Cholesterol gets into your body from the food you eat. It is both good and bad. When at normal Cholesterol and its derivatives are important helpers for the body's cell membranes, but high concentrations in the blood (mainly derived from animal fats in the diet) are thought to promote atherosclerosis.
There are two types of cholesterol. Good (HDL) and Bad (LDL).
According to experts, as much as one-third of blood cholesterol is carried by HDL. A healthy level of HDL cholesterol helps protect against heart attack and stroke, while low levels of HDL cholesterol have been shown to increase the risk of heart disease
HDL (Good Cholesterol) is considered “good” cholesterol because it helps remove LDL cholesterol from the arteries. HDL is like a train chugging down the bloodstream finding, grabbing and carrying bad cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it is broken down and passed from the body.
LDA (Bad Cholesterol) is present in many foods such as red meat and foods fried in animal fats. LDL has a number of negative effects in the body.
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A heart attack happens when a lack of blood supply causes your heart muscle to die or incur permanent damage.
But that's not all... LDL also causes strokes and mini strokes. Many people ignore the symptoms of a mini stroke because symptoms only last 24 hours. But the big guy is coming, so it's a good idea to pay attention to these signs which are numbness, confusion, visual disturbances and loss of balance.
Symptoms of coronary artery disease to watch for are pain in your chest, abdominal area, neck, back, jaw or arm; excessive sweating, shortness of breath, blurred or loss of vision in one or both eyes; weakness and/or numbness of your arm, leg or face on one side of your body; slurring of speech; difficulty talking or understanding what others are saying; a loss of coordination; dizziness or confusion and/or trouble swallowing.
Risk Factors include family history of atherosclerosis, age, hypertension, diabetes and high LDL, the bad cholesterol.
A few simple tweaks to your diet may be enough to lower your cholesterol to a healthy level and help you stay off medications.
Cut back on foods with cholesterol and fat — especially saturated and trans fats — that you eat. Saturated fats, like those in meat, full-fat dairy products and some oils, raise your total cholesterol.
The American Heart Association’s Nutrition Committee strongly advises these fat guidelines for healthy Americans over age 2:
- Eating between 25 and 35 percent of your total daily calories as fats from foods like fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
- Limiting the amount of saturated fats you eat to less than 7 percent of your total daily calories. That means if you need about 2,000 calories a day, less than 140 calories (or 16 grams) should come from saturated fats.
- Limiting the amount of trans fats to less than 1 percent of your total daily calories. That means if you need about 2,000 calories a day, less than 20 calories (or 2 grams) should come from trans fats.
- Limiting cholesterol intake to less than 300 milligrams a day for most people.
- For good health, the majority of fats you eat should be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated.
About Fat
Fats are nutrients that provide energy. Fats have 9 calories in each gram. Fats help in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Fats are either saturated or unsaturated, and most foods with fat have both types with more of one kind than the other.
Saturated fat can raise your cholesterol. A healthy diet has less than 10% of daily calories from saturated fat.
Trans fat increases the shelf life of fat and makes the fat harder at room temperature. Trans fats, found in margarines and store-bought cookies, crackers and cakes (for example) are particularly bad for your cholesterol levels. Trans fats raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol.
It gets worse: Bad fats lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good" cholesterol. It's as if LDL, the thug, threatens your health, and then chases your body guards away.
Obviously, you want to choose food with the "HUNKY DORY, good" fat; limit "LOUSY bad" food high in saturated fat and AVOID food with trans fat.
"Good fats" are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, because they lower the risk of disease. Good fat foods include vegetable oil, such as olive oil, sunflower and canola oils, soy and corn oil. Seeds and nuts are good fats, as well as fish.
"Bad fats" are saturated fats, especially trans fats, and are known to increase risk of disease. Examples of food high in bad fat are red meat, cheese, ice cream and butter. Processed foods that have trans fats from hydrogenated oil are bad fats, as well.
In other words, choose vegetable oils over butter. Cook a salmon steak instead of a beef steak.
Fats are nutrients that provide energy. Fats have 9 calories in each gram. Fats help in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Fats are either saturated or unsaturated, and most foods with fat have both types with more of one kind than the other.
Saturated fat can raise your cholesterol. A healthy diet has less than 10% of daily calories from saturated fat.
Trans fat increases the shelf life of fat and makes the fat harder at room temperature. Trans fats, found in margarines and store-bought cookies, crackers and cakes (for example) are particularly bad for your cholesterol levels. Trans fats raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol.
It gets worse: Bad fats lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good" cholesterol. It's as if LDL, the thug, threatens your health, and then chases your body guards away.
Obviously, you want to choose food with the "HUNKY DORY, good" fat; limit "LOUSY bad" food high in saturated fat and AVOID food with trans fat.
