What Do You need To Know About Cholesterol?

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 numbers for your cholesterol to come back. You would do well to spend a few minutes discussing these results with your doctor, covering 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 help get your cholesterol levels in a better range as quickly as possible. If you do not do this it could lead to heart attacks, so consider carefully the medical advice you are given.

Now, if your numbers are reasonable, your doctor may just suggest that you improve your diet, switching to one that is low cholesterol, and hardly contains high cholesterol foods regularly.

Once you are aware of the foods that you should and should not be eating, then switching to good foods should not be a problem, especially since you know that once you are eating better, your heart health is going to be improving, and your risk of heart problems will be falling.

This is precisely what you want, a strong heart. But along with the avoidance of a high cholesterol diet, you should also be exercising, may be every other day going for a brisk walk for about 30 minutes, as this will help your fitness level, and your overall health.

So, if you are to eat foods that are low in cholesterol , what does that mean you will be eating, and what foods should you not eat? It is necessary to avoid an excess of animal products, this means red meats should be eaten in moderation, with only the leanest cuts of meat being considered. Egg yolks are also high in cholesterol, but the egg whites are good for you, 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 called that just because it is lighter in color, not lighter in calories.

Oat meal and oat bran is good for you to eat, and is a great way to start your day. It gives your body soluble fibre, which is also found in apples, pears and barley.

Dried peas, beans and lentils, otherwise called legumes 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 internal organs, blood, hair and bones, too.

There are obviously many more foods that could be mentioned for a diet low in cholesterol, but there is limited space here. The important thing is to start bringing down your cholesterol now, so that you are not at risk of heart disease or strokes. But of course, the decision is yours, reduce your cholesterol now, or have the threat of heart attacks and strokes in your future.