HELP ME! i'm dyin' over here....

[Horn]

A few months ago I found out my cholesterol is high-- bummer :bored:
So i tried to be positive and find some foods that are good for me.
I searched and search ever still...but it appears i will have to eat baked chicken for the rest of my life!!!
Does anybody out there know some good foods that are low in cholesterol? And not too bad on sugar (cause my sugar was high too). Man, I hate the world at the moment... somebody come up with some good stuff PLEASE!
G

[ClintP]

Well that sucks. You are a pretty young guy too, right?

What do you eat for breakfast? Aren't oatmeal and cheerios supposed to help with that?

[Horn]

yeah, I'm young....ish. They say cheerios help lower cholesterol, but they don't taste so great unless I dump a bucket of sugar on em.

Well that sucks. You are a pretty young guy too, right?

What do you eat for breakfast? Aren't oatmeal and cheerios supposed to help with that?

[Aspiring Fanatic]

Oh, man. I'm sorry to hear about your predicament. It can be difficult to change your diet, as I'm sure you've come to find. ;) But there's actually a lot of good stuff you can still eat, or use to replace other things, that could actually lower your cholesterol.

A few tips that might help (don't know how many will apply to you):
- Eat bagels instead of doughnuts
- Pretzels, graham crackers, vanilla wafers and animal crackers make great snacks
- Fish and lean beef are the best for meats (and of course baked, skinless chicken ;))
- Pancakes instead of Cheerios. You can have pancakes with a bit of butter and low sugar syrup, and they still taste pretty much the same. :)
- Wheat bread should replace white, wherever possible.

Also, most believe that they can only eat steamed veggies (for them to be healthy); but did you know that you can sauté them in olive oil and it only adds 1-2mg of cholesterol? ;)

A good dinner recipe, with lots of taste and that's healthy for you (if you like seafood):
Seafood Casserole:
2-3 scallops, 4-6 shrimps, 21/2 oz. crab, 1/2 cup mushroom soup, 1/2 cup skim milk, 1 teaspoon parsley, 1 teaspoon grated onion, 2 tablespoon sherry. Flake crab, cut up scallops and shrimp, and place in casserole. Make sauce of 1/2 cup skim milk, 1/4 cup diced celery, shredded slice of onion, seasoned salt, dash of basil, and a few drops of tobasco sauce. Pour sauce over seafood. Bake until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle parsley over top.

I'd suggest doing a search for low cholesterol recipes. You will find LOTS of things you can enjoy and that are easy to make and full of flavor. :)

[ClintP]

Not sure then. I have high blood pressure in my family but not the cholesterol issue. I grew up with very low salt intake. Can't you eat other things besides chicken if you get good cuts of meat and grill it?

[Shannon Chenoweth]

Hmmm.... I'm trying to educate myself on foods that are good and bad for your health, etc so I can get myself healthy. I'll see what I can find out for you Greg.

[SCOURGE]

Hmmm.... I'm trying to educate myself on foods that are good and bad for your health, etc so I can get myself healthy. I'll see what I can find out for you Greg.

Shannon what is The Line about?

[Horn]

Well, here's some tasty stuff...
Chicken Rotisserie (like a nice lemon pepper sauce or something)
Any seafood! Just stay away from the garlic butter sauce I guess.
Mandarin oranges!!!! yummy!
What do you guys eat unconsciously? You know what i mean...like when you are watching tv or working and you are sjust tuffing food in your mouth almost like a bad habit? For most people it is potato chips or cookies. That's really bad so when i feel "the habit" , I just grab a bag of baby carrots. They taste pretty good ....with PIBB!



Hmmm.... I'm trying to educate myself on foods that are good and bad for your health, etc so I can get myself healthy. I'll see what I can find out for you Greg.

[Horn]

Vanilla Wafers!? Are you sure :mistrust: ? Those things are too addicting for me. What do you mean by "lean beef"? Are certain cuts of steak leaner than the rest? Do tell, cause i love steak more than anything!!
Your recipe sounds pretty good--I'll try it. What about shrimp scampi? What the heck is "scampi" anyway?

Oh, man. I'm sorry to hear about your predicament. It can be difficult to change your diet, as I'm sure you've come to find. ;) But there's actually a lot of good stuff you can still eat, or use to replace other things, that could actually lower your cholesterol.

A few tips that might help (don't know how many will apply to you):
- Eat bagels instead of doughnuts
- Pretzels, graham crackers, vanilla wafers and animal crackers make great snacks
- Fish and lean beef are the best for meats (and of course baked, skinless chicken ;))
- Pancakes instead of Cheerios. You can have pancakes with a bit of butter and low sugar syrup, and they still taste pretty much the same. :)
- Wheat bread should replace white, wherever possible.

