Lowering Cholesterol Through Smart Food Choices

For the last several years scientists have been comparing natural cholesterol lowering foods that contain sterols with pharmaceutical counterparts--statins. The results have repeatedly shown that, in over 140 different studies, including certain cholesterol lowering foods will give you as good a chance of lowering your cholesterol as pharmaceutical statins.

Statins, including Lipitor, Zocor and Crestor, work by inhibiting an enzyme along the pathway of cholesterol synthesis. The disruption of the pathway prohibits cholesterol from forming, resulting in less cholesterol in the bloodstream. Some studies show statins may also help the body reabsorb cholesterol plaques that have formed on artery walls.

In comparison, plant sterols and stenols (also called phytosterols) are plant extracts that work in a similar fashion, but naturally. Phytosterols work by blocking the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine. This has the effect of lowering bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) but not negatively affecting good cholesterol (HDL) levels. Plant sterols/stenols are found in vegetables, nuts, grains and fruit. It is recommended that those wishing to lower cholesterol levels consume at least 0.8 grams of phytosterols daily. There are some simple changes you can make in your diet to incorporate cholesterol-lowering foods.

A simple morning routine: Add oats and oat bran to your diet. Eating natural oats for breakfast is a great way to get sufficient fiber intake as well as adding natural cholesterol lowering foods to your diet. Stay away from sugar packed boxed versions and stick to natural slow or fast cooking oats. Add fresh fruit and nuts to amp up the heartiness and nutritional value. Use ground oatmeal in soups, stews and as a substitute for flour. The American Dietetic Association suggests swapping one-third of the flour in recipes with quick or old-fashioned oats.

Snack on nuts all day: Almonds are a great source of monounsaturated fats, as well as the additional benefits of having fiber, protein and antioxidant qualities. One study involving the effects of almond consumption and cholesterol showed a decrease of bad LDL cholesterol by 4.4% after three months of eating a handful of almonds and a marked decrease of 9.4% when two handfuls were consumed daily. Walnuts are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are responsible for lowering triglycerides in the bloodstream. Most nuts are high in calories, so if you're watching your weight, consider eating no more than 2-3 servings of nuts daily.

Consuming dark, leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and even avocados can also aid in lowering cholesterol. Omega 3s have been associated with slowing plaque build-up in arteries. Some foods high in omega-3s are fatty fishes such as tuna and salmon are are efficient at lowering bad cholesterol.

Many companies are adding phytosterols to their products to make them healthier. Mars, Inc. has produced a chocolate bar that has added sterols and maintains the antioxidant qualities of the dark chocolate. This tasty fortified chocolate bar is called CocoaVia. Another company, Promise Activ Supershots contains 2 grams of plant sterol per 3oz drink.

In order to get the most benefit from phytosterols, make sure to eat a balanced diet. One that is high in leafy greens, nuts, grains and oats and fruits. Get plenty of exercise on a regular basis, and consider including a phytosterol supplement either in the pill, chocolate or juice/yogurt formula.

Top SEVEN FAVORITE Cholesterol Reducers:

1. Oatmeal: Slow or Fast cooking. Add fruit and nuts as desired

2. Blueberries: High in sterols, tasty and easy to snack on

3. Nuts: Alternate between favorites of almonds, walnuts and pistachios

4. Avocado, Flaxseed and Olive Oils: High in good HDL cholesterol

5. Yogurt with active live cultures and added Sterols

6. Pomegranate and Cranberry Juices (100% juices only) tasty and raises good HDL naturally

7. Salmon and Tuna: High in Omegas, great at reducing LDL's

For more information on how a health and wellness coach can help you make positive, life-enhancing changes, visit http://www.LifeSupported.com.

An Effective Lowering Cholesterol Diet - What You Should Look For?

Finding a truly effective lowering cholesterol diet is something that requires focus and effort. You cannot just wake up one morning and decide that you're going to lower your cholesterol levels. You must have a plan.

The place to begin is with an understanding of what caused your high cholesterol in the first place and what it will take to reverse it. Many people do have a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol. This is something you will want to discuss with your doctor. However, that is not to say that medication is the only way to bring your readings back down to an acceptable range.

