Cholesterol is one of those health problems that can be stressful to deal with once it develops, so every effort to prevent high cholesterol is always worth it. Given the fact that we live in the real world, there are other factors to consider, such as a busy schedule, a limited budget, or trying planning a diet for an entire family. Thankfully, even if you are overwhelmed with other aspects of your life there are simple things you can do every day to lower your cholesterol. Here are just some of them:

Eat fiber at breakfast
Many people have the bad habit of skipping breakfast altogether, which can have negative implications for their metabolisms and hunger levels throughout the day. A quick way to kill two birds with one stone is to eat a breakfast cereal high in fiber to get yourself off to a good start. Soluble fiber found in bran and oats can be incredibly beneficial in helping to absorb excess cholesterol in your system. And after all, what could be easier than eating a bowl of cereal when you wake up?

Exercise
If you’re busy you may have a hard time finding opportunities to exercise. But if you’re creative and dedicated you can find ways to stay active and raise your levels of good cholesterol through various exercises. Even something as simple as walking for 20 minutes a day can get your body in tune and running better. And if you can manage to exercise more regularly through intensive activities you can boost your good cholesterol levels by up to 10 percent. And if you do happen to engage in a more active lifestyle then make sure to eat a balanced diet filled with foods high in iron and protein so that you give your body the fuel it needs.

Take a healthier approach to snacks
A common cause of excess cholesterol are snacks. There are so many tempting high cholesterol foods to avoid that it can be hard to keep track of exactly what’s going into your body. To be on the safe side, look to fruits and vegetables whenever you need a quick boost between meals, and stay well away from anything that contains saturated fats.

Eat smaller, more frequent meals
There is growing evidence that blood sugar and cholesterol are connected, so anything you can do to keep your blood sugar even can only benefit you. Eating smaller, more frequent meals can help control your blood sugar by keeping a more consistent flow of food into the body. We also have some tasty healthy recipes to control blood glucose levels that can help you keep your blood sugar on track.

As an aside, it’s important to watch the discoveries coming out of the medical industry. Because of the money involved with cholesterol-lowering drugs, I’ve always suspected that cholesterol news has been manipulated by the pharmaceutical companies, and through them, the media. I predict that eventually we’ll see different perspectives come forward in regard to the role of cholesterol in our lives. The suggestions in this article will probably always be relevant, because they’re just common sense. But we may find over time that there’s not quite as much to fear from cholesterol as we now believe.

Photo by Ula Kapala

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When undergoing treatment for diabetes, the goal is obviously to keep your blood sugar under control. But first you have to understand what normal blood glucose levels are, so you know what you should be aiming for. Since your blood sugar levels are always changing, there are different methods for evaluating them, depending on different factors:

The first reading is the fasting blood glucose level. This test is usually done first thing in the morning because it requires you to go without food and any beverage but water for at least eight hours. A normal fasting blood sugar reading is 70 to 100 mg/dL. A diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is made when your reading is higher than 126 mg/dL.

Your blood sugar levels will naturally rise after you eat while your body absorbs that food, but when your blood sugar rises dramatically after a meal, you are said to be experiencing a blood sugar spike. This level is known as the postprandial (which means after eating) reading, because it is taken two hours following a meal.  There is a bit of argument as to what constitutes a normal postprandial reading, but it is widely considered to be between 70 and 140 mg/dL. Some doctors prefer to use 120 mg/dL as an upper guideline due to recent research indicating that what was previously accepted as normal is indeed too high. It’s also unhealthy to have blood sugar levels below 70 mg/dL, which is called hypoglycemia.

If it turns out that you do not have normal blood sugar levels, keep in  ind that it’s not the end of the world. Type 2 diabetes is a very common disorder that can be effectively treated using a variety of methods. You are not alone in being diabetic. In fact, millions of people all over the world are in a similar boat; it’s one of the fastest rising conditions in the developed world. Lifestyle and diet adjustments can usually solve the problem. Those can take some time to show effects, though, and sometimes blood sugar needs to be brought down quickly. In those cases, medication is necessary to bring down very high blood sugar.

