 Some tips to help lower your blood cholesterol
1. Reduce excess body fat so that you reach your ideal body weight.
2. If you drink, do so in moderation. Alcohol is high in calories, it increases one's risk of high blood pressure, and it increases triglyceride levels.
3. Don't smoke, and avoid second-hand smoke.
4. Eat foods high in fiber-- fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and cereals; and foods high in complex carbohydrates.
5. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Get your doctor's permission if you haven't had a checkup recently.
6. Limit your overall dietary cholesterol intake. Read food labels carefully. Some items low in animal fat may still contain a lot of fat.
7. Limit the saturated fat in your diet and replace it with unsaturated fat. Saturated fat has far more of an impact on blood chemistry than dietary cholesterol has. Your liver makes cholesterol out of the saturated fat you eat.
8. Make time to relax. Anger and hostility have been linked to heart disease more often than any other emotion or personality trait.
9. Get enough sleep. Take regular breaks from your routine. Learn stress-management techniques. Spend some quiet time alone each day.
10. Restrict fatty animal foods and limit egg yolks to three or four a week. Try substituting 2 egg whites for each whole egg in recipes. click here for more egg substitutes
11. Take medication, if you must. Cholesterol lowering medication is very expensive and often carries side effects, so try lifestyle changes first. See your doctor. Talk to him or her about the results of your blood tests.
|
