Nutrition to lower LDL, increase HDL Cholesterol

Cholesterol Reducing Foods

Plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and extra virgin olive oil are heart healthy and can be utilized to reduce cholesterol. By changing the way you eat total cholesterol can be reduced by 5 to 10 percent. Eat foods that are monounsaturated fats like nuts and certain oils (not saturated fats all animal products.) and that have soluble fiber. The soluble fiber found in fruits and veggies reduces absorption of cholesterol in your intestines, then binds bile (which contains cholesterol) and dietary cholesterol so that the body excretes it.

FRUIT 4 servings/day Great for Reduction: apples, prunes, pears. Soluble fiber.

VEGGIES 5 servings/day Great for Reduction: leafy green, avocado, garlic, barley, beans. Soluble fiber.

WHOLE GRAINS 7-8 serving /day (1 serving size is 1 ounce) also Barley and Oats, Bran!!! Soluble fiber.
Fish, Lean Meat, Poultry 2 servings/day. 3-4 ounces per serving (Eat more Fish which contains healthy omega 3 and 6 oils.)
Nuts about 1 tbsp 4 times a week. Walnuts, Almonds. (Monounsaturated fats.)
OILS 3 tbsp per day Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a monounsaturated fat and contributes to raising HDL (healthy cholesterol) and causes LDL cholesterol to be reduced.
Water 8 glasses / day

REDUCE LDL (Lousy Cholesterol)

The best way to reduce LDL and triglyceride levels is through Aerobic Exercise. By doing so you are telling your body what to do with the extra calories and creating healthy blood flow in your blody. This can be done by swimming, walking, jogging, rollerbladding. The idea is to move cholesterol deposits by increasing your heart rate, which will in turn cause blood vessels to dialate and blood to push through the body.

Reduce bread servings to 6 servings a day and alcohol consumption to every other day can both play a factor in reducing triglyceride levels.

Increase HDL (Healthy Cholesterol)

Food choices also play a critical part in reducing LDL and increasing HDL. By adding extra virgin olive oil, canola, avocado and peanut oils to your salads, cooking and pastas, you provide your vessels with the necessary elasticity that they need. These are healthy mono and poly unsaturated fats. They are fluid so they will not clot your arteries the way that saturated fats found in butters and dressings will.

By: Kimberly Crocker

For more information:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cholesterol/CL00002

http://www.bddiabetes.com/us/main.aspx?cat=1&id=496

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