How to Eat to Prevent & Treat High Cholesterol
Do you have high cholesterol and need to treat it?
Concentrate on these strategies:
a handful of either walnuts, almonds, or cashews per day;
Two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil with your food once or twice a day (count the two tablespoons because olive oil is very high in calories);
Have more vegetables that don't have sugars: some examples are cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, arugula;
Eliminate or decrease refined sugars: rice, pasta, sweets, bread, tortillas prepared with refined flours, and concentrate on more whole grains: whole grain bread, oats - choose original for the Beta-glucan compound it contains that lowers cholesterol;
Eat more fatty fish such as salmon, herring, and sardines - prefer wild-caught fish.
These fatty foods contain unsaturated oils or oils that are more fluid and change the lipid profile (or the type of fat) in your bloodstream, preventing and treating high blood cholesterol and many other medical conditions.
Our bodies produce more cholesterol than we usually eat, and cholesterol per se isn't the problem. The issue is that the more saturated fat we eat, the more cholesterol the liver will send to the bloodstream through low-density lipoproteins. These lipoproteins carry cholesterol and triglycerides from the liver to tissues. However, triglycerides are delivered, and cholesterol remains in the bloodstream. Since cholesterol is a waxy substance, its excess in the bloodstream can contribute to atherosclerosis and the clogging of arteries. Therefore, eating more unsaturated fats and whole, unprocessed grains will help control the buildup of cholesterol in the bloodstream.
There's more to cholesterol, and cholesterol is a sterol (or alcohol). Cholesterol is a hero, but because its transport and metabolism are very complex, it was understood by the public and the media that cholesterol is the main culprit of the buildup of fats in arteries and the bloodstream.
Cholesterol is the precursor of bile (which helps metabolize fats we eat), steroid hormones, and vitamin D, all essential for a well-functioning metabolism and good health. Cholesterol is also present in cell membranes, and it's a waxy substance. It's technically an alcohol (substances with the nomenclature ending in -ol are alcohols).
The description above is pretty much the Mediterranean diet, which along with exercise, will help you lower cholesterol and prevent and treat diabetes.
