- Eating fish with omega-3 fatty acids, a substance that lowers LDL cholesterol, is now recommended by many doctors. These fish include salmon, tuna, trout, sardines, herring and mackerel. It is recommended that two 4-ounce servings per week is sufficient. Shell fish are acceptable as long as you eat a moderate serving of these. Cut down on eggs in your diet. Eat two egg yolks per week and as many egg whites as you want. Egg whites have no fat at all. Substitute low-fat dairy products such as milk, cheese and low-fat yogurt. Buy lean cuts of meat and poultry. Cut the fat off the meat when possible. When possible broil or grill your meats, seafood and poultry; this burns off the fat--the culprit of high cholesterol.
- Increase your consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Eat more salads or order a salad instead of fries when dining out. Serve fresh vegetables with your meat or fish. Instead of dessert, eat fresh fruit with lemon juice. Try eating healthy snacks such as rice cakes, granola, nuts and fruit. Steaming, baking or roasting vegetables keeps vitamins and minerals intact. Fruits and vegetables in the diet help with the high-cholesterol treatment diet. Whole grains are good source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Whole wheat, rye and pumpernickel breads are better than white. Brown rice, barley and beans are good sources of fiber. Add them to stews, soups or as a side dish. Some fats do not increase your cholesterol. Use olive oil, canola oil and flax seed oil when cooking, and avoid high-fat oils like palm oil and coconut oil. Margarine is better than butter, but you can use olive oil on bread as an alternative.
- For the diet to be successful, you need to make lifestyle changes in how you eat and live. When you go grocery shopping, read food labels carefully before buying a product. With high cholesterol you should look at the food labels for fat, cholesterol and sodium content. Read the ingredients and stay away from hydrogenated vegetable oil and high-fat oils. Carefully looking at serving sizes is important because large portions mean more calories and fats. Regular exercise such as walking, swimming or biking can lower high cholesterol. Twenty minutes, three times a week is the average exercise routine that helps improve cholesterol levels. Giving up bad habits such as cigarette smoking, drinking too much alcohol and caffeine helps improve overall health.
