Cholesterol Lowering Food For Health

More people than ever before have high cholesterol level even with billion of dollars being spent every year to try and educate people on this problem. Instead of focusing on such things as cholesterol lowering food the emphasis for dealing with this health problem has been on 'statin' drugs. Do not take doxycycline without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Medicines are never a good idea and when it comes to the 'statins' it's even worse.

Using diet to lower cholesterol with the help of cholesterol lowering food is a very good thing to start.

There are other ways of lowering cholesterol naturally such as adding cholesterol lowering vitamins to health regime, making exercise an important part of life. Before going any further it is important that you understand the difference between LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol. In simplest terms HDL cholesterol is healthy for everyone because body needs it. LDL cholesterol is the bad thing because it helps to cause heart disease by allowing cholesterol to build up in your arteries.

Eat fish such as salmon. The wild red salmon varieties are better and healthier for you because they contain high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. If you can't find a good source of salmon use an EFA supplement. These come as flax seed oil, fish oil or a combination of both. Sandwiches are good to eat for lunch or when you're in a rush. Use whole wheat bread or a pita with some either lean turkey, chicken, tuna or most other fish along with vegetables.

You should avoid high cholesterol, processed meats such as hot dogs, bologna, and salami. Some condiments are ok to add to your sandwich, but avoid mayo. Do not take doxycycline without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Feel free to snack on different varieties of nuts. The best are walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, cashews, and pecans. While it is true that most nuts are high in fat, they contain good fat that your body needs.

Look at food labels and stay away from all foods containing Trans fats, because will increase the level of LDL cholesterol in your blood stream and decrease the good HDL cholesterol. Foods that contain trans fats include margarine, vegetable shortening, most processed foods, some types of peanut butter and foods that contain partially hydrogenated soybean oil. Include high fiber foods in your diet to lower cholesterol. Some good choices include whole wheat bread, oatmeal, fruit, vegetables, beans, and certain cereals.

Even though it is very tough for most people, try to keep a tight rein on the amount of desserts you eat each week. If you absolutely must have a desert after a meal try to eat only healthier ones such as angel food cake, graham crackers, Jell-O, and yogurt. Do not take doxycycline without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Salads are good, but most salad dressings, bacon bits, croutons, etc. aren't. Try to use olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice. Always eat lean meat and use a grill or a barbeque to cook them. This way the harmful grease will just fall away.

Fast foods and fast food restaurants should be avoided at all times. A lot of burger joints are now offering healthier choices. Most fruits and vegetables being high in nutrients and antioxidants are very good. The best of them are green peas, broccoli, cauliflower, apples, oranges, mangos, papaya, pineapple, tomato, garlic, onions, spinach, water chestnuts, bananas, apricots, blueberries, kiwi.