Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Thus, it’s important for both genders to understand cholesterol and how it affects them. First, we’ll bust the myth that dietary cholesterol leads to high cholesterol in the blood, and then turn towards the foods that can help men and women balance cholesterol levels within the blood.
Eating foods high in cholesterol and saturated fat does not cause high cholesterol levels. Wait, what? Yes, that’s not a typo. This idea has been so ingrained into our psyches that when we think of ways to lower our cholesterol levels, the majority of us would immediately think we need to stop eating egg yolks, butter, fish, red meat and other animal products. High dietary cholesterol doesn’t necessarily translate into higher cholesterol within the body for most people.
Old science and studies conducted over half a century ago, told us that eating cholesterol and saturated fat raises cholesterol in our blood. This has been severely overstated. Today’s more recent research, which is also of a higher scientific standard, shows us evidence that this is not the case (1), (2), (3), (4), (5). This is great news because you’re allowed to eat your egg yolks again, which contain numerous vitamins and minerals that are lacking in our diets, including choline, vitamin D, and many B vitamins.
Is this the case for everyone? Of course it’s important to note that even though the association between dietary cholesterol and cholesterol levels in the blood has been exaggerated, diet does play a role in balancing your cholesterol levels.
Just because recent science has shed a different light on the role of cholesterol in foods as relating to cholesterol in the blood, doesn’t mean you can eat whatever you want and there won’t be an impact on your cardiovascular health. Eating a nutritious diet with more veggies, fruits, lean proteins and whole grains will reduce your risk of heart disease and help create the right balance between “good” and “bad” cholesterols. What should men and women be eating and how does it differ?
Because of men and women’s biological difference, diets and risk of cardiovascular disease differ. For instance, young women have a much lower risk due to estrogen, which tends to increase “good” cholesterol levels. However, once women go through menopause, their estrogen levels drop, and their risk of developing high cholesterol goes up.
In terms of food choices, whole grains are high in soluble fiber, which helps balance cholesterol levels. Men need more fiber than women: 38 vs. 25 grams a day before the age of 50 and 30 versus 21 grams a day thereafter.
Omega 3s are also important for both men and women to incorporate into their diets. However, pregnant woman may need more omega 3s at this time.
When it comes to diet and health research, it’s again important to note that these are averages and everyone’s health is unique to them, and it’s working with your doctor is vital to a long and healthy life.
We’d like to announce our brand new full testing facility in our Southwest Valley Office.
It is located at the West Gateway 101
9520 W. Palm Lane Suite #150 Phoenix AZ 85307
Want to learn more? Speak with our doctors today, call 623-876-8816.
What action plan have you set with your doctor? What are the things that you will commit to doing to help lower your cholesterol? Any plan for change requires commit and daily action. Set yourself up for success by writing down every morning the daily actions you will take to help lower your cholesterol, and why it’s important for you to do take these steps. This is a very effective method for successful habit change.
This is a great way to incorporate all kinds of cholesterol lowering advice into one action. There are a number of foods that lower cholesterol naturally, and opting for a nutrient-dense, low-calorie breakfast will help keep your weight in check.
What should you include in this cholesterol-lowering power smoothie? Here’s one recipe to try out. Simply throw all ingredients into a blender and blend.
→ ¾ cup of oats
→ 1-2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil
→ 1-2 handfuls of spinach (you won’t even taste this)
→ ½ an avocado
→ 1 ½ cup frozen strawberries
→ ½ banana
→ ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk, coconut water or water (can add more for thinner consistency)
→ 1 scoop vanilla whey or vegan protein powder
With this you’ll get a good serving of soluble fiber, omega-3s, fruits and veggies – all which help lower cholesterol.
Research has shown that the catechins found in green tea are favorably linked to reducing “bad” cholesterol levels. Replacing your regular beverage with green tea is a great way to start the day when your goal is to reduce your cholesterol intake. And, there are all kinds of green tea options available to you, including honey, lemon, matcha, lemongrass, ginger and many more.
There’s also no need to worry about the caffeine found within green tea (or your coffee for that matter). Yes, you can still have your morning cup of coffee too! Research indicates that caffeine itself might not be to blame for increased cholesterol levels, but another substance called terpene. You can avoid this substance in your cup of joe by drinking filtered coffee only.
Not only will regular exercise in the morning help toward lowering your cholesterol, it will also give you more energy to start your day with. You should include at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise into your day. If 30 minutes in the morning seems like too much, just start with 5 or 10 minutes and work your way up. Or spread the 30 minutes throughout your day.
Finally, help lower your stress levels by incorporating meditation into your morning routine. Start with a few minutes and slowing increase the amount of time to 15-20 minutes. Why? Meditation helps reduce stress, which means there’s less cortisol acting as free radicals and destroying cells in the body. When cells are destroyed, they need cholesterol to patch up the damage.
We’d like to announce our brand new full testing facility in our Southwest Valley Office.
It is located at the West Gateway 101
9520 W. Palm Lane Suite #150 Phoenix AZ 85307
Create your cholesterol-lowering action plan with a doctor today. Call 623-876-8816.
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