For those of us who need to elevate our cholesterol levels, one of the most effective ways to do so is to adopt a non-diet diet.
Excess cholesterol in the bloodstream promotes the build up of plaque along artery walls and increases the risk of stroke, heart attack and heart disease.Plaque builds up on the walls of the arteries and over time this can narrow them, interfering with the blood flow and leading to heart problems.
While you can’t always control your cholesterol, you can certainly assist it with less effort. By adhering to a non-diet diet you will find that your high cholesterol levels decline.
Here are some foods you should cut down on or allow to be eliminated altogether:
OFried foodso Unhealthy snack foodso White riceo Dried beanso White breado French Frieso Potatoes
The first rule is the most important when it comes to reducing cholesterol levels. Simply by eliminating high cholesterol foods you can quickly reduce cholesterol levels.
Other than the foods that raise cholesterol, there are many foods that lower cholesterol levels. You will find that by cutting down on the SAD (Standard American Diet), you can lower cholesterol levels without the need for any medication.
The first thing to do is to give up the foods that raise cholesterol, and continue to avoid the SAD. By doing this you will be taking steps to improve your health in many ways.
For instance by avoiding fried foods, which are known to be high in cholesterol. Fried foods are generally high in fat content, and the saturated fat often found in fried foods is the major artery-clogging fat.
You would have to give up the typical breakfast, in which case you would skip the cholesterol-boosting eggs, or you might choose to have a ham and cheese sandwich, which is generally the result of a high cholesterol diet. Breakfast might sound boring, but if you eat a variety of foods in the morning you will ensure that you are getting the cholesterol lowering fruits, and the fiber you need.
Everyone should be eating less red meat, which is high in saturated fat. If you are unable to giving up red meat entirely, then cut back on your portion sizes to the size of your palm, or better still, eat only rarely. Whenever red meat comes from grass-fed animals, or organically-raised animals, then you can proudly eat red meat.
By avoiding commercially-raised meat, or “grain-fed” meat, you will also be avoiding the saturated fats that commercial meat contains. When you go out for lunch, try to avoid charbroiled, grilled, or fried meat. charbroiled can be delicious, but it is also high in fat, and the fats that come from meat are harmful to your cholesterol levels.
Just because you are eating low-fat or non-fat dairy products doesn’t mean that you will be able to eat any cheese or ice cream, however. These foods are also very high in cholesterol and saturated fats. If you want to get high cholesterol, follow the flow of this flow chart: if you ate one egg on a whole grain roll-up, you probably wouldn’t be as happy later, because the high cholesterol in the egg yolk negatively affects your mood. Eat a low-fat, or non-fat yogurt with your cereal, and you will start out your day with a low cholesterol level, and you will also avoid the egg yolk all together.
Some ways to learn more about cholesterol-lowering foods and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) are below.
If you are at risk for high blood pressure, and taking medication, be sure to keep a close eye on your cholesterol levels, and your weight, to make sure you are adhering to the guidelines set out by your physician.
Dietary guidelines for Americans adapted by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) provide essential guidelines for Americans ages two years and older to help them have a well-balanced diet for life. These guidelines are developed following an extensive review of current Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) compiled by the NAS and are a basis for planning a nutritionally healthful diet for people of all ages.
Cholesterol: Avoid concentrates, choice little (or no) sauces, including ketchup and mayonnaise; eat only lean meats, fish, skinless poultry and low-fat dairy products; increase vegetables (3 cups a day), and fruit and diary products (2 to 4 cups daily); eat no dessert.
Salt intake: Minimum of sodium, based on daily survey of salt consumption.
Staying away from fats: Resume fats in small amounts (but definitely in moderation) to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure; use only sparingly, and do not eat more than 10 percent of calories from fat.
