Should your doctor decide that it is time to check your cholesterol, he or she will send you for a blood test, and then wait for the cholesterol results and numbers to come back. Plan to spend a little discussing these numbers with your doctor, asking about how you can improve them if that is in fact needed, and find out what your risk is for heart disease.
If your cholesterol numbers are not acceptable, your doctor may suggest that you take prescription drugs to get your cholesterol numbers in a better range as soon as possible. If you do not do this it could lead to heart disease, so take seriously the medical advice you are given.
Now, if your numbers are acceptable, your doctor may just encourage you to improve your diet, moving to a low cholesterol diet, and does not contain many foods of high cholesterol on a regular basis.
Once you are aware of the foods that are good and bad for you, then switching to low cholesterol foods should not be a problem, especially since you know that once you are eating better, your heart health is going to be improving, and your risk of heart problems will be getting lower.
This is exactly what you want, a strong heart. But along with the avoidance of a high cholesterol diet, you should also be exercising, may be four days a week going for a brisk 30 minute walk, as this will help your fitness level, and your overall health.
So, if you are to eat low cholesterol foods , what does that mean you will be consuming, and what foods should you not eat? It is necessary to avoid an excess of animal products, this means red meats should be consumed in moderation, with only the leanest cuts of meat being considered. Egg yolks are also high in cholesterol, but the egg whites are good for you, so think about moving over to egg white products rather than complete eggs.
On the list of not recommended is butter, as it is an animal product, so if you still want to in oil, think about using olive oil, especially virgin olive oil. This is less processed than light olive oil which is so called just because it is lighter in color, not lighter in calories.
Oat meal and oat bran is good for you to eat, and is a great breakfast food. It gives your body soluble fibre, which is also found in apples, pears and barley.
Legumes, such as dried peas, dried beans and lentils are good for you, because not only do they provide you with soluble fibre, but they also contain plant protein, which is good for the growth of tendons and muscles, as well as good for internal organs, blood, hair and bones, too.
There are obviously a lot more foods that could be mentioned for a low cholesterol diet, but I am running out of space here. The important thing is to start bringing down your cholesterol now, so that you are not at risk of heart disease or strokes. But of course, the choice is yours, reduce your cholesterol now, or have the threat of heart attacks and strokes in your future.
Tags: calories, cholesterol, high cholesterol foods, low cholesterol foods, low fat diets, Recipes