5 Tips To Lower Your Cholesterol

Cholesterol has been around for thousands of years.It's a natural function of the human body. Unfortunately,most people aren't even aware they have high cholesteroluntil they have a heart attack or stroke. It is possibleto have up to 80 percent closure of the arteries withoutever feeling a single symptom! Here are 5 tips you can usestraight away to start lowering your cholesterol today:

1. Reduce fat in your diet.

Buy the leanest cuts of meat you can find. Regularlysubstitute poultry (without the skin) and fish forred meat. Both are lower in saturated fat. Switch tolow fat cottage cheese and yogurt, reduced fat hardcheeses and skim or 1 percent milk.

2. Eat no more than four egg yolks a week.

Many people don't have to worry about eating cholesterol.Normal bodies adjust to increased intake by cutting backon regular product. However, since one third of Americansare cholesterol responders their blood cholesterol doesgo up when they eat cholesterol. You probably don't knowif you fall into this category so play it safe. Eat nomore than four egg yolks a week. An average egg yolkcontains 213 milligrams of cholesterol!

3. Eliminate fried foods.

Buying low fat is just the beginning. You need toinstitute low fat cooking methods to keep the cholesterolfrom sneaking back in to your diet. Remove fatty skin fromchicken and turkey. Don't fry foods. Roast, bake, broil,grill or poach them instead. Use fat free marinades orbasting with liquids like wine, tomato or lemon juice.Use olive or canola oils for sautéing or baking. Both arevery low in saturated fat. Use diet, tub or squeezemargarines instead of regular. Watch for the term"hydrogenated," which means some of the fat is saturated.

4. Eat vegetables and complex carbohydrates.

Lowest fat foods of all are vegetables, fruits, grains(rice, barley and pasta), beans and legumes. Trysubstituting some of these for meat and high fat dairyproducts. Don't douse your pasta with butter or yourpotato with sour cream. Use tomato base sauces instead ofcream base. Use lemon juice, low sodium soy sauce or herbsto season vegetables. Make chili with extra beans andseasonings while leaving out the meat.

5. Lose weight.

If you are overweight, the chances are almost 100% thatyou have a problem with high cholesterol. You can loweryour LDL and elevate your HDL just by dropping some pounds.Eat fewer fatty foods and more fruits, vegetables, grainsand beans and it's a pretty good bet that you will slowlybut surely lose weight.

Remember there is no substitute for your physician.Make certain that you clear any new treatments with himbefore embarking on any radical health changes you areanticipating.

Tony Newton publishes the popular health and wellnesswebsite - http://www.1st-for-health.comWith lots of informative articles on low carb diets,hair loss, arthritis pain relief, acne and lots more.