High cholesterol poses a severe health threat to millions of Americans, as this plays a significant role in the advancement of cardiovascular and heart disease. Luckily, this is a treatable health issue that can get managed by medication and diet.
High cholesterol poses a severe health threat to millions of Americans, as this plays a significant role in the advancement of cardiovascular and heart disease. Luckily, this is a treatable health issue that can get managed by medication and diet.
Cholesterol is a compound only found in animal products, and some animal food products contain higher levels of this compound than other products.
If you are one of more than 100 million people over the age of in the US with total cholesterol levels at or above 200 mg/dL, or you want to keep your healthy cholesterol levels in check, these diet plans can prove helpful to achieve your goals.
Following a vegetarian lifestyle helps to reduce cholesterol levels. This type of eating style is interesting because there are a few different styles to follow. However, they may still contain some cholesterol.
Lacto-Vegetarian - Includes the consumption of dairy products including milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter. Meat, poultry, eggs, fish, and products that contain these foods are not part of this eating style.
Ovo-Vegetarian - When following an Ovo-vegetarian lifestyle, eating eggs is OK. However, meat, poultry, fish, and seafood are prohibited.
Pescatarian - Pescatarian lifestyle include eating fish or seafood and prohibit the consumption of poultry, meat, eggs, and dairy.
Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian - A Lacto-Ovo vegetarian lifestyle excludes the consumption of meat and poultry, dairy and eggs are allowed.
Regardless of which vegetarian lifestyle you follow, you are likely to decrease your overall cholesterol levels substantially by just cutting back on fatty, cholesterol-rich foods in your eating habits.
The vegan lifestyle is the strictest of all vegetarian-style ways of living, as the consumption of meat, dairy, eggs, and poultry, as well as any products, made with these items, isn't allowed.
A flexitarian lifestyle is exactly what you might expect. A flexible lifestyle that promotes eating a limited amount of meat, poultry, and fish in addition to eating healthy foods such as vegetables, whole grains, and fruits is key to this HDL/LDL cutting approach to dieting.
Sometimes referred to as the Sonoma Diet, this dieting approach focuses on consuming foods that are abundant in the Mediterranean region, including fish, lean meats, legumes, and fresh vegetables.
The DASH diet is approved by the American Heart Association as an approach to lower HDL/LDL levels. People following this eating plan consume plenty of nutritious foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables.
With the costs for statins, the medicine used to treat high cholesterol ranging anywhere from $36 to more than $600 per month, taking steps to lower your HDL/LDL levels naturally through diet makes a lot of sense.
People who follow a controlled diet can see drops to their HDL/LDL levels as quickly as three weeks, which is pretty amazing. A healthy lifestyle and eating approaches can help you not only save your money but save your life.
If you aren't ready to prescribe to one set way of eating, you also have the option to make slight adjustments to your diet. Foods you should consider limiting or eliminating from your eating plan include:
Beef cuts with high-fat levels including New York strip steak, ribeye steak, skirt steak, ground beef, prime rib, and Delmonico steak.
While delicious, bacon contains a lot of fat, sodium and cholesterol. All of these components are unhealthy for people with high cholesterol. Nitrate, a component linked to cancer risks, is commonly used as an additive to cured bacon, which is worth noting.
The argument about whether eggs are good or bad for you has waged on for years. Without taking sides on either view, the truth is that eggs contain high amounts of HDL/LDL.
Poultry, particularly with skin, has high cholesterol. While chicken often gets promoted as a healthier alternative to red meat, it still is still high per serving.
Much like bacon, cheese can be quite addictive and contains significant levels of cholesterol and is a high-calorie food. Some smoked cheeses could contain nitrates for flavoring or preservatives.
Saturated fats, trans fats, and animal fats such as butter, lard, and shortenings all contain high-levels of damaging cholesterol. Lowering your intake of these kinds of fats can significantly decrease your LDL and HDL levels quickly.
Now that you've learned about the different diets worth considering, and foods you should avoid when experiencing high cholesterol, here are some of the foods you should add more of to your diet to help improve your cardiovascular and heart health.
Whole grains including barley, quinoa, whole wheat, and oats provide protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber. They are filling and wholesome and a great staple at mealtime. If possible, choose bread and pasta that use these ingredients over standard white flour.
Legumes, including kidney beans, baked beans, lentils, and chickpeas are an excellent dietary choice for people with high HDL/LDL, and they contain high protein and soluble fiber.
The consumption of tree nuts such as almonds can improve readings and lower the risk of heart attack or cardiovascular disease. Ideally, nuts can get eaten whole or turned into a creamy natural butter by using a food processor in your home.
The only way to find out what your HDL/LDL levels are is by getting them tested by your primary care physician. The American Heart Association recommends all people over age 20 check their cholesterol every four to six years.
Ideally, this check should get conducted by your primary care physician to ensure accuracy. However, the introduction of at-home testing kits empowers you to check your HDL/LDL levels from the privacy of your home, anytime you want.
For people who are taking steps to control their diet and reduce their HDL/LDL, these at-home test kits are convenient. Often, people can use their insurance or flexible spending accounts to cover the costs and expenses of these kits, and test results are available almost instantly. However, there is always some margin for error in at-home testing.
For more accurate results, getting your HDL/LDL tested by your doctor or a healthcare professional is recommended. In some cases, you may have to fast (not eat food) for a short time ahead of the lipoprotein profile, a simple blood test. Once tested, it could take anywhere from three to five days for the doctor to get your results.
You don't have to live with unhealthy HDL/LDL if you don't want to. If you are concerned about your cardiovascular or heart health, you can take action today to significantly reduce health risks.
Before starting any diet plan, fitness, and exercise program, you should always talk to your doctor or health care professional first. Your healthcare professional offers guidance and advice on what approach is safest and most effective for you based on your health history.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional consultation or advice related to your health or finances. No reference to an identifiable individual or company is intended as an endorsement thereof. Some or all of this article may have been generated using artificial intelligence, and it may contain certain inaccuracies or unreliable information. Readers should not rely on this article for information and should consult with professionals for personal advice.