When your doctor decides that it is time to test your cholesterol, he or she will send you for a blood test, and then wait for the cholesterol numbers to be reported. You would do well to spend a few minutes discussing these numbers with your doctor, asking about how you can optimize 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 drugs to get your cholesterol numbers under control as soon as possible. Not doing this could lead to strokes, so consider carefully the medical advice you are given.
Now, if your numbers are reasonable, your medical practitioner may just suggest that you improve your diet, switching to one that is low cholesterol, and hardly contains foods of high cholesterol on a regular basis.
Once you become 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 will be improving, and your risk of heart problems will be decreasing.
This is exactly what you need, a healthy heart. But along with the avoidance of a high cholesterol diet, you need to be exercising, may be four days a week going for a brisk 30 minute walk, as this will help your fitness level, and your general health.
So, if you are to consume low cholesterol foods , what does that mean you will be eating, and what foods should you not eat? It is necessary to avoid an excess of foods from animals, so things like red meats should be eaten in moderation, with only the leanest cuts of meat being considered. Egg yolks are also of high cholesterol, but the egg whites are fine, so consider switching to egg white products rather than complete 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 a good food to eat, and is also a great breakfast food. 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 a lot more foods that could be mentioned for a diet low in cholesterol, but I am running out of space here. What is important is to start reducing your cholesterol now, so that you are at lower 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