Thursday, December 1, 2011

How To Use Your Diet To Control Your Cholesterol

By Ian Tate


Do you like fatty foods? If you do, then you just might be a candidate for heart problems. Medical studies tell us that heart attacks and coronary heart disease are results of elevated cholesterol levels. For that reason, people with cholesterol levels that are above the norm should protect themselves from suffering any form of degenerative disease by lowering their blood cholesterol. This can be done by having a low-cholesterol diet and exercising regularly. If diagnosed with high cholesterol levels, there is also medication that can help in controlling cholesterol levels.

Having an excess of cholesterol in the blood is suggested by medical experts as the number one cause of hypertension, and heart disease. In general, the concept that cholesterol is harmful for the body is definitely a false impression. Cholesterol is actually an important part of the metabolism of the body. It is an important substance in the formation of cell membranes and produces vitamin D among other hormones in our body. However, an increase in cholesterol levels may damage our entire physical condition. For this reason, controlling cholesterol is important.

Most doctors tell their patients who suffer from high cholesterol to lower their cholesterol level. This can be achieved by following a diet that is low in fat. Watch out for foods that are high in cholesterol and fats; adding non-fat and low-fat foods to the diet also helps. Exercising regularly can also lower blood cholesterol levels. Doctors will sometimes prescribe medication to help keep cholesterol levels under control.

So what kind of dietary practice should you have?

First of all, have a diet low in fat and cholesterol. Here are some tried-and-tested tips in maintaining a healthy heart.

Don't eat too much. Eating too much can cause you weight gain.

Avoid fatty foods.

You should also avoid sweets, especially pastries, which are high in saturated fat.

Add more vegetables to you diet. Vegetables contain vitamins and minerals, which are cholesterol-lowering elements.

Incorporate more fiber into your diet. Fiber decreases cholesterol levels.

Be more active.

You can go to a physician to get more advice on how to control cholesterol. He or she may need to prescribe medications to lower your cholesterol.

You can boost your health by having good eating habits. And so, controlling cholesterol through diet really makes a difference to your whole wellbeing.

If you have high cholesterol, you should consult your primary care physician prior to making any changes in your diet or lifestyle.




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