| The risk of high cholesterol | | | | found in oils, soft spreads/margarines, nuts, seeds and |
| High blood cholesterol is one of the main risk factors | | | | avocado. Allow 1-2 tablespoons of oil for cooking and |
| for heart disease, along with smoking, high blood | | | | salads plus 1 tablespoon spread/margarine a day. |
| pressure, carrying excess weight, family history and a | | | | 4. Eat 3 serves of sterol-enriched foods each day. |
| sedentary lifestyle. So it pays to have your doctor | | | | Currently there are spreads (Logicol, Proactiv), milk and |
| check your cholesterol regularly (particularly if you're | | | | yoghurt (Heart Active). |
| over 50) and look at ways to keep it down. | | | | 5. Eat a handful of nuts (30-50g) a day, preferably |
| High cholesterol is usually defined as over 5.5 millimoles | | | | unsalted. |
| per litre (mmol/L). | | | | 6. Eat plenty of soluble fibre in oats, barley, psyllium and |
| However if you already have heart problems or have | | | | legumes (beans, peas). This can sweep cholesterol out |
| one or more risk factors, your doctor may prefer to | | | | of the body via the bowel. |
| keep it lower at 4.5 mmol/L or less. You need to | | | | 7. Eat generous serves of vegetables and fruits for |
| discuss any blood tests with your doctor to work out | | | | their antioxidants. Aim for at least 5 serves of |
| the best course of action for you. | | | | vegetables and 2 serves of fruit a day. Red wine, tea |
| 10 steps to lower your cholesterol | | | | and dark chocolate also add antioxidants, but you don't |
| Here are 10 steps to help reduce your blood | | | | need heaps of these, 1-2 serves is ok. |
| cholesterol if it's high. They are listed in order of priority | | | | 8. Buy 'whole grains' whenever you can. Shop for |
| with the most important steps at the top. | | | | grainy bread, muesli, oat cereals, cereals marked |
| 1. Maintain a healthy weight. Often just losing excess | | | | 'whole grain', and brown rice. |
| weight if you're overweight will automatically bring your | | | | 9. Swap to low-fat or skim milk and yoghurt. Buy |
| cholesterol down. | | | | reduced-fat cheese or use cottage/farm cheese. |
| 2. Steer clear of saturated and trans fats. These are | | | | 10. Limit cholesterol-rich foods such as liver, kidney, |
| the 'bad' fats that raise cholesterol. You'll find them in | | | | brains, egg yolks, prawns and calamari (squid). You can |
| fried fast foods, salty snack foods, commercial pies, | | | | eat them twice a week and make sure they're |
| pastries and biscuits, fatty meat, deli meats (salami, | | | | cooked in a good oil. For most people, eggs are the |
| bacon, sausages), chips, fries and doughnuts. | | | | food they miss most, so it pays to find egg replacers |
| 3. Eat small quantities of 'good' fats which are | | | | or recipes that don't use eggs as binders (meat loaf or |
| monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. These are | | | | muffins). |