american heart association low cholesterol diet
By the end of this ebook, you will know: What Cholesterol is and why it is importantYou can use this ebook as you wish, reading it all in one sitting or reading just the sections you find interesting or most useful. Many foods that claim to be low fat still have plenty of fat or have small portion sizes. There are many recipe books at your local library - and many of these feature heart-healthy and fast recipes that can make cholesterol-friendly eating a snap. However, you should never take this information at face value. Choosing margarine will not automatically help you lower your cholesterol. It will prove invaluable to your health care processionals in helping you develop a form of treatment that works for you.

lower cholesterol through diet
That way you are far more likely to reach for low-fat, healthy foods over the next 30 days - and for life! Avoid bakery products like cookies and sweets entirely or buy very, very few (one cookie instead of a package, and check that one cookie that has no trans or saturated fats). New Products to Watch for include: Benecol margarine will lower cholesterol by some 10% when used as recommended. This is not likely to make you crave these foods - especially since you are always hearing great adjectives - such as delicious and juicy described about fatty foods.

Understanding the Types of Cholesterol

While most people talk about cholesterol levels there is in fact more than one type of cholesterol. In fact, there are several different body functions and several different substances that make up our understanding of cholesterol.

As with some fats, cholesterol cannot be dissolved in the blood. Instead, molecules called lipoproteins carry cholesterol to and from cells. Molecules are made from an outer layer of protein and an inner core of both cholesterol and triglycerides, which is another form of fat.

Lipoproteins equip the cholesterol to move around the body. The two main types of lipoproteins are:

1) High Density Lipoproteins (HDL.)

HDL transports cholesterol from cells back to the liver.

HDL is either reused or converts to bile acids and disposed. This is known as "good" cholesterol. You want to ensure that your levels of this cholesterol remain high for optimum heart health, since having too low levels of HDL - even when other cholesterol levels are normal - may lead to heart problems. As you work to lower your bad cholesterol it is important to also take steps and to keep your HDL levels normal.

HDL aids to ensure protection from the risk of heart attack and/or stroke. HDL consists of more protein than triglycerides or cholesterol, and aids to remove LDL from your artery walls.

2) Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL.)

LDL carries approximately 60_70% of cholesterol around the body and are known as bad" cholesterol.

Studies show conclusively that high cholesterol leads to much higher risk of heart attack and/or stroke. Other factors involved in this risk are age, gender, smoking, family history of heart disease, and diabetes mellitus.

Obviously, when we speak of having cholesterol levels we mean more than one number. To maintain optimum health, you will need to know your levels of both LDL and HDL and will need to work hard to keep both levels in healthy ranges.

Even if you are taking doctor-prescribed cholesterol medication, you will still need to: Control conditions such as diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, and other health aspects that may affect your cholesterol and heart health Follow a diet that is healthy, low in salt and saturated fats, and low in food cholesterol Follow a good exercise regimen Lose weight if you are not at your ideal weight These heart-healthy choices may reduce or eliminate your need of cholesterol-lowering medications. In fact, every week, find a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables you have not tried and try them. Dont overlook cookbooks that feature Chinese, Japanese, Raw food, Vegan, and Indian recipes.