Watching your cholesterol levels and have been told that you should stay away from foods that are high in cholesterol? Here is a small list of 15 that you may want to try and eliminate or at least cut down a bit.

Cholesterol occurs naturally in the body and is actually important for several of our bodies’ functions. Cholesterol synthesizes many of the body’s hormones, makes cell membranes and Vitamin D. Blood cholesterol is essentially a waxy fat found in the blood. There are two types of cholesterol: LDL and HDL. The low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the negative type of cholesterol. High levels of LDL causes unhealthy build-up of cholesterol plaque on artery walls, which can lead to coronary disease. The high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is seen as the positive cholesterol. The HDL carries the LDL away from the artery walls when levels are properly maintained.

Cholesterol is already in our blood, but it can also enter the body by way of food. The cholesterol present in foods is absorbed via the intestines, which is then added the the cholesterol our liver already produces. If your cholesterol levels are too high, it is best to know which foods contain the most cholesterol and minimize consumption. A good rule to remember is that cholesterol comes mainly from animals. Keep in mind that some foods, although may contain high amounts of cholesterol can also be good sources of protein, carbohydrates, fatty acids and other important nutrients. These foods need not be completely eliminated from your diet, however, portion control is necessary.

Here is a list (not comprehensive) of foods that are known for being high in cholesterol.

1) Eggs – cholesterol is found mostly in the yolk
2) Liver
3) Other organ meats (brain and kidney)
4) Duck and/or Goose
5) Chicken and Turkey (the skin)
6) Shrimp
7) Pork
Beef (leaner cuts are lower in cholesterol)
9) Ice Cream
10) Butter
11) Whole-Milk dairy products (cheese and yogurt)
12) Cream Cheese
13) Fast Food Breakfast
14) Palm and Coconut Oil
15) Sponge Cake

Based on a 2000 calorie diet, the RDV or recommended daily value of cholesterol is less than 300 milligrams. Keeping your number down is hard to do when you don;t pay attention to what you eat everyday. For example, a scrambled egg yolk can contain up to 465 milligrams of cholesterol alone. Just by eating one egg at breakfast, you’ve overshot your RDV. Try eating just the egg whites. One way to keep your cholesterol levels normal is to reduce your overall fat intake on a daily basis to 20-35% of your total calories. Healthy fats found in nuts, fish and vegetable oils are better for you than foods high in saturated fats. Increase your daily consumption of vegetables and fruit, preferably in their whole form. Choose whole grains over white grains (brown rice over white for example).

Reducing your cholesterol levels is just a matter of reducing bad cholesterol containing foods and adding those that are healthier. Along with good nutrition, exercise is also key to keeping a positive cholesterol level.

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What is cholesterol?

It is a fat-like waxy substance secreted by our liver within our body. It is an important part of every cell in our body and serves certain vital functions, like the following:

• Generating hormones in our body

• Maintaining healthy cell walls

• Producing bile acids, that help in fat digestion

• Making Vitamin D.

Of course, cholesterol is very important for our body to function well, but at the same time excessive production of cholesterol results in hardening of the artery walls which in turn leads to several serious health complications like heart attacks, strokes, etc.

This doesn’t mean than having low cholesterol is good for health. Very low cholesterol level indicates liver cancer, in the worst case scenario. Therefore, in order to avoid such health complications it is very important to keep your cholesterol level under control. A healthy cholesterol level means 140-200 milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood.

It is usually seen that rising cholesterol problems are the consequence of aging; however it can happen to anyone and everyone irrespective of their age. So, whether you are a young individual or a senior person, it is always pertinent that you keep a proper check on your cholesterol level, to ensure good health.
Causes of high cholesterol:
There may be several causes for an individual developing high cholesterol level. Some of these causes are avoidable while others are not, but whatever the reason may be, educating yourself about the causes gives you a better idea on how to deal with your situation in an appropriate way.
So, let’s take a quick look at the causes that may be a potential reason to throw your cholesterol level out of balance:

• It may be the result of your increasing age.

• It may be hereditary

• Wrong eating habits like consuming high fat foods.

• Unhealthy habits like consuming alcohol, smoking cigarettes, etc.

• Diabetes.

• Sedentary lifestyle.

• Under active thyroid gland.