Also, most believe that they can only eat steamed veggies (for them to be healthy); but did you know that you can sauté them in olive oil and it only adds 1-2mg of cholesterol? ;)

A good dinner recipe, with lots of taste and that's healthy for you (if you like seafood):
Seafood Casserole:
2-3 scallops, 4-6 shrimps, 21/2 oz. crab, 1/2 cup mushroom soup, 1/2 cup skim milk, 1 teaspoon parsley, 1 teaspoon grated onion, 2 tablespoon sherry. Flake crab, cut up scallops and shrimp, and place in casserole. Make sauce of 1/2 cup skim milk, 1/4 cup diced celery, shredded slice of onion, seasoned salt, dash of basil, and a few drops of tobasco sauce. Pour sauce over seafood. Bake until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle parsley over top.

I'd suggest doing a search for low cholesterol recipes. You will find LOTS of things you can enjoy and that are easy to make and full of flavor. :)

[Shannon Chenoweth]

Shannon what is The Line about?

It's about a cop who obtains special powers that have been passed down for centuries. The first arc (which has been written for awhile now, my artist is working on the last issue of it now) is about her getting this gift, these powers and whether or not she accepts them and what have you.
Check out rangerchic.com (which needs an update badly...eek!) for some previews. :)

[SCOURGE]

It's about a cop who obtains special powers that have been passed down for centuries. The first arc (which has been written for awhile now, my artist is working on the last issue of it now) is about her getting this gift, these powers and whether or not she accepts them and what have you.
Check out rangerchic.com (which needs an update badly...eek!) for some previews. :)

Are you going to put it out in trade format, when it is all finished?

[Corey A.]

I'm in the same boat. I'm only 30 & I had somewhat high cholesterol. All I did was watch what I eat a little more & exercised more often. I'm not talking hitting the gym every day, I'm talking about going for a walk with the wife & son 2-3 nights a week. We'd go the park that's about 4 blocks away from home or cruise the neighbor hood for about 20 minutes. That's honestly all it took for me.

[Horn]

Yeah, I'm doing the walking thing too--I throw the kids in the wagon and drag them around the block a few times. They really like it when I run them through the grass at a full sprint. As a weird coincidence, I joined the gym today...but i took it pretty easy since I haven't worked out in years. But pretty soon, I'll be all dieseled-up like Carrot Top. Then I'll have my revenge...





http://img334.imageshack.us/img334/6813/ctopworkingout6ws.jpg

I'm in the same boat. I'm only 30 & I had somewhat high cholesterol. All I did was watch what I eat a little more & exercised more often. I'm not talking hitting the gym every day, I'm talking about going for a walk with the wife & son 2-3 nights a week. We'd go the park that's about 4 blocks away from home or cruise the neighbor hood for about 20 minutes. That's honestly all it took for me.

[Horn]

Just found another one... Betty Crocker's ROASTED GARLIC Mashed Potatoes. With "0 cholesterol"! These are exceptional by the way...
the directions say to add 2 tablespoons of butter, so that is the only bad thing.
I'm in the same boat. I'm only 30 & I had somewhat high cholesterol. All I did was watch what I eat a little more & exercised more often. I'm not talking hitting the gym every day, I'm talking about going for a walk with the wife & son 2-3 nights a week. We'd go the park that's about 4 blocks away from home or cruise the neighbor hood for about 20 minutes. That's honestly all it took for me.

[Aspiring Fanatic]

Vanilla Wafers!? Are you sure :mistrust: ? Those things are too addicting for me. What do you mean by "lean beef"? Are certain cuts of steak leaner than the rest? Do tell, cause i love steak more than anything!!
Your recipe sounds pretty good--I'll try it. What about shrimp scampi? What the heck is "scampi" anyway?

Hehe! Lean Beef is beef with less fat? :) I always buy lean ground beef. It's just healthier. You can find it in any grocery store, and it's labeled clearly. ;) As for steak, you can make it a lot leaner by making sure the cuts you buy are not very marbled (streaks of fat running throughout), and always cut off the fatty trim. This will mean a less moist steak, but you can just tenderize the heck out of it and use marinades or rubs for texture and taste. :D

Ooh! Scampi! One of my favorite ways to eat shrimp (my absolute FAVORITE food!). It just means the shrimp is grilled or sautéed in oil or butter and garlic. ;)

Hope something there helps, and I'm more than willing to answer anymore questions that pop up, if I'm able. :)

[Aspiring Fanatic]

Sorry to double post, but I tried editing my last one and it just didn't want to save. lol

I wanted to add:

Oh! And on the vanilla wafers subject, I found some specific information. :D They are actually VERY LOW in cholesterol, but you'd still have to moderate your consumption due to a slightly high fat content. If you're interested you can check it out here (http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c21IO.html), and any other food you might be interested to find out about as far as its fat or cholesterol content.

