Healthy- Managing High Cholesterol Through Diet

High cholesterol is becoming a common problem in Americans, even those that are younger than 40 and sometimes younger than 35. Cholesterol problems are more common in men under 55 and women over 55, but rates of higher lipid levels are increasing as diets become more laden with unhealthy fats and high amounts of cholesterol.

To combat high LDL levels it is important to examine your diet and make the necessary changes needed to live healthfully. Higher fat diets are a large contributing factor for sky high cholesterol levels, so it is important to minimize fats that are not the healthy kind right away. Meat, especially beef, carries saturated fat that can quickly increase your cholesterol and cause heart problems later on. Minimizing meat intake, specifically red meat, will improve your health from the start.

Choosing high fiber whole grains is also helpful. When you consume fiber it binds to cholesterol in the body and helps flush it out through your bodily waste. That doesnt mean you can still eat high cholesterol foods as long as you eat high fiber too it simply doesnt work that way. Oatmeal and whole grain cereals with multi-grains are highly recommended for their health benefits. Cheerios are mentioned often but in reality they are not as great for you as other foods out there.

Higher concentrations of plant based foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids will also boost your HDL cholesterol the good cholesterol that actually prevents heart disease and health problems. Flaxseed and walnuts are excellent sources of this all important fatty acid, and consuming it regularly can greatly increase your HDL while lowering your LDL numbers. When using flax, buy whole seeds and grind it yourself so that your body can absorb the beneficial chemicals easier. Salmon and many other foods also have high concentrations of beneficial fats that will improve not only your cholesterol, but your overall health as well.

Lastly, it is important to incorporate long amounts of exercise into your lifestyle. The more you exercise the lower your bad cholesterol drops and the higher your good cholesterol goes. This is the perfect way to get an excellent cholesterol reading and to take serious preventative measures against health complications.

When starting a regimen for managing high cholesterol, write down your first reading results. Place them on your fridge to get a daily reminder of your big goal. It also helps to write down the positive steps you are taking towards lower your cholesterol so that you can show your doctor at another visit. Getting a check up in 6 months is recommended for those that are trying to improve their health, that way the doctor can get an accurate gauge of how well you have improved and what else can be done to increase your HDL numbers.

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