Enjoy every bite. Your motto should be dietary enhancement, not deprivation. When you enjoy what you eat, you feel more positive about life, which helps you feel better and less likely to overindulge.
The most powerful nutrition strategy helps you focus on what you CAN eat.
Some things lower HDL, some increase LDL, some do both.
AVOID (or eat sparingly):
butter
ice cream
fatty meats
eggs
offal
calamari
prawns
Eat a bare minimum of saturated fats and trans-fatty acids (for example, fats found in butter, salad dressing, sweets and desserts).
Avoid partially hydrogenated oils and hydrogenated vegetable oils. These man-made oils are sources of trans fatty acids known to increase LDL cholesterol. They lower heart-protecting HDL (good) cholesterol and increase the inflammatory response in the body.
Limit simple carbohydrates (regular soft drinks, sugar, sweets). If you have high cholesterol, these simple carbohydrates exacerbate the condition.
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For any of these foods listed below to provide their benefit, you need to make other changes to your diet and lifestyle. Cut back on the cholesterol and total fat — especially saturated and trans fats — that you eat. Saturated fats, like those in meat, full-fat dairy products and some oils, raise your total cholesterol. Trans fats, which are sometimes found in margarines and store-bought cookies, crackers and cakes, are particularly bad for your cholesterol levels. Trans fats raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol, and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good" cholesterol.
Eat low-fat foods, watch your weight, and get more exercise.
PLEASE EAT:
FATS
Choose fat calories wisely.
Use fats high in monounsaturated fats (for example, fats found in olive oil and peanut oil). Healthier monounsaturated fats can help lower your LDL and raise your HDL levels. Olive oil contains a potent mix of antioxidants that can lower your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol but leave your "good" (HDL) cholesterol untouched.
Eating fatty fish can be heart-healthy because of its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce your blood pressure and risk of developing blood clots. In people who have already had heart attacks, fish oil — or omega-3 fatty acids — reduces the risk of sudden death.
Doctors recommend eating at least two servings of fish a week. The highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids are in:
Mackerel
Lake trout
Herring
Sardines
Albacore tuna
Salmon
Halibut
You should bake or grill the fish to avoid adding unhealthy fats. If you don't like fish, you can also get small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids from foods like ground flaxseed or canola oil.
You can take an omega-3 or fish oil supplement to get some of the benefits, but you won't get other nutrients in fish, like selenium. If you decide to take a supplement, just remember to watch your diet and eat lean meat or vegetables in place of fish.
Omega-3 fatty acids decrease the rate at which the liver produces LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. They have an anti-inflammatory effect in the body, decrease the growth of plaque in the arteries, and aid in thinning blood.
The Food and Drug Administration recommends using about 2 tablespoons (23 grams) of olive oil a day in place of other fats in your diet to get its heart-healthy benefits. To add olive oil to your diet, you can sauté vegetables in it, add it to a marinade, or mix it with vinegar as a salad dressing. You can also use olive oil as a substitute for butter when basting meat or as a dip for bread. Olive oil is high in calories, so don't eat more than the recommended amount.
The cholesterol-lowering effects of olive oil are even greater if you choose extra-virgin olive oil, meaning the oil is less processed and contains more heart-healthy antioxidants. But keep in mind that "light" olive oils are usually more processed than extra-virgin or virgin olive oils and are lighter in color, not fat or calories.
(Do not fall into the hype which is put out by traditional medicine regarding the promotion of canola oil [rapeseed] as superior due to its concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids. Olive oil is far superior and has been around for thousands of years. Canola oil is a relatively recent development and the original crops were unfit for human consumption due to their high content of a dangerous fatty acid called euric acid. If the taste of olive oil is a problem, or if you are frying or sautéing food, then you should consider coconut oil. Many nutritionally misinformed people would consider this unwise due to coconut oil's nearly exclusive content of saturated fat. However, this is just not the case. Because it has mostly saturated fat, it is much less dangerous to heat. The heat will not tend to cause the oil to transition into dangerous trans fatty acids.)
Avocados
NUTS
Certain nuts can reduce blood cholesterol. Rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, walnuts also help keep blood vessels healthy.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, eating about a handful (1.5 ounces, or 42.5 grams) a day of most nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts, pistachio nuts and walnuts, may reduce your risk of heart disease. Just make sure the nuts you eat aren't salted or coated with sugar. Also watch the intake of nuts, which are high in calories. Just a handful a day is enough to provide benefits for the heart. To avoid eating too many nuts and gaining weight, replace foods high in saturated fat with nuts. For example, instead of using cheese, meat or croutons in your salad, add a handful of walnuts or almonds.
A study in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association reported that omega-3 fatty acids from nuts (such as walnuts) and seeds (such as flaxseed) had as much impact on blood pressure as omega-3 fatty acids from fish.
FIBER (whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, sterols and stanols)
Increasing fiber helps to lower LDLs. Only plant foods (vegetables, fruits, legumes, unrefined grains) contain dietary fiber. The soluble fiber found in foods such as oat bran, barley, psyllium seeds (Metamucil), flax seed meal, apples, citrus fruits, lentils and beans are particularly effective in lowering cholesterol.
Use plant stanols or sterols as a dietary option to help lower bad LDL cholesterol.
