This time of year with the holiday parties and gifts of food, you can find yourself getting in a bad habit of eating cholesterol raising foods and also raising your cholesterol levels. Is that extra donut or full fat fudge worth the calories and the cholesterol that it can bring?

As you already know, having an abnormally high cholesterol level can put one at risk of developing heart disease. It won’t be an instant thing; heart disease can gradually develop as a person ages and as one continues to maintain a very high cholesterol level. If you plan to live well over your years, then lowering your cholesterol levels at the earliest time possible will be able to help you achieve your goal plus getting into good eating habits will help keep your levels low.

There are certain medications available in the market today that aim to lower cholesterol levels. They are grouped in different classes most notable of which are HMG-CoA Inhibitors or otherwise known as “statins”. The drugs belonging in this group try to block the enzyme HMG-CoA, which functions as one of the steps required to convert fat into cholesterol. Statins are known to be the most effective cholesterol lowering agent to date and have become a great help to people requiring drastic reduction of their cholesterol levels.

There are also cholesterol lowering drugs called bile acid sequestrants that work by binding itself with the bile produced by the human liver. Bile is the substance that aids in the digestion system and in the absorption of fats in the intestine. Bile acid sequestrants prevent the formation of cholesterol by preventing bile acid from digesting fats.

There are also vitamins that help lower cholesterol levels. Most prominent among them is Vitamin B3 or niacin. Niacin is one of the eight water-soluble B vitamins that help the body convert carbohydrates into glucose which is used in the body for energy. The B vitamins are also important in the breakdown of body fat and protein as well as in the aid in making the nervous system, skin, eyes, hair, mouth, and liver healthy. Niacin also helps the body in getting rid of toxic and harmful chemicals.

Niacin has also been found to increase the effects of other cholesterol reducing drugs. But such an effect would only be possible if niacin is taken in large doses. But people are also warned to be careful of trying to lower their cholesterol levels by taking in large doses of Niacin. Large amounts of this B vitamin can cause flushing of the skin due to dilating blood vessels as well as other side effects such as itching, headaches, nausea and muscle cramps.

Other vitamins and substances also credited in helping the body lower its cholesterol levels is Lecithin and vitamins C and E. Lecithin works by allowing fats and cholesterol to be dispersed from the body and help prevent fatty buildup in the arteries. Vitamins C and E have also shown to help in trying to help prevent heart disease by protecting LDL cholesterol from damage. Although LDL cholesterol is also known as the “bad” cholesterol, most cardiologists believe that only damaged LDL contributes to the increasing risk of heart disease.

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Fact: you have to eat in order to have energy to do tasks and repair your body. It’s the way that you eat that can make a big difference in your cholesterol levels.

Some are able to make three or four trips to the buffet table while others are satisfied after one round. In any case, the type of food brought to the plate could be healthy or harmful and the choice is really up to you.

Those who love to eat red meat and other dishes that are fatty or greasy are at risk of raising their cholesterol levels.

These high levels of cholesterol in the body are happening more often now than ever before. This is because of the variety of food offered now in the grocery and in restaurants. Having choices are good, but you have to know how to block out the bad food choices so that you don’t feel deprived.  If you look at your food choices in a positive light, it will be easier to pass up on the donuts or greasy fries.

Is there one food product that can be called the best to lower cholesterol? The answer is no because a well balanced diet must come from all the food groups and you should know which food choices are better.

For example: instead of drinking whole milk and using whole milk for your cereal sue fat free or skim milk. Don’t like skim milk? Try working up to it.  For 2 weeks use 2% milk, then the next 2 weeks use 1% milk, then by week 4 you can start using skim milk and you will be surprised to notice that by working towards the fat free milk, you won’t miss the whole milk. However, if you jump from whole milk to skim milk – you’ll probably shy away from it forever.

When is the last time you eat oatmeal? You probably haven’t had it since you were a kid. Oatmeal can help lower your cholesterol levels while being very filling, high in fiber and low in sodium, low in sugar, low in fat.  Just try not to add any additional butter or sugar.

Instead of having steak when having a cookout or picnic, this should be changed with chicken or fish instead. These things don’t have that much fat in the center or in the edges and taste just as good as the big slab served with mash potatoes (plus use skim milk to make your mashed potatoes – you won’t notice a difference.

The healthiest thing to have either for lunch and dinner is food that comes from the ocean. This can be fish or shellfish that is known to carry Omega 3, which is very effective in lowering the levels of cholesterol in people.

Eating a candy bar or a slice of cake doesn’t see so bad but many of these are rich in fat. Learn to read labels.

With each meal, try to add in some fruit and/or  veggies . A salad works best or having a few carrots or potatoes as a side dish. There must always be a balance whenever the individual decides to have meat or fish.  Try steaming your veggies or using the new prepackaged veggies that get steamed in your microwave. They don’t have any added sauces or calories.

There are many ways to cook the food mentioned. The individual can get a cookbook or download some recipes from the Internet to be able to come up with something delicious and at the same time lower one’s cholesterol levels.

If following the instructions are hard, there are always shows on television that teach homemakers and other people the basics into cooking something fat free which is good for the diet.

It is never too late to make some lifestyle and changes in order to live a longer and healthier life.

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