HIGH CHOLESTEROL DIETS WILL HARM YOUR HEALTH

Many Americans have high cholesterol diets, but does it matter? We are frequently told that high cholesterol diets can lead to health problems, but many people don't know exactly why this occurs.

The problem with high cholesterol diets is that they stimulate the body to produce too much cholesterol, and while this is a vital substance, too much of it can lead to major health problems, including serious diseases such as arteriosclerosis which is a hardening and narrowing of the arteries.

There are actually two types of cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), also known as good cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as bad cholesterol - when people talk about high cholesterol levels, they are usually talking about high levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein).

This is because while HDL has a useful function, actually reducing cholesterol by taking excess amounts back to the liver, LDL can contribute to cardiovascular disease.

When your doctor measures your cholesterol levels, he is thus looking not just at total blood cholesterol levels, but more specifically at the ratio of LDL to HDL - this is what will ultimately impact your risk of suffering these serious diseases like arteriosclerosis, hardening or narrowing of the arteries.

Knowing you need to reduce your cholesterol levels is one thing, but knowing how to do it is quite another. There are several steps that you can take, but by far the most important is to change your diet to one that is low in saturated fat.

The typical American diet, with up to 55% of all calories coming from fast food, is simply packed with saturated fat. The problem with this is that saturated fat triggers the excessive production of cholesterol in the body, in particular low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the bad cholesterol.

Changing your diet will involve reducing your intake of foods that are high in saturated fats, and consuming more of those foods that can actively reduce levels of LDL.

Reducing the intake of foods high in saturated fat will make a big difference in your blood cholesterol levels, as will eating more fruits and vegetables, and foods high in soluble fibers.

Fruits and vegetables help in several ways. For a start, they are a great way to increase your intake of soluble fibers. Almost all fruits and vegetables contain fiber. In addition, fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. These can all help to reduce levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which is a major risk factor for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Even something as simple as an apple can make a difference. Apples contain a soluble fiber that binds to cholesterol in the gut, and actually transports it out of the body.

By modifying your diet in this way, you can reduce your cholesterol levels and thus reduce your risk of heart disease.