Eating Foods to Avoid High Cholesterol is Easier Then You Think

Cholesterol over the years has gotten a bad name and most people view it as something that must be avoided and eliminated completely from their lives. What most people fail to realize because of the misinformation they've been fed is that cholesterol is a necessary nutrient that our bodies use to produce everything from cell walls to hormones. It is much like anything else, in moderation it is not a "bad" thing and if you know the foods to avoid high cholesterol it is easy to keep your levels under control.

Cholesterol itself is a waxy substance that circulates through the bloodstream and can be found in all your bodily cells. Most of it is actually made by the body in the liver while the rest we get from the foods you eat. It is when you overindulge in the wrong types of foods that high blood cholesterol levels can occur raising the risk of heart disease and stroke.

The other thing you need to know is that there are two types of cholesterol: HDL, or high density lipoprotein, cholesterol and LDL, or low density lipoprotein, cholesterol. LDL is considered bad and is the primary reason for the health risks associated with cholesterol. HDL on the other hand is considered good and is responsible for filtering LDL out of the blood stream back to the liver where it can be excreted from the body.

The problem most people have when it comes to maintaining the proper amounts of LDL and HDL cholesterol in their bloodstream is through diet. The so called "western diet and lifestyle" that predominates in our culture has lead to this growing problem. The growth of the "fast food lifestyle" both at home and eating out is a direct cause of rising cholesterol levels.

This is a problem that can be readily dealt with by eating a healthy diet of foods to avoid high cholesterol. Fruits, vegetables, whole grain high fiber foods, and certain seafood's are all good places to start in the fight against high cholesterol. These foods either contain no cholesterol, help remove it from you body (fiber), or they help raise the levels of good HDL cholesterol as is the case of omega-3 containing seafood's such as salmon.

Foods to avoid that are high in cholesterol include red meats and dairy products. This does not mean you cannot eat these foods but if you wish to lower cholesterol levels then these must be eaten in moderation and choose only lean cuts of meat and low fat dairy products. It is also important to avoid and eliminate sources of saturated fats and transfats from your diet. In studies these two fats have been shown to increase LDL cholesterol levels more then even cholesterol containing foods.

All it really takes when considering which foods to avoid high cholesterol is some up front research. There is a wealth of information available from your doctor, nutritionists, and on the internet that can help you make good choices going forward as you work to lower your cholesterol.

If high cholesterol is affecting your health and you want to do something about it but aren't sure where to start please visit the website lower-cholesterol.health-choices-net.com Lowering Cholesterol by Clicking Here.