Nutrition and Health Nugget- HDL -The good fat needed for our body-Taking control of Cholesterol

Have you gone for a full-body check-up? Four health numbers tell us how healthy or not healthy we are.

Blood Pressure-Which we have already covered in previous articles. The other three are Cholesterol, Blood Sugar, and BMI or Body Mass Index.

HDL is good fat which should be higher than LDL, the bad cholesterol.

The Cholesterol and HDL ratio should be -

• total cholesterol below 200 mg/dL
• LDL cholesterol less than 100 mg/dL
• HDL cholesterol above 40 mg/dL

The actionable in 'mindful eating ' includes -

Raising HDL

Eating more fruits and vegetables and the good fat found in avocados, fish, and walnuts.

Fruits-Avocados, apples(Be cautious with the serving since fruits have their portion of natural sugar too).

All kinds of beans and legumes(Kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, red beans, black beans, etc.).

Whole grain anytime every time-Bread or flour.

Shift from whole milk to reduced-fat or fat-free. Some people also add water to their half glass of milk and then drink. Better than having 1 glass of whole milk.

The Mediterranean diet has gained considerable attention in today's time, particularly because of its being heart-friendly.

Such a diet is widely eaten in  Greece, Spain, southern Italy and France, and other countries that border the Mediterranean Sea.

The Mediterranean diet emphasizes eating foods like fish, fruits, vegetables, beans, high-fiber bread, whole grains, nuts, and olive oil. Meat, cheese, and sweets are minimal. The recommended foods are rich in monounsaturated fats, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore, the fats found in the Mediterranean diet are mainly from unsaturated oils such as fish oils, olive oil, and certain nut or seed oils (such as canola, soybean, or flaxseed oil) and nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds). These types of oils may have a protective effect on the heart. Though OIL, in general, is a concern.

1 tsp-Canola oil has 120 calories. So just imagine how many calories get added just by cooking in oil.

Lowering LDL

Reading food labels is necessary and avoid food having trans fat and saturated fats. Also, avoid food high in sodium and sugar.

Limit intake of meat and dairy products. Red meat, eggs, butter, cheese, mayonnaise, salad dressings are high in fat unless the food label reads otherwise.

Avoid alcohol. Most fruit juices and soft drinks have a high content of added sugar. One should definitely avoid that.

Read for hidden sodium too in the food label and avoid. Also, be careful about using products with these ingredients:-Monosodium glutamates, MSG (often added to Chinese food), Sodium citrate, Sodium sulfite, Sodium caseinate, Sodium benzoate, Sodium hydroxide, Disodium phosphate.

Exercise 30 minutes daily.

Do not compromise on your 6-7 hours of sleep.

_{Disclaimer: This article aims not to provide/suggest any medical advice, diagnosis, or any kind of treatment.}