Need a REALIST Meal Plan to lower Cholesterol

silentd3at4

In addition to lowering weight I also need to lower cholesterol. The problem is I am not educated regarding this type of information and this is a blatant request for someone to help me make a REALISTIC meal plan for a week. Appreciate your help and time to read this post.

From what I read and understand no dairy, no red meat, no butters (substitutes), contradictory information regarding bananas, and fruit.
I know some good foods would be skinless and non fried chicken, turkey sandwhich on whole wheat bread, cheerios, oatmeal.
Curious what about breakfast bars like Special K Strawberry bars, and nutrigrain apple cinammon bars.

I need to meet 1800 calories a day as directed by my doctor as I am taking an appetite suppressant as well. So far I have lost 10 lbs by cutting out fast food, soda, and cutting all my regular juices (Like Welches Grape Juice). I still have a cheat day and sneak some coneys and a pop on the weekend but Mon-Fri I really do stick to the plan.

I know there are some really nice recipes online for lowering cholesterol but I need a meal plan from someone that lives in the real world. I dont have 2 hours at night to prepare a dinner and a meal in the morning. I dont have time to go take a 2 hour lunch at work to enjoy some fine cuisine. I need realistic and easy meals for breakfast lunch and dinner.

Avg. meal plan looks like so:

Breakfast
Banana
BreakFast Bar

Lunch
Turkey Sandwhich - Whole Wheat Bread
2 Fruit Cups

Dinner
Primarily Beef oriented meals - Pastas like Spaghetti (cutting completely out starting next grocery trip to chicken)
One Vegetable
One other Side (Rice/Corn/French Bread etc.)
(but going to make a change to chicken soon)

I know there is room for work in my meal but I feel like my break fast and lunch is low (but honestly i am just not hungry in morning and then I am lucky to catch 15 minutes for lunch at work to enjoy my meal. Then I get home late and I dont want to spend the last few hours cooking some extravagant meal.

peachyxoxoxo

Unfortunately, the cholesterol in your diet doesn't tie in much with the cholesterol levels in your body. This is a common misconception and there is a lot of research to support it. My advice would be to become more physically active, cut back on your intake of refined sugars, and if you smoke, stop. High blood cholesterol is actually an indicator of chronic inflammation within the body.

MelBel53

Do you eat salads? If so, add legumes (any kind of canned beans) to your salad. you get great fiber from legumes and any source of fiber can only help the cholesterol picture. Load up with as many fruits and vegetables as you can each day, and whole grains because these are all sources of fiber. The other important piece to lowering cholesterol is simply eating less and moving more, because weight loss, again, can only help the cholesterol numbers. I have had good luck lowering my numbers by about 10 units by all of these measures. I have tried also to restrict crackers, cookies and other junk as much as I can. Good luck

bisky

Hi,

While a few people have high cholesterol due to genetics, the majority of americans owe their high cholesterol due to an unhealthy diet. I believe you can lower cholesterol by diet and exercise. Research also supports this:

This is from the Mayo clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cholesterol/CL00002
The top foods for lowering cholesterol are: oatmeal, walnuts, fish and high fiber foods (apples, bran, cabbage).

This is from Harvard: http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Heart_Letter/2009/October/11-foods-that-lower-cholesterol

If your diet gave you high cholesterol, it can lower it, too.

It's easy to eat your way to an alarmingly high cholesterol level. The reverse is true, too — changing what you eat can lower your cholesterol and improve the armada of fats floating through your bloodstream.

Doing this requires a two-pronged strategy: Add foods that lower LDL, the harmful cholesterol-carrying particle that contributes to artery-clogging atherosclerosis. At the same time, cut back on foods that boost LDL. Without that step, you are engaging in a holding action instead of a steady — and tasty — victory.

In with the good

Different foods lower cholesterol in various ways. Some deliver soluble fiber, which binds cholesterol and its precursors in the digestive system and drags them out of the body before they get into circulation. Some give you polyunsaturated fats, which directly lower LDL. And some contain plant sterols and stanols, which block the body from absorbing cholesterol.

Oats. An easy first step to improving your cholesterol is having a bowl of oatmeal or cold oat-based cereal like Cheerios for breakfast. It gives you 1 to 2 grams of soluble fiber. Add a banana or some strawberries for another half-gram. Current nutrition guidelines recommend getting 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day, with at least 5 to 10 grams coming from soluble fiber. (The average American gets about half that amount.)

Barley and other whole grains. Like oats and oat bran, barley and other whole grains can help lower the risk of heart disease, mainly via the soluble fiber they deliver.

