What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a type of fat produced by the liver, which is vital for our bodies to function. Yes, a little bit of fat is needed but if your cholesterol gets too high, you can have a scary health problem your hands! Having a lot of Cholesterol will cause plaque to build up inside your arteries, which gradually makes them smaller and smaller. Your blood will then have difficulty to reach vital organs such as your heart, which will eventually cause cardiovascular issues.
Now, cholesterol is split into two categories High-density lipoproteins (HDL) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL). HDL acts as the good guy by picking up the bad cholesterol LDL and taking it to your liver where it can be broken down. Processed and fast food can be the main culprit of high cholesterol as our fast-paced lifestyles sometimes don’t accommodate for freshly homemade meals.
5 Fruits and Veg that will Help Your Cholesterol
Tomatoes are great for stimulating blood circulation and increasing red blood cells.
Lemons will provide you with plenty of vitamin C and will reduce LDL. Lemon juice is best consumed in the morning because it’s a great natural cleanser that will help detox the body.
Dark leafy vegetables Eating vegetables is great for your body but dark leafy vegetables, in particular, will help cholesterol. So get eating or drinking plenty of spinach and kale.
Ginger increases blood circulation due to its enzymes and reduces LDL thanks to its natural oil.
Celery has high antioxidant levels, which help lower the risk of heart disease.
The best way to prevent high cholesterol is by limiting yourself to processed and fast food and eating as much fruit and veg as you can. Below are some great juice recipes to help get you started.
Recipes
- 2 green apple
- 3 medium carrots
- 1/2 a beetroot
- 3 radishes
- 1 lemon
- 1-inch ginger root
- 1 large grapefruit
- 3 ribs of celery
- 1 lime
- ½ bulb of fennel
- 2 green apples
- 1-inch ginger root
- 2 apples
- 3 carrots
- 2 stalks of celery
- 1-inch ginger root
- 1 lemon
- 2 pears
- 1inch Turmeric
You really want to watch out for types of fats in your food. Unsaturated fats such as Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can lower disease. Foods containing these fats include beans, fatty fish, olive oil, nuts and seeds.
Trans fats increase cardiovascular diseases, so its best to keep these to a minimum. This type of fat lurks in processed food and trans fat is partially from hydrogenated oil.
Saturated fats aren’t as harmful as trans fats but should still be consumed in moderation. Red meat, butter, cheese and ice cream are very high in this type of fat. It’s important to be aware of the different types of fats as you can really prevent your chances of developing high cholesterol
Also getting plenty of exercises can really help prevent getting cardiovascular problems. High Cholesterol has no symptoms, so trying to be healthy is so important for your heart.