Here are some good general suggestions for lowering
cholesterol:
Eat a fiber rich breakfast such as oatmeal,
whole grain muffins, fruit. Read cereal box nutrition labels to
choose one with 5 grams or more of fiber per serving. Oat bran and
rice bran are the most effective.
Eat legumes (beans) at least three times a
week. Try bean soup, cold bean salad, hummus sandwiches,
black bean dip, toasted soy beans as snacks. Soy protein is
especially effective, so be sure to include plenty. Even soymilk,
tofu and textured soy protein are good.
Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every
day. One at breakfast, one veggie (e.g. carrot sticks,
tomato slices) and one fruit (e.g. orange sections, apple) at
lunch, and one salad and one cooked vegetable at dinner ... that
makes an easy five!
Choose whole fruit, skin included, instead of
juice. Juice is the fruit with all the fiber
removed.
Eat garlic. Cooked or raw garlic both contain
compounds that help lower your liver's production of
cholesterol.
Other good foods include raw onion, salmon, olive oil,
almonds, walnuts, avocados (the latter five are all high
in fat but most of it is monounsaturated fat which helps to improve
cholesterol).
Eat plenty of foods that contain the natural
antioxidants, vitamins C and E:
Rich in Vitamin C
Rich in Vitamin E
sweet red and green peppers
cantaloupe
sunflower seeds
walnuts
strawberries
papaya
almonds
peanuts
oranges
grapefruit juice
wheat germ
soybeans
broccoli
brussel sprouts
wheat germ oil
soybean oil
Studies show that a little bit of wine or beer helps
cholesterol levels. Binge drinking is not effective, but
light to moderate drinking through the week is.