Reducing Cholesterol with Dietary Changes
High cholesterol has everyone worries these days. If you have a family history of heart disease then it's in your interest to keep your cholesterol levels down. If you find that you already have worrisome cholesterol levels then the answer might lie in what you eat. Changing your diet, even in small ways, is the key to reducing cholesterol.
Along with a healthy lifestyle with no smoking, moderate alcohol intake, and regular exercise you can stay off cholesterol lowering drugs and keep your heart healthy. All very simple and things that you should be doing right away if you have any risk factors that contribute to heart disease.
Breakfast of Champions
You can start reducing cholesterol early in the morning with a heart healthy breakfast. One of the easiest ways to slip soluble fiber into your diet is with a breakfast of oats. Oatmeal or oat bran is a great way to reduce your bad cholesterol levels. Ten grams a day of soluble fiber is what you should be aiming for.
If the idea of a bowl of porridge doesn't appeal to you then you can try cereals made with oats. Adding fruits such as apples and bananas to your oats will also increase your fiber intake. You should be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables anyway.
Olive Oil
Some cooking oils such as palm and coconut oil are bad for you. If you're working at reducing cholesterol then switching to healthier oil will help do this. Olive oil has been talked about for some time now as the healthiest vegetable oil out there. Two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in your daily diet can help to lower bad cholesterol levels while leaving your good cholesterol levels intact. Use it in place of regular cooking oil, butter, and in vinaigrettes.
Nuts About Walnuts
Not all fats and oils are bad for you. Walnuts are great when you want to start reducing cholesterol. You can significantly reduce blood cholesterol in just four weeks by regularly eating walnuts. Walnuts also have the added bonus of keeping your blood vessels healthy and elastic.
A handful everyday should do the trick, try and eat them raw. Almonds are also another great nut to have in your daily diet as a way to reduce blood cholesterol. Two ounces of nuts a day are all you need when reducing cholesterol with the polyunsaturated fatty acids in nuts. Try not to eat any more than this, as they are high in calories.