• Treatment for high cholesterol:

There are millions of people who have to live with cholesterol problems. But the good news is that cholesterol disorders can be treated, all it takes is some dedication and will power on your part to overcome the situation. Let’s take a quick look at how you can treat high blood cholesterol effectively:
Bring about healthy changes in your present lifestyle and follow a routine life.
Follow a healthy diet plan. Your diet should include foods that are low on fat and high on fiber.

Exercise regularly. It is also important to follow a proper workout program. That best way to go about it is to consult a profession physical instructor who can design a proper exercise program for you. Doing so will help you get the best results in the most effective way possible.
Quit unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking, etc.

In case you are diagnosed with high cholesterol level make sure that you go to a doctor immediately and get yourself treated at the earliest to avoid future complications. Remember, a proper combination of healthy fat free diet, exercising and medication is likely to contribute significantly towards improving your health and lowering your cholesterol level.

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Lowering Cholesterol Levels

It’s a new year and many have good health and a starting a healthy lifestyle on their minds. In addition to losing weight and exercising more how about getting your cholesterol levels checked and start lowering them if they are high.  A quick and simple blood test at your doctors office is all that it takes to start you on your way.  Actually the most painful part of the test is having to stop eating food for 12 hours before your test (yes, you can still drink water and take your necessary meds but all gum, food and drink other than water is not permitted). Not having my morning coffee is a killer so I schedule my test for the first open appointment at the lab.

Experts say that people who are over 20 years of age should pay more attention to their cholesterol level and advise them to do everything they can to lower their levels of “bad” cholesterol. Despite the so many claims that you can lower your cholesterol level through low cholesterol diet plans, lifestyle changes, and monitored medication, more and more people who suffer from this condition still fail to lower their cholesterol level.

Although it is sometimes hard to stick with the needed requirements to be able to lower your cholesterol levels, it is still possible to get the result that you want by following these easy ways to lower to cholesterol:

1. Make sure you know where you stand by getting your levels checked regularly. Visiting your doctor and getting your cholesterol levels checked regularly is very important to achieving optimum health for good. Since high cholesterol is related to cardiovascular disease, make sure that you know your numbers so you can rearrange your diet and change lifestyle habits as well. Knowing your cholesterol level will also help you decide what kind of diet plan you should follow and if you need medication and treatment already. Knowing your starting point will also help you monitor your progress toward healthy cholesterol levels. If you know your exact cholesterol status then you can also do something to combat it by learning to quit cigarette smoking and excessive eating of high cholesterol foods.

2. Understanding the basics and learning everything you can about the condition. If you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol levels, the first thing to do is to understand the situation fully and acquire more information about the condition. By conducting your own personal research on the condition will also make you knowledgeable about initial lifestyle changes you can do to lessen the problem and you will also have an idea what other treatments options available. Knowing everything about cholesterol, its types, kinds, and health risks will also make you understand that the case is not really hopeless if you are in the right track.

Finding and getting more information about the condition will also make you realize that there are so many things that you can do. You can get more information from a registered dietician, local centers for nutrition, local hospital or public health department, and from a consultation with your attending physician or health care provider.

3. Watch your weight and get rid of extra pounds if needed. Monitoring your weight is one of the best ways to combat high levels of cholesterol. If you think you are overweight for your age and height, then you should be contemplating on slimming down to be able to decrease your high cholesterol level. Since being overweight disrupts a person’s normal metabolism of dietary fat, experts say that people who weight more than they should shout start planning on a healthy lifestyle and diet to lose weight safely.

But, before having a drastic change in your diet and lifestyle, make sure that you visit your doctor first to access your overall health. Doing this may prevent further damage especially if you have to undergo certain medications.

4. Get physical, do regular physical activities and exercises more often. The wonders of exercise are indeed very essential in lowering high cholesterol levels. Doing regular physical activities can also help raise the good cholesterol levels and lose weight as well. There’s really no need for high-intensity workouts, regular brisk walking or jogging can help the body boost HDL cholesterol and also beneficial for the heart.

5. Make a commitment and stick to that commitment. The best way to lower cholesterol levels  is to be able to develop the discipline to stick to your goal. You can also lower your cholesterol level by acquainting yourself what are the good and the bad fat and its sources, by discovering the wonders of fiber in cutting down cholesterol, by taking in good multivitamins, by freeing yourself from lots of stress, and by exploring and considering treatment options when all else fails.

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