"Good fats" are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, because they lower the risk of disease. Good fat foods include vegetable oil, such as olive oil, sunflower and canola oils, soy and corn oil. Seeds and nuts are good fats, as well as fish.
"Bad fats" are saturated fats, especially trans fats, and are known to increase risk of disease. Examples of food high in bad fat are red meat, cheese, ice cream and butter. Processed foods that have trans fats from hydrogenated oil are bad fats, as well.
In other words, choose vegetable oils over butter. Cook a salmon steak instead of a beef steak.
LDL is really bad for you. According to the Mayo Clinic, your diet choices play an important role in lowering cholesterol.
- Avoid whole milk, including cream and ice cream
- Avoid butter, cheese, and egg yolks
- Avoid processed meats, such bologna, sausage, salami, hot dogs
- Avoid baked foods contain saturated fats and egg yolks
- Avoid fried foods
- Avoid food with trans fat
- Eat more oatmeal, bran and fiber-rich foods
- Eat more fish and foods with omega 3
- Enjoy a handful of nuts every day
- Choose olive oil to cook with and on salads
Here are five foods that can lower your cholesterol and protect your heart.
1. Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods
Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, apples, pears, barley and prunes.
Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Five to 10 grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your total and LDL cholesterol. Eating 1 1/2 cups of cooked oatmeal provides 6 grams of fiber. If you add fruit, such as bananas, you'll add about 4 more grams of fiber. To mix it up a little, try steel-cut oatmeal or cold cereal made with oatmeal or oat bran.
2. Fish and omega-3 fatty acids
Eating fatty fish can be heart-healthy because of its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce your blood pressure and risk of developing blood clots. In people who have already had heart attacks, fish oil — or omega-3 fatty acids — reduces the risk of sudden death.
Doctors recommend eating at least two servings of fish a week. The highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids are in: Mackerel, Lake trout, Herring, Sardines, Albacore tuna, Salmon and Halibut.
If you don't like fish, you can also get small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids from foods like ground flaxseed or canola oil. You can also take an omega-3 or fish oil supplement to get some of the benefits, but you won't get other nutrients in fish, like selenium. If you decide to take a supplement, just remember to watch your diet and eat lean meat or vegetables in place of fish.
3. Walnuts, almonds and other nuts
Walnuts, almonds and other nuts can reduce blood cholesterol. Rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, walnuts also help keep blood vessels healthy.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, eating about a handful (1.5 ounces, or 42.5 grams) a day of most nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts, pistachio nuts and walnuts, may reduce your risk of heart disease. Just make sure the nuts you eat aren't salted or coated with sugar.
All nuts are high in calories, so a handful will do. To avoid eating too many nuts and gaining weight, replace foods high in saturated fat with nuts. For example, instead of using cheese, meat or croutons in your salad, add a handful of walnuts or almonds.
4. Olive oil
Olive oil contains a potent mix of antioxidants that can lower your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol but leave your "good" (HDL) cholesterol untouched.
The Food and Drug Administration recommends using about 2 tablespoons (23 grams) of olive oil a day in place of other fats in your diet to get its heart-healthy benefits. To add olive oil to your diet, you can saute vegetables in it, add it to a marinade, or mix it with vinegar as a salad dressing. You can also use olive oil as a substitute for butter when basting meat or as a dip for bread. Olive oil is high in calories, so don't eat more than the recommended amount.
The cholesterol-lowering effects of olive oil are even greater if you choose extra-virgin olive oil, meaning the oil is less processed and contains more heart-healthy antioxidants. But keep in mind that "light" olive oils are usually more processed than extra-virgin or virgin olive oils and are lighter in color, not fat or calories.
5. Foods with added plant sterols or stanols
Foods are now available that have been fortified with sterols or stanols — substances found in plants that help block the absorption of cholesterol.
Margarines, orange juice and yogurt drinks with added plant sterols can help reduce LDL cholesterol by more than 10 percent. The amount of daily plant sterols needed for results is at least 2 grams — which equals about two 8-ounce (237-milliliter) servings of plant sterol-fortified orange juice a day.
Plant sterols or stanols in fortified foods don't appear to affect levels of triglycerides or of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good" cholesterol.
Foods That Help LOWER Your Cholesterol Level: Fruits and vegetables. Good fat fish (i.e. tuna and salmon. Whole grains. Nuts and seeds.Nonfat and low-fat dairy. Lean meat and poultry without skin. Unsaturated vegetable oils.
It's nice to know that there are foods that help lower cholesterol count, but keep in mind that certain foods RAISE your cholesterol levels, too.
Living a healthy lifestyle also helps lower cholesterol. Read nutrition labels. Choose food low in cholesterol and cook heart-healthy food.
Healthy food and lifestyle changes sometimes are not enough alone to lower cholesterol levels. Your doctor may still prescribe medicine to lower your levels.