Dr. Joseph Lee Klapper’s The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Lowering Your Cholesterol is certainly not for idiots. For readers who never enjoyed science at school it may require a bit of extra concentration. This does not mean, however, that the book makes the science of food and cholesterol difficult to grasp. Over all this guide is useful and accessible, with lots of good advice for those wishing to embrace a healthier lifestyle.
What is Cholesterol?
In short, there are two types of cholesterol. The bad one is called low-density lipoprotein (LDL). This one clogs up your arteries with nasty, fatty plaque. Then there is the good cholesterol, called high-density lipoprotein (HDL). This one waves its magic wand and vacuums up all the bad cholesterol from the bloodstream.
The ideal situation is to have high levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and low levels of bad cholesterol (LDL). The more research that is being done, the more doctors are saying that, even if a patient’s LDL / HDL reading is good, it is still better to push even further to improve those numbers. That is, it’s best to continue to increase HDL (good cholesterol) and decrease LDL (bad cholesterol).
How Increase HDL (good cholesterol) and Decrease LDL (bad cholesterol)?
Dr. Klapper recommends what he calls a 'Palaeolithic' diet. Eat like a cave man! This makes sense, as our bodies are 200,000 years old, and are more attuned to foods found unprocessed in nature, rather than today's toxic, industrial variety.
Furthermore, archaeological studies show that the agricultural revolution that happened around 10,000 years ago had a negative impact on human health. Cave man bodies were bigger and stronger. Agricultural man developed a weakened body, and was more prone to disease. Today's modern Western body could safely be described as a product of eating too much processed, industrial foods. The results are there for all to see: obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease and a whole host of other health problems.
How to Eat Like Palaeolithic Man or Woman?
Basically eat foods as close to nature as possible. This means avoid sugar, refined white flour and other additives. The constant refrain of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Lowering Your Cholesterol is to eat more vegetables and fruit. Whole grains, nuts and legumes are very good too. These foods have lots of health properties in them that actually improve HDL, the good cholesterol.
What Foods to Avoid?
Basically avoid any saturated fats, found mostly in dairy products. Also avoid palm and coconut oil, as these have high levels of saturated fat also.
Steer clear of cakes and biscuits that are full of this bad fat as this also adds to LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
Instead of these bad fats use olive oil and other good, mostly polyunsaturated fats. Try to include omega 3 fats in the diet, which are mostly found in fish. Or if you don't like fish, try walnuts or flaxseed oil (but don't cook with flaxseed oil, as it destroys the oil.)
Soy products also get a big tick. They are high in protein, low in bad fats, and also contain omega 3.
The Great Benefits of Exercise
Exercise is also important, at least 30 minutes a day. Exercise actually increases our HDL (good cholesterol) levels.
It's all pretty simple, common sense advice that Dr. Klapper gives, but hard to put into action for a lot of people.
This book takes that difficulty into account, and is written in a sympathetic style that doesn’t wag its finger. Changing diet is difficult when surrounded by so much food and food advertising. People with busy lives also struggle to find time to exercise.
Dr. Klapper also includes a useful section on mental well being. Studies show that the mind has an effect on the body. Thinking about taking up yoga should also be an option to consider, as even relaxation techniques can have a positive effect on the heart.
The advice of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Lowering Your Cholesterol is quite simple: eat close to nature, exercise regularly and relax. Dr. Klapper backs up this simple advice with his expertise and knowledge of the latest research.
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Lowering Your Cholesterol (2006) is published by Alpha. ISBN-10: 1592575528
Chris Saliba - Chris Saliba is a freelance writer. Read more of his workplace articles at chrissalibafreelancewriter.blogspot.com
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