Dealing with High Cholesterol?

If you have been told by your healthcare provider you have high cholesterol, you probably have also been told you will need to watch your diet. The best way to do this is to consume foods that can help lower your LDLs, which are the harmful cholesterol-carrying particles that contribute to artery-clogging atherosclerosis.

Scientists explain how different foods can help in different ways to achieve this purpose. One type is food containing “soluble fiber, which binds cholesterol and its precursors in the digestive system and drags them out of the body before they get into circulation.” Other foods known to be beneficial for lowering LDLs are polyunsaturated fats, and foods with sterols and stanols, which have been shown to absorb cholesterol.

For 1 to 2 grams of soluble fiber, start your day with a bowl of hot oatmeal or a cold oat-based cereal. Later meals can include barley, whole grains or beans to provide additional soluble fiber. Nutritionists say most Americans only get around half the amount of daily fiber they need (guidelines recommend 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day, and at least 5 to 10 grams coming from soluble fiber).

Nuts are known to help lower LDLs as well as provide other benefits to the heart. Oils like safflower, sunflower, olive and peanut contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that help to lower "bad" LDL cholesterol and raise "good" HDL cholesterol. Eating fatty fish once or twice a week such as salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel, which are loaded with LDL-boosting saturated fats and LDL-lowering omega-3 fats, help reduce triglycerides in the bloodstream.

*Be sure to consult with your physician regarding your diet and other healthcare issues.

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