Whether you have a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol or not, a natural approach will leave you feeling healthier and having much more energy than simply taking some pills. The vast majority of individuals can substantially lower their cholesterol levels with a lowering cholesterol diet.

The primary cause of high cholesterol in America is the raising cholesterol diet that most of us eat. A diet that is rich in saturated fats and low in soluble fiber will cause anyone's cholesterol readings to increase little by little so that after many years we find ourselves facing this problem.

There are two primary qualities of a lowering cholesterol diet: 1) high-fiber content, and 2) low saturated fat content.

High-Fiber Diet

You can find many sample diets for lowering cholesterol on the Internet. Just make sure they emphasize high fiber content. The most tried-and-true method of lowering cholesterol is through consuming increased amounts of fiber. Fiber actually accomplishes two things in the body. It stimulates the liver into absorbing more cholesterol and cholesterol attaches itself to fiber so that it is eliminated from the body.

The best sources of fiber that you will find are vegetables, whole grains and nuts. This type of diet when combined with cholesterol lowering supplements that contain plant sterols are the most efficient way of bringing down those stubborn triglycerides and cholesterol levels.

Low-Fat Diet

The lowering cholesterol diet that you choose also needs to be low in saturated fats. However, don't make the mistake of cutting out all fats. Fats are essential to mental and physical health. Eliminate as much red meat, cheeses and other high-fat dairy products as possible.

The types of fats you want to include in a low-fat diet comes from high-fiber sources such as nuts. While not high in fiber, fish and fish oil supplements are very helpful, especially where triglycerides are concerned. Try to use olive oil for cooking as much as possible.

Try a Low Cholesterol Diet Before You Consider Pills

Have you checked your cholestrol level recently? If not, you should consider doing it. Too many people currently have high levels of cholesterol. Are you among those? If your answer is 'yes', then a low cholesterol diet, like for example a mediteranean diet might be good for you. Actually, if your cholesterol level is to high, you have two major options.

Adjusting your life-style

Take pills that lower your cholestrol

If you don't have extremly high cholestrol level which calls for immediate action, you should try the first option before you even consider to start taking pills.

Unfortunately some of these cholesterol lowering pills have a few disadvantages: Statin drugs like Lipitor and Baycol might cause muscle damage and some doctors have even linked these pills to deaths. This isn't strange at all, seeing that the heart is a muscle. This is probably the reason some of these drugs have been pulled from the market in some countries. Like all medications the benefits have to be weighed with the risks. So if your cholesterol level is too high, I would recommend that you start with adjusting your life style. If this doesn't lower your cholesterol level in a significant way, then you can consider pills to lower your cholestrol level.

What do I mean with "adjusting life-style"?

Did you know that oatmeal contributes to lowering your cholesterol level? It most certainly does. Therfore you should eat more of this.

Olive oil consist of unsaturated fat and is very much used in the mediterranean countries. Why not fry your food in this instead of butter? If you're using this as your main fat source regularly, your cholesterol level should decrease. Stay away from commercially produced and saturated fats.


A great supplement is cod liver oil. It contains essential Omega 3 oils, which is rare in most weight loss diets. Take it once a day. If you are like me and don't like the taste, do as I do and take it in capsules form. It supplies you with 'good' cholesterol. Other benefits are an improved look and feel of your skin, increased energy, improved memory and even pain relief.

Eat vitamin A and vitamin E daily as they also have proven to lower cholesterol level.


Start up with some moderate exercise. It is sufficient to take a thirty minutes to one hour walk daily. This will also contribute to your cholesterol level lowering.

To summarize: If your cholesterol level is too high, start up eating foods that contain substances that have been around for many years and have been tested and tried by generations, instead of starting out with pills that might have health damaging side effects. Add some moderate workout and you'll be well on your way to a normal cholesterol level. If this doesn't work, then consider medicine. I wish you a good luck!

Terje Brooks Ellingsen is a writer and internet marketer. He runs the website 11-Weight-Loss.net. Terje enjoys to give advice and help people with fast weight loss with low cholesterol diet as well as diets high in protein like the mediteranean diet.

