I answered a newsgroup post last week about lowering my Cholesterol. Actually it was about giving advise to your parents. I had quite a few people email me how I lowered my Cholesterol. So I figured I would write an article about it. Here is the article if you are interested.

Before I tell you how to fight it, I want you to understand what Cholesterol is. You have to study your opponent to find their weaknesses. Cholesterol is a waxy substance produced by the liver and found in certain foods. It is needed to make vitamin D and some hormones, build cell walls, and create bile salts that help you digest fat. Sounds pleasant huh? Lipids are fats that are found throughout the body. Cholesterol, a type of lipid, is found in foods from animal sources. You actually need Cholesterol in your body to function properly. Your body actually makes all the Cholesterol that you need. I highly recommend that you check out this very thorough information here

The problem arises when you take in too much cholesterol in your diet. That sticky substance builds up in your arteries. It is a traffic jam for you blood. Your heart has to pump harder to circulate the blood. Sooner or later, your heart blows a fuse and you have a stroke. You find yourself dining with the worms. The problem is, you are the main course.

So let me ask you this question. Why don't people eat right and have their cholesterol checked? Maybe it is laziness. Could be an out of site out of mind thing. Then one day it hits you. You survive the stroke and all of a sudden it becomes imperative you take action. Don't sit there and say it can't happen to you. You will be the one crying when a stroke leaves the left side of your body feeling like a wet noodle. You are on this blog to better yourself. It is time to start. Exercise it the first step. This does not have to be an extreme program. Walking will do just fine. You will want to do more once you start to feel the benefits of exercise.

I have some bad news. Exercise itself does not "burn off" cholesterol like it can with fat tissue. However, when exercise is of sufficient volume, for example, an adequate weekly frequency and duration, it can significantly reduce triglycerides and stimulate several metabolic enzyme systems in the muscles and liver to convert some of the cholesterol to a more favorable form, such as HDL-cholesterol. Reducing triglycerides decreases triglyceride-rich particles that are known to promote the growth of fatty deposits on artery walls. I walk 35 minutes a day and ride bike in the evenings or coach soccer with my son. I run almost the whole two hours of practice.

I also recommend you go to sites like this to find out how to bust the Cholesterol. American Heart Association. So lets get to it. This is what I did I do to drop my score. I was a big chicken eater. I was under the impression that chicken was good for you. Not so much. Check this out. Click Here. I love meat, period. I did not cut out meat. What I did was cut the portions size more than half and reduced the amount of times I eat meat. I try to eat pork if I get hungry for meat. I removed all eggs from my diet. I love eggs too. I do have one every once in a while. For two months I stopped eating any ice cream. It figures I had to do this in the beginning of summer. I read every nutrition label of the foods I ate. In the morning I eat oatmeal. I eat the kind with sugar in it. Hate the taste of plain oatmeal.  I have read about blueberries and raspberries being a cholesterol buster, so I eat them several times a day. Around ten I eat a bowl of cheerios or Fiber one with honey clusters with 1% milk or just plain dry. It is rather good. Try it. For lunch I eat vegetable soup with a salad.  I try to make sure there is Kidney or black beans in it. I want to mention here. I drink water all day. Fiber needs water to do its thing. It is great for loosing weight too. I am a firm believer of Eniva's, Vibe liquid vitamins. Send me an email if you are interested in that. I am a reseller, but I don't push that. For dinner I just eat anything that has no or low cholesterol in it. For snacks I try to eat vegetables and fruits. As far as exercise, I walk 30 minutes at lunch and I bike ride for 40 minutes in the evening. After exercise, I fill a blender half full with ice. I add blueberries, strained raspberries (lost of seeds. Try to find wild raspberries.), strawberries, a cup of low fat blueberry yogurt, and a quarter cup of OJ. Liquor is optional. Just kidding. And that's it folks.

I tested my Cholesterol with a home test before I went to the doctors to see how close it was. The home test was 10 points higher. I bought the test HERE.