Have you checked your cholestrol level recently? If not, you should consider doing it. Too many people currently have high levels of cholesterol. Are you among those? If your answer is 'yes', then a low cholesterol diet, like for example a mediteranean diet might be good for you. Actually, if your cholesterol level is to high, you have two major options.
Adjusting your life-style
Take pills that lower your cholestrol
If you don't have extremly high cholestrol level which calls for immediate action, you should try the first option before you even consider to start taking pills.
Unfortunately some of these cholesterol lowering pills have a few disadvantages: Statin drugs like Lipitor and Baycol might cause muscle damage and some doctors have even linked these pills to deaths. This isn't strange at all, seeing that the heart is a muscle. This is probably the reason some of these drugs have been pulled from the market in some countries. Like all medications the benefits have to be weighed with the risks. So if your cholesterol level is too high, I would recommend that you start with adjusting your life style. If this doesn't lower your cholesterol level in a significant way, then you can consider pills to lower your cholestrol level.
What do I mean with "adjusting life-style"?
Did you know that oatmeal contributes to lowering your cholesterol level? It most certainly does. Therfore you should eat more of this.
Olive oil consist of unsaturated fat and is very much used in the mediterranean countries. Why not fry your food in this instead of butter? If you're using this as your main fat source regularly, your cholesterol level should decrease. Stay away from commercially produced and saturated fats.
A great supplement is cod liver oil. It contains essential Omega 3 oils, which is rare in most weight loss diets. Take it once a day. If you are like me and don't like the taste, do as I do and take it in capsules form. It supplies you with 'good' cholesterol. Other benefits are an improved look and feel of your skin, increased energy, improved memory and even pain relief.
Eat vitamin A and vitamin E daily as they also have proven to lower cholesterol level.
Start up with some moderate exercise. It is sufficient to take a thirty minutes to one hour walk daily. This will also contribute to your cholesterol level lowering.
To summarize: If your cholesterol level is too high, start up eating foods that contain substances that have been around for many years and have been tested and tried by generations, instead of starting out with pills that might have health damaging side effects. Add some moderate workout and you'll be well on your way to a normal cholesterol level. If this doesn't work, then consider medicine. I wish you a good luck!
Written By: Terje Ellingsen
