Managing High Cholesterol With Diet

Cholesterol control is important, even though cholesterol is a normal part of the body’s cells. It is, in fact, very important for many physiological processes. Unfortunately , however, cholesterol becomes harmful when it is in excess.

But did you know that you can keep your cholesterol levels stable by following a diet designed for it?

Hypercholesterolemia , or high cholesterol, doubles the risk of heart attack and cerebrovascular accident. It is therefore recommended to reduce the use of all cholesterol-rich foods. But given that 90% of the blood cholesterol does not come from the food we eat but from the body itself, this is sometimes a somewhat useless and harmful act.

The American Heart Association has found that 80% of people at high risk for hypercholesterolemia do not care about their cholesterol levels.

So what should we eat to keep high cholesterol under control? Its secret is to act in endogenous synthesis.

Managing high cholesterol through diet

Do not suppress cholesterol

Yes, you read that right. This method is the exact opposite of what you might have thought. Our body regulates cholesterol through a negative feedback mechanism. So the more cholesterol there is in the body, the less it produces it. You can only stop endogenous production by increasing cholesterol through diet.

Several processes are activated to increase cholesterol production when it is low. However, you should be careful when choosing foods high in cholesterol, as some of them are harmful for other reasons. Eggs, for example, are a good option.

Eat foods high in Omega-3 and Omega-9 fatty acids

These fatty acids inhibit cholesterol production. They also reduce the synthesis of cholesterol-transporting proteins in the arteries and help remove the cholesterol plaque that has formed. Omega-9 fatty acids are easily obtained from certain foods, such as olive oil.

Omega-3, on the other hand, oxidizes with heat and is very difficult to get from a diet alone. One way to ensure an adequate amount of it is to take supplements.

Reduce carbohydrates with a high glycemic index (GI)

Insulin can activate mechanisms that promote cholesterol synthesis. It is therefore important to avoid these types of foods that increase its production.

These include some so-called high glycemic index carbohydrates.

Eat foods that can increase the amount of high-density lipoproteins

High-density proteins (HDL) are not cholesterol types (there is only one type of cholesterol), but they act as a means of transporting it. They appear in blood tests as “HDL cholesterol” and are known colloquially as “good cholesterol”.

The action of HDL is important for successful control of high cholesterol. In practice, it is responsible for transporting these proteins to the areas where they are either used or removed.

Eating foods that increase HDL levels is therefore an important measure.

Control of high cholesterol with probiotics

Lactobacillus reuteri has been shown to be an effective treatment for hypercholesterolemia. It promotes the elimination of bile salts through the intestine. When this happens, the body increases the use of cholesterol to form new salts and thus lowers blood cholesterol levels.

In order to function, probiotics must contain at least 10 x 6 CFU colony-forming units, be of human origin, and remain active in the gut.

Instead of avoiding cholesterol in your diet, you should influence endogenous synthesis. To do that, you need to reduce the amount of foods that activate it. You should also increase the amount of nutrients that can increase its transport to areas where cholesterol can either be used or removed.