Eat Your Way To Better Cholesterol!

If you’re doctor wants to put you on a statin,
(a cholesterol lowering drug) and you’re hesitant
and want to try something natural, perhaps trying
the foods below can help you (and change your
doctor’s mind).

The foods that you should add to
your grocery list…
a) Cheese-
It gets a bad rap as an artery clogger or heart
stopper, but a good quality cheese could significantly
decrease your level of artery-clogging LDL cholesterol
within six weeks.
Yes, cheese contains saturated fat, it also contains
calcium, a mineral that stops dietary fat from being
converted into cholesterol by the liver.
Look for top quality types of cheese like…Brie,
cheddar or other full-fat varieties.
b) Dried Plums-
Okay, prunes. You may associate them with Grandma
or Grandpa, but you may want to rethink that.
They contain nutrients that coat the cholesterol
in your bloodstream, keeping it from sticking to
your artery walls.
c) Avocados-
Another win for avocados. Eat 1/2 an avocado a day,
and you reduce your production of “bad”
cholesterol as much as 20%.
The monounsaturated fats in avocados
slow the liver enzymes that churn out the risky
blood fats.
d) Green Soybeans-
Eating a small amount of edamame
each day lowers your total cholesterol,
and raises your “good” HDL and makes
“bad” LDL less sticky, so it can’t easily latch onto
artery walls. Plus, edamame contain compounds
that break down excess fats, keeping cholesterol
from building up inside your body.
e) Chocolate-
No, not a milky way or snickers bar. The type of
chocolate that’ll cut your cholesterol levels is
Carob. This naturally sweet, caffeine-free cocoa
powder attaches to the fat in your digestive tract.
blocking its absorption, which helps lower
the “bad” cholesterol and raises the “good”
cholesterol.
Buy a top quality type of carob powder and sprinkle
some on your morning bowl of millet, oatmeal, or
plain yogurt.
f) Supplemental Help-
If your doctor wants you to take a prescription
for Lipitor, or Crestor, Zocor or FloLipid, ask
him or her about vitamin D and fish oil.
Vitamin D and fish oil?
This duo prompts your muscle cells to burn blood
fats for fuel and helps your liver break down
and excrete excess cholesterol, doubling your
odds of keeping your cholesterol levels in the
normal range.

That’s it- so if you want to lower cholesterol levels
naturally, pick up an avocado (or two) some
cheese and edamame. Make a dip with the
avocados and add a few slices of cheese,
some prunes and edamame for a midday snack.

Sources:
* David L. Katz, M.D. author of Disease-Proof
* American Journal of Clinical Nutrition