Keeping control of your cholesterol is an important part of staying healthy. High colesterol is an epidemic brought on by poor eating habits and stress. High colesterol can cause fatty deposits to accumulate on arteries and blood vessels. This restricts the movement of blood, causing high blood pressure. This can lead to coronary heart disease, which can be a precursor to heart attacks or strokes.
High colesterol can be caused by a variety of factors. Your age, gender, and genetics play an important roll in your risk of high cholesterol. Your weight, diet, activity level, and stress levels also play a huge roll on your risks. Thankfully these factors are controllable through lifestyle change.
Not all cholesterol is created equal. HDL, or high density lipoprotein, is known as good cholesterol. This is a very beneficial cholesterol to have in high levels, as it carries the fat through the blood and prevents it from depositing on you arteries. Bad cholesterol is known as LDL or low density lipoprotein. You should also consider your triglyceride levels. Total cholesterol levels should ideally be between 100-200 mg/dL for an adult.
Diet plays an important part in your cholesterol levels. It can both raise and lower your numbers. Here are 12 LDL cholesterol lowering foods for you to enjoy.
1. Whole Eggs
Eggs are a controversial food in relation to high cholesterol. Some small studies have found that eating egg yolks can raise cholesterol levels. However, there have been a few very large studies that have shown that eating egg yolks can lower high cholesterol by raising your good cholesterol. This seems to only be applicable when you have a good diet to begin with. Many people forget that raising HDL cholesterol can lower your risk of heart disease and balance your cholesterol levels. Eating a whole egg each day can do wonders for your blood work.