If you have any further questions about diabetes or how to maintain healthy blood sugar levels, be sure to consult with your health practitioner.

You might also be interested in our healthy recipes to control blood glucose levels.

Photo by Jade Gordon

Every year, 1 million Americans aged 20 years or older are diagnosed with diabetes, a disease characterized by high blood sugar levels. According to the National Institutes of Health, an additional 16 million people suffer from impaired glucose tolerance, or IGT, a condition in which the blood glucose levels are elevated, although not high enough to be classified as diabetes. With our typical high-sugar American diet, it’s no surprise that incidences of diabetes and IGT are on the rise.

Fortunately, keeping your blood sugar levels in balance is often as simple as adjusting your eating habits. While foods high in simple sugars (e.g., candy, soda, peanut butter, canned soup) can increase your blood glucose, research shows that fiber-rich diets that include vegetables, whole grains and fruits can help control blood sugar levels in most people, and may prevent health complications (such as heart disease or kidney disease) in those who already have diabetes. It’s also a good idea to take a nutritional supplement that contains, in particular, the vitamin C, as well as vitamins E and B-complex, and the mineral chromium, all of which are thought to help maintain blood glucose balance. And choosing dishes that are high in fiber can make a world of difference to your blood sugar levels.

The following side-dish recipes offer a delicious way to eat your way to good health:

Fruity Salad
Makes 4-6 servings

The fruit in this salad has natural sugar, but the fiber content of unpeeled fruit helps keep blood glucose levels in balance.

4 red apples (for example, McIntosh, Cortland or Ida Red)
2 Bartlett pears
1/2 pound red grapes
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon apple juice

1. Wash and core apples and pears; cut into one-inch chunks.
2. Wash grapes and cut in half.
3. Combine fruit and walnut pieces in a mixing bowl.
4. In a small bowl, mix cinnamon, nutmeg and apple juice with yogurt.
5. Pour yogurt mixture over fruit and nuts, stirring to coat evenly.
6. Chill before serving.

Sweet Potato Bake
Makes 3-4 servings

One medium sweet potato has 3.5 grams of fiber; one cup of raisins has 4 grams of fiber.

4 medium sweet potatoes
1 cup sun-dried raisins
2 tsp. butter
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp. orange juice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Spray a medium-sized baking dish with non-stick spray.
3. Peel and cut sweet potatoes into 1/4-inch slices.
4. Arrange layer of potatoes in the baking dish; then dot with butter and sprinkle with raisins.
5. Repeat Step 4 until all potatoes and raisins are used.
6. Blend orange juice, lemon juice and nutmeg; pour over potatoes and raisins.
7. Bake at 350° F for about 35 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
8. Serve hot.

Garlic-Onion Bean Dip
Makes 6-8 servings

Scientific studies indicate that members of the onion family, such as garlic and scallions, help regulate blood sugar. This recipe’s added perk: One cup of pinto beans has a whopping 12.2 grams of fiber.

2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch scallions, chopped
One can (15-½ oz) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
4-½ tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
Dash cayenne pepper

1. Saute garlic and onion in one teaspoon of olive oil.
2. Place beans, garlic and onion in a food processor.
3. Add remaining ingredients; process until well blended but not entirely smooth.
4. Serve with wheat crackers or assorted fresh vegetables.

We hope you enjoy these healthy recipes that will help control your blood sugar levels!

You might also be interested in these other recipes:

• Beet Juice Recipes
• Blueberry Recipes with Antioxidant Power
• Broccoli Recipes
• Asparagus Recipes
• Garlic Recipes with Antiviral Power
• Pasta Recipes to Boost Your Immune System
• Recipes to Help Your Vision
• Recipes to Keep Anemia at Bay