Lowering Your Cholesterol: The Best Habits to Adopt Today

At age 23 I received the shock of my life: I had high cholesterol. Sick with tonsillitis, I expected to enter the clinic for a simple, innocuous treatment, but was told instead to schedule another appointment because of my cholesterol. It was the wake-up call I needed, which led me to start bodybuilding a couple of months later. Since then, my cholesterol levels have normalized.

So what did I do right? Here are the nutritional habits I developed to lower my cholesterol.

1. I ate less calories. Before my diagnosis, eating pasta, greasy Chinese food and cheese made up nearly my entire diet, which comfortably put me in the overweight body mass index (BMI) category. Eating more than 3000 calories a day was normal, and I often doubled this amount on the weekends.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), overweight people who lose just 10 pounds can lower their low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by up to 8%. I currently eat around 1700 calories a day, which is resulting in steady weight loss. You may need to eat more or less calories, depending on your current weight, height and other variables. Only a licensed medical professional can determine the correct caloric amount to help you steadily lose weight.

2. I eliminated foods that contained trans fatty acids. Processed foods, such as ramen noodles, French fries, and pot pies all contain trans fatty acids, a type of fat that can raise blood cholesterol. Avoiding them is necessary to lower cholesterol.

Here's a good nutritional habit to develop: always cook from scratch, even if it's inconvenient. Foods made from scratch will not have these fats. I cook my meals from scratch all the time now, and it's even helped me save money.

3. I ate natural, nutrient-rich foods as much as possible. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains became my primary focus, which helped lower cholesterol. These foods are essential because they are rich in fiber, which helps lower LDL cholesterol. These foods also take longer to digest and contain fewer calories, making it easier to manage your weight. I began making more stir-fries and soups to make it easier to consume more vegetables and grains. Make it a goal to have a serving of whole grains, vegetables or fruits with each meal to get enough fiber into your diet.

Here's another key point: consistency is key. It took me a year to normalize my cholesterol. Other people may need to adapt their nutritional habits for more than a year to lower their cholesterol levels. Keep at it and you'll eventually see a change.

Source:

Author unknown, "Your Guide to Lowering Your Cholesterol With TLC", nhlbi.nih.gov.