When you take a bite of a fast food hamburger, the first thought that goes through your mind is probably not centered on health. However, you might want to reconsider your eating habits if you’ve just been told by your doctor that you have high cholesterol.
It seems impossible to eat what you want and live a healthy life. It seems impossible because your taste buds are trained to react to what you are used to eating. If your hamburger is processed and high in cholesterol, eating a veggie burger just won’t be the same. That is until your body adapts to its new pallet.
If you have high cholesterol, it’s time for a change. While you might enjoy your processed food, and let’s face it, who doesn’t? It’s time to make sacrifices. Don’t clog your arteries, cleanse your body. When you do, you’ll love the new foods you can eat and you’ll definitely feel the effects. It’s a much more enjoyable life to live!
Here are five of the best foods to lower your cholesterol.
How do you start your mornings? Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Start your morning off right with a high-fiber food. Choose from oatmeal, oat bran, or another low-density lipoprotein reducer. LDL is what is known as the bad cholesterol. Because oatmeal has soluble fiber in it, the LDL is lowered. For lunch and dinner add soluble fiber to your meal. Choose from kidney beans, apples, pears, prunes, and barley. All of these soluble fibers reduce the cholesterol absorption from your bloodstream.
Eating a balanced diet can improve your health in a number of ways. When you are looking to lower your cholesterol, the focus of your diet should be choosing heart healthy alternatives.
Fish and omega-3 fatty acids are healthy alternatives to foods high in cholesterol. Fatty fish helps your hearts and reduced blood pressure. You should eat at least two servings of fish each week. Fish with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids include halibut, mackerel, salmon, lake trout, albacore tuna, herring, and sardines. When you cook your fish, be sure to grill or bake instead of frying. Other foods high in omega-3 fatty acids are ground flaxseed and canola oil.
When you want a healthy snack, walnuts, almonds, and other nuts are the perfect choice. Reducing blood cholesterol, these nuts keep your blood vessels healthy. Nuts such as walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pecans, hazelnuts, and pistachio nuts can reduce the risk of heart disease. When choosing nuts to get, avoid salted and sugar coated options. Because nuts have a lot of calories, portion control is important. Grab a handful to avoid overeating.
To ensure that you are making the most out of your meals, it is essential to eat heart healthy foods as alternatives to fatty foods. Eating lean meats, cutting back on total fat, and reducing your cholesterol intake are all imperative. Change your diet and start exercising. You’ll love the energy you get from a healthy lifestyle.
