In average American diets people end up consuming foods which are loaded with LDL cholesterol and food which barely contain any HDL cholesterol. This is significant because an imbalance between the two main types of cholesterol is partially responsible for the epidemic of heart disease that is expanding in America. Despite the fact that people need both kinds of cholesterol to maintain a healthy lifestyle, LDL cholesterol is almost always found in overabundance in our diet. Learning how to decrease LDL cholesterol in favor of the healthier HDL cholesterol will limit the symptoms of clogged arteries and heart disease experienced by so many people.
Luckily changing the ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol in our diet is not too complicated. Most people have set habits in place which make the change a little more difficult however with enough motivation just about anyone can make the change. It really has everything to do with simply eating less red meats, snacks, and other high cholesterol content food and more plants and veggies.
Another food which you may not think of as a major contributor to healthy cholesterol levels is butter substitutes containing plant sterols such as Promise Active or Smart Balance. These products among others are fortified with lots of plant sterols which have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol in a statistically meaningful way when they are consumed in mild amounts at every meal. There is no reason to assume these are the only foods that have these benefits so make sure to seek foods with plenty of plant sterols either naturally or in fortified form.
The important thing to remember however is the importance of paying attention to your cholesterol count and the diet you eat. Your diet plays a huge role in the health of your cardiovascular system and even if you are not overweight your arteries could be putting you at risk for heart disease. Eating foods which support a healthy ratio of cholesterol in your body is the best place to start followed closely by getting more exercise. You don’t want to have to suffer the consequences of inaction by finding out the hard way so take action today to change your nutritional habits.
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Tags: cholesterol levels, Improve Cholesterol Count, lower cholesterol, Lowering Cholesterol Levels, Manage Cholesterol Levels
