Low Cholesterol Low Fat Diet
A low cholesterol low fat diet has become the norm for a great many people in the last twenty years or so, since the medical community began emphasizing the importance of this substance in prevention of strokes and heart disease. Low cholesterol meals can be found on tables everywhere. Symptoms of high cholesterol are rare. A blood test is generally the way the discovery of a high level of LDL ("bad" cholesterol) is discovered. And once the discovery is made, the instructions are pretty clear: (1) Reduce fat intake; (2) decrease the number of calories consumed; (3) exercise more and consistently; (4) stay away from "fad" or "crash" diets. When someone has a cholesterol problem, it's a good idea to work with one's physician or dietician to determine a workable eating plan.
The food industry has taken some important steps toward helping with this nationally recognized problem. Foods are now labeled with cholesterol content along with other nutritional information, and products have been developed that help in preparing low cholesterol meals. It is possible to buy margarine that has very small fat content, or a substitute that has no fat at all. Leaner cuts of meat are advertised, and lower fat cooking oils are available. There are even fat free ice cream desserts made by several labels.
In addition to the low cholesterol low fat diet that contains a lot of "no's," there are items that can be added to a person's diet that will help bring those LDL numbers down because they contain soluble fiber. Specific foods high in soluble fiber are apples, citrus fruit, berries, carrots, apricots, prunes, cabbage, sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts. A serving is one-half cup. All of the beans or legumes also provide soluble fiber, and can be substituted for meat once a day. Nuts are also a welcome addition to any diet designed to lower LDL numbers, but because they are high in calories they should be limited. Oatmeal and dry oat cereals are excellent sources of soluble fiber, as are barley, rice bran, and soy. With all those choices, there is little doubt that everyone who needs to bring down LDL to a healthy level can find foods they will enjoy while doing it. One of the important things the Bible tells us is that we owe our good health to more than the needs of the body. The spirit needs nourishment too. "That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations." (Psalm 67:2)
Most of the cholesterol in the body is made by the liver from saturated fat in a person's diet. Some also comes from foods such as eggs, meats and dairy products. The body needs some of this substance, but too much in the blood can be lodged in the arteries, and cause serious blockage. This narrowing of the arteries can result in a heart attack or stroke. Knowing this can happen makes people more receptive to changing their lifestyles to guard against these life-threatening occurrences by eating low cholesterol meals. In those instances where diet and exercise are not enough to get the counts down, there are medications available that will help.
Preparation of foods on a low cholesterol low fat diet is important. The chicken-fried steak and gravy that is on so many menus will have to go. Meat that is baked, broiled, grilled, or roasted is better. Removing the skin from turkey or chicken will cut down on the fat content, and stores carry a lot of that meat with the skin already removed. Fresh ground turkey or chicken made from white meat is a good substitute for ground beef for recipes like spaghetti. In other words, frying of anything is no longer permissible when planning low cholesterol meals.
Lifestyle and eating habits aren't the only causes of elevated LDL. Even some thin and fit people have elevated numbers, which is only accounted for by genetics. For those people medication is most certainly the way to bring levels to where they belong. Overweight can be a factor as well. Americans weight more now than all of the past ten years combined because of poor eating habits, and excess weight generally increases the LDL level. Determining a person's ideal weight, then preparing low cholesterol meals to lose the excess pounds is often enough to correct the problem.
Both men and women experience an increased need for a low cholesterol low fat diet as they reach middle age, and women's counts are usually lower between 50 and 55. However, when women reach menopause, the LDL levels start to rise more. That is a good time to increase physical activity and take particularly good care of oneself with a low cholesterol low fat diet anyway, to fend off the other difficulties that can arise from aging.
Cholesterol Free DietA cholesterol free diet is the goal for someone whose overall level has risen to a dangerous level of 240 or more milligrams per deciliter in their blood test, and will be recommended for everyone who has a reading over 200. A persons level should be less than 200 to be a healthy level. Cholesterol free foods are fruits and vegetables, and white meat or fish that has been baked or grilled. Eggs, beef, and dairy products are generally foods to be avoided. If fried chicken is a regular dinnertime favorite, switch to grilled or baked to get control. The liver manufactures about eighty percent of the cholesterol in the body, and the rest comes from the food we eat. A propensity for producing more than anyone needs is often inherited.
Even if this problem is "in the genes," so to speak, it is controllable by paying attention to the foods eaten. That has become increasingly easy to do over the past twenty years. It is possible to buy fat-free margarine and salad dressings, low fat lunch meats, and sugar free products, and they taste good enough to make really good substitutes for the stuff most people grew up on. Desserts are often the hardest to give up. There are recipes available these days that allow a person to have fat free desserts that are pleasing to the palate. There are many sources of recipes for a cholesterol free diet. In fact, most health-conscious diets limit those for general good health, and particularly heart health.
Eating a choice diet reduces the chance of having a heart attack dramatically. Heart problems within a family is another good reason for controlling this problem. A cholesterol free diet isn't the only way to solve the problem. Additional exercise is important as well. Heavy weight lifting or running a marathon is not necessary, but regular exercise like walking every day is effective. Along with cholesterol free foods, a brisk 30-minute walk will bring down the numbers to acceptable levels. For some, a walk with a friend is the preferred walking regimen, while for others an early morning or evening walk alone is refreshing. Water aerobics, swimming, or regular mat exercises are effective as well, so pick whatever supplement that fits a personal lifestyle.
The presence of too much cholesterol in the blood leads to clots, which leads to strokes. When this happens near the heart, it can lead to a heart attack. Both men and women are at risk for heart attacks and strokes if they do not make a cholesterol free diet their health priority; however, women have a fifty percent higher chance of heart attack or stroke than men. That should not make men feel safe, however. Good health is a proper goal for every family. The development of good eating habits begins when children are young, so if parents find themselves not eating enough cholesterol free foods, they should be conscious of how this is going to affect their children. Obesity is becoming a national epidemic that would be turned around by a healthy diet in the home. God outlines some specific diets in the Bible, though none of them speak of this sort of diet. It is obvious that He cares about what His people put in their bodies and designed the human body to eat a certain way. Faithful prayer and much research will lead anyone to the right decisions concerning their specific dietary needs.
Before the effects of high levels were known, a lot of people lost their lives to heart attacks and/or strokes at an early age. With so much information available today, there is no good reason for people to die young from related illnesses. A diet of foods high with this substance usually results in weight gain, too. That may be the first clue that a problem exists. By bringing the weight back to an acceptable level with sensible, cholesterol free foods, could bring everything back in line. It should be noted that a certain amount of cholesterol is needed in the body, and the liver produces that. It's just that there are too many sources outside the body that contribute toward raising the cholesterol levels above where they need to be. Screening by a physician should be a regular part of anyone's health care.
Last, but not least, are the available reducing medicines that are now available. There are those people whose levels do not respond to diet and exercise alone, so medication is added to the cholesterol free foods. Quite a number of these products are on the market, so consult with a physician to see of one of them is appropriate for each specific situation.