Lowering Your Cholesterol With Natural Foods

Should your doctor decide that it is time to check your cholesterol, he or she will send you for a blood test, and then wait for the cholesterol numbers to come back. Plan to spend a few minutes discussing these numbers with your doctor, asking about how you can improve them if that is in fact needed, and ask what your risk is for heart disease.

If your cholesterol numbers are not acceptable, your doctor may advise that you take prescription medications to help get your cholesterol levels in a better range as quickly as possible. If you do not do this it could lead to heart disease, so consider carefully the medical advice you are given.

Now, if your numbers are acceptable, your medical practitioner may just suggest that you improve your diet, moving to a low cholesterol diet, and hardly contains high cholesterol foods regularly.

Once you are aware of the foods that are good and bad for you, then switching to low cholesterol foods should be no difficulty, especially as you know that once you have changed, your heart health is going to be improving, and your risk of heart problems will be getting lower.

This is exactly what you need, a strong heart. But along with the low cholesterol diet, you should also be exercising, may be every other day going for a brisk walk for about 30 minutes, as this will help your fitness level, and your overall health.

So, if you are to consume foods that are low in cholesterol , what does that mean you will be eating, and what foods should you avoid? It is good to avoid an excess of foods from animals, so things like red meats should be consumed in moderation, with only the leanest cuts of meat being considered. Egg yolks are also of high cholesterol, but the egg whites are fine, so think about moving over to egg white products rather than whole eggs.

Butter is not recommended, as it is an animal product, so if you still need to cook in oil, think about using olive oil, especially virgin olive oil. This is less processed than light olive oil which is so called just because it is lighter in color, not lighter in calories.

Oat bran and oatmeal is a good food to eat, and is also a great way to start your day. It gives your body soluble fibre, which is also found in apples, pears and barley.

Pulses, or legumes, or dried peas, dried beans and lentils are good for you, because not only do they provide you with soluble fibre, but they also contain non-animal protein, which is good for the growth of tendons and muscles, as well as good for internal organs, blood, hair and bones, too.

There are obviously a lot more foods that could be mentioned for a low cholesterol diet, but there is limited space here. The important thing is to start lowering your cholesterol now, so that you are not at risk of heart attacks or strokes. But of course, the decision is yours, lower your cholesterol now, or be at risk for strokes and heart attacks in your future.