Did you know that you can lower your cholesterol just by making small changes in the foods you eat? If you can lower your cholesterol level even as little as one percent with dietary changes, you will have succeeded in lowering your risk for heart disease and heart attack by two percent. That's double the success as a reward for a few simple changes.
How do you go about starting a cholesterol conscious diet? It may seem like it requires a lot of time and effort, and great attention to detail, but it really doesn't. Making better choices with the food you already eat is the first big step. Do you love casseroles, cakes and pies? Change a few ingredients and go for smaller portions and you can still include them in your diet. Do you love sodas and coffee? Opt for diet, caffeine free sodas and coffee without cream and sugar and they can stick around too. What about that after work drink? Change it to light beer or red wine and you can still enjoy your relaxation ritual with less strain on your system.
Making a casserole heart healthy and low cholesterol sounds hard, but it's easy. Let's say you enjoy a tuna casserole made the traditional way, with cream of chicken and celery soups, potato chips and cheese. Next time you are in the store look for low fat or fat free versions of the cream of celery and cream of chicken soups. Grab a low sodium, fat free can of chicken broth, and substitute that for half of the usual amount of cream soups. Use whole wheat or no yolk egg noodles instead of regular flour based pasta. Choose light tuna. Substitute a nut like almonds for the potato chips so that you get the crunch without the oil-fried food. Add in a little low fat cheese and you're all set for dinner with a healthier version of a family favorite!
The hardest meal to adjust for a low cholesterol or cholesterol conscious diet and lifestyle is lunch. So often we eat lunch on the go or at a desk, opting for sodium filled sandwiches or fatty restaurant take out because we don't have time to stop and make something healthy. You can beat the odds at lunch by preparing a healthier lunch the night before and taking it to work with you, avoiding the temptation of take out, prepackaged foods or vending machines. Pack a fruit, already cut into bite sized pieces or wedges so you can eat it on the go. A half sandwich on whole grain bread is a good option, too, especially with a little soup or other healthy alternative. Munchies for the rest of the day, like celery sticks or carrots, will keep you away from the snack machines. A bottle of juice or water will keep you away from sticky sweet sodas.
Making simple changes like that hasn't taken any more time than walking down the produce aisle instead of the prepared foods aisles, and a few minute the night before to chop some fruits and vegetables. It may seem like it costs more to eat healthy at the grocery store, but what you save by not getting take out every day makes up the difference. Besides that, what you gain in health (and possibly lose in weight) makes it all worthwhile. So go ahead - makes some changes in your diet and routine and increase your chance for health.
Jim Olio is the webmaster for ldlheartdisease.com/loweringcholesterollevelsbydieting.html ldlheartdisease.com/loweringcholesterollevelsbydieting.html which provides information on the best foods to eat, cholesterol and The Mediterranean Diet
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