Ways to cut back on bad cholesterolWomen are more likely than men to have dangerously high cholesterol levels. (How true, my hubby had 3.5 and I had 9 in CDN measurements). Woman’s Day gives us some tips to get our numbers under control

• Eat 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber daily. This can lower cholesterol 3% to 5%. This type of fiber binds to cholesterol so when it leaves your body the cholesterol does, too. Good sources include oatmeal, beans, apples, citrus fruits, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and carrots.

• Have 2 grams of plant sterols or stanols daily. This can lower cholesterol 5% to 15%. These plant compounds prevent your small intestine from absorbing cholesterol. You can find them in margarines such as Benecol and Take Control, and in fortified orange juice labeled as cholesterol-lowering.• Take three 10-minute walks daily. This can lower cholesterol 7% to 18%. Research shows that women who were on a diet and exercise program that included a 30-minute daily aerobic workout lowered their total cholesterol by 7% to 18%. If you don’t have 30 minutes, breaking it up into three 10-minute blocks is just as effective.

• Eat a handful of nuts daily. This can lower cholesterol up to 12%. Walnuts, pistachios, almonds and macadamia nuts may lower LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and triglycerides and raise HDL (high-density lipoprotein), probably because they contain healthy monounsaturated fats. Make sure they’re raw and unsalted and figure them into your daily calorie count.

Woman’s Day

Wow, by the time we do these 4 things our cholesterol could very well be in the negative numbers

Someone shared this with me, so I am sharing with you!