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This is a sensitive topic for me ever since my father passed away July 12th, 2012. My father passed away at a young age of 65 from a sudden heart attack. I know that he was diabetic for sometime and had high cholestrol. Although he never shared with me his medical condition, I do remember seeing books on this shelf about how to reduce his cholestrol level and blood sugar levels. Unfortunately he didnt take care of his health like he should have which caused him to pass away at such a young age. You see, what good is it to be fabulously rich financially, but be spiritually, physically, and emotionally poor? What good is it if your networth is $10 million dollars, but you only have 6 months to live due to cancer? What I realize is that we come into this world with empty hands and we will also leave this world with empty hands. There is no dress rehearsal to life and we are all given just one life. We might as well do the best we can with the one precious life that is given to us all.
Although I am far from being a health expert, I will share with you guys what I do know. You need check for your blood sugar level (Hemogloblin A1C). The normal range is between 4.8% - 5.6%. If you are at 5.7% or above, you are now entering in the pre-diabetes stage and if you continue down this lifestyle and blood sugar % increases, your will enter into stage one diabetes. If you are at the pre-diabetes stages, try your best to make some drastic lifestyle changes by excercising more and eating healthier. Perhaps you choose to eat more fish and less red meat. Perhaps you choose not to eat at fast food restaurants as much and add more vegetables and fruits to your diet. Perhaps you start to hit the gym on a regular basis.
One of my good old college buddies who is a doctor, told me that medications can help reduce your bad cholestrol, but it is tougher to do for your blood sugar levels.
LDL is what is considered bad cholesterol and HDL is what is considered good cholesterol. A healthy level of HDL is above 50 and a healthy level LDL cholesterol is below 120. Below are the 15 food recommendation that will help you stay at a healthy LDL cholesterol level. Try to make it habit to measure your progress on your fat %, A1C ( blood sugar levels), and your bad cholestrol like LDLand Triglycerides.
Below are the top 15 food that will help you reduce your Bad cholestrol. If any health specialists on Talk Irvine can chime on providing us some good health advice, please feel free to comment.
1. Oats
If you're looking to lower your cholesterol, the key may be simply changing your morning meal. Switching up your breakfast to contain two servings of oats can lower LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) by 5.3% in only 6 weeks. An easy first step to improving your cholesterol is having a bowl of oatmeal or cold oat-based cereal like Cheerios for breakfast. It gives you 1 to 2 grams of soluble fiber. Add a banana or some strawberries for another half-gram. Current nutrition guidelines recommend getting 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day, with at least 5 to 10 grams coming from soluble fiber. (The average American gets about half that amount.)
2. Red wine
Scientists are giving us yet another reason to drink to our health. It turns out that high-fiber Tempranillo red grapes, used to make red wine like Rioja, may actually have a significant effect on cholesterol levels. A study conducted by the department of metabolism and nutrition at Universidad Complutense de Madrid in Spain found that when individuals consumed the same grape supplement found in red wine, their LDL levels decreased by 9%. In addition, those who had high cholesterol going into the study saw a 12% drop in LDL.
3. Salmon & fatty fish
Omega-3 fats are one of the natural health wonders of the world and have been shown to ward off heart disease, dementia, and many other diseases. Now these fatty acids can add yet another health benefit to their repertoire: lowering cholesterol. According to research from Loma Linda University, replacing saturated fats with omega-3s like those found in salmon, sardines, and herring can raise good cholesterol as much as 4%. (Here's everything you need to know about buying the healthiest fish possible.)
4. Nuts
If you're looking to lower cholesterol levels, research shows that you should get cracking! In a study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who noshed on 1.5 ounces of whole walnuts 6 days a week for 1 month lowered their total cholesterol by 5.4% and LDL cholesterol by 9.3%. Almonds and cashews are other good options. However, while nuts are heart healthy, they're also high in calories, so practice portion control?1.5 ounces is about a shot glass and a half. Use a shot glass to measure out your portion so you can see exactly how it looks. A bushel of studies shows that eating almonds, walnuts, peanuts, and other nuts is good for the heart. Eating 2 ounces of nuts a day can slightly lower LDL, on the order of 5%. Nuts have additional nutrients that protect the heart in other ways.
5. Tea
While tea has become well known for its cancer-fighting antioxidants, it is also a great defense against LDL cholesterol levels. According to research conducted with the USDA, black tea has been shown to reduce blood lipids by up to 10% in only 3 weeks. These findings were concluded in a larger study of how tea may also help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. (Here's how to make the perfect cup of tea every time?and do it in style using this glass teapot with diffuser.)
6. Beans
Beans, beans?they really are good for your heart. Researchers at Arizona State University Polytechnic found that adding ? cup of beans to soup lowers total cholesterol, including LDL, by up to 8%. The key to this heart-healthy food is its abundance of fiber, which has been shown to slow the rate and amount of absorption of cholesterol in certain foods. Try black, kidney, or pinto beans; each supplies about one-third of your daily fiber needs.