Beans. Beans are especially rich in soluble fiber. They also take awhile for the body to digest, meaning you feel full for longer after a meal. That's one reason beans are a useful food for folks trying to lose weight. With so many choices — from navy and kidney beans to lentils, garbanzos, black-eyed peas, and beyond — and so many ways to prepare them, beans are a very versatile food.

Eggplant and okra. These two low-calorie vegetables are good sources of soluble fiber.

Nuts. A bushel of studies shows that eating almonds, walnuts, peanuts, and other nuts is good for the heart. Eating 2 ounces of nuts a day can slightly lower LDL, on the order of 5%. Nuts have additional nutrients that protect the heart in other ways.

Vegetable oils. Using liquid vegetable oils such as canola, sunflower, safflower, and others in place of butter, lard, or shortening when cooking or at the table helps lower LDL.

Apples, grapes, strawberries, citrus fruits. These fruits are rich in pectin, a type of soluble fiber that lowers LDL.

Foods fortified with sterols and stanols. Sterols and stanols extracted from plants gum up the body's ability to absorb cholesterol from food. Companies are adding them to foods ranging from margarine and granola bars to orange juice and chocolate. They're also available as supplements. Getting 2 grams of plant sterols or stanols a day can lower LDL cholesterol by about 10%.

Soy. Eating soybeans and foods made from them, like tofu and soy milk, was once touted as a powerful way to lower cholesterol. Analyses show that the effect is more modest — consuming 25 grams of soy protein a day (10 ounces of tofu or 2 1/2 cups of soy milk) can lower LDL by 5% to 6%.

Fatty fish. Eating fish two or three times a week can lower LDL in two ways: by replacing meat, which has LDL-boosting saturated fats, and by delivering LDL-lowering omega-3 fats. Omega-3s reduce triglycerides in the bloodstream and also protect the heart by helping prevent the onset of abnormal heart rhythms.

Fiber supplements. Supplements offer the least appealing way to get soluble fiber. Two teaspoons a day of psyllium, which is found in Metamucil and other bulk-forming laxatives, provide about 4 grams of soluble fiber.

I would look Dr. Furhman's lectures on You tube and his books: Eat to live and Super Immunity are fantastic. He talks a lot about meals to lower cholesterol.

There is also a great documentary on Net Flex called: Fat, sick and dying about a man who lowered his cholesterol with diet.

Overall your diet looks great, I would add oatmeal instead of breakfast bar, more fruits (apples) and vegetables.

Good luck.

peachyxoxoxo

OP, please take a look at this article I wrote on cholesterol and saturated fat:

http://choosing-healthy.tumblr.com/post/27502982337/separating-the-myths-from-fact

A general healthy diet can indeed help lower cholesterol, but note that you do not need to cut out foods containing dietary cholesterol or saturated fats to achieve this.

silentd3at4

Wow great input from everyone really appreciate the responses and cant wait to read more advice or meal plans. The information being provided is awesome but it seems there is some contradictory info. I think I will just have to bite the bullet and move away from my sedetary life style but that is hard for someone who has never been athletic, or been very physically active unless. But I also have never been overweight for most my life until I met college and beer.

I know beer is bad for dieting alone but also cholesterol and any other alcohol of choice to assist with dieting but still allow a weekend social life lol. Wine? Vodka and Sprite (really trying to stay away from pops but maybe diet pop)? Favorite liquor is Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, and Tequila. Tequila is out cause I need to reduce sodium.

As for salads not so much, OR I will eat a salad before my main course but does this defeat the purpose of having the salad if I eat something in addition to it? Also what about dressing I love french and ranch will those hurt me as well?

Only bean i like is a baked bean which I dont think are the ones you are referring to =P. I am a southern cooking kind of boy BBQ it, Grill it, and lets have us a Pig Roast kind of eater.

I joke too much I know but I am concerned about my cholesterol for being 25 it is way to high and I have a baby girl coming into this world and I wont to get it under control, and get my energy up. Step 1 was quitting smoking (3 months yay). Step 2 is lose all the pregnancy and quit smoking weight (really hoping breast feeding will help jk jk) Step 3 Exercise and reduce Cholesterol. I am a very black and white kind of person so if you could provide me an outline you all would make my day.

