Cholesterol is a waxy substance made in the liver that is found almost everywhere in the body. It makes up cell membranes, bile to break down fat, hormones and as transporters. Some cholesterol is needed for good health but too much can mean disaster. Of primary importance for the heart patient is LDL cholesterol. This is what is known as bad cholesterol and is by far the most important number to change for heart health. LDL carries the majority of the cholesterol in the blood. LDL is designed to take cholesterol to cells that have run out. In the ideal situation this cholesterol is used to repair membranes or make hormones, but if it is not needed LDL builds up in the bloodstream causing plaque buildup. For every 1% reduction in LDL cholesterol you reduce your risk for developing heart disease by 2%. For most individuals LDL cholesterol values should e less than 100 mg/dL but for those at the highest risk of heart disease the recommendation is less than 70 mg/dL. To learn more about your risk score visit: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/HeartAttackToolsResources/Heart-Attack-Risk-Assessment_UCM_303944_Article.jsp
Statin drugs such as Lipitor or Crestor, block the creation of cholesterol in the liver itself. However, statins alone while continuing an unhealthy lifestyle may not be enough to protect you. In fact research has shown that diet itself may be able to induce similar actions to statin drugs without side effects. While this doesn’t mean you should stop taking your statin it does mean you should consider making some diet changes. Try the following diet strategies to decrease your LDL cholesterol:
Increase your intake of beans, oatmeal, apples, barley and prunes to increase your soluble fiber intake. These foods can help reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream as well as help flush them out of your body. Shoot for 5-10g or more soluble fiber per day. 1.5 cups of cooked oatmeal provides about 6 g fiber. For best results try steel cut oats or oat bran.
Try a handful (1.5 oz) of almonds, hazel nuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts every day. Be sure the nuts aren’t salted or sweetened and watch the portion size as these guys carry a lot of calories.
Decrease animal products (including butter) and replace with olive oil. Shoot for 2 tbsp per day. Instead of spreading butter on your bread, dip into olive oil and vinegar, use olive oil for salad dressings or to prepare fish and vegetables.
Look for foods fortified with sterols and stanols which will block the absorption of cholesterol. These can reduce bad cholesterol by 5-15%. Some foods such as wheat bran, wheat germ, peanuts, olive oil, beans, corn, Brussel Sprouts and almonds naturally have plant sterols and stanols. Because it is hard to get enough from foods alone, some food companies have started fortifying foods such as orange juice and margarine with them as well. Some brands to look for include Benecol, Take Control, and Minute Maid.
Eliminate trans fats from your diet. These sneaky fats raise your bad cholesterol and lower your good cholesterol. Because food companies don’t need to list them on food labels if they contain less than half a gram you will need to check the ingredients list under the food label for “partially hydrogenated oils” to completely eliminate these from your diet.
