamin C, and is packed with antioxidants that reduce the oxidation of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol. Kiwi also contains potassium and magnesium, which regulates blood pressure. Eating 2-3 per day will help reduce platelet aggregation response and triglyceride levels.
Lycopene, found in tomato products like ketchup and tomato paste, inhibits free radical damage to LDL cholesterol. Before cholesterol can be deposited in the plaques that harden and narrow arteries, it must be oxidized by free radicals. These antioxidants help prevent LDL from being oxidized.
Other ingredients to incorporate are:
Swiss Chard
Vitamins A, C, and E protect cholesterol from being oxidized, reducing potential to form plaques.
Celery
Increases secretion of bile acid, removing cholesterol and toxins from the blood stream.
Avocado
Reduces levels of total and LDL cholesterol, increases HDL cholesterol.
Shitake Mushrooms
Contain eritadenine, which lowers Cholesterol levels, regardless of type of fat in diet- lowers plasma levels in dose dependent manner- more eritadenine, more cholesterol levels drop. Also, shitake mushrooms prevent atherosclerosis on artery walls.
Olive oil
Helps fats to not become oxidized in the blood. Polyphenols and phytonutrients protect LDL from oxidizing, and only oxidized cholesterol sticks to artery walls. Buy fresh, high quality olive oil that has a use-by date. Most olive oil sold in supermarkets is not pure nor fresh, and has little nutritional value. Do not heat your olive oil, and keep its container closed and in dark places. This ensures that it will retain as much of its health benefits as possible.
Raspberries
Contain ellagic acid and phytonutrients, reduce oxidation of LDL, and help safe guard blood vessels. They are an excellent source of dietary fiber, which can help reduce elevated cholesterol levels. Raspberries are a goood source for folic acid and potassium, regulate blood pressure. Vitamin C protects against bad cholesterol.
Grapefruit
Good source of dietary fiber, contains pectin, a form of soluble fiber that forms a gel-like substance in the intestinal tract that can trap fats like cholesterol. Pectin has been shown to inhibit development of athersclerosis.
Cranberries
Good source of fiber. Antioxidants could protect LDL cholesterol from oxidation, they also can decrease levels of total cholesterol and LDL. Drink 3 glasses of cran juice for 3 months to increase HDL levels. Cranberries are packed with antioxidants and phytonutrients.
Plums
Provide catechins- powerful antioxidants that protect LDL from oxidation. Also they are a great source of Vitamin C, which safeguards LDL from oxidation. Other heart healthy nutrients in plums include - vitamin A, potassium, and fiber.
Apples
Contain two types of fiber- Eating apples reduces cholesterol levels, reduces risk of hardening of arteries, heart attack and stroke. Also, apple fiber is like bran; it latches onto LDL cholesterol in the digestive tract and removes it from the body. Pectin is soluble fiber, and reduces LDL cholesterol produced in liver.
Sunflower Seeds
Vitamin E prevents cardiovascular disease. It prevents free radicals from oxidizing cholesterol, curbing the process of atherosclerosis, which leads to blocked arteries, heart attack and stroke. Sunflower Seeds also contain magnesium and potassium.
Flax seeds
Big benefits in heart health. Diets rich in ALA associated lower risk of atherosclerotic plaques and heart disease. Following diets rich in ALA lower total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides, and reduced plasma triglycerides and VLDL, most dangerous form of LDL. They also contain folate, Vitamin B6, and magnesium.
Soy Protein
Lowers total cholesterol and LDL, may be able to raise HDL. May also increase size of LDL, which helps because small, dense LDL is the most dangerous form. Large LDL is less risky. It is important to note that soy products should be eaten in moderation, especially processed forms like tofu and soy milk. The most beneficial forms of soy are fermented soy products, like miso and tempeh, or whole, organic soy beans.
Rye
Soluble Fiber binds to bile acids and removes them from the body. Liver produces more bile due to rye, lowering amount of cholesterol in circulation. Also reduces the amount of cholesterol manufactured by the liver.
Quinoa
Dietary Fiber helps reduce total cholesterol, especially LDL. Quinoa is high in magnesium, the mineral that relaxes blood vessels.
Buckwheat
Lowered risk of developing high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Research shows buckwheat intake associated with lower total serum cholesterol, lower LDL leveld and higher ratios of HDL to total cholesterol. Dietary fiber and magnesium- reduce cholesterol levels and promotes blood vessel relaxation and blood circulation.
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