A diet to control high cholesterol is essential for those who are likely to develop heart disease. If a persons level is very high, they may need an aggressive treatment regimen including diet to lower high cholesterol and exercise. This substance is found in both the human body and in foods making this sometimes difficult to monitor as well as control. Some people are genetically predisposed to higher levels, which in many cases cannot be controlled or lowered by diet alone. When a predisposition for this problem is genetically inherited and a poor diet is consumed, the likelihood of heart disease is very high.
Over 65% of all heart disease is caused by high cholesterol in both men and women and accounts for more deaths after the age of 45 than any other health factor. This problem presents a serious risk for anyone and a nutrition plan will need to be implemented. Since many foods that Americans consume daily contain high levels of this substance, it is not easy task to commit to a diet to lower high cholesterol. There are many alternate food choices to be found when changing eating patterns through a diet.
Some of the biggest food offenders are red meats and products of animals such as eggs, cheese and whole milk. For those who are used to eating a juicy beefsteak two or three times a week topped off with cheesecake or ice cream for desert, it can be a rude awakening to switch to a nutritious lifestyle. Refined sugar is another problem. Meats and sugar are very popular food choices in American foods, especially fast food restaurants. Kicking these habits can be unusually hard for many patients, but it is vital to do this when taking part in a diet to control high cholesterol.
For many Americans, taste is king where menu selections are concerned. Alternatives to offending foods are not always satisfying. There are, however, a growing number of food substitutes that are proving to be satisfying to the discriminate eater and can be very helpful for the individual taking part in a diet to lower high cholesterol. Many people are turning to stevia and other sources of natural sweeteners in order to satisfy their sweet tooth while giving up processed sugar. Some alternative sweeteners are not synthetic but are derived from natural sources such as plants. A sweetener such as stevia can be used for cooking and is quite sweet to the taste.
Other healthy substitutes individuals can choose include turkey, chicken, and fish in place of red meats. For those who love to eat eggs, egg whites have become an alternative as well as egg substitutes that are available at a local grocery store. Cheeses, sour cream, mayonnaise and butter are other problem foods for those who need a diet to control high cholesterol. Substitutes can be found at health food stores as well as local grocery stores. It can become quite challenging to replace all the foods in a typical American diet, but this can be done.
The interested individual can find help with menu planning through many online sources as well as a local bookstore. Choosing the health food route and staying away from preservatives, food colorings and other synthetic alternatives is a great nutrition plan. There are many sources that offer entire books with recipes and weekly menu plans for those needing a diet to lower high cholesterol. There are also some foods and supplements that can be added that can actually get rid of some of this substance in the body. Oats are one scientifically proven source that can actually rid the body of this substance as fiber sweeps through the intestines. With approximately 40 scientific studies to prove its worth, oatmeal has become a favorite part of a diet to control high cholesterol.
A cup day of oatmeal a day will help control or lower a patient’s levels. Another natural source that can be added to a food plan is red yeast rice. Red yeast rice supplement can be purchased at most health food stores and easily added to a diet. This has been known to significantly lower some patients levels without the aid of medication. Virgin olive oil is another easy addition to any diet to control high cholesterol and is known to lower the levels by an addition of two tablespoons a day in patients.
“O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.” (Psalm 34:3). Sensibly adding the right foods and subtracting the wrong foods can produce a diet to lower high cholesterol for many people. Of course, the addition of exercise to any health management program is also very important. A nutrition plan may also require medication prescribed by a doctor if levels have already caused heart damage or are extremely high. Checking with a doctor or online source for menus and recipes for nutrition information and exercise plans can provide a great start to a healthy life.