[Horn]

Aspiring Fanatic.... are you a chef?
you sure know a lot of stuff. Since i found out my cholesterol and suger is a bit high, I've been eating pretty healthy...i'm actually proud of myself. Cheerios in the morning, chicken sandwiches, fruits, and salads. But i do have a "splurge day". That is, one day out of the week i treat myself to something really bad (but tasty of course). THAT'S when I go get the "moist steak" you're talking about!
I've been trying to figure out a good meal for breakfast...does anyone have an opinion on Better than eggs VS Egg beaters? I figure i can combine this egg-substitute with turkey bacon--my friend swears this is the best tasting stuff.
Hehe! Lean Beef is beef with less fat? :) I always buy lean ground beef. It's just healthier. You can find it in any grocery store, and it's labeled clearly. ;) As for steak, you can make it a lot leaner by making sure the cuts you buy are not very marbled (streaks of fat running throughout), and always cut off the fatty trim. This will mean a less moist steak, but you can just tenderize the heck out of it and use marinades or rubs for texture and taste. :D

Ooh! Scampi! One of my favorite ways to eat shrimp (my absolute FAVORITE food!). It just means the shrimp is grilled or sautéed in oil or butter and garlic. ;)

Hope something there helps, and I'm more than willing to answer anymore questions that pop up, if I'm able. :)

[Aspiring Fanatic]

Hehe....No, I'm not a chef, but funny enough my husband is. ;) I've learned a LOT by watching him, and from all the shows on The Food Network that he's gotten me interested in over the years. :) That, and I just seem to retain information of this nature very well, although other stuff I can't recall worth a hill o' beans! :D

As for the egg substitute thing, I've never tried the stuff you can by in the carton (or whatever), but you can still have regular eggs without the added cost (since the substitute stuff can be fairly expensive compared to a regular carton of eggs). Most people don't like eating just egg whites because they're bland, although they are much healthier for you than the yolk. To alleviate the blandness of egg whites, AND keep the cholesterol content down, you can cook a whole egg with the white from another. This cuts the cholesterol level in half of what you would normally get in a two-egg dish, which is well below the accepted level of cholesterol for an egg dish. Also, you could try using just egg whites (two/every whole egg you would normally eat), and to add some flavor cook in a pan with a small amount of canola oil, a sprinkle of salt and/or pepper and a dash of paprika. Of course you can add any kind of veggie you'd like for an omelette as well.

Another quick, tasty and easy breakfast dish to make (with eggs) is a breakfast burrito. LOVE 'em!! ;D Mix four egg whites with a little bit of low-fat milk (about 1/4 cup) in a skillet. Season however you'd like, but I suggest a bit of salt and just a sprinkle of cayenne or red pepper. Scramble the mixture and spoon onto a warmed flour tortilla. Before 'wrapping' add your favorite salsa and some low-fat cheese (Monterey Jack is best, IMO). You can even add the turkey bacon to this for more substance and taste, and there you have your egg and bacon breakfast! :D

[intercept789]

So I guess my bad cholesterol is good, but my good cholesterol is only OK. Sounds confusing, but anyone that has had their cholesterol checked knows what it means.

Anyone have any favorites for raising the good cholesterol?

[Horn]

Good cholesterol? Aw man! More info i gotta learn. My brain is supposed to be full of art. I don't even know what this is.
So I guess my bad cholesterol is good, but my good cholesterol is only OK. Sounds confusing, but anyone that has had their cholesterol checked knows what it means.

Anyone have any favorites for raising the good cholesterol?

[Aspiring Fanatic]

Hehe....it's a fairly confusing subject, isn't it? ;)

Well, I'll try to shed some light on it. Just don't let the fancy terms get in the way. :lol:

"HDL (good) Cholesterol
About one-fourth to one-third of blood cholesterol is carried by high-density lipoprotein (HDL). HDL cholesterol is known as “good” cholesterol, because high levels of HDL seem to protect against heart attack. Low levels of HDL (less than 40 mg/dL) also increase the risk of heart disease. Medical experts think that HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it's passed from the body. Some experts believe that that HDL removes excess cholesterol from arterial plaque, thus slowing its buildup."
- American Heart Association

As for ways to raise the 'good' cholesterol levels (I know, you won't like them all, but I'm just quoting experts' advice ;)):

-Aerobic exercise (Any exercise, such as walking, jogging or bike riding, that raises your heart rate for 20 - 30 minutes at a time)
-Lose weight
-Stop smoking
-Cut out trans fatty acids
-Alcohol. (One or two drinks per day can significantly increase HDL levels. More than one or two drinks per day, one hastens to add, can lead to substantial health problems including heart failure - and there are individuals who will develop such problems even when limiting their alcohol intake to one or two drinks per day.)
-Increase the monounsaturated fats in your diet (canola oil, avocado oil, or olive oil and in the fats found in peanut butter)
-Add soluble fiber to your diet (oats, fruits, vegetables, and legumes - at least two servings a day)

As you've probably realized by now, I've had to go through this before. ;) I just hope the information is helpful to others as well. :)