Diet to Lower Cholesterol Level - Proven Cholesterol Lowering Techniques For You to Use

Most people don't realize that a diet to lower cholesterol level has been shown to be more effective than cholesterol medication for most individuals. The problem is that our doctors are the primary source of information regarding our health.

If you have high cholesterol, most likely you first heard about it from your doctor's office and there's a good chance that he suggested statin drugs as your best option. I am shocked by how little specific dietary guidance medical professionals provide their patients for reducing high cholesterol.

It has been proven in clinical studies and through the experience of thousands of individuals that a cholesterol lowering diet can provide just as good and sometimes better results than what most individuals obtained through the use of medication. And when you consider the fact that lowering high cholesterol through diet increases your health and longevity, while statin medication can severely damage your health, it makes most sense to leave these medications as a last resort.

If you're really serious about lowering high cholesterol then you will need to cut back on the amounts of saturated fat in your diet. It is best to completely eliminate high-fat foods such as beef and pork. Saturated fat actually increases LDL cholesterol levels and triglycerides much quicker than foods that are high in cholesterol.

However, your diet to lower cholesterol level will not be effective unless it contains many cholesterol lowering foods which include most vegetables, fruit and nuts. All these foods (yes, nuts included) are cholesterol fighting foods that also provided additional energy and improve your overall health immensely.

Unfortunately, taking a pill to lower your cholesterol is easier, but this type of cholesterol lowering diet will provide benefits for you for the years to come. I invite you to visit my website where I discuss your many different options for reducing high cholesterol levels without resorting to medication.

Natural Cholesterol Lowering Remedies - You Really Are What You Eat

The good news is that natural cholesterol lowering remedies are free. The bad news is that they can also be difficult to implement. This is because fairly radical lifestyle changes are involved that none of us find easy to achieve.

Forget about the story the pharmaceutical companies are trying to sell you. Bad cholesterol is not caused by a lack of some chemical in your body. It is caused by lifestyle choices such as eating too much of the wrong foods. Or, not exercising sensibly. An intelligent person such as yourself knows that to be true. As they say, there's no such thing as a free lunch. Right? No amount of chemicals will fix the problem unless you attend to these issues as well.

Come on now, lets be honest with each other. You just had the thought run through your mind; here we go again, he's going to tell me I have to start eating all those no flavor cardboard foods. Well, not so fast my friend.

Changing your diet doesn't mean that you have to give up on your favorite foods. You just have to change the proportion that they make up of your total food intake, and pay attention to how they are prepared. This can save you money as well as, wait for it; actually improve their flavors. Yes it's true, you might find that you enjoy them even more.

Next time you feel like having a few fatty lamb chops fried in their own drippings, and of course, we got to have a big old pile of french frys on the side, think again. That's about the worst meal you can have, but it doesn't mean you have to starve.

How about we cut the fat off of one chop, grill it on a wire rack so the fat drains off, and serve it with mashed potato and a green salad. Now that wasn't to bad was it? You'll even find the true flavors come through better. You also won't have heartburn or a bad night to follow.

OK, now for the exercising part. No, you don't have to run the the gym every day. My how we jump to conclusions. How about after your healthy meal, you did make it healthy didn't you, don't just lay around on the couch with the remote. Instead take the dog or just yourself for a gentle walk around the neighborhood. Enjoy feeling your food and emotions settle into an easy going mode. Admit to yourself that a lifestyle change is not unpleasant and not impossible either.

Above everything else, make sure you enjoy your new lifestyle. If you find yourself not looking forward to the natural cholesterol lowering remedies you are following, think again. What's the alternative, living on chemical pills the rest of your life? I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that's not for you, you wouldn't be reading this article if it was. Anyway didn't your doctor tell you, even if those drugs do lower your cholesterol, if you ever stop taking them it will go right back up again. You deserve better.

Don't just eat things because they are good for you. Eat them because you also like them. The same applies to exercise. Do it because you enjoy doing it. There are enough exercise routines around to ensure something to suit everyone.

While there may not be a boat-load of Natural Cholesterol Lowering Remedies, there are many more than you may realize. Why not give yourself a chance at a chemical free life.

