Foods that Elevate HDL (Good Cholesterol)

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Foods that Elevate HDL (Good Cholesterol)

JoAnn Guest

Apr 28, 2003 20:50 PDT

 

 

" Food Your Miracle Medicine "

Some components of cholesterol are dangerous to arteries, while

others are beneficial.

 

Furthermore, what you eat may actually detoxify detrimental

cholesterol so it cannot harm arteries.

 

Regardless of cholesterol's complexities,

one thing is undeniable:

What you eat can put a striking dent in dangerous cholesterol

and more spectacularly, according to new findings, change its

character so it is not so deadly!

 

This radical way of controlling cholesterol by *detoxifying* it,

according to new research, promises to dramatically slow the

progression of atherosclerosis by 50 to 70 percent and even help

 

reverse existing artery clogging by shrinking the clumps of plaque

on artery walls, says leading researcher Daniel Steinberg, M.D., at

the University of California School of Medicine in San Diego.

 

" We can now attack the disease at the artery wall as well by simply

lowering LDL cholesterol.

It's very exciting, " he says.

 

HOW YOU CAN USE FOOD TO CONTROL CHOLESTEROL

 

Essentially, you should eat in a way to lower one type of

cholesterol,

called LDL (low-density lipoprotein), and boost another type,

known as HDL (high density lipoprotein).

 

That's because the LDLs are " bad-guys " that serve as raw material

to 'clog' arteries.

 

In contrast, the good-guy HDLs gobble up the LDL " villains " and cart

them to the liver, where they are annihilated!

 

Obviously, the more HDL and the less LDL you have in your blood, the

safer your arteries.

Certain foods help bring this about by destroying detrimental LDLs

and creating beneficial HDLs.

 

Now enters an exciting new theory that promises to make it possible

to control cholesterol with food in ways unimagined even a few years

ago.

 

According to that new theory put forth by Dr. Steinberg and many

others, here's how arteries get clogged:

 

Special forms of oxygen known as *free radicals* in the blood

collide with fatty *LDL* cholesterol molecules, *oxidizing* them.

 

The LDL then turns rancid, much as unrefrigerated butter does.

In this altered form it is quickly gobbled up by cells called

macrophages.

 

Stuffed with fat globules, the macrophages enlarge into

dreaded " foam cells " which 'insinuate' themselves into artery walls,

triggering artery destruction!

 

If you can prevent this toxic transformation, your LDL cholesterol

may remain relatively 'harmless'.

So the issue is not just how much LDL (bad) cholesterol your blood

contains, but how much of it is " Toxic Oxidized LDL, " capable of

clogging your arteries.

 

Dr. Steinberg and many others now believe that LDL cholesterol is

not so dangerous to arteries unless it is converted into a toxic

form by

oxygenated " free radicals " in your blood.

 

That's where diet can be a powerful " weapon " . Mounting evidence

shows you can block LDLs *toxic* transformation, and thus its

awesome hazards,

by eating foods packed with protective " antioxidants " .

 

This means you might intervene at the very " genesis of

atherosclerosis " at every stage, blocking the cascade of arterial

events that create clogged arteries, heart attacks and strokes.

 

It is a thrilling prospect.

 

Bottom Line:

To combat hazardous blood cholesterol, reduce bad LDL cholesterol,

boost good HDL cholesterol, and keep as much as possible of your LDL

from becoming toxic to your arteries.

 

Here are your best bets for doing it with diet.

Foods that Raise *Good* HDL Cholesterol:

 

Garlic (fresh is best)

Alaskan Salmon, sardines(in spring water), tuna(with no msg) and

other cold-water fatty fish (avoiding farmed varieties)

Grape Seed Oil

Almonds

Macademia Nuts

Avocadoes

Onions, raw

Leeks,Scallions

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Vitamin C rich foods(bell peppers, broccoli,cauliflower)

Beta-carotene-rich foods (carrots, spinach, broccoli)

Red Wine in moderation

Caution: Diets containing even minimal amounts of hydrogenated or

partially hydrogenated oils and fats *depress* HDLs.

 

" Food your Miracle Medicine "

(How Food can Prevent and Cure Over 100 Symptoms and Problems)

by Jean Carper