DR. PARINAZ HUMRANWALA M.D.(Hom) CONSULTANT HOMOEOPATH
CHOLESTEROL CONTROL DIET
- Start your day with a wholesome breakfast consisting of oatmeal or whole grain or multi grain cereals. Cereals like whole grain and its products like wheat bread, chapatti, jowar, bajra, nachni, riceflakes, puffed rice, oat bran, corn flakes can be consumed.
- Avoid foods containing egg yolks e.g. mayonnaise, cakes, sauces etc. Egg white is permitted.
- Avoid fat containing foods like cakes, pastries, mayonnaise, butter, sauces, creams, fried food and snacks, fast food, canned and packaged food items.
- Lean white meat like fish and chicken can be consumed. All organ meat (kidney, liver, brain), shellfish, prawns, lobsters, fish roe, shrimps, pork, beef, ham should be avoided. Include seafood as part of your diet.
- Use only skimmed milk (i.e. without cream) and milk products from skimmed milk e.g. curd, paneer etc. Avoid whole milk, cream, cheese, whole milk curd and sweets made with concentrated milk e.g. gulab jamun, mava, barfi, etc. Instead consume low calorie low sugar desserts like custards, jellies, kheer etc. using skimmed milk only.
- Groundnuts and cashew nuts to be avoided. All other nuts and dry fruits can be consumed in limited quantities. Walnuts help to lower cholesterol.
- Increase the intake of fibre in the diet by consuming plenty of whole cereals, pulses especially sprouts, vegetables, fruits.
- Consume Flaxseeds regularly as each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contain about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s.
- Green leafy vegetables like palak, methi etc should be consumed on a daily basis. Other vegetables like tomatoes, lady’s finger, gourds can be consumed. Raw vegetables in the form of salad should be consumed daily.
- Fruits, whenever possible should be consumed with the skin. E.g. apples, guava, pear, peach. Sweet lime, orange, papaya, watermelon can also be consumed. Eat at least two-three fruits per day. Whole fruits are more advisable than fruit juice.
- Use not more than 3 teaspoon of oil per day for cooking. While cooking avoid saturated fats like ghee, butter, margarine and instead use combination of oils e.g. combination of groundnut and sunflower oil. Rice bran oil is also a good option.
- Use cooking methods like baking, boiling, broiling, grilling, steaming etc. Avoid frying.
- A non-stick frying pan will help you keep down the amount of cooking oil needed.
- Unsaturated Fats Protect the Heart: We all need a little fat in our diet -- about 25% to 35% of our daily calories. But the type of fat matters. Unsaturated fats -- like those found in canola, olive, and safflower oils -- help lower LDL "bad" cholesterol levels and may help raise HDL "good" cholesterol. Saturated fats -- like those found in butter and palm oil -- and Trans fats raise LDL cholesterol. Even good fats have calories, so eat in moderation.
- In soups do not use butter or cream.
- Do not smoke or use tobacco, pan masala or gutka.
- Avoid alcohol consumption.
- Drink 10-12 glasses of water per day.
- Do not feast or fast.
- Reduce the amount of sugar intake. Avoid sugar in tea and coffee.
- While eating right is important, the amount of food you eat is a deciding factor to achieve lower cholesterol numbers. Eat five to six small meals every two to three hours.
- Most importantly Exercise regularly. Yoga and meditation helps reduce stress. Relaxing is necessary for a healthy mind, body and soul.
- Maintain your weight, reducing weight helps in controlling cholesterol and its complications.
- Eat small frequent meals to achieve a better metabolic rate. On an average keep the rule as: Small scanty frequent meals, with salads and fruits and nuts. Eat every 3 hours quantity to be consumed about the size of your fist.
- If you eat out often then remember to: Choose broiled, baked, steamed, and grilled foods -- not fried. Get sauces on the side. Practice portion control by asking for half your meal to be boxed up before it’s brought out.