Diets for Cholesterol Control

Our body does need cholesterol to make bile salts, hormones and vitamin D. Our liver mainly produces it. Cholesterol will build up on the artery walls when the level of cholesterol in the blood is too high. There are 2 main types of blood cholesterol: LDL (the "Bad" cholesterol) and HDL (the "Good" cholesterol).

High amounts of the bad LDL will deposit cholesterol on the artery walls forming plaques. More and more plaques will narrow the arteries lumen and may eventually block blood flow. Therefore LDL is considered the "Bad" cholesterol.

Lowering bad cholesterol levels by diets is very much possible. Even for people who are on medicine to lower their cholesterol these diets can work as an adjuvant to their treatment. To start with.

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables--they are low in calories and fat.


• Try to lower your intake of saturated fats, since consuming foods with these fats could raise your cholesterol levels and place you at a higher risk of acquiring heart disease.


• Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as those used in many cakes and pastries contain a particular form of unsaturated fat known as trans-fatty. They raise blood cholesterol levels (including LDL, the bad cholesterol), just like saturated fat.


• Use whole grain foods instead of foods containing refined flour.


• Use low fat or skim dairy products instead of  full-fat dairy. You'll find that not only does this decrease your risk for heart disease, but it also decrease your waistline.


• Cook with lean meats (chicken) instead of red meat, which is associated with increasing cholesterol levels.


• When cooking with oils, use olive and canola oils, which are particularly high in monounsaturated fats or vegetable oil, which is high in polyunsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats help lower cholesterol levels.

According to Ayurveda, people who are mostly on a rajsik diet (diet rich in saturated fats, includes fried and sweets) and people who don’t include any form of exercise in their routine despite eating rich food tend to have high cholesterol levels.

To lower cholesterol levels and prevent coronary heart disease, Ayurveda recommends the following:

Low Cholesterol friendly food
Watch what you eat. Stick to the kapha-pacifying diet and avoid food high in fat. Do not take cheese or high-fat milk. Reduce consumption of fried food, sweets, ice cream and desserts, and aerated drinks.

Do include onion and garlic in your food. Also take foods that are natural cholesterol busters. These are:

• oatmeal
• quinoa
• millet
• apples
• grapefruit
• almonds

Exercise, together with a good diet can control cholesterol levels. Try going for walks every day for at least half an hour. Or do something that you enjoy like dancing, swimming and even aerobic exercises for at least three times a week.

Do some Breathing Exercise and Yoga for Reducing Cholesterol
The following yoga postures are good for maintaining a good cholesterol level: the Sun Salutation, Shoulder Stand, Peacock, Cobra, Spinal Twist, Locust and Lotus. (These yoga asans should be done under the supervision of a trained yoga teacher)

Discover the benefits of the cholesterol management plan by our team of experts; we prescribe a complete plan along with a practical diet designed exclusively for you. In short, you continue to eat whatever you are used to. No strange menus or exotic foods. Just a more balanced, healthier selection that helps you to manage your cholesterol levels.

• Maintain a healthy weight. Talk to our team of experts about losing weight if you are obese and find it difficult to lose the weight needed. Obesity and cardiovascular disease often are linked together as the excess weight carried by a person places an extra burden on the heart. Most people can lose weight successfully by implementing healthy eating plans designed by our expert team of doctors and nutritionists and exercise regularly.


• Exercise regularly. Walk for 40 minutes three to four times a week. Start exercising slowly if you are not used to exercising and increase it as your fitness improves. If you have any serious medical problems, or are very overweight, you should consult a doctor first. Do not rush into a heavy exercise schedule.