Question by Karas: What healthier food options should I consider?
After a recent doctoral visit I was told that my bad cholesterol (LDL) is high. Daily I’ve been eating Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers because they’re easy to store and prepare. However, I believe the preservatives in the sauce which is included in the package, may partially be the reason why my health is affected.
Already my physician has given me a list of foods to avoid for eating heart-healthy which include not consuming sausage, bacon, “prime” grade fatty cuts of meat, hot dogs, donuts, crackers made with saturated oils, granola-type cereals, noodles, pasta, ice cream, potato chips, chocolate, milkshakes, hard cheeses (American, Swiss, cheddar), whole milk, custard-style yogurt, store-bought pies, store-bought frosted cakes, and pound cakes.
In addition to the high cholesterol issue, the doctor has also given me a list of foods to avoid because of my high uric acid levels. So as to avoid the possibility of developing gout I must not eat any of the following: liver, fish or shrimp, asparagus, spinach, mushrooms, beans, lentils, whole wheat, rye bread, oatmeal, wild game, meat soup and gravies.
While I am using low-fat forms of milk like Skim Plus and yogurt like Chobani, I’m trying to drink at least six cups of water daily and I sadly have greatly reduced my red-meat intake. Still I could benefit even more if you can tell me what brands of food you think I should consume based on the detail I’ve provided. I should also mention that I don’t cook much (not since college days) and I prefer ready-meals I can store either in the refrigerator or at room temperature. There is limited space in the freezer I use because it is a shared fridge amongst a group, but I’ll do my best to store my goods. Please give me some food ideas which are healthy for me.
Best answer:
Suggestion by PRINTS
Avoid processed foods, but especially wheat products such as pasta, breads, cereals, cookies, crackers, etc. Yes, if you just love fried foods, you need to stop eating those, too. Make your diet contain foods that are as close to the way they came, as possible: fresh fruits and vegetables, boiled or broiled meats, whole or brown rice, pure fruit juices with no sugar added. Avoid sugared items, especially soda pop. Remember that sugar and those fluffy wheat/carbohydrates turn right into fat, in your body. So, don’t judge things only by their fat content, but by their carbohydrate content, too.
You can also look up, “herbs to lower cholesterol”. But, you cannot rely on this. You NEED to cut out the processed and sugared foods. I won’t comment on the red meats. Protein is very important to health – just don’t eat it fried; and eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables – that means not cooked.
Keep a bowl of your favorite fruits on your table, and a platter of cut up vege’s in the fridge. Make it easy to eat.
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Your physician is a couple of decades behind in nutrition knowledge. I highly recommend you do your own research re: both cholesterol, gout & dietary needs.
Cholesterol is a necessary part of every cell in our bodies – not all LDL is “bad” only VLDL. There is no correlation between total cholesterol & health – the only items on the test that are meaningful are
that Triglycerides need to be less than100 & HDL greater than 60
Saturated fats are essential to good health including the heart. The link between saturated fats & heart health was based on faulty science & has been disproven. Dietary fat, whether saturated or not, is not a cause of obesity, heart disease, or any other chronic disease. Through their direct effects on insulin & blood sugar, refined carbohydrates, starches & sugars are the dietary cause of coronary heart disease & diabetes.
Plaque build up in the arteries are more attributable to carb consumption than dietary fats, which seems to be the conclusion of the following study. Carb consumption raises triglycerides & VLDL (bad cholesterol). Fats raise the HDL (good cholesterol). High triglyceride levels & low HDL levels are an indicator of plaque, glycation – the precursors to a heart attack and heart disease
I fully agree that you need to cut sugar & wheat from your diet ( donuts, crackers, granola-type cereals, noodles, pasta, ice cream, potato chips, chocolate, milkshakes, milk, custard-style yogurt which have sugar, store-bought pies, store-bought frosted cakes, and pound cakes. whole wheat, rye bread, oatmeal, and gravies.) but meats & dairy fats (from butter, cheeses & sugar free yogurt) are health promoting. I can’t recommend processed milk but I absolutely don’t recommend low fat milk.
Alcohol & fruit should be avoided as well as the high carb items to manage gout.
I would highly recommend chia seeds – I get mine from getchia.com for <$ 5# for a low carb convenience food & ground flax seeds.
Very few prepared soups have low enough carbs for me, so I buy chicken broth or beef broth & add low carb vegs like cabbage, greens, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots. Egg drop soup is scrambled egg in chicken broth. Miso soup is also a very healthy low carb soup – you make the broth with dried kelp, dried mushrooms & add miso paste & tofu or meats.
I highly recommend chia seeds for the ultimate low carb convenience food. 1# Chia seeds will make 10# food. I buy in bulk from getchia.com for $ 5# with free shipping.
I add ground flax seed or chia seed or as well as raw soaked sunflower seeds to about everything. They are both incredibly nutritious. Chia seeds swell up when soaked and remind me of tapioca with a strawberry seed inside. They really have no taste but I love the texture. No other whole grain compares on a nutritional level, and it has an Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) that is greater than blueberries on a per-gram basis (80 micromole TE/d). I let them sit on the counter to soak for 12 hours this germinates them and raises the ORAC level 2.5x higher.
I make a “porridge” as suggested by Dr.Mercola with low carb whey powder & water, I add ground flax seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, coconut milk, tahini (ground sesame seeds) & raw egg. All seeds & nuts are raw & soaked to germinate them.
I make a green drink with spirulina, chlorella, wheat grass, kelp & turmeric with raw apple cider vinegar & raw honey (or lemon juice & stevia) & add rehydrated chia seed gel & drink this all day.
I’ll make a salad with canned foods that doesn’t need to be cooked: mackerel or sardines, spinach or collard greens, baby corn, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, artichoke hearts, sweet red peppers & add mayo, chia seed gel & soaked raw sunflower seeds. Lately I’ve been mixing in cod liver oil to virgin coconut oil & adding in soy sauce & miso before adding mayo & all the other items.
Faux tapioca – 2 cups of water, 5 scoops of low carb whey protein powder, stir together & add cup of chia seeds, after they have started to absorb the water, add in 2 cans of coconut milk & sweetener if you like and mix it all in. Can be eaten after an hour but will be better tomorrow. Cream a pkg. of cream cheese into a can of pumpkin and add to the faux tapioca for an even more nutritious pumpkin pie pudding.
Ground flax seed (4 Tbsp) 1/4 cup water, artificial sweetener, mix in a raw egg – let sit 10 min. to absorb liquid, put some cream cheese in the middle & nuke 2 minutes. For daily fiber needs.
Highly nutritious foods you should consider: sprouts, spirulina, paprika, turnip greens, mustard greens, kale, garlic, brewers yeast, raw almonds, ground flax seeds & chia seeds.
I also recommend brazil nuts since they are so high fat, they are very filling. I take a few raw nuts & cover with habanero pepper sauce & lots of UNrefined salt for a quick snack.