Keep Cholesterol in Check

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Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats don’t raise cholesterol. Canola oil, olive oil, peanut oil and avocados contain monounsaturated fats, while safflower, sesame and sunflower seeds, corn, soybeans and many nuts contain polyunsaturated fats. Some studies suggest these oils can help lower LDL cholesterol slightly when eaten as part of a low-saturated fat diet.

Eat oats, beans and amaranth. Oats have been the subject of a number of studies. It turns out they lower cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure. Oat bran is a soluble fiber that increases the elimination of cholesterol in bile. In other words, cholesterol gets trapped in the intestines and is eliminated. Fans of amaranth cereal should know this grain also lowers cholesterol. Wheat, however, does not.

Beans figure in the list of soluble fiber-rich foods. Remember the schoolyard chant, “Beans, beans, good for your heart ...”? Well, it’s true. According to a 2001 study from the Archives of Internal Medicine, people who eat beans four times a week reduce their heart disease risk by 20 percent. Any legumes will do — try lentils, pinto beans, black beans or soybeans. If you’re moving toward a near-vegetarian diet, beans provide a stick-to-your-ribs substitution for meat.

Move your body. Exercise lowers cardiovascular risk factors by keeping weight in check, strengthening the heart, relieving stress, improving circulation, raising HDL cholesterol, and lowering blood pressure and triglyceride levels. Brisk walking is McDougall’s exercise of choice, especially for people who already have heart disease. Walk for 20 to 30 minutes four or more times weekly. According to a 2001 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, women who walk regularly (even at a leisurely pace) have a 50- percent lower chance of having a heart attack or needing surgery for blocked coronary arteries.

Be lean. Excess weight contributes to high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels and diabetes — each a risk factor for heart disease. Research shows that obesity can quadruple your odds of dying from heart disease and that losing weight can lower risk factors.

Stop smoking. Among other evils, cigarette smoke injures the arterial lining, constricts coronary arteries, elevates and oxidizes LDL cholesterol, lowers HDL cholesterol, raises triglycerides and promotes clot formation. Fortunately, the risk of heart attack tapers off soon after kicking the habit.

Enjoy the purple grape. Moderate drinking lowers heart-disease risk, but heavy drinking (more than two drinks per day) increases the risk. Moderate drinking is about one drink per day for women; two for men. Although any kind of alcohol has cardiovascular benefits, red wine has the additional benefit of being rich in bioflavonoids that decrease platelet stickiness (to discourage abnormal blood clots) and act as strong antioxidants. Antioxidants help mop up damage caused by free radicals, which are marauding chemicals that can injure tissues, including arterial linings, and alter LDL cholesterol so it’s more likely to cause atherosclerosis.

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