Super Foods for Seniors | Cholesterol Blasters March 24, 2014

Hello Friends and welcome back from the weekend!

Did you get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather on the first Spring weekend of the year?  How about the grill, did you clear away the spider webs and fire it up?  If so, were there any not-so-good-for-you foods on there.  Knowing you probably not, besides not all grilled foods are bad for you just as not all cholesterol is bad for you.

There are two types of cholesterol, LDL and HDL.  LDL or low-density lipoprotein is bad because it can build up on the walls of your arteries and clog them.  However, HDL or high-density lipoprotein travels away from your arteries to your liver and is flushed out of your body.

 Keeping your LDL low and your HDL levels high gives you a much better chance of avoiding heart disease and incorporating some of these foods into your diet can help.

• Almonds – loaded with monounsaturated fat which lowers your cholesterol
• Chestnuts – roasted and they too have very little fat and helps to keep your arteries clear
• Artichokes – boosts bile production which breaks down cholesterol from the fat you eat
• Apples – full of pectin, which is a natural ingredient that can lower cholesterol up to 30% if eaten daily

• Whole grains – barley and other soluble fibrous foods slows down digestion giving your body more time to whisk away cholesterol
• Black Beans – instead of eating fatty meats, have a meatless dinner and reduce your cholesterol levels, try navy and kidney beans as well
• Peaches – prevents gallstones which are solid masses of cholesterol 
• Flaxseed – these seeds from the flax plants have tons of soluble fiber, the miracle fiber that helps protect against high cholesterol.
• Wheat Germ – sprinkle onto your cereal or yogurt to lower total cholesterol 
• Ginger – this spice contains phytochemicals an antioxidant that fights atherosclerosis which is hardening of the arteries

• Garlic – cuts down on fat buildup in your ateries by lowering LDL cholesterol
• Grape Juice – drinking 2 glasses a day is a natural way to rejuvenate your veins and arteries
• Mushrooms – this fungus contain a good source of chromium, a mineral that acts as an antioxidant.
• Honey – good source of dietary antioxidants that are good in lowering LDL cholesterol
• CHOCOLATE – contains a generous helping of polyphenols that are antioxidants.  Polyphenols which are also found in RED WINE can help your heart by keeping LDL cholesterol from becoming oxidized, which can hurt your arteries.
• Tomato Sauce – lycopene in tomatoes keeps your arteries flowing free by breaking down cholesterol.

• Oatmeal – oatmeal does more than stick to your ribs, it’s also a sticky soluble fiber that helps to slow the movement of food through your intestines.  This gives HDL particles more time to pick up cholesterol to take to your liver for disposal. 
• Fish – fatty fish like tuna, mackerel and salmon are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that can protect your arteries from damage. 
• Yogurt – fermented milk in yogurt clears arteries and keeps your heart healthy.

Heart healthy salmon and black beans

I try to cook and eat healthy, so on Friday night we had baked salmon with mango salsa and black beans for dinner.  Our youngest doesn’t like fatty fish so he ate the baked clams.  The heart works non-stop to pump blood throughout our bodies which is why we need to keep it healthy.

Food alone won’t prevent heart disease, so besides eating right, you need to exercise, quit smoking, limit alcohol consumption, keep your weight in check and most importantly RELAX!

Stay Blessed – No Stress in 2014!

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