There are many ways to maintain a normal cholesterol level. A person who has high cholesterol will not "feel" any differently than a person with normal cholesterol, however having high cholesterol is very dangerous. Taking a few steps to keep cholesterol normal will benefit your body and overall health.
Diet plays an important role in a person's overall health. In additional to getting important vitamins and nutrients that help the body to function effectively, the diet can be used to maintain cholesterol at normal levels. There are some foods that are more effective in reducing cholesterol than others. Besides making a person gain weight, fatty foods also cause many other physical issues including high cholesterol.
It is never too early to begin taking steps to keep your cholesterol levels normal. The easiest way to maintain good cholesterol levels is with diet and exercise. If you are overweight, losing from five to ten pounds will often reduce or eliminate high cholesterol. There are some foods that will also help you to maintain normal cholesterol levels.
Ten grams of soluble fiber each day significantly reduces bad cholesterol levels and maintains healthy cholesterol. This is very easy when you consider the foods that contain soluble fiber. Eating one and one-half cups of cooked oatmeal each day provides you with six grams of soluble fiber. By adding fruit, such as bananas, you are adding four more grams of fiber.
Other sources of soluble fiber are Apples, pears, psyllium, prunes and kidney beans. There are many other foods that also are high in soluble fiber. Eating these foods reduces absorption of cholesterol in your intestines and is a great way to eat healthy.
Walnuts, almonds, and other nuts are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Nuts have a lot of calories in them but eating just 1.5 ounces, about a handful of nuts a day, reduces cholesterol and also the risk of heart disease. One way to be sure that you are getting the amount of nuts you need without over eating is to get the small packages like those used on airlines. These make a great morning snack instead of the usual donut that people have.
Sterols and Stanols have been found to reduce cholesterol by as much as 10%. Many juices and yogurts now have these plant extracts in them. Drinking two 8oz glasses of orange juice fortified with Sterols or Stanols per day is all you need to block the absorption of cholesterol in your system.
There are many other healthy ways to maintain a normal cholesterol level. Planning your diet around healthy foods that are low in saturated and transfat oils, and high in healthy foods, will help you to maintain a healthy lifestyle and low cholesterol.
Kenn Fong,
The thecholesterolscoop.com Cholesterol Scoop
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