Hi, i just had a cholesterol test and it was 7.1 which i know is high.. Does anyone know a list of foods i should stay away from and foods i could start eating. I know exercise is important and i am going to start doing more. I do eat alot of red meat, cheese, olives, olive oil, tuna, prawns, rice, chicken, pasta, salads, tomatoes.. where am i going wrong?
Thanks very much :) first,
does you family have a history of high cholesterol?
second,
did you eat anything less than 8 hours before the blood test?
third,
do some high intensity cardiovascular exercise (like jogging, running, or sprinting... etc)
fourth,
eat natural food sources... don't fry anything... make sure you take in lots of fish oil, EXTRA VIRGIN olive oil, good protein (fish, chicken), stay away from saturated fats, eat some good carbs (fruits, potatoes, brown rice, yams, whole wheat pasta), make sure you take in enough fiber (psyllium husks "metamucil", veggies), drink lots of water, don't over eat.
fifth,
supplement with red yeast rice, FLUSH FREE NIACIN (make sure it's flush free... this is very good for your cholesterol. 500 mg 3 times per day), garlic extract.
it usually takes my clients about 4-6 weeks to get better cholesterol levels after this regimen
hope that helps. my mom got diagnose with high cholesterol and the doctor put her on a diet before they tried medication, she went to Barnes&Noble and bought a book about the DASH diet, it has really work, besides the fact that she has lost a lot of weight, her triglycerides are back to normal and now her good cholesterol is high, the book is like $7, i recommend you buying it. It has tips on what to eat, it has recepies, everything you need to know. The red meat isnt the best for the high cholesterol...in fact animal fats in general are not good for that. Get your protein mainly from fish, chicken (no skin), beans etc. Obviously it's best to minimise fatty and junk foods too. The salads are good but what about other veg and fruit?
Porridge is supposed to help lower the bad fats so its a good breakfast choice. I also grind oats in a mixer and mix with the flour if I'm baking or making pancakes/fajitas etc (subsitute about a third or half of the flour quantity specified in the recipe with ground oats instead - too much can affect the texture adversely so dont mix more than that. Experiment with it).
Cooked tomato is a good choice too, so if you are eating pasta make sauces used out of tinned tomatoes and herbs, garllic etc rather than creamy sauce or ready-made sauces. My cholesterol reducing diet is:
1. Avoid fat containing food like pastry, cakes, biscuits, crisps, deep fried food, fast food of any sort, chocolate, sweets/candy, full fat milk, cream, custard
2. Eat foods that "absorb" cholesterol like oats (porridge/oatibix)
3. For snacks eat carrots and apples
4. Avoid dressing on salad other than oil/vinegar
5. Eat fish twice a week - not battered/deep fried obviously
6. Avoid fatty meat like sausages, pork pies, full English Breakfast
7. When eating out avoid the fatty options like pepperoni on pizza - have a fat free alternative
8. Switch to low fat soft cheese
9. Watch your alcohol intake - not too much beer!
10. NO PORK SCRATCHINGS
The rest of your diet looks fine to me, but make sure you aren't having high fat/high cholesterol toppings on the food. Some doctors say to avoid shell fish too (prawns, etc) and offal (liver/kidneys).
I call my diet the "horse food diet" as I allow myself unlimited carrots and oats (they are really filling). I say that "if I like it, then I'm not allowed it". I am trying the cholesterol reducing yogurt drinks too, but not sure if they are having any effect yet. On the plus side since starting it I have lost 1 pound a week. My next blood test is in 6 weeks though. My last test was also 7.1 Walnuts and brazil nuts lower the bad cholesterol and raise the good cholesterol Due to a medical condition I have high cholesterol - mine was last checked and came in at 6.1.
You need to cut down on the red meat and cheese, these are very high in cholesterol.
Trim all visible fat on meat and chicken.
Prawns are actually not as healthy for you as you'd think so reduce the amount of these you consume too.
Start to eat more veg - carrots, brocolli, cabbage, although do this gradually as they can make you a bit windy!
Eat rye bread. Eat wholemeal pasta and brown rice.
Do this for several months then go and get re-tested and see if theres been a reduction. If there hasn't then maybe its hereditary - also, high cholesterol is a sign of low testosterone so could be worth getting that checked too. You must apply an holistic approach to reducing your cholesterol. Diet, exercise, supplementation and medication (medication only if absolutely necessary)
Attention should be given to the liver care as well as cardiovascular components as the liver is the producer of cholesterol (both good and bad). In other words, you may be attacking the effect rather than the cause. Adopting a cardiovascular friendly diet is wonderful and will have many benefits, but if you abuse your liver it might not create the right balance of cholesterol to lower your measurements and hence effect your CV system. Specific to your question:
Cholesterol in food represents a small amount of actual blood cholesterol (less than 20%). Your liver creates 80%. Saturated fats, trans fats, simple carbs and sugar all contribute to high measurements and should be avioded wherever possible.
With your measurements and the diet you have listed, cut out the red meat, cheese, prawns, chicken, pasta (unless wholemeal), rice, unless brown). Although better to cut all of these until you get below 5.0mmL.
Typical Day:
Breakfast: Wholegrain Oats with 50 % Soy milk 50% low fat Plant sterol Milk (PURA) (sprinkle with Physillum and scatter some Blueberries), Lemon tea. Wholegrain toast (Logical plant sterol spread). Low sugar tomato juice
Supplement with 1000mg Omega-3: 1000mg Garlic 1000mg Vit C
Snack: Apple or Pear: 10 Almonds: Water:
Break: Green tea
Snack: Plant sterol yoghurt with blueberries added or (if Lunch eater) Soba Noodles (buckwheat type) with Mixed veg and Tofu. 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
Snack: Apple of Pear: 15 Almonds: Green tea
Dinner: Salmon or other oily fish (poached). Broccoli, Swiss Chard, Spinach, Garlic and Onion, Tomato. 1 tablespoon of Olive oil
Supplement the same as breakfast
Supper: Organic Cocoa (made with Soy, one slice of wholegrain toast with plant sterol spread.
Points: Many other options availabe on FOODS for lowering cholesterol level websites but all the above have strong merits.
If you are a heavy drinker: cut down: try two glasses of red wine every other day with food until your next test. It might be worth supplementing with 250mg of Milk Thistle to help your liver. Do not drink 24 hours before your next test.
Exercise is crucial to stimulate this diet and raise your HDL (good cholesterol)
Additionally, begin to take a supplement of Niacin 500mg once daily until your next test test.
If all looks good at that point. Carry on. If not ask your doctor about increasing the Niacin to 1500mg a day.
He/she may recommend Statins which are subject to much debate within the industry. However, many millions of people appear to tolerate them very well.
Good luck and never give in! |
