Latest statistics reveal an alarming fact. More and more younger people are taking drugs to lower their cholesterol. High cholesterol is blamed for heart disease, high blood pressure and strokes. These figures also indicate that the obesity epidemic is showing no signs of abating.
One usually thinks that cholesterol lowering drugs are taken by older people but the dramatic increase in the younger age group 20 - 44 is causing some concern. The increase in this age group has spiked by 70% in the last five years. It could be that younger people have fewer problems in taking drugs for this condition, but the fact remains that high cholesterol is a major health issue.
Statins are the most common cholesterol lowering drug on the market to-day. They work by inhibiting the formation of cholesterol early on by producing receptors which can clean the cholesterol from the blood before it starts depositing plaque in the arteries. Many people worry that the side effects of these drugs are potentially damaging and if you are one of those people, you may want to solve your cholesterol problem by just adopting a healthier diet. I outline below my favourite top four foods which have been proved to lower cholesterol.
Top of my list is fish, especially the high fat fish such as wild salmon, trout, herring and mackerel. These fish contain a fatty acid which is known as Omega-3. This type of fat has been shown to lower cholesterol as evidenced by all the studies that have been done on the Eskimos who are great fish eaters. Their lower levels of heart disease and cholesterol have always fascinated researchers and we now know that the answer is in their diet.
Tomatoes are second on my list because they contain lycopene. This substance prevents the oxidation of LDL (bad cholesterol) before it can start causing damage. Research has shown that lycopene has a role in lowering this type of cholesterol so include plenty of tomatoes in your diet, preferably cooked.
Soy comes third for me, mainly because it contains heaps of vitamins and minerals and it is a great source of low-fat protein so it saves me eating red meat or eggs to get that protein. Actually as regards blood pressure and cholesterol, the American Heart Association found that the effect was minimal. It is still in my top four foods because the nutrients I have listed above.
Nuts are getting a much better press these days and no wonder. They have lots of fat but of the good kind, ie.unsaturated, so you have to watch how many you eat. They say that a handful a day will be enough. They have actually been shown to reduce cholesterol and they are also full of antioxidants not to mention Vitamin E, folic acid and magnesium. I eat them all, walnuts, peanuts and cashews. Almonds get the first prize in that they have lots of calcium and potassium. Nuts have actually been shown to help you lose weight because their fibre makes you feel full so you tend to feel less hungry!
Most of these foods I have outlined above are in the Mediterranean Diet which has been the object of much research around the world. Researchers have found that this diet is a great help in reducing high cholesterol and heart disease. Cancer rates and number of heart attacks are much lower in Mediterranean countries and this is due, they say, to their diet.
Are you concerned that cholesterol lowering drugs are bad for you? A healthy diet could be the answer:- usfreeads.com/933731-cls.html usfreeads.com/933731-cls.html Robert Locke is an Internet Marketer specializing in Health, Wellness and Fitness. For Breaking News on the Wellness Front, visit his blog on :- thewellnessbible.blogspot.com thewellnessbible.blogspot.com
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