Lower your Cholesterol

Cardiovascular Disease is the number one killer in the United States which is why February is American Heart Month. Here are a few ideas to help your heart by lowering your cholesterol.

Avoid foods high in Saturated and Trans fats
Typically the body makes all the cholesterol it needs, so people don't need to consume it. Saturated fatty acids are the main culprit in raising blood cholesterol, which increases your risk of heart disease. Trans fats also raise blood cholesterol. Although less important than initially thought, dietary cholesterol also plays a part. Foods high in saturated fat generally contain substantial amounts of dietary cholesterol. This would include eggs, butter, beef, lamb, pork, and desserts like ice cream.

Replace Saturated Fats with Unsaturated Fats
The types of fats found in olive oil, canola oil, nuts, avocados, and fish can actually clear LDL while boosting HDL.

Add more Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids
They lower "bad" cholesterol. Look for salmon, trout, tuna, sardines, soybeans, canola and flaxseed oils, flaxseed, chia, and walnuts.

Add Foods High in Soluble Fiber
Foods high in soluble fiber include oat bran, oatmeal, rice bran, barley, beans, peas, carrots, broccoli, peas, potatoes, citrus fruits, strawberries, apple, nuts, and flaxseeds

Eat Your Vegetables (and a little chocolate and wine)
Flavonoids, antioxidants that can help protect the heart, are found in red wine, chocolate (beware of added sugar), tomatoes, broccoli, etc. Antioxidants are found in many vegetables so just eat more veggies in general.

Read Your Labels
Many commercial oat bran and wheat bran products actually contain very little bran. They may also be high in sodium, total fat, saturated fat and trans fat. Read the labels on all packaged foods.

Exercise
Regular physical activity increases HDL cholesterol in some people. Regular moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity can also condition your heart and lungs.

Quit Smoking
Smoking lowers HDL cholesterol levels and increases the tendency for blood to clot.

*I hope this information is helpful but please note it is not a substitution for seeing your doctor or dietician.