Phytosterols: Phytosterols (plant sterol and stanol esters) are compounds found in small amounts in foods such as whole grains as well as in many vegetables, fruits, and vegetable oils. They decrease LDL cholesterol, mostly by interfering with the intestinal absorption of cholesterol. Phytosterols can be found in spreads (like the cholesterol-lowering margarines Benecol, Promise, Smart Balance, and Take Control), dressings for salads, and dietary supplements. Additional phytosterol-fortified foods include Minute Maid Heart Wise orange juice, Nature Valley Healthy Heart chewy granola bars, CocoVia chocolates, Rice Dream Heartwise rice drink, and Lifetime low-fat cheese.
Sterols and stanols are natural substances found in many plants, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds and can significantly reduce LDL levels by blocking cholesterol absorption and preventing it from getting into the bloodstream.
One study by researchers at the University of California, Davis found that people who included twice-daily servings of sterol-fortified orange juice in their diet experienced, on average, a 9% decrease in LDL levels and an average 12% reduction in C-reactive protein levels, another key indicator of heart disease risk inflammation indicator).
Foods are now available that have been fortified with sterols or stanols — substances found in plants that help block the absorption of cholesterol.
Margarines, orange juice and yogurt drinks with added plant sterols can help reduce LDL cholesterol by more than 10 percent. The amount of daily plant sterols needed for results is at least 2 grams — which equals about two 8-ounce (237-milliliter) servings of plant sterol-fortified orange juice a day.
Plant sterols or stanols in fortified foods don't appear to affect levels of triglycerides or of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good" cholesterol.
Dietary fiber, soybeans, and phytosterols decrease cholesterol levels by different mechanisms. Therefore, it is not surprising that the combined dietary intake of these foods and other plant substances, along with a low intake of saturated fats, is more effective at reducing cholesterol levels than each individual substance alone.
One USDA study concluded that eating as little as one-half cup of cooked dry beans per day helped lower total cholesterol levels of the study participants.
Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, apples, pears, barley and prunes.
Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Five to 10 grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your total and LDL cholesterol. Eating 1 1/2 cups of cooked oatmeal provides 6 grams of fiber. If you add fruit, such as bananas, you'll add about 4 more grams of fiber. To mix it up a little, try steel-cut oatmeal or cold cereal made with oatmeal or oat bran.
Fruits, such as apples, grapes, oranges, and apricots; and vegetables, like cabbage, garlic and sweet potatoes are not only cholesterol free foods, they are also high in soluble fiber and pectin. Both of these things have been proven to help lower cholesterol levels. A National Academy of Sciences study showed that pomegranate juice reduces cholesterol plaque buildup and increases nitric oxide production (nitric oxide helps reduce arterial plaque). Similarly, antioxidants in grape juice slow down LDL cholesterol oxidation, and cranberry juice raises HDL or “good” cholesterol.
A soluble fiber known as Beta Gucan is crucial in lowering cholesterol. And, wouldn't you know it, oats and grains contain this valuable fiber. Doctors recommend two to four cups of oat or barley cereal each day to gain the cholesterol-lowering effect of Beta Gucan. The oil in whole brown rice, not its fiber, lowers cholesterol. Brown rice can be combined with beans to form an inexpensive complete protein low in saturated fat.
PROTEIN AND DAIRY
Eat a variety -- and just the right amount -- of protein foods. Balance animal, fish, and vegetable sources of protein.
Substituting soybeans or soy protein for other proteins have been shown to prevent coronary heart disease by lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Soy protein is present in tofu, tempeh, soy milk, soy yogurt, edamame, soy nuts, and many other food products made from soybeans.
Leaner meats will not raise your cholesterol levels as much as red meat.
Several studies have shown that the probiotics Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Lactobacillus Reuteri present in yogurt with active culture actually help lower cholesterol. They work by preventing the re-absorption of cholesterol back in to the blood stream.
OTHER IDEAS:
Feed your body regularly. Skipping meals often leads to overeating. For some, eating five to six mini-meals may help keep cravings in check, help control blood sugars and regulate metabolism. This approach may not be as effective for those who are tempted to overeat every time they are exposed to food. For these individuals, three balanced meals a day may be a better approach.
EXERCISE
Exercise strengthens the heart muscle, improves blood flow, reduces high blood pressure, raises HDL cholesterol ("good" cholesterol), and helps control blood sugars and body weight.
Supplements for Lowering Cholesterol
Garlic: It may also have significant side effects and/or interactions with certain medications. Garlic may prolong bleeding and blood clotting time, so garlic and garlic supplements should not be consumed prior to surgery and should not be taken with blood-thinning drugs such as Coumadin (warfarin).
Some commonly used herbs and spices -- including ginger, turmeric, and rosemary -- are being investigated for their potential beneficial effects relating to coronary disease prevention.
CHOCOLATE:
One-third of the fat content found in chocolate is in the form of stearic acid. Although it is a saturated fat, stearic acid exerts a neutral effect on cholesterol levels; that is, while it does not appear to raise cholesterol levels in some studies, it does not appear to lower them either.
Dark chocolate contains higher amounts of flavonoids than other chocolates and thus may be more likely to exert more of a protective effect against heart disease. Additionally, other forms of chocolate may contain undesirable ingredients that may raise cholesterol levels, such as whole milk and cream fillings.
Chocolate should be consumed only in moderation, preferably in accompaniment with a healthy diet. It should also not be used to replace the other healthy sources of flavonoids in your diet, such as grapes and blueberries.
some SOURCES:
http://www.webmd.com/
http://www.webmd.com/
http://cholesterol.about.com/
http://www.womenfitness.net/
http://www.healingdaily.com/
http://www.mayoclinic.com/
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