Why is it so important to keep our cholesterol in check?

 

Heart disease is the number one leading killer for both men and women!

Because of this, it’s very important to keep our cholesterol at healthy levels, preferably below 200 mg/dl (preferably below 180).  And even more importantly, keep the lousy LDL cholesterol to less than 130 mg/dl (preferably below 100).  All the while, maintaining (and raising) our good HDL cholesterol to 40 mg/dl or greater (preferably 60 or greater). 

 

We have all experienced the confusion and complication about what to eat…

“Don’t eat eggs.”  No wait, eggs are OK!

“Eat low fat.”  Hold on, total fat is fine, just limit saturated fat. 

“Sugar doesn’t affect cholesterol.”  Wait, hold on, yes it does. 

 

Does any of this sound familiar?

How are we supposed to know what to do?!

We caught up with Zonya and she shared one of the most common mistakes she found her patients made, during her years working as a Clinical Dietitian/Nutritionist at the Michigan Heart and Vascular Institute.  People focused only on the foods to limit or avoid, but never understood what foods to ADD!  And, focusing on what to ADD is as IMPORTANT (if not more so!) in order to get the cholesterol-sponging soluble fiber, Omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants that are so crucial to getting your cholesterol down, without lowering (and even raising!) your HDL.

Recently, Zonya hosted a Free Webinar “Lower Cholesterol with These Three Foods” and if you didn’t catch it, we wanted to be sure you had the chance to see it — we think you will learn A LOT!

We are grateful to partner with Zonya, as she helps validate and bring further understanding to using REAL FOOD to directly treat and prevent disease.

Watch now as she presents “Lower Cholesterol with These 3 Foods!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FECZaIEAjvk 

 

 

Here is what she sums up in the video:

While she admits picking the top 3 cholesterol-lowering foods was challenging (because SO MANY REAL FOODS are awesome at this task), there really are 3 foods that lead the pack.  And surprisingly, they are easier than you might think to fit them in daily! 

Cholesterol Lowering Food # 1: Beans 

Did you know?

• Consuming beans 4 times a week reduces your risk of heart disease by 21%
• Consuming beans daily reduces your risk of heart disease by 38%

How do beans do that? 

• Beans are extremely high in soluble fiber which sops up bad cholesterol
• They are high in B-vitamins, including folacin which drives down homocysteine, which is another bad guy like cholesterol in the blood 
• Loaded with potassium (higher than a banana), they are an essential blood pressure reducer
• Contain phytochemicals that reduce inflammation and oxidative stress
• High in protein and can replace or help decrease red meats, therefore reducing saturated fat (which our liver uses to make cholesterol)

How to add more beans to your routine!

Zonya talked about how important it is to just get started adding beans to your meals.  Try adding them to your everyday salad (make them your new crouton) or make up a batch of our great-tasting Healthified Three Bean Salad.   

Of course, it doesn’t stop there!  We have over 100 bean recipes for you to choose from, and here are just a few ideas to give you some inspiration:

• Cuban Black Bean Soup
• Slow-Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup Bar
• Stove Top Baked Beans
• Mexican Beans with Avocado
• Plus, 100+ more when you search on “beans”

 

Cholesterol Lowering Food #2: Fish 

Did you know?

• Consuming fish 5 times a week reduces your risk of death from heart disease by 40%? 

How does fish do that?

• Rich in Omega-3 Fatty acids which douse the flames of inflammation 
• Salmon is particularly rich in the prized DHA and EPA, which most health organizations recommend 1,000 mg per day
• Excellent source of B-vitamins: B12 & Niacin (powerful cholesterol reducers)
• Fish helps lower triglycerides and helps raise HDL

 

If we said to you, we want you to consume fish 5 times a week, would you think we were crazy?  Keep in mind, there are 7 lunches and 7 dinners in every week — that’s 14 meals a week to sneak in tuna, salmon or other fish.  Now that’s not so hard!

Zonya highlighted the simplicity of salmon in a can or in a pouch, and how it’s a lot like tuna. 

 

And then she demonstrated how easy it is to make our Baked Salmon Patties with Spicy Tartar Sauce. 

See the difference of swapping a typical cheeseburger and fries, for a salmon burger and the Healthified Three Bean Salad…that subtracts 12 grams (3 tsp) of cholesterol-raising saturated fat from one meal! 

 

 

 

Make this swap once a week for a year, and you’ve removed nearly 3 cups of saturated fat from going through your body!

 

 

 

 

 

We will keep your burger replacement ideas interesting and delicious ALL YEAR LONG with these great options:

• Tropical Salmon Sandwich
• Cod Reuben Sandwich (Great for Saint Patties Day!) 
• Salmon Sheet Pan Fajitas
• Honey Sriracha Oven-Baked Salmon
• We have 140 more!

 

 

Cholesterol Lowering Food # 3: Apples

Did you know?

• This 2013 British Medical Journal study concluded that the 150-year old proverb of an “apple -a-day” is able to match modern medicine (statin drugs) in effectiveness, while likely having fewer side effects.
• This review of studies published in the journal Advances in Nutrition concluded that apples could help reduce the risk of not only heart disease, but cancer, asthma, Alzheimer’s and diabetes, while improving bone health and weight control. 

How can the humble apple do ALL THAT?

• Apples contain pectin, a soluble fiber that blocks cholesterol absorption in your gut.
• They have polyphenols and other antioxidants that fight heart disease by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. 
• Apples are low in calories, helping aid in weight loss (which in and of itself helps lower blood cholesterol). 

 

Zonya reminds us to:

• Find your favorite (and your family members’ faves) because some prefer the sweeter Fuji, Gala, Ambrosia or Honeycrisp, while others prefer the more crisp/tart varieties like Granny Smith. 
• Buy organic when you can (apples are on the “dirty dozen list” per the Environmental Working Group) 
• Wash apples well and eat the skin (fiber and nutrients are most concentrated just under the skin).

 

Zonya demonstrated our incredibly easy and delicious Dreamy Fruit ‘n Nutty Salad.  Feel free to call it “dessert” instead of a salad, because…it is!  Making up a batch of this sweet treat can be enjoyed for dinner one night, and breakfast or lunch the next day. 

And of course, we have many more apple recipes to choose from:

• Fennel and Apple Salad with Blue Cheese
• Braised Red Cabbage with Apples
• And at least 50 more when you search for apples! 

 

We hope this helps give you inspiration to use REAL FOOD to deliciously lower your cholesterol.  And, these three foods are just the tip of the iceberg…there are so many more foods that are loaded with important nutrients.

Want to learn more?  Sign up for Zonya’s upcoming course, Conquer Cholesterol and Inflammation Deliciously.

We would love for you experience this course, and even though the 15% off coupon code she shared in the video already expired, she has extended another 15% off discount code just for Eat REAL America members:  CONQUER15ERA.

There is even a money back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose, (but unwanted weight and cholesterol!) 

 

Please share with us, what did you think of these ideas?

And, which ones will you try first? 

 

For more information:  https://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/understanding-your-cholesterol-report