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Having sent the do’s and dont’s to you for the lifestyle changes your husband has to make for his high blood cholesterol immediately, I thought you both must know what cholesterol is, so that you take without delay earnest steps to get cured of it by your family doctor and necessary medication. Understanding the facts about cholesterol, putting into practice the advices given here for the change in his life style, together with your doctor’ medical advice will certainly help you to take better care of your husband and also help him to lead a healthier life , thereby reducing his risk for the heart.

Cholesterol is a waxy substance made by the liver and also supplied in the diet through animal products such as meat, poultry, fish, and dairy items. There is good cholesterol as well as bad in the body.Cholesterol is needed by the body to insulate nerves , make cell membranes and produce certain hormones.Too much of cholesterol in the blood can lead to cardiovascular disease.

The GOOD.

High density lipoprotein ,or HDL is known as “good’ cholesterol. Our body makes HDL cholesterol for our protection . It carries cholesterol away from our arteries. Studies suggest that high levels of HDL cholesterol reduces the risk of heart attack.

The BAD

Low Density lipoprotein , or LDL is known as the bad cholesrterol. Too much LDL cholesterol can clog the arteries, thereby increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

And finally ,when there is too much cholesterol in one’s blood , it can lead to bulding up in the walls of the arteries. This build up is called as plaque. If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by a blockade, the result is heart attack.

Hence it very necessary for one who has high cholesterol to make certain life style changes by introducting physical exercise daily and make modifications in his diet, both of which can go a long way in helping to bring down his cholesterol count with the Doctor’s medicines or advice. .

Sorry for the delay. For high cholesterol your huband has, he must do regular exercise daily. This is the most important first step to regulate the cholesterol level, I repeat- regular exercise . Some doctors prescribe 40 minutes very brisk walk every day. One must sweat and perspire. . Exercise burns extra fat which is metabolised. Let him start it.

Your husband does not smoke or drink.These two go in his favour.

Is he maintaining his body weight at almost a constant level ? . The focus should be on managing the weight , and not just looking slim. Increase physical activity and reduce calorie intake in a systamatic manner. The body mass, that is weight, and height decides his ideal body weight. You have however not provided his height in inches and weight in pounds.

Avoid saturated fat. Do not consume more than one teaspoon ,i.e about 12 ml of vegetable oil every day. Cholesterol comes from food like animal fat, meat, eggs and shell fish. Avoid them. Food which are high in saturated fat includes whole milk,milk products,bakery products,ghee,vanaspati,coconut oil,butter etc.Eliminate them totally. Substitute whole milk with skimmed milk and fried food with steamed food with less or no salt and less oil or no oil…

Eating a lot of vegetables and fruits is a must.. Antioxidents in fruits and vegetables cleanses the body of toxic substances. Fibre in these aid digestion. Fruit juice may not help for fibre. Avoid totally ice cream. Regular inclusion of Garlic in the daily food will help one in lowering cholesterol.

Have a low cholesterol diet. The body makes cholesterol it needs. So choose food like grain products that have less cholesterol. Prefer complex carbs like brown rice . Eat nuts,almond and walnut in small small quantities. They are good. Reduce intake of fats and sugar,a must it is. .

Eat less salt. Avoid extra salt in your diet. This means no picles,no papad, no baked beans, no canned soup and processed foods..

Eat frequent smaller meals. Eating large meals tend to cause fat accumulation.One will be able to digest small meals faster.

If one is above 30, and have Blood Presure, get a blood test done to determine cholesterol levels, every three months.

Try to take Isabgol regularly if you are having constipation. Isabgol provides a combination of soluble and insoluble fibres, increases the the bulk of the food within the intestine aiding regular bowel movement daily, which is a must.

Apart from the above, consult your doctor regularly and take treatment from him. Do not neglect going to the doctor and taking medical treatment from him. The writer of this is not a Doctor, but has written from what he has seen and read from various journals and bulletins.They are simple to follow which can aid fast recovery and can be put to practice immediately in your daily routine. Wishing him all the best.

It is nice to hear about your joining the weight loss programme,as well as an intelligent plan you have introduced for your diet which excludes many things. Please take CARE to see that your new diet plan does not affect your overall health and you feel weak.

You say that you are having Constipation problem which you should not get with your exercise and diet. However, I would like you to go through the relevent portion in thIS site on “Okhra” which I reproduce below for your ready reference.

************** A friend of mine has been suffering from irregular and insufficient movement of bowels for the last many years, All the medical treatments he took were of no avail.He didn’t realize that the treatment for his problem could be so simple, till one of his friends suggested to him to eat OKRA ( Bendi ) daily. Lady’s finger is the other name by which okra is called.

He started eating Okra for about 2 months and since then has never taken medication again. All he did was to consume 6 pieces of OKRA everyday. He’s now regular and even his blood sugar has dropped from 135 to 98, with his cholesterol and acid reflux also brought under control *************

Please therefore try to include the okhra vegetable in your daily routine. . Good luck to you….