One of the leading causes of fatality in seniors is heart disease. It accounts for nearly one in every four deaths. That’s alarming, right? And yes, stroke is another such trigger. Have you, for a minute, pondered about the reason behind that? It is abnormal cholesterol levels in the blood! Unfortunately, high cholesterol levels may not display obvious symptoms though it increases chances for high blood pressure, chest pain and several other circulatory disorders leading to heart attacks and strokes. Hence, elders should opt for balanced healthy diets.
Seniors may take the support of homecare services to ensure that they take the right kind of food. Athulya Home Healthcare, a well-established provider of home care services in Chennai, is known for its promising geriatric services in this context. Besides nursing and daily living support, their trained team facilitates preventive health check-ups and provides diet and nutrition counselling including assistance in the preparation of diabetic charts for seniors. The holistic reliable care from Athulya Home Healthcare certainly promotes a blissful healthy retired life for elders.
Easy Diet Tips to Lower Cholesterol
- Consume foods that are rich in soluble fibre-Eating fibre-laden foods prevents the reabsorption of bile in the gut. The excess bile is excreted in the faeces. For producing more bile, the body extracts cholesterol from the blood thereby lowering its levels. Beans, legumes, whole grains, flax seeds, apples and citrus fruits are good sources of fibre.
- Include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables-It is important to eat a healthy rainbow platter that contains a lot of fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables. These items also have strong antioxidant properties that lower the pace of aging and prevent the formation of plaque in the heart. Interestingly, vegetables like carrots, leafy greens like spinach and citrus fruits also happen to be ideal foods for eyes and sight.
- Enhance the taste using herbs and spices-It is the human tendency to crave tasty and salty food. However, excessive salt consumption is detrimental to health. So, substitute it with herbs and spices that are power-packed with plenty of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. Regular consumption of turmeric, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, clove and mint effectively reduces cholesterol levels due to its inherent antioxidant properties.
- Choose a variety of unsaturated fats over the saturated variants-Unsaturated fats are rich in omega3 fatty acids, contain double bonds and turn into liquid at room temperature. The omega3 fatty acid importance is reinstated in the fact that they reduce the overall cholesterol levels by about nine percent and the bad cholesterol levels by eleven percent within two months. Some classical examples of unsaturated fats are nuts, avocados, fatty fish and olives.
- Pick healthy foods to boost energy– It is natural and tempting to choose processed foods and tasty restaurant menus that contain artificial trans fats. These are produced by hydrogenating unsaturated fats. Unfortunately, these foods lower good cholesterol levels and cause heart problems. Instead, make wise choices to pick healthy choices like bananas, eggs, brown rice, sweet potatoes, apples and dark chocolates for boosting energy levels.
- Avoid too much sugar-laden foods-Eating too much sugary sweets and drinking beverages laden with fructose increases cholesterol. Therefore, read the food labels carefully and choose sugar-free products as far as possible.
- Try Mediterranean type diets– Such diets include high fibrous foods, fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains. They are proven to be heart-healthy.
- Incorporate soy foods and green tea in your daily diet-Soybeans are enriched with proteins and isoflavones that have cholesterol lowering capabilities. Similarly, green tea has the potential to prevent bad cholesterol due to oxidizing properties. It also protects the arteries and prevents plaque deposits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the normal cholesterol levels in the human body?
- Total cholesterol levels must be below 200 mg/dL in adults. Values up to 240 mg/dL are considered borderline high and above that are considered high and dangerous for health.
- What are the types of cholesterol?
- Low-Density Lipoprotein(LDL) or bad cholesterol
- High-Density Lipoprotein(HDL) or good cholesterol
- Triglycerides
- What percentage of sugar can raise cholesterol levels?
Obtaining more than twenty-five percent of your total calorie intake from sugars spikes cholesterol levels and doubles the probability of heart disease.
- Name some natural cholesterol-lowering supplements.
Niacin, Psyllium Husk and L-carnitine
- Suggest other lifestyle changes for controlling cholesterol.
Regular exercise, good sleep, reduced stress and healthy body weight
Thus, maintaining cholesterol levels is no rocket science. Rather, it has simple formula-healthy eating with moderate physical activity! Please connect with Athulya Home Healthcare to know more.
