Foods to Help Lower Your Cholesterol
By Sara Butler
You know the old saying, "You are what you eat"? Well, if you want lower cholesterol, then no truer words could be spoken. That's because following a heart-healthy diet can help to lower your blood cholesterol levels. Here are some foods you should consider to help.
Cholesterol: What is It?
Cholesterol is a type of fat found in the blood that your body produces naturally. It can also be found in foods such as shellfish, eggs, and liver. Your body requires cholesterol in order to function properly, but levels too high can result in issues with your heart and blood vessels.
High blood cholesterol will speed up the hardening of the arteries as you get older. Plaque from cholesterol builds up on the walls of your arteries and makes them narrower, impeding blood flow that can result in serious events such as a stroke or heart attack.
How Diet Can Impact Cholesterol
If you have a diet high in fats, then you're likely to have higher blood cholesterol levels. Conversely, eating a diet full of healthy fats as a part of a balanced diet plan can help to improve your cholesterol levels overall and improve the health of your heart.
Plant-based foods are great when it comes to fighting back against cholesterol. That's why it's essential to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and legumes in your diet. You can also try certain foods to help actively improve your cholesterol levels:
- Oats - Oatmeal for breakfast is a great idea! Whole grains like oats are high in soluble fiber that can help lower cholesterol in your blood. Try to stick to whole oats and not pre-packaged, flavored, processed oatmeal in order to reap the most benefits.
- Fruits and vegetables - Eat the rainbow when it comes to fruits and vegetables in your diet to help protect your heart. The soluble fiber in fruit and veggies helps to reduce how much cholesterol your body absorbs through foods your eat and can lower overall cholesterol levels in the process.
- Heart-healthy fats - Not all fats in the diet are bad. You should load up on heart-healthy fats such as avocados, olives, seeds, nuts, and oily fish such as salmon to provide your body with the healthy fats it needs and cut out as many saturated fats as you can.
It's important to keep your heart healthy and your cholesterol levels in check. It's never too early too start!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Houston, Tex.