When a person maintains a normal cholesterol level they are greatly reducing the risk of heart disease, blocked arteries, and other conditions that are often life threatening. Many people don't realize that they have high cholesterol until they have a specific test. However, there are many steps you can take to ensure that you keep your cholesterol at a healthy level that do not require a lot of effort. When you maintain your cholesterol levels at a healthy level, you are more likely to have better overall health.
Changing your diet to include foods that will lower and maintain normal cholesterol is going to provide you with vitamins and nutrients that your body needs to stay healthy. Some types of foods reduce cholesterol much more efficiently than other foods and including these in your diet will be very easy.
People who are overweight often have a greater risk of having high cholesterol. If a person loses five to ten pounds, they will not only feel better but also reduce or eliminate high cholesterol. Adding some type of exercise, such as walking, to your diet program will also work to tone and condition your body as you gain health.
Ten grams of soluble fiber each day significantly reduces bad cholesterol levels and maintains healthy cholesterol. This is very easy when you consider the foods that contain soluble fiber. Eating one and one-half cups of cooked oatmeal each day provides you with six grams of soluble fiber. By adding fruit, such as bananas, you are adding four more grams of fiber.
Apples, pears, psyllium, kidney beans, and prunes are also great sources of soluble fiber. Other foods are high in fiber and should also be added to you diet to create variety. When you eat ten grams of soluble fiber each day, cholesterol is not absorbed in your intestines and passes through your bile instead of settling in your valves and arteries.
Getting snack size bags of walnuts or other nuts are another great way to maintain normal cholesterol levels. These packs provide one and one-half ounces of nuts which significantly reduces cholesterol and also reduces the risk of heart disease. It is important to remember that nuts are high in calories so getting the snack size packs will aid in limiting the amount of nuts you eat.
Many fruit juices, yogurt, and other foods contain Sterols and Stanols today because of their great benefit in reducing and eliminating cholesterol. Drinking two 8oz glasses of orange juice fortified with either of these plant extracts can reduce cholesterol by 10%. Just two 8oz glasses of fortified orange juice each day will keep cholesterol from being absorbed into your system.
Starting to eat healthier and exercise will help you to stay healthy and maintain a normal cholesterol level throughout your live. When you begin to eat healthier, you will begin to eliminate transfat and saturated fats from your diet which will help both your overall health and your cholesterol.
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