In addition to changing your diet, you have stopped smoking and also starting exercising regularly. You feel great but your cholesterol is still too high. You are having trouble with your diet.
How effective is diet at reducing cholesterol?
The diet recommended by the American Heart Association usually results in a cholesterol reduction of 5-10%. To get specific advice on the diet it is best to consult a registered dietitian. Some more restrictive diets are effective in reducing cholesterol more dramatically such as the diet advocated by Dr. Dean Ornish, which is nearly completely vegetarian and contains very little fat. In fact, the Ornish diet, in conjunction with daily exercise and stress management, can actually reverse coronary artery disease. However, the diet is too radical for most people to adhere to for a long period of time.
The Mediterranean Diet
Additional strategies that may be useful in reducing cholesterol include eating the foods that constitute a "Mediterranean" diet. A Mediterranean diet is high in antioxidants, vitamins and certain fatty acids which may reduce the risk of heart disease. In a study from France, The Lyon Diet Heart Study, a 73% reduction in major heart problems were found in people who followed a Mediterranean diet and had a previous heart attack.
The diet can be summarized simply:
- choose fish and lean poultry a few times a week
- use olive oil or canola oil ,
- eat lots of fruits, vegetables, beans, and other plant foods
- limit red meat and saturated fat intake
- drink in moderation (no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women)
Although it contains a lot of fat because of the olive oil content, a Mediterranean diet is made up of largely grains, beans, vegetables and fruits.
No comments:
Post a Comment