By now you must know how important it is to have a high HDL “good” cholesterol level and a low LDL “bad” cholesterol level. HDL cholesterol is comprised mostly of protein. To fight heart disease, a higher level of HDL cholesterol is very important. I was recently asked about raising HDL levels. Please see my list below.
It is recommended to fill half your plate at each meal with fruits and veggies. Here are several foods you can add to your diet, if you aren’t already doing so.
- Eat more onions. Eating a half an onion a day can increase HDL levels by 25 percent.
- Eat more foods that have Omega-3 fatty acids. These include: fish, dark green vegetables, safflower oil, cold-pressed flaxseed oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, and olive oil.
- Eat more foods that have high soluble fiber levels. These include: citrus fruit, grapes, apples, whole grains, oats and oat bran, oatmeal, brown rice, beans and legumes.
- Eat more garlic. Garlic contains allicin, which scavenges hydroxyl radicals (OH), and is thought to prevent LDLs from being oxidized.
- Drink alcohol (preferably red wine). Alcohol can raise levels of good HDL cholesterol by as much as 5 to 15 percent. This does not mean to drink as much as you want - just remember the rule of moderation. One or two glasses is recommended.
Here are some foods you should limit or avoid in your diet:
- Foods with high levels of saturated fats or trans fats.
- Refined sugars.
- Organ meats, such as liver. (Good news if you don't like it anyway!)
- Dairy products high in fat.
Besides your diet, please don’t forget how important daily exercise is, maintaining a healthy weight, (lose weight if necessary) and stop smoking, if this is something you do.
This Saturday while you’re shopping at your local H-E-B store, why don’t you get your blood pressure and blood glucose screened for free? H-E-B is offering these screenings the second Saturday of each month. They also offer cholesterol screening for $3.99; Quarterly Diabetes screening for $12.99; and Complete Cholesterol screenings (fasting required) for $29.99.
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