Our heart is the major part of the circulatory system. Cholesterol is silent in hardening the arteries and causing coronary heart disease (CHD).
It's important to know your cholesterol level for keeping it in a healthy range. A blood test will need to be ordered by your physician and can be done by venipuncture or by a finger stick which is more likely done at a sponsored healthfair than at a lab like Quest or Lab Corp.
What we eat is the main component in deterring (CHD) so read the ingredients on the food labels if there is one. Foods with monounsaturated or unsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats lower (LDL) the bad cholesterol in the blood stream that sticks to the arteries, but they increase the (HDL) in the bloodstream the good cholesterol and move the cholesterol away from the arteries.
Items with polyunsaturated fat include plant oils, such as sunflower, soybean and corn; and fish, such as tuna, salmon and mackerel.
Monounsaturated fats include olive and canola oils.
The American Heart Association recommends that a diet only include 10% of saturated fats, found in whole-milk products such as butter, cheese and cream, meat, such as beef and pork; and certain plant oils, such as coconut and palm. The (AHA) also recommends that no more than 30% of daily calories come from fat.
A good diet would be to fill up on fiber, found in fruits and vegetables, beans, oat bran and rice, these help to lower cholesterol levels.
A guide would be fruits and vegetables, unrefined whole-grain, fish twice a week, choose lean meats and poultry, 1 % fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and aim to eat less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol each day.
Eating a low-fat diet will fight (LDL) cholesterol levels and back off coronary heart disease.
If you have enjoyed this article and would like to receive e-mail alerts when new articles are available click on the "Subscribe" above.
Comments