Should your doctor decide that it is time to check your cholesterol, he or she will send you for a blood test, and then wait for the results of the cholesterol test to come back. Plan to spend a little discussing these numbers with your doctor, asking about how you can improve them if that is in fact needed, and ask what your risk is for heart disease.
If your cholesterol numbers are not acceptable, your doctor may recommend that you take prescription medications to get your cholesterol numbers in a better range as quickly as possible. If you do not do this it could lead to strokes, so take seriously the medical advice you are given.
Now, if your numbers are reasonable, your medical practitioner may just encourage you to improve your diet, switching to one that is low cholesterol, and does not contain many foods of high cholesterol regularly.
Once you are aware of the foods that are good and bad for you, then switching to low cholesterol foods should not be a problem, especially since you know that once you are eating better, your heart health is going to be improving, and your risk of heart problems will be getting less.
This is exactly what you need, a healthy heart. But along with the low cholesterol diet, you need to be exercising, may be four days a week going for a brisk walk for about 30 minutes, as this will help your fitness level, and your overall health.
So, if you are to eat low cholesterol foods , what does that mean you will be consuming, and what foods should you avoid? It is good to avoid an excess of animal products, this means red meats should be eaten in moderation, with only the leanest cuts of meat being considered. Egg yolks are also high in cholesterol, but the egg whites are good for you, so think about switching to egg white products rather than whole eggs.
On the list of not recommended is butter, as it is derived from an animal, so if you still want to in oil, think about using olive oil, especially virgin olive oil. This is less processed than light olive oil which is so called just because it is lighter in color, not lighter in calories.
Oat bran and oatmeal is good for you to eat, and is a great way to start your day. It provides you with soluble fibre, which is also found in barley, pears and apples.
Pulses, or legumes, or dried peas, dried beans and lentils are good for you, because not only do they provide you with soluble fibre, but they also contain non-animal protein, which is good for the growth of tendons and muscles, as well as good for healthy blood, bones, hair and internal organs too.
Naturally, there are many more foods that contribute to a diet low in cholesterol, but there is limited space here. What is important is to start lowering your cholesterol now, so that you are not at risk of heart disease or strokes. But of course, this is entirely up to you, reduce your cholesterol now, or be at risk for strokes and heart attacks in your future.
Tags: calories, cholesterol, high cholesterol foods, low cholesterol foods, low fat diets, recipes