Years ago I had a busy nutrition counseling practice, and one of the best things about it was that I learned so much from my clients! I monitored their weight, changes in behavior and blood tests so closely that I was able to perform my own ‘unofficial’ research. I found out what worked, what didn’t work and which behaviors in particular had a powerful impact on their overall health profile. I helped many people reduce their risk of heart disease by improving their cholesterol levels and reducing their weight. That being said, I want to share with you what really worked for most of them.
- Limit added fat:
Eliminate fried foods, sauces, gravy, and full fat mayonnaise. Remove visible fat from meat and poultry. Choose fish or seafood over red meat when possible. Use low-fat dairy products. Limit intake of fats like butter, margarine, salad dressing and vegetable oils to 3-4 teaspoons daily (use this limited amount for cooking and preparing foods).
- Increase soluble fiber intake:
Soluble fiber binds to cholesterol and bile in the GI tract so it’s excreted right away. To have an impact on your total cholesterol eat at least ½ cup of beans (like chick peas, kidney beans, lentils or cannelloni beans), oatmeal, oat bran, barley and brown rice five times per week. Select mostly fruits rich in pectin (a soluble fiber) like apples, plums, citrus fruits, bananas and apricots, and vegetables like baked potatoes, carrots and Brussels’ sprouts.
- Drink lots of water:
Fiber acts like a sponge, so in order for it to work its magic it needs to be moist. The more fiber you eat, the more water you need.
- Eat small frequent meals:
For some reason this is very powerful. I had a patient lower their cholesterol level just by changing from three meals a day to 3 smaller meals with 3 snacks.
I found that these small changes had a major impact on my client’s lipid profile. The more beans and soluble fiber they took in, the greater the impact on their cholesterol level. And just like everything else, as soon as people stopped this regimen and went back eating food with sauces and gravy and reduced their soluble fiber intake, the cholesterol went back up. Of course by adding physical activity the HDL-cholesterol (good) would improve and triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol (bad) would go down.
The bottom line is, if you want to have powerful impact on your cholesterol level, start with these simple suggestions. Have your cholesterol checked to see what is and isn’t working and keep in mind; it has to be something you can maintain. Concentrate on what’s important and has the most impact. I did not become the ‘Queen of Beans’ for nothing. Trust me, it works!
- Josee
Labels: healthy eating, Josee, Lifestyle Change, Mindful Eating, Portion Control, Positive Thinking, Success
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