Simple Steps to Improve your Cholesterol Levels

One of the health issues that I encountered from my poor eating habits was moderately high LDL cholesterol. For my age, weight and activity level, my cholesterol should never have crept up over 200. With just a few changes, I was able to achieve the following:

Total Cholesterol dropped from 208 to 181
HDL increased from 55 to 63
LDL decreased from 132 to 99
Cholesterol/HDL Risk Ratio dropped from 3.8 to 2.9

So here are some simple things that you can apply to your lifestyle so that you can achieve similar results:

• Exercise regularly. Regular cardio-aerobic exercise can help reduce cholesterol levels, as it is essential for cardiovascular health.
  
• Make lifestyle improvements. Lose weight if you are overweight, quit smoking and normalize alcohol intake.
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet. Reduce your saturated fat intake, increase monounsaturated fat intake, and get 25-35g of fiber per day.

Dietary cholesterol does not have as much of an effect on blood cholesterol levels as was once thought. It is more important to decrease your saturated fat intake (it should make up no more than 10% of your calories each day) and increase your monounsaturated fat intake. If you ever have any specific questions about what foods you should be eating to reduce your cholesterol levels, contact your doctor and ask them to refer you to a registered dietitian.

Some great foods to eat to help reduce cholesterol intake:

• Almonds: They are high in monounsaturated fats which will increase your HDLs (good cholesterol). Just remember, they are calorie dense, so be sure to weigh out your portions.
• Oatmeal: This high-fiber treat will definitely aid you in reaching your 25-35g of fiber goal each day. Start out the morning right, with a nice big comforting bowl of this hot cereal.
• Fish: Omega-3 fatty acids are found in certain types of fish (like salmon, halibut & tuna) and are consider to be the "best" of the good fats. If you don't like fish, don't worry, get your omega-3's from flaxseed, walnuts, or even through fish-oil supplements.
• Red wine: Red wine contains flavanols, which have been proven to have anti-inflammatory benefits that help reduce cholesterol and fend off heart disease. Just remember, everything in moderation. Too much of the good stuff can turn it bad.
  
• Soy: This legume has been proven to reduce the production of new cholesterol. Soybeans, soy nuts, edamame, along with any products made from soy such as tofu & soymilk carry these benefits. If you have an increased risk of breast or prostate cancer, you may want to keep your soy consumption to a minimum. It's phyto-estrogens can act like the body's own estrogen, and feed hormone-dependent tumors.