Is your cholesterol level high? Are you concerned about taking medication to lower it? It is possible to lower your cholesterol levels by eating certain foods. In this article, I will briefly discuss three of the foods that you can take each day to help to lower your cholesterol levels.

But, what is exactly the normal ideal limit? How high or how low is acceptable? The desirable LDL level is generally considered to be less than 100 mg/dL, while the desirable HDL level is generally considered to be more than 50 mg/dL. Total desired cholesterol level in one’s blood should also be kept at less than 200 mg/dL (this is generally referred to by doctors as “borderline high” level). Generally you should try to keep your levels within this range.

If you want to avoid heart disease and eventually having a heart attack then you need to do things that will make your heart healthier and lowering your cholesterol can be one of the best things you can do. There are many foods that can help you to lower it and this can improve your life and keep your heart healthy. Studies have found that eating fish and nuts can be a great way to reduce the bad cholesterol that is in your body. This is good because too much of it will cause your arteries to get clogged and this can eventually cause you to have a heart attack.

Oatmeal contains a lot of fiber which is necessary to reduce the bad cholesterol in the body. A dose of fiber a day decreases cholesterol and flushes out unwanted toxins in the body. 1 ½ cups of oatmeal can provide the body with 6g of fiber. Aside from the benefit, oatmeal mixed with fruits can be really delectable.

Very important for overall health and wellbeing are vegetables and legumes such as kidney beans, split peas and lentils. Fresh vegetables may be inconvenient since we all lead busier lifestyles. On the other hand, in this case, great sources of fiber, folate and antioxidant vitamins can be fresh frozen or canned vegetables for quickness. In your diet, it is also important to include plenty of orange and yellow colored fruits and vegetables. In order to naturally boost your carotenoid intake you can eat carrots, pumpkin and capsicum

One of the most well known low cholesterol foods is oatmeal. If you are looking for a food which is not only tasty, but that will also give you a jumpstart in the morning, then oatmeal is a great choice for you. It contains something called beta-glucan, which is well known for reducing cholesterol levels, and eating oats increases the soluble fiber in your diet, which is also important.



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Cholesterol is a soft, waxy fatty substance found in the bloodstream and the cells of the body. It is produced in the liver for normal body functions like formation of cell membranes, production of hormones, vitamin D and bile acid. Cholesterol is also present in the food we eat. Animal products like meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products usually contains high cholesterol levels compared to fish while on the other hand, plant products like fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds and the like contains no cholesterol at all.

Although cholesterol is needed by our bodies to function properly, high levels of cholesterol in the blood, a condition called hypercholesterolemia is a key risk factor for developing coronary heart diseases like atherosclerosis and heart attack.

In the last few years, cholesterol has got some real bad press and publicity, but what we should know is that “CHOLESTEROL IS NOT BAD ALL BY ITSELF”. Cholesterol can be further subdivided into two types – the HDL (high density lipoproteins) and LDL (low density lipoproteins) cholesterol. HDLs are also known as the “good cholesterol” while LDL is dubbed as the “bad cholesterol”. That being said, cholesterol only takes on a bad name when you consume foods that are high in bad cholesterols or the LDLs.

If your LDL level rises out of control, that’s when plaque or fatty deposits starts to accumulate on the artery walls – leading to more pressing health problems like coronary artery diseases. You shouldn’t get rid of cholesterol in your body totally, just aim to maintain a good balance. Here are 7 natural ways to help you achieve your goal:



Consume more fiber. Eating a lot of soluble fibers like those found in barley, wheat and oats greatly helps in lowering cholesterol levels in the body.

Spice up your food. Studies shows that spices like chilies and hot peppers which contains capsaicin and garlic have beneficial effect in lowering cholesterol levels in the body. Half raw onion per day also increases HDL by 30% and including raw garlic in your diet decreases LDL levels.

Achieve/Maintain an ideal weight. If you are obese or overweight, you definitely have high level of cholesterol compared to others. You should lose weight and consume less high-glycemic foods such as refined grains. These foods raise the insulin level in the blood which then fuels and fires up our body’s cholesterol making machines.

Get moving. Regular exercises are proven to be the most effective way to lower LDLs and boost up HDLs in the body.

Stop smoking. If you are a smoker, you should consider stopping now! Smoking for a fact worsens high cholesterol levels in the body.

Drink red wine or orange juice everyday. It is believed that drinking orange juice increases HDL level by approximately 21% due to presence of flavonoids. On the other hand, red wine is rich in antioxidants which can reduce damage due to oxidation.

Consider herbal/natural/nutritional supplements. Herbal and natural supplements like guggulipid, fish oil supplement, policosanol, red yeast rice, psyllium, grapefruit pectin, flax seed and garlic are clinically proven to lower LDL cholesterol levels.





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