Diet to lower High Cholesterol

What is cholesterol and what is it for?

The cholesterol is a type of lipid (fat) participating in most of the essential tasks of the body such as the Digeston and synthesizing hormones. It is an essential fat in our body and that is naturally secreted in our body, and it is also obtained through food.

As we have indicated, our body is capable of secreting the cholesterol necessary to perform these functions; But with food we provide an extra amount that in most cases can lead to serious health problems , since the cholesterol that is not eliminated is stored in our arteries, making it difficult for blood to circulate and increasing the risk of suffering from diseases. cardiovascular .

We must differentiate between two types of cholesterol: the “good” cholesterol called HDL , which is high-density and the “bad” cholesterol called LDL, which is low-density and excessively accumulates in the arteries and hinders the transit of oxygen. Through the blood, and in a way that increases the cholesterol, the arteries begin to clog and generate cardiovascular problems.

What are the advisable cholesterol levels?

The correct levels of cholesterol are measured together in HDL and LDL, so we can say that a total cholesterol of more than 200 mg / dl is pathological and can be very dangerous.

Lately, when it exceeds 160 mg / dl, a diet low in cholesterol and a healthy lifestyle are recommended to avoid cardiovascular risks.

We recommend that all people over 20 years of age undergo annual tests  to check their cardiovascular health.

What are the causes of high cholesterol?

The main cause of the increase in blood cholesterol level is the increase of saturated fat in the diet.

High cholesterol ( hypercholesterolemia ) is a problem that affects a large part of the population and is associated with the appearance of future cardiovascular problems with serious consequences; although other genetic or hereditary factors may intervene that can alter the assimilation of cholesterol.

High cholesterol favors the appearance of cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis, heart attack or thrombosis, one of the most frequent causes of death; so we must put a solution as soon as possible.

What can I do to lower my cholesterol?

The fundamental basis for lowering blood cholesterol levels is to normalize the diet by restricting the foods that raise it, that is, by restricting foods rich in fat .

The diet of a person who has hypercholesterolemia should be based mainly on foods of plant origin.

Vegetables contain phytosterols or plant sterols that help reduce the absorption of cholesterol, which contributes to less assimilation by our body.

Generally, the amount that plant sterols provide us with is insufficient, for this reason there are drinks that include them to contribute to an improvement in high cholesterol levels, causing them to decrease.

Most of the fats come from foods of animal origin and also the healthiest fats are vegetables, which generally protect us from cardiovascular diseases. If you want to know the different types of fats, you can find out in the following post about ” how to distinguish between good and bad fats ”

The solution is to go on a diet, or make some adjustments in eating habits , understanding that when a person with this problem goes on a diet, it is not precisely to lose weight, but to improve their health; but in most cases they lose weight since this type of diet is concerned with reducing the daily intake of saturated fat , so we will eat fewer calories and as a consequence we will regularize the weight.

Anti-cholesterol diet

This diet is aimed at those people who have high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia), it is not precisely to lose weight but in most cases if weight is lost, since this diet deals with reducing the daily intake of saturated fat .

As we have indicated previously, this contributes to ingesting fewer calories, which helps to balance the balance between intake and caloric expenditure , thus making our body reserve less fat and that they do not accumulate in the reserves of adipose tissue such as Energy.

The anti-cholestol diet aims to reduce the intake of saturated fats since the high consumption of these causes the cholesterol level to rise, although this does not only depend on the diet since there are other factors that can trigger high cholesterol such as genes, which have great importance on it.

To carry out this diet we will eliminate certain foods such as: egg yolk, egg sauces, mayonnaise, organ meats, bakery and pastry products, patés, hamburger meat, fatty meats, sausages, cold cuts, dairy and fatty cheeses, sour cream, precooked foods, sweets etc .

The diet of a person with high cholesterol should be predominantly plant foods , it is recommended to consume skim milk, fruits, legumes and cereals. Oily fish, lean chicken and turkey should be abundant . Salt should be used in low amounts and avoided if you suffer from hypertension.

Before undertaking any diet, consult your GP. It is essential that the patient undergo a rigorous medical control if he suffers from high cholesterol, because he may possibly need medication since not only is cholesterol altered by diet, but sometimes genetic and hereditary factors also intervene that can alter it.

• From TakeDiets.com  we recommend that you carry out a healthy , balanced diet, restricting saturated fats and also combine it with moderate physical exercise on a regular basis, which will contribute to a better state of health, always under the supervision of your doctor .

Weekly menu to reduce hypercholesterolemia