I went to the doctor the other day. He asked the usual questions. “You’re exercising, right? And eating well? How about sleeping? Are you sleeping?”
It was all routine until he checked my cholesterol. After I got my stats, it was me who began asking the questions.
“I have high cholesterol? Me? How could this have happened?”
High cholesterol is when you have too much of a fatty substance in your blood. It’s mainly caused by consuming foods or drinks that are low in nutrients, being overweight, and smoking or drinking. It can also run in families.
To manage my high cholesterol, he encouraged me to switch up a few things in my diet.
Here was his advice:
- Eat buffalo meat instead of cow meat: Buffalo meat is lower in cholesterol and has less than half the fat of lean beef. Plus it’s high in protein. Bison meat, it can’t be beat!
- Eat more oatmeal for breakfast: Starting the day with oats or barley works wonders for your cholesterol level. They contain soluble fiber, which acts like a sponge absorbing bad cholesterol. Oh yeah for oatmeal!
- More fat-free, less fat-ty, dairy: There are numerous low-fat dairy alternatives. Low-fat cheese, low-fat sour cream, low-fat milk. If it says “low-fat,” go with that!
- Fruits more, veggies galore: Fruits and vegetables provide all the essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help manage your cholesterol levels. Fruits and veggies are great. Fill them up—half your plate!
I’ll visit the doctor again in a few months. I’m hoping my cholesterol levels are back to a healthy range by then.
For more info on how to keep your cholesterol in check, visit https://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/index.htm.