Since it is Father's Day, I thought it only appropriate to reflect on how fortunate I am to still have my father alive today after having survived two heart attacks in his life. They were a definite wake up call and he significantly changed his life style to ensure he lives a long life.
Per the American Heart Association, 1 out of 2 adult Americans have borderline to high cholesterol which is a contributor to heart disease and needs to be taken seriously. Most people can control their cholesterol through diet and exercise, but unfortunately there are many people that have hereditary high cholesterol and need to take statin drugs to keep their cholesterol in check. However, the vast majority of the population can keep their cholesterol in check by following the National Education Program guidelines for diet and exercise. By eating a heart healthy low fat diet that include eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grain foods, plus regular physical activity can help reduce the risk of heart disease. Additionally, by adding plant sterols to your diet, you can help reduce your cholesterol by 6 - 15%based on over 140 cliniccal trials that have been conducted. I have included an exceprt from a Clevland Clinic informational document on plant sterols.
What are plant sterols and stanols?
Plant sterols and stanols are naturally occurring substances found in plants. They are present in small quantities in many fruits, vegetables, vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, cereals and legumes.
Why are plant sterols and stanols important? Research has shown that plant sterols/stanols included with a heart healthy eating plan may reduce your risk for heart disease. The sterols/stanols work by blocking the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine. This lowers the low density cholesterol known as the 'bad' cholesterol (LDL ) by 6-15%, without lowering the good cholesterol known as the high density cholesterol ( HDL). Clinical research trials have documented safety and effectiveness for use by the entire family. Plant stanols/sterols do not interfere with cholesterol lowering medications.
To see the rest of the article, visit the site listed below.
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/healthy_living/Cholesterol/hic_Plant_Sterols_and_Stanols.aspx
Adding plant sterols to your diet can be easy as more and more products are becoming available to consumers through your local retailers. Corazonas Heart Healthy Snacks are one of several food options available today that contain plant sterols to help you manage and/or lower your cholesterol. To achieve your daily intake target of approximately 2 grams of plant sterols per day, you can use a combination of food items with plant sterols such as Corazonas chips, certain margarine spreads, breads, and drinks as well as a host of other products offered on the market today.
Incorporating plant sterols into your diet along with the diet recommendations above will help put you on your way to lowering your cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Happy Father's Day
