Cholesterol Control
Newspapers have reported on the drawbacks of having the diet
high in fat. High fat diet has been linked to high cholesterol
and ultimately to the heart attacks. Hence people have started
avoiding beef and eggs. But cholesterol is not bad. Our body
needs it to protect nerves and build new cells and hormones. It
is only when we include foods like pizzas, burgers, ice creams,
steaks or any food containing animal product that the problem
starts. Excess cholesterol settles along the walls of the
arteries and can clog them thus restricting blood flow. This
gives rise to angina, heart attack or stroke. It has also been
shown that high cholesterol leads to gallstones. There are two
types of cholesterol called good cholesterol or HDL and bad
cholesterol or LDL. LDL is the cholesterol that clogs the
arteries and should be lower while HDL scours the artery walls
and removes the harmful LDL and should be higher.
Doctors recommend reducing and avoiding high-fat diets
containing meat, eggs and dairy products. But you can use the
following home remedies for treatment:
* Increase the intake of Vitamin E: It is advised to increase
your intake of Vitamin E to 400 international units to prevent
the oxidation of bad cholesterol where the cholesterol hardens
into the arterial plaque thus giving rise to heart attack. It
also raises the level of HDL. You can include Vitamin E as
dietary sources or include vegetable oils, nuts or grains in
your diet. * Eat your breakfast: People who skip the breakfast
have higher cholesterol levels than those who have breakfast
everyday. This is because they tend to eat unhealthy foods which
are high in fats. * Eat small meals frequently: Large meals have
been shown to release the large amount of insulin, which in turn
stimulates the production of the enzymes that increases
cholesterol production by the liver. But eating small frequent
meals without increasing the total calories will limit the
insulin production and thus control the cholesterol and in turn
heart diseases. * Add Vitamin C to the diet: Though other
vitamins and minerals play an important role in the cholesterol
production, Vitamin C is the most crucial vitamin for
cholesterol control. It increases HDL level and is very
beneficial if you get it from fruits and vegetables, since they
have a special fibre called pectin. It surrounds the cholesterol
and flushes it out of the digestive system before it gets into
the blood. Include fruits like citrus fruits, tomatoes,
potatoes, strawberries, apples and spinach which are rich in
vitamin C and pectin. * Increase garlic intake: Take seven
cloves of garlic a day will reduce the cholesterol levels
significantly. If you cannot stand the normal garlic, then you
can opt for odorless garlic pills, which are available in the
local health stores. * Skip decaf: Avoid decaffeinated coffee
since it has been shown to raise the LDL levels. This is because
the beans used for decaf are far stronger than the normal beans.
* Munch grapes: Grapes and their products have a compound which
lowers the cholesterol significantly. So you can increase your
intake of grapes, grape juice and wine to decrease your
cholesterol level. * Have grapefruit: Grapefruit contains pectin
which reduces cholesterol significantly. Hence people who
consume grapefruits show a marked decline of cholesterol over 7
percent after two months of consumption. * Eat beans: Lima
beans, kidney beans, navy beans, soybeans and other legumes have
been shown to lower cholesterol as they have a high amount of
pectin. Research has shown that people who consume about 11/2
cup of cooked beans a day have decreased their cholesterol
levels by 20 percent within three weeks. * Splurge on carrots:
Carrots have plenty of pectin, the most useful type of fibre for
lowering cholesterol. Having about 2 to 3 carrots a day will
reduce the cholesterol levels by 10 to 20 percent.