Take Control of Your Diet For Lower Cholesterol

Are you friends with your mirror or do you look the other way when you pass by? Do you promise yourself that this will be the week you start an exercise program, start eating low cholesterol foods and pay attention to a healthy eating guide? Do you promise yourself to begin a diet only to put it off yet again because you are secretly afraid of the self denial and the risk of failure?

While this hesitation is a natural reaction, these human bodies of ours have been in constant development for more than a few hundred thousand years and have everything needed to be healthy and fit if you give it even a little bit of help.

The truth is that getting in shape, eating healthy, and losing weight are all pretty simple things to do. You just need to make the decision to do something! Even walking one flight of stairs instead of riding the elevator or parking at the back of the lot is a start towards a healthy lifestyle.

Once you begin, you are going to be pleasantly surprised how quickly your body will respond when you begin to follow a healthy diet of low cholesterol foods and treat yourself to even a moderate exercise program. The damage that took years of neglect and unhealthy living to accumulate will begin to be repaired in just a matter of a few months.

Please note that I said "begin to be repaired". Despite the zillions of ads everywhere claiming "miraculous results", there is no magic pill, formula, or program that will take the weight off, lower bad cholesterol and restore your health in just a few weeks. At best these "miracle" products will only help you lose water weight and, at worst, they can many health related problems. Recovering good health will take some time, and it will take a continuing commitment from you.

Despite the claims of the ads, the real, and only, "secret" to losing weight and controlling cholesterol is to burn off more calories than you eat each day. Ideally, this is accomplished by taking in fewer calories through your diet and burning more calories because of increased physical activity. It will also help to plan your diet to get more of your calories from a balanced diet with less red meat, saturated fats, dairy, and sweets and more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

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American Heart Association Cholesterol Lowering Information For Women

According to the American Heart Association, estrogen, the female sex hormone, has the tendency to raise high-density lipoprotein (hdl) or good cholesterol. Naturally then, women have higher hdl than men. Isn't this wonderful news to all the women out there?

Studies show that the production of estrogen is highest during the childbearing years. This means that a woman's hdl level during this period of time is at its peak.. That is why women are less likely to develop heart disease before they reach menopausal age.

However, that does not mean that women should be complacent and not watch their health and diet before their menopause. After all, according to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death for women in the US.

The American Heart Association mentioned that postmenopausal hormone therapy (PHT) may benefit some women with osteoporosis. However, trials have shown that it does not reduce nor eliminate the possibility of stroke and heart problems. Also, women with a personal or family history of breast cancer are advised not to go for PHT.

It is suggested that women go for their first cholesterol screening at the age of 20. A test may also be done at a younger age for those who start taking birth control pills before turning 20. If the test shows that they have high cholesterol levels, they should go for a test every year until their cholesterol levels become normal. After that, women are generally recommended to have their tests taken at intervals of five years.

Cholesterol levels of women are measured the same way as that for men. A lipid profile is taken. This is a series of simple blood tests that show the distribution, types, and amount of various lipids (fats) found in the bloodstream. These lipids include cholesterol and triglycerides.

Lipoproteins are the ones that carry cholesterol in the blood. The two kinds of lipoproteins are the high-density lipoproteins (hdl) or good cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins (ldl or bad cholesterol).

Hdl is considered good because it eliminates excess cholesterol from the blood as well as from the arterial walls. Excess cholesterol causes plaque build-up in the arteries which may eventually lead to a stroke or a heart attack. Ldl is considered bad because it sticks to the arterial walls and contributes to the plaque.

The American Heart Association recommends ldl cholesterol lowering drug for most women with heart disease. Other than that she must get adequate exercise, eat balanced and wholesome meals and not smoke.

However cholesterol supplements are much better than prescription drugs because they have less side effects compared to statin.

Moreover there is a wide range of cholesterol supplements. There is even a natural lowering cholesterol product called Bios Life that combines all four of the known approaches to lowering harmful cholesterol as follows:

1. Blocks cholesterol from being re-absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract

2. Prevents cholesterol which comes from the food from being absorbed

3. Reduces the cholesterol produced by the liver

4. Enhances enzymatic breakdown and removal of bad cholesterol.

Do you know anyone who might like to know about a product like that?