cid. Hydrogenated vegetable oils have fewer polyunsaturated fats than do meatsand dairy products. They actually have more saturated fats than butter, wholemilk and meat, while offering few or no vitamins. Monounsaturated fats are also receiving more attention. Once thought to beneutral in heart health, they are now considered beneficial. Olive oil andalmond oil are high in monounsaturated fats. An important part of cholesterolmanagement is eating a diet high in complex carbohydrates. Certain fibers incomplex carbohydrates are able to carry cholesterol out of cells and tissues,including arteries, then to the liver where it is excreted. Carrots, cabbage andbroccoli contain calcium pectate, a type of pectin with cholesterol- loweringeffects. Eat two carrots a day-that's what one study reports if you areconcerned about high cholesterol rates. Oat bran has also been shown tolower LDL and blood cholesterol levels. In addition, the saponins insoybeans, chickpeas, peanuts and alfalfa have been shown to reduce bloodcholesterol. An intake of 37 grams of fiber a day is adequate. Too much fibermay bind up trace minerals and irritate the intestinal lining.A word about exercise: Regular exercise can lower blood pressure, canraise the HDL cholesterol levels, and can help control weight. TheAmerican Heart Association recommends at least 20 minutes of aerobicexercise three times per week.Smoking robs the heart of oxygen. That's why heart disease rates for smokersare 70 percent higher than those for nonsmokers. Heavier smokers are in aneven more precarious situation. But the good news is that smokers who quitcan reduce their risk for heart disease by about one-half. Recent studiesindicate that the body begins to recover from the effects of smoking soonafter quitting- within months or even days! Even better, in time anex-smoker's risk for coronary heart disease will approach that of someonewho has never smoked at all. Obesity both directly and indirectly ...