7. Chocolate
Ah, the sweet side of a heart-healthy diet: This powerful antioxidant helps build HDL cholesterol levels. In a 2007 study published in AJCN, participants who were given cocoa powder had a 24% increase in HDL levels over 12 weeks, compared with a 5% increase in the control group. Remember to choose the dark or bittersweet kind (you can find it in these melt-in-your-mouth Organic Cacao Wafers). Compared to milk chocolate, it has more than 3 times as many antioxidants, which prevent blood platelets from sticking together and may even keep arteries unclogged.
8. Margarine
Switching to a margarine with plant sterols, such as Promise activ or Benecol, could help lower cholesterol. Plant sterols are compounds that reduce cholesterol absorption; a study published in AJCN found that women who had a higher plant sterol?based diet were able to lower total cholesterol by 3.5%.
9. Garlic
Aside from adding zing to almost any dish, garlic has been found to lower cholesterol, prevent blood clots, reduce blood pressure, and protect against infections. Now research finds that it helps stop artery-clogging plaque at its earliest stage by keeping cholesterol particles from sticking to artery walls. Try for two to four fresh cloves a day.
10. Olive Oil
Good news: This common cooking ingredient can help your health. Olive oil is full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which lower LDL cholesterol?and have the welcome side effect of trimming belly fat. Use it to make your own salad dressings, marinate chicken and fish, or roast vegetables.
11. Spinach
This popular green contains lots of lutein, the sunshine-yellow pigment found in dark green leafy vegetables and egg yolks. Lutein already has a "golden" reputation for guarding against age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness. Now research suggests that just ? cup of a lutein-rich food daily also guards against heart attacks by helping artery walls "shrug off" cholesterol invaders that cause clogging. Look for bags of baby spinach leaves that you can use for salads or pop in the microwave for a quick side dish.
12. Avocado
Avocados are a great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, a type of fat that may actually help raise HDL cholesterol while lowering LDL. And, more than any other fruit, this delectable food packs cholesterol-smashing beta-sitosterol, a beneficial plant-based fat that reduces the amount of cholesterol absorbed from food. Since avocados are a bit high in calories and fat (300 calories and 30 g fat per avocado), use them in moderation. (We suggest these 8 unique and insanely tasty avocado recipes.)
13. Barley and other whole grains. Like oats and oat bran, barley and other whole grains can help lower the risk of heart disease, mainly via the soluble fiber they deliver.
14. Apples, grapes, strawberries, citrus fruits. These fruits are rich in pectin, a type of soluble fiber that lowers LDL.
15. Soy. Eating soybeans and foods made from them, like tofu and soy milk, was once touted as a powerful way to lower cholesterol. Analyses show that the effect is more modest ? consuming 25 grams of soy protein a day (10 ounces of tofu or 2 1/2 cups of soy milk) can lower LDL by 5% to 6%.
Although I am far from being a health expert, I will share with you guys what I do know. You need check for your blood sugar level (Hemogloblin A1C). The normal range is between 4.8% - 5.6%. If you are at 5.7% or above, you are now entering in the pre-diabetes stage and if you continue down this lifestyle and blood sugar % increases, your will enter into stage one diabetes. If you are at the pre-diabetes stages, try your best to make some drastic lifestyle changes by excercising more and eating healthier. Perhaps you choose to eat more fish and less red meat. Perhaps you choose not to eat at fast food restaurants as much and add more vegetables and fruits to your diet. Perhaps you start to hit the gym on a regular basis.
One of my good old college buddies who is a doctor, told me that medications can help reduce your bad cholestrol, but it is tougher to do for your blood sugar levels.
LDL is what is considered bad cholesterol and HDL is what is considered good cholesterol. A healthy level of HDL is above 50 and a healthy level LDL cholesterol is below 120. Below are the 15 food recommendation that will help you stay at a healthy LDL cholesterol level. Try to make it habit to measure your progress on your fat %, A1C ( blood sugar levels), and your bad cholestrol like LDLand Triglycerides.
Below are the top 15 food that will help you reduce your Bad cholestrol. If any health specialists on Talk Irvine can chime on providing us some good health advice, please feel free to comment.
1. Oats
If you're looking to lower your cholesterol, the key may be simply changing your morning meal. Switching up your breakfast to contain two servings of oats can lower LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) by 5.3% in only 6 weeks. An easy first step to improving your cholesterol is having a bowl of oatmeal or cold oat-based cereal like Cheerios for breakfast. It gives you 1 to 2 grams of soluble fiber. Add a banana or some strawberries for another half-gram. Current nutrition guidelines recommend getting 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day, with at least 5 to 10 grams coming from soluble fiber. (The average American gets about half that amount.)
2. Red wine
Scientists are giving us yet another reason to drink to our health. It turns out that high-fiber Tempranillo red grapes, used to make red wine like Rioja, may actually have a significant effect on cholesterol levels. A study conducted by the department of metabolism and nutrition at Universidad Complutense de Madrid in Spain found that when individuals consumed the same grape supplement found in red wine, their LDL levels decreased by 9%. In addition, those who had high cholesterol going into the study saw a 12% drop in LDL.
