Diet to control bad cholesterol:

I would like to know how to control bad cholesterol by diet and what food should be avoided please advice.

It is very important to know that bad cholesterol does not only mean that it is high. Bad cholesterol can also mean that it is lower than the required level. Cholesterol is a substance found in your body which is extremely essential. You may suffer from various health-related problems if you either have low blood cholesterol or high blood cholesterol. Changes in the cholesterol level are known to affect the normal functioning of the heart.

First and foremost, it is extremely important to have breakfast in the mornings. Skipping a breakfast can cause further cholesterol problems. A breakfast could consist of breakfast cereal, milk and a fruit. This is a suitable breakfast which should be consumed on a daily basis. After you are done with the breakfast, lunch should be minimum and light. Heavy meals often increase the cholesterol level. Green vegetables, rice and other nutritious foods must be consumed. It is very important to note that it is recommended to consume small portions of food all throughout the day rather consuming two main heavy meals. This is also helpful in controlling cholesterol to a great extent. A vegetable salad or sandwich is a suitable snack which can be consumed between meals. Vitamin C and vitamin A are two essential nutrients which should be taken on a daily basis. Vitamin C is mainly found in citrus fruits and carrots contain high levels of vitamin A. Supper or dinner should be the same as lunch. Garlic is known to be a natural remedy to control cholesterol. Increase the amount of garlic content in all your foods to at least 10 per cent. You can also consume the garlic cloves directly with water. It is highly advisable to eat home cooked food in order to control cholesterol.

As it is quite obvious, foods which contain high amounts of fat and oil should be strictly avoided. Meat, fish, eggs and other various food products should be avoided at all costs. Smoking and drinking are major enemies of cholesterol. If you have such habits, they should be stopped immediately. Stress also corresponds to bad cholesterol. Learn how to relax through yoga and meditation. Controlled cholesterol through diet will help you live a long and problem free life.

Cholesterol Diet Chart

Before knowing how to control cholesterol levels one should understand that there are basically two types of cholesterol. Cholesterol is required by the body in some minimal amounts to produce cell membranes and certain hormones. Most people who are diagnosed with high cholesterol levels basically suffer from this condition on account of an excessive consumption of fried food and saturated fats which tends to get accumulated in the arteries thereby narrowing the passage and the flow of blood. The two main type of good cholesterol are HDL and LDL. HDL is the good cholesterol which is required by the body as it helps in effective circulation of blood and also carries any excess cholesterol to the liver of the individual from where it can be expelled from the body. In fact it has been observed that the higher the levels of HDL in an individual the lower are the chances of the individual suffering from heart attack, strokes and heart disease. On the other hand, LDL is the bad cholesterol which is the primary culprit behind most heart related medical conditions. LDL tends to float in the blood stream of the individual and also combines with other substances present in the blood of the individual. This LDL then deposits itself on the walls of the arteries which makes it difficult for the blood to travel to the brain and the heart as the passageway of the arteries gets narrowed.

One of the ways of controlling cholesterol with diet is to reduce the consumption of fats and especially saturated fats and trans fats. While trying to learn how to control cholesterol with diet one should keep in mind that saturated fats should form not more than seven percent of one’s total calorie intake per day. To know how to control bad cholesterol levels from rising one should also be aware of the sources of saturated fats which are eggs, red meats and also full fat dairy products. Instead as part of a diet to control high cholesterol one should swap these foods with lean meats such as poultry and fish and consume skin milk rather than whole milk. A cholesterol control diet does not have to completely eliminate the intake of fats in fact one can use extra virgin olive oil which is known to be very healthy for the individual. It is advisable to have olive oil as part of a diet to control cholesterol because olive oil is known to contain a very effective mixture of various antioxidants which is extremely useful in lowering the levels of bad cholesterol. Olive oil may also be used as a salad dressing or a cooking oil rather than fat rich commercially available products. To control cholesterol through diet one should also increase the consumption of soluble fiber in their daily diet. This fiber tends to trap the cholesterol in the digestive tract itself before it actually has a chance to reach the bloodstream of the individual where it can do a lot of damage. The cholesterol thus trapped by the fiber can then be easily expelled out of the body and not given a chance to do any damage to the body. There are some of the excellent sources of fiber which should be included in the cholesterol diet. In order to know how to control cholesterol through diet one should also be aware that legumes and nuts are also an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids, In fact almonds and walnuts are known to be most popular to control cholesterol levels. These nuts and legumes are also known to be rich in bulk and fiber which is required by the body to control the levels of trigylcerides and plaque and bad cholesterol on the whole.

Along with the high cholesterol diet one should also take up some form of exercise on a daily basis. This may include going for a brisk walk or jogging or cycling, swimming and so on, one may even practice aerobics and other such cardiovascular exercises. This increase in ones physical activity levels will also result in weight loss and excessive fat which in turn will be beneficial in lowering the levels of bad cholesterol. Controlling cholesterol with diet and exercise is possible if one is consistent with both the diet and the exercise and follows them on a regular basis. The cholesterol diet chart should also include foods that help in lowering the cholesterol levels and these include beans and peas which can be safely consumed throughout the week. Additionally, one may also consumes soy products such as soy protein, tofu and soy milk which are known to be very healthy and also effective in lowering cholesterol levels. One of the techniques of controlling cholesterol with diet is to include a large serving of vegetables and fruits as part of one’s daily diet. Similarly one may also include some raw or cooked garlic in ones daily diet as it is known to lower the production of cholesterol. Some of the other foods that are known to lower the levels of bad cholesterol and that can be included in the cholesterol diet chart are dry beans, almonds, salmon, and so on.

One should try and consume foods that are rich in natural antioxidants and vitamins C & E. These include wheatgerm, melons, sunflower seeds, strawberries, peanuts and so on. Research has also shown that consumption of such foods over a period of time is known to significantly lower the levels of bad cholesterol. Hence one should always aim at increasing the consumption of dry beans, vegetables, fresh fruits and so on regularly to combat the increase of bad cholesterol. The key to knowing how to control cholesterol with diet is to find suitable healthy substitutes for the fatty foods that are being consumed. For example those who are fond of eggs may consume just the egg whites rather than the yolk of the eggs as the same are known to be high in cholesterol