LOW-CHOLESTEROL COOKBOOK FOR BEGINNERS

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INTRODUCTION These days it seems like the topic of lowering your cholesterol is on everyone's lips. You see articles about it in your local newspaper and ads for medications on TV, and it's become a common topic of conversation. Perhaps you are looking at this book because your doctor told you your cholesterol was "high" or "borderline." It seems that terms like these are thrown out all the time. Perhaps you already have other heart or vascular problems that can be aggravated by elevated cholesterol. Or perhaps you're just trying to eat a heart-healthy diet. As we've seen, there are a number of factors that contribute to your cholesterol and overall heart health. Some of them, like genetics and age, we have no control over. But others we do. When it comes down to it, there are three main things we can do to lower cholesterol. One is medication, and that is something to take up with your doctor. Another is exercise. Studies have shown that regular exercise can lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. My cardiologist recommends 30 minutes of walking a day as a minimum. It isn't all that difficult, but it does take a commitment. The final factor is diet. And that is the reason for this book. There are a couple of things we can do from a dietary standpoint that will help. The first thing, which goes hand in hand with exercise, is to maintain your proper body weight. Being overweight is a known risk factor for heart disease. The second, as mentioned earlier, is to limit the amount of saturated fat in your diet. The good news is that nutrition labels are now required to list the amount of saturated fat, so it's fairly easy to keep track of. But saturated fat isn't the only bad fat. There are also trans fatty acids, or trans fats, which are produced by hydrogenating liquid fat to make it solid at room temperature, like in making margarine. Trans fats are now also listed on the nutrition labels of packaged foods, making them easier to track.