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Cholesterol. Any person among has heard this word at some point in their lifetime, but not all these people know the logistics about it. To begin with, there is good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. The good cholesterol is known as HDL. This is the cholesterol you want to be high. The bad cholesterol is known as LDL. You want this to be very low. When this is high, you are in a very high risk category for heart attacks, strokes, and serious health complications. High LDL levels mean arteries are clogged with plaque. This means a person eats alot of saturated fat and trans fat, and it stays in the arteries unless some interventions are made.

Many people with high cholesterol are required to take medication to keep cholestrol levels in check, but this is not the only way to do this. Changes in diet, and also increases in exercise could lead you on the healthy path before anything else. Many foods are known for lowering cholesterol levels by themselves.

One such food is oatmeal. Besides being one of the healthiest breakfast choices thanks to its high-fiber and low fat content, it is also easy and quick to prepare in the morning. All you really need to do is boil some water and pour it in a bowl of dry oatmeal. I am sure we have all seen those commercials in which people hold up their cholesterol-test results and claim it has been lowered drastically. I believe those commercials, even though I am not an oatmeal eater. The whole-wheat in the oatmeal regulates the amount of cholesterol in the blood, removing the bad cholesterol as waste.

Another great food to lower cholesterol with is olive oil. Olive oil is very low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Instead of using vegetable oil when making french fries and frying them, cut potatoes (either white or sweet) into pieces and pour olive oil over them. Leave them in a toaster oven and cook them at 140 degrees. This is a healthy alternative to french fries, and tastes so much better. Olive oil could also be used in homemade pizza and pasta dishes.

Dark chocolate is great at reducing high cholesterol levels. This is great news for anyone who is a junk-food person. The good thing now is that so many candy companies are making more dark-chocolate candies than they used to. More companies should jump on the healthy-food bandwagon. Dark chocolate helps to clear up plaque in arteries, and it also contains antioxidants. These are cancer-fighting substances that keep cells from becoming abnormal.

The key is, if you want top lower your bad cholestrol levels, eat more fiber-rich, whole-wheat foods, (such as bread, fruits, and vegetables) and less foods with alot of saturated fat in them (such store-bought cakes, chips, and cookies). This will lead you on the right path.

Learn more about this author, Erin Yarrobino.
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