Meal Plan:
Breakfast:
Lunch:
Dinner:

jppd47

cut back on your intake of refined sugars,

Do you have info to about refined sugars link in higher blood cholesterol? I would like to read up on it

crzyone

I cut my cholesterol in half in about 9 months...from 102 to 51 (doctor wants it to be 50 or below). I cut out almost all processed foods and started eating fresh foods. Mostly I ate fruits, vegetables, grilled chicken breast. I cut out soda, margarine, all fried foods. I ate a salad with lunch and dinner with either chicken or brown rice. I did eat real Ranch dressing, that was my splurge. I ate few sweets and little bread. I ate flatbreads for wraps and tons of brown rice. I made a pot of brown rice with onions, peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes on Sunday, divided it into bowls and took a bowl to work for lunch each day with a salad. I used onion, garlic, green peppers to season things. I lost about 25 lbs. I ate saltine crackers with my salads. I drank water through the day and tea when I ate out with dinner. I added exercise to my sedentary life. I didn't eat fish. I didn't eat nuts. I didn't use oil or butter in anything. I didn't eat beans. I ate salads with lettuce, cucumbers, onions, peppers. I ate steamed vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower. I ate baked potatoes with laughing cow cheese on them. I ate brown rice and chicken. I ate oranges, grapefruits, plums by the gazillions, frozen blueberries and sometimes an apple or peach. I cut out all pasta except sometimes a Weight WAtchers Smart One dinner (yes, it's processed) when I had to have something tasty on the run. I ate a lot....of vegetables...and fruits......and chicken....I ate a lot.......

I'm struggling to get back on it, but this is how I lowered mine.

jppd47

To the OP, Have you set up your MFP account to give you your daily calories goals? If not go thorough and do it. Start logging what you eat and you will be able to follow your intake. If you stick to the numbers and fit alcohol in with in that goal you will be fine.

Athijade

Dietary Cholesterol has little to no impact on blood Cholesterol. As such, you should be changing your diet in general to be healthier and increasing your physical activity as well. You want plenty of healthy fats and whole grains. Don't be scared of red meat. It is not off limits, though you should most likely not have it every day.

The days of freaking out about red meat and eggs for those of us with bad Cholesterol is over. It's about an overall healthy lifestyle now.

peachyxoxoxo

cut back on your intake of refined sugars,

Do you have info to about refined sugars link in higher blood cholesterol? I would like to read up on it

Yeah, look at this article. The part about sugar and inflammation is on the second page. And higher levels of serum cholesterol are tied to chronic inflammation.

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/whats-causing-your-inflammation-2.html

Here's another article that helps explain the link:

http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/2010/03/heart-disease-inflammation-or-cholesterol/


Also, here are some recent studies on cholesterol and inflammation:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22548566

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18167199

pumalama

This website provides menus for many life situations and conditions : pregnancy, maintaining bone health, gluten free, weight loss, etc. Some meal plans are free while some others are very affordable. I am a subscriber and am very pleased by the variety of food, the delicious recipes and by the fact that they are following guidelines and recommendations issued by many health organizations. I don't need to worry about getting enough calcium or fibers (for instance), they look at it for me, I only have to follow the plan. It is not a website that tries to sell you pills or some products, their main goal is to provide healthy meal plans to the population.

There is one meal plan that could interest you.

http://www.soscuisine.com/coeur_en_sante/menus_intelligents?sos_l=en

" Smart Meal Plans for a HEALTHY HEART

Food plays a key role in preventing and managing heart diseases. This is why we created these dedicated Heart Healthy Meal Plans.

They are designed for people with high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol or hypertriglyceridemia. They allow for reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke, through a healthy, varied and balanced diet. They are also designed to prevent the risk of relapse. "

In this case, they follow recommendations from:

•Heart & Stroke Foundation (Canada's leading organization for heart disease and stroke)
•American Heart Association (USA)
•DASH Eating Plan, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
•Health Canada's Food Guide
•Extenso (Canada; in French)
•PasseportSanté.net (in French): Hypercholesterolemia, Hypertension, Hypertriglyceridemia

have a look!

many people are already using that site, if you look into the mfp food database for soscuisine or sos cuisine, you'll see a few recipes that were previously entered.

mcdebbie

Peachy, thanks for all the links and Puma for the meal plan link. I have just started researching in the last HOUR and am already so confused. :huh: My doctor is calling in a prescription for my high cholesterol and I don't want to take it so looking for alternatives. Thanks for the help!

Uuuhlexis

On Sunday nights, put on some music and make some pre-prepared meals for the week. I'll just chop up a lot of veggies and put them in tupperware containers so if I'm trying to do something fast all I have to do is reach in the fridge and sprinkle them in whatever I'm making. Throw a squash in the oven while you do it, and you have a week worth of a yummy side dish!

TONYAGOOCH

My husband (a pharmacist) incorporated a flush free niacin into his daily regimen and lowered his cholesterol. You might try that as well as all the wonderful advice you have already received.

treasurebox1

Dr. Oz show says to take in 2 Tsp. of Metamusil powder in a cup of water 3 x's a day. I have been doing this for 2 months now, I sure hope it's working because I can't take any of the C meds. It has psyillium in it and it grabs onto the stuff that would turn into C in your blood while it's in your tummy and your body rids it.