Random Blood Sugar Levels

Lowering Cholesterol the Natural Way

I became interested in cholesterol-lowering eating plans after working on a  television programme in which three people with raised levels of cholesterol were asked to follow a special style of plan that had been been clinically proven to reduce raised cholesterol – in some cases by as much as 35 per cent. This is the same scale of reduction which can be achieved with popular cholesterol-lowering drugs known as ‘statins’.

While it is vital for people who have already had a heart attack or stroke to take cholesterol lowering drugs, for many people with no added complications, following this eating plan – known as The Portfolio Diet – can be very successful.

It takes quite a bit of dedication to begin with, as you make changes to the usual way in which you eat, but ultimately it is an incredibly healthy way of eating which may not only lower your cholesterol, but could well help you to shed pounds (which in itself helps to reduce cholesterol and your risk of developing type two diabetes). Below is the outline of The Portfolio Plan and some starter recipes which will help you to follow it.

It is not an easy option; it takes a lot more dedication than taking pills to do the job for you. But it offers a realistic alternative should you wish to try.

It is important that you discuss your intentions to follow The Portfolio Diet with your doctor so he or she can give their approval and monitor your progress.

What is it The Portfolio Diet? The Portfolio Diet is a style of eating which combines a group of foods (a portfolio of foods) which have been shown in studies to help to lower bad cholesterol in our blood. Each one is healthy and has blood cholesterol lowering effects on its own, but when you put the foods together and eat them everyday, this effect is even greater.

What are the special foods in the diet? The foods which you need to include in your diet every day are:

• Almonds.
• Foods rich in what is known as ‘soluble’ fibre. These include oats and barley, certain fruits like apples and pears and certain vegetables like baked beans, peas, red kidney beans, lentils and chickpeas.
• Soya as soya milk, soya yoghurt, tofu (also known as bean curd) and soya meat alternatives.
• Benecol or FloraProActive spreads, yoghurts, yoghurt style shot drinks and ‘cream’ cheese.

How do you know that it could work? Scientists have tested this diet on lots of people. One such study followed 55 people over a year and those who followed the diet most closely reduced their ‘bad’ blood cholesterol by 20 per cent.

Why these particular foods? Almonds are great for vitamin E which is important for a healthy heart. They also seem to reduce certain proteins involved in making bad cholesterol as well as giving us fibre and being very low in saturated fat. They contribute plant sources of omega 3 oils as well which may also help their cholesterol lowering role.

• Lunch: A pitta bread stuffed with hummus and salad followed by a Benecol yoghurt.
• Mid pm: An apple and a Benecol yoghurt drink.
• Dinner: A big vegetable stir fry using tofu and chicken and almonds served with brown rice and a big bowl of raspberries for pudding with a soya yoghurt.

Are you allowed to drink alcohol? The odd glass of red wine or ½ a lager at the weekend won’t do any harm once you have got your cholesterol levels down using the Portfolio Plan.

What else can you drink? Lots of water. Smoothies made with light soya milk and lattes and cappuccinos or home made milky coffee using light soya milk are good choices. Tea made with light soya milk and a small 250ml serving of pomegranate juice are also good. Try to have tea and coffee without sugar and avoid sugary squashes and fizzy drinks.

Ready to give it a go? Great! Follow the links below for some recipes to get you started: