Should your doctor decide that it is time to check your cholesterol, he or she will send you for a blood test, and then wait for the cholesterol numbers to be reported. Plan to spend a little discussing these results with your doctor, covering how you can improve them if that is in fact needed, and find out what your risk is for heart disease.
If your cholesterol numbers are not acceptable, your doctor may suggest that you take prescription medications to help get your cholesterol levels in a better range as quickly as possible. If you do not do this it could lead to heart attacks, so take seriously the medical advice you are given.
Now, if your numbers are acceptable, your medical practitioner may just suggest that you improve your diet, switching to one that is low cholesterol, and does not contain many high cholesterol foods on a regular basis.
Once you are aware of the foods that are good and bad for you, then switching to good foods should not be a problem, especially since you know that once you are eating better, your heart health will be improving, and your risk of heart problems will be decreasing.
This is precisely what you need, a healthy heart. But along with the avoidance of a high cholesterol diet, you should also be exercising, may be four days a week going for a brisk 30 minute walk, as this will help your fitness level, and your overall health.
So, if you are to eat foods that are low in cholesterol , what does that mean you will be consuming, and what foods should you not eat? It is necessary to avoid an excess of animal products, this means red meats should be eaten in moderation, with only the leanest cuts of meat being considered. Egg yolks are also of high cholesterol, but the egg whites are fine, so think about moving over to egg white products rather than complete eggs.
On the list of not recommended is butter, as it is an animal product, so if you still want to in oil, think about using olive oil, especially virgin olive oil. This is less processed than light olive oil which is so called just because it is lighter in color, not lighter in calories.
Oat bran and oatmeal is good for you to eat, and is a great way to start your day. It gives your body soluble fibre, which is also found in apples, pears and barley.
Dried peas, beans and lentils, otherwise called legumes are good for you, because not only do they provide you with soluble fibre, but they also contain non-animal protein, which is good for the growth of muscles and tendons, as well as good for healthy blood, bones, hair and internal organs too.
Naturally, there are many more foods that contribute to a low cholesterol diet, but there is limited space here. The important thing is to start reducing your cholesterol now, so that you are at lower risk of heart attacks or strokes. But of course, this is entirely up to you, reduce your cholesterol now, or be at risk for strokes and heart attacks in your future.