READER'S
ASK Making
I am a retired person. I recently visited a health camp
where they did some test for lipid profile. The
cholesterol levels have come to be higher than normal.
Even the LDL cholesterol was high and HDL was on the
lower side. Please suggest me some diet so that my
cholesterol levels come down.
Cholesterol helps your body build new cells, insulate
nerves, and produce hormones. Normally, the liver makes
all the cholesterol the body needs. But cholesterol also
enters your body from food, such as animal-based foods
like milk, eggs, and meat. There are majorly two forms of
cholesterol- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad"
cholesterol) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good"
cholesterol.) These are the form in which cholesterol
travels in the blood. Too much cholesterol or an imbalance
of LDL and HDL cholesterol in your body is a major risk
factor for heart disease.
following changes in your diet can
help in lowering cholesterol.
· Start your day with a cup of green tea as it helps in
flushing down the toxins from the body.
· Another easy step to improve your cholesterol is
having a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. It gives
you 1 to 2 grams of soluble fiber. Add a banana or
some strawberries for another half-gram.
· Midmorning and midevening meals should be
healthy with some citrus fruits and nuts like
almonds and walnuts. Eating 2 ounces of nuts a
day can slightly lower LDL. Apples, grapes,
strawberries, citrus fruits are rich in pectin, a
type of soluble fiber that lowers LDL.
· For lunch, include barley