3. Salmon & fatty fish
Omega-3 fats are one of the natural health wonders of the world and have been shown to ward off heart disease, dementia, and many other diseases. Now these fatty acids can add yet another health benefit to their repertoire: lowering cholesterol. According to research from Loma Linda University, replacing saturated fats with omega-3s like those found in salmon, sardines, and herring can raise good cholesterol as much as 4%. (Here's everything you need to know about buying the healthiest fish possible.)
4. Nuts
If you're looking to lower cholesterol levels, research shows that you should get cracking! In a study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who noshed on 1.5 ounces of whole walnuts 6 days a week for 1 month lowered their total cholesterol by 5.4% and LDL cholesterol by 9.3%. Almonds and cashews are other good options. However, while nuts are heart healthy, they're also high in calories, so practice portion control?1.5 ounces is about a shot glass and a half. Use a shot glass to measure out your portion so you can see exactly how it looks. A bushel of studies shows that eating almonds, walnuts, peanuts, and other nuts is good for the heart. Eating 2 ounces of nuts a day can slightly lower LDL, on the order of 5%. Nuts have additional nutrients that protect the heart in other ways.
5. Tea
While tea has become well known for its cancer-fighting antioxidants, it is also a great defense against LDL cholesterol levels. According to research conducted with the USDA, black tea has been shown to reduce blood lipids by up to 10% in only 3 weeks. These findings were concluded in a larger study of how tea may also help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. (Here's how to make the perfect cup of tea every time?and do it in style using this glass teapot with diffuser.)
6. Beans
Beans, beans?they really are good for your heart. Researchers at Arizona State University Polytechnic found that adding ? cup of beans to soup lowers total cholesterol, including LDL, by up to 8%. The key to this heart-healthy food is its abundance of fiber, which has been shown to slow the rate and amount of absorption of cholesterol in certain foods. Try black, kidney, or pinto beans; each supplies about one-third of your daily fiber needs.
7. Chocolate
Ah, the sweet side of a heart-healthy diet: This powerful antioxidant helps build HDL cholesterol levels. In a 2007 study published in AJCN, participants who were given cocoa powder had a 24% increase in HDL levels over 12 weeks, compared with a 5% increase in the control group. Remember to choose the dark or bittersweet kind (you can find it in these melt-in-your-mouth Organic Cacao Wafers). Compared to milk chocolate, it has more than 3 times as many antioxidants, which prevent blood platelets from sticking together and may even keep arteries unclogged.
8. Margarine
Switching to a margarine with plant sterols, such as Promise activ or Benecol, could help lower cholesterol. Plant sterols are compounds that reduce cholesterol absorption; a study published in AJCN found that women who had a higher plant sterol?based diet were able to lower total cholesterol by 3.5%.
9. Garlic
Aside from adding zing to almost any dish, garlic has been found to lower cholesterol, prevent blood clots, reduce blood pressure, and protect against infections. Now research finds that it helps stop artery-clogging plaque at its earliest stage by keeping cholesterol particles from sticking to artery walls. Try for two to four fresh cloves a day.
10. Olive Oil
Good news: This common cooking ingredient can help your health. Olive oil is full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which lower LDL cholesterol?and have the welcome side effect of trimming belly fat. Use it to make your own salad dressings, marinate chicken and fish, or roast vegetables.
11. Spinach
This popular green contains lots of lutein, the sunshine-yellow pigment found in dark green leafy vegetables and egg yolks. Lutein already has a "golden" reputation for guarding against age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness. Now research suggests that just ? cup of a lutein-rich food daily also guards against heart attacks by helping artery walls "shrug off" cholesterol invaders that cause clogging. Look for bags of baby spinach leaves that you can use for salads or pop in the microwave for a quick side dish.
12. Avocado
Avocados are a great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, a type of fat that may actually help raise HDL cholesterol while lowering LDL. And, more than any other fruit, this delectable food packs cholesterol-smashing beta-sitosterol, a beneficial plant-based fat that reduces the amount of cholesterol absorbed from food. Since avocados are a bit high in calories and fat (300 calories and 30 g fat per avocado), use them in moderation. (We suggest these 8 unique and insanely tasty avocado recipes.)
13. Barley and other whole grains. Like oats and oat bran, barley and other whole grains can help lower the risk of heart disease, mainly via the soluble fiber they deliver.
14. Apples, grapes, strawberries, citrus fruits. These fruits are rich in pectin, a type of soluble fiber that lowers LDL.
15. Soy. Eating soybeans and foods made from them, like tofu and soy milk, was once touted as a powerful way to lower cholesterol. Analyses show that the effect is more modest ? consuming 25 grams of soy protein a day (10 ounces of tofu or 2 1/2 cups of soy milk) can lower LDL by 5% to 6%.
