Your body goes through many significant changes after you turn 50. For example, the health of your heart changes as the walls of your heart become thicker and your arteries begin to stiffen more over time. Because of changes like these, your risk of heart disease will continue to increase.
A major risk factor for heart disease as you age is high cholesterol, which can be caused by genetics, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and excessive weight gain. Fortunately, there are ways you can lower your cholesterol levels with your diet
For more information on the relationship between food and cholesterol levelsWe talked to a couple of dietitians to get their tips on eating habits that can help you lower your cholesterol after 50. Read on and for more on eating healthy, don’t miss out. The #1 Best Juice to Drink Every Day, Science Says.
Now there is even more evidence of oatmeal being one of the healthiest foods you can eat. Soluble fiber, found in oatmeal, fruits such as apples and pears, and many types of legumes, is a helpful nutrient for lower your cholesterol levels.
“It’s one of the biggest factors that can help lower cholesterol because it dissolves in water to form a gel-like material that can bind cholesterol,” he says. Amy Goodson, MS, DR, CSSD, LD author of The Sports Nutrition Playbook“and the goal is to eat 25-38 grams of fiber a day and get 5-10 of those grams from Soluble fiber.”
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According to Courtney D’Angelo, MS, RDauthor in what a wellnessOne of the best eating habits to lower cholesterol after 50 is to swap unhealthy fats for healthier ones.
“Limit the amount of foods that have saturated fat, which can raise your LDL (bad cholesterol) levels, such as fried foods, chocolate and Baked goodssays D’Angelo.
Harvard Health states that “healthy fats,” which include polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, can help reduce the risk of disease. D’Angelo suggests replacing saturated and trans fats with these healthier fats, which you can get from foods like olive oilcanola oil, lean meats, walnutsavocados and fish.
A common mistake many Americans make is forgetting to get enough fruits and vegetables into their diet. And if you’re trying to get down or prevent high cholesterolD’Angelo says getting enough of these foods becomes even more important.
“Consistent consumption of fruits and vegetables can increase important cholesterol-lowering compounds called plant stanols or sterols, which function like soluble fiber,” he says.
apples specifically they are known to help lower cholesterol due to a specific type of soluble fiber they have called pectin, Y grapes They have also been found to help lower LDL cholesterol and improve the diversity of gut bacteria in recent studies.
If apples and grapes don’t pique your interest, produce like pears, apricots, avocados, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and carrots are also high in soluble fiber and can help you control your cholesterol levels .
Lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way can also help lower cholesterol after 50.”Investigate suggests that people who lose 5 to 10 percent of their body weight can lower their total and bad (LDL) cholesterol levels,” says Goodson.
to start up weightlossGoodson suggests eating smaller, more frequent meals that are high in fiber and protein, because “both slow down digestion, helping you fill up faster and stay full longer.”
You may want to talk to your doctor first before trying to lose weight. This way you can make sure that it is necessary and that you are doing it in the healthier way for your body.
