Fighting Cholesterol to Cut Heart Risks

The Fast & Furious Diet - Dieter Jenna is furious with old diet plan and is determined to set things straight. Will she succeed? Oh mommy! click to continue

Mood Food™ - I'm in the mood for food. continue

Dessert Island - Is not getting a handle on those dessert calories getting a love handle on you? Then this article's for you. click to continue

Sweet Little Chicken Loual - Hear the Tropical music baying in the background mixed with the howls of the hounds of Diet Hell? Let's see if we can get rid of the hounds and give our diet something good to howl about. Just don't get too close to the fire pit in your little grass skirt. click for full diet friendly menu

Peppy's Spicy Chicken - Mexican faire is one of the easiest cuisines to transform into Diet Faire. Round out your fiesta with a handsome guitar player, a dancing senorita, one piñata and 32 bats. Ole! click for full diet friendly menu

Walking Off the Diet Cliff - Why is Dieter Clyde walking away from his pretty big house? He appears to be a bit frightened. Maybe it's because he is fixing to walk right off of that looming cliff.... continue

Let Us Diet - The wonderful ways with lettuce for dieters. continue

My Diet is Just Peachy - Make dieting just peachy with our spiffy diet tips and recipes. continue

Fast Weight Loss - Why losing weight too fast slows down the weight loss process. continue

Site Disclaimer & Copyright Notice

Return to Diet Bites Homepage

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is an essential body substance that is used by the body to manufacture hormones, digestive juices and nerve endings. So if we need this substance to survive, what’s all the concern about?

Cholesterol is manufactured by the liver, which produces enough to meet our daily needs. Additional cholesterol introduced into our system adds to our overall cholesterol level. The white, waxy substance slowly builds as a plaque in the coronary arteries. As the plaque builds, our blood cannot circulate property and the possible result is a heart attack.

How can reducing cholesterol reduce heart attack risk?

However, with a few very simple adjustments in our diet we can cut serum cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attack by as much as 50%!! One key strategy is to eat more of the foods that help lower cholesterol and less of the ones that can raise it.

How much dietary cholesterol per day is acceptable?

Physicians advise less than 300 milligrams of dietary cholesterol per day. Most Americans consume about 500 milligrams of cholesterol per day.

Tips that will help reduce cholesterol:

- Increase fiber intake. Good sources for fiber include legumes, bread, oatmeal, fruits and vegetables.

- Eliminate or at a minimum, limit major sources of cholesterol (eggs, butter, whole milk, fatty meats).

- Limit total dietary fat.

- Recognize ‘hidden’ cholesterol. A product may be advertised as 'cholesterol-free’, yet contain eons of fat that will end up blocking the arteries. Take special care to note the amount of ‘saturated’ fat in a product as well as trans fats.

- Take your vitamins.

- Magnesium may help control cholesterol. Good sources for magnesium include fruit, vegetables, whole grain cereals, legumes and unprocessed flour.

Implementing these few simple steps can literally add years to your life. Begin TODAY for you. You deserve it!

The WEEKENDER DIET PLAN - FREE DAILY DIET DETAILED MENUS