Everyone knows that cholesterol is
a serious health issue in today’s
world. High levels of cholesterol in the blood can lead to
a variety of serious illnesses, including high blood pressure,
heart disease
and stroke. Cholesterol does its damage by causing buildups
of plaque to stick to the interior walls of arteries. This
can lead
to decreased blood flow, blood clots and strokes.
Getting cholesterol under control, therefore, is an important
part of any smart health strategy. While there are a number of
excellent drugs on the market for lowering cholesterol, they can
have a number of serious side effects, and in some people they
can be quite dangerous to use.
The natural approach to cholesterol
The best strategy, therefore, is to prevent cholesterol problems
the natural way. The best way to prevent high cholesterol, or
treat it when it happens, naturally, is to change your diet to
include less fat and more fiber.
The nutritional approach to lowering cholesterol in the blood
is one of the most effective, and certainly one of the safest.
In addition, a diet designed to lower cholesterol has many other
benefits as well. For instance those people who cut back on the
amount of fat in their diet to control cholesterol levels often
find themselves losing weight and gaining muscle without even trying.
That is because cutting fat almost always means a reduction in
calorie intake.
The importance of diet
One of the best ways of lowering cholesterol by eating healthier
is to pay close attention to the fat content of the meats you
serve. There are many excellent lean cuts of meat on the market,
and this trend is likely to continue as more and more people
seek to control the amount of fat and cholesterol in their diets.
Even traditionally fatty meats like pork and beef can be found
in lean cuts, so it is important to seek them out.
In addition, meats can be made even more heart friendly by asking
the butcher at your local supermarket to trim the excess fat before
you buy the meat. After all, you will be trimming that fat at home
anyway; why pay for something you will just throw away. Lowering
cholesterol by eating healthier can mean you save money as well
as possibly your life.
Egg substitutes are another key element of lowering cholesterol
by eating healthier. While eggs are rich in a number of important
nutrients, including protein, egg yolks are also loaded with cholesterol.
While those with high cholesterol can still enjoy an occasional
omelet, egg substitutes can provide all the benefits of eggs without
the fat and cholesterol.
Fresh fish is another important dietary element for those lowering
cholesterol by eating healthier. Fish is naturally high in protein,
and most forms of fish are very low in fat as well. By adding fish
to your diet on a regular basis, you will be able to lower the
fat and cholesterol in your diet without sacrificing the taste
you crave.
In addition, fish also contain vital omega-3 fatty acids. These
essential fatty acids help to lower the levels of cholesterol in
the blood, and it is even thought they may be able to reverse some
of the damage done by cholesterol. The presence of omega-3 fatty
acids is but one more reason that fish is essential to lowering
cholesterol by eating healthier.
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