Foods low in saturated fat include fat-free or 1 percent dairy products, lean meats, fish, skinless poultry, whole grain foods, and fruits and vegetables. Foods that are high in cholesterol, and thus should be limited, include liver and other organ meats, egg yolks, and full-fat dairy products. The NCEP diet recommends only enough calories to maintain a desirable weight and avoid weight gain. This is particularly important.
The NCEP recommends other therapeutic lifestyle changes as well. These include:
- Eating 10-25 grams of dietary fiber per day, especially soluble fiber. Plant-based foods that are high in soluble fiber – certain fruits and vegetables such as oranges, pears, brussels sprouts and carrots, as well as oats, dried peas and beans – do not contain dietary cholesterol, and also help your body excrete cholesterol before it is absorbed into the bloodstream.
- Eating 2 grams (about one tablespoon) per day of either plant stanols or sterols, which help prevent the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. Sterols are found especially in vegetable oils, and in smaller amounts in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, cereals, beans and other plant sources. Stanols can be found in some of the same sources, particularly vegetable oils. Some food products, such as Benecol Spread, have been fortified with stanols or sterols to help lower cholesterol.
Weight. Being overweight is a risk factor for heart disease. It also increases your cholesterol. Losing weight can help lower your "bad" cholesterol and total cholesterol levels. It is especially important for those with several risk factors, including high triglyceride (TG) and/or low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels and being overweight with a large waist measurement (more than 40 inches for men and more than 35 inches for women). Weight reduction will also decrease blood pressure.
Physical activity. Not being physically active also is a risk factor for heart disease. Regular physical activity can help lower your "bad" cholesterol, raise your "good" cholesterol levels and help you lose weight. You should try to be physically active for 30 minutes on most, if not all, days. This is especially important if you have high triglyceride and/or low HDL cholesterol levels, and are overweight with a large waist measurement. Regular physical activity will also result in a lower blood pressure.
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