Should patients with hyperlipidemia eat more apples? As soon as many people hear that they have high blood lipids, they quickly buy a bunch of apples and go home, thinking that this thing is good for health, and it is right to eat it, but can apples really play a decisive role in high blood lipids?
In fact, this understanding is somewhat one-sided, apples do contain a certain amount of dietary fiber and pectin, which helps to reduce the absorption of cholesterol, but it is not a "panacea", let alone it to control blood lipids.
In particular, some people don't like to eat apples, but they insist on eating two or three a day, which increases the burden of unnecessary diet.
As a doctor with many years of clinical experience, I have seen many patients with high blood lipids, their eating habits are very different, but the results are similar: one food alone cannot really control blood lipids.
The management of hyperlipidemia is a long-term process, which requires a comprehensive adjustment and reasonable combination of dietary structure.
So, what should hyperlipidemia patients eat more in their diet to really help improve their condition?
Deep-sea fish
There was a patient who took a lot of drugs for his blood lipid problems, but the indicators were always unstable, he loved meat, but he rarely touched fish.
Doctors advised him to eat deep-sea fish, such as salmon, sardines or tuna, at least two to three times a week, and a few months later, his LDL levels dropped significantly, suggesting that his dietary changes were starting to work.
Omega-3 fatty acids in deep-sea fish are a top-of-the-line unsaturated fatty acid that effectively reduces blood triglyceride levels and has anti-inflammatory effects that help protect blood vessel cells and prevent arteriosclerosis.
There is a large-scale study that shows that people who regularly consume 200 grams of deep-sea fish per week have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, and such a diet is obviously a good choice for those with high blood lipids.
When preparing deep-sea fish, it is recommended to use steaming, boiling or lightly frying to cook, and try to avoid frying or using heavy seasonings, which can better preserve the umami flavor of the fish.
If you don't like the taste of deep-sea fish, you can also consider supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids, but remember to do it with your doctor's advice to make sure the dosage is safe.
linseed
There is a young patient with hyperlipidemia who neglects health management due to his busy work for many years, and he always complains that taking medicine is too troublesome and does not want to count calories at every meal.
The doctor recommended flaxseed, a simple and effective ingredient that only needs to be added to breakfast every day to bring positive help to his blood lipid management.
Flaxseed is rich in plant-based omega-3 fatty acids (α-linolenic acid), which can reduce LDL cholesterol levels and increase HDL cholesterol.
An experimental study showed that patients with hyperlipidemia who consumed 30 grams of flaxseed per day had an average decrease in bad cholesterol levels over a three-month period.
Flaxseed can be used in a very flexible way, can be ground into a powder and sprinkled on yogurt, oats or salads, or can be used to make healthy baked goods, making it a convenient and effective healthy option for those who are short on time.
Garlic
A patient who was always busy with socializing, had an irregular diet, and his blood lipids remained high for a long time, he began to listen to the doctor's advice, added raw garlic to his daily diet, and insisted on it for two months, and found that his blood lipid level had improved significantly, especially the triglyceride index decreased.
Garlic contains an active ingredient called allicin, which inhibits the synthesis of cholesterol in the liver while promoting the catabolism of cholesterol, and can also reduce the aggregation of platelets and prevent the formation of blood clots.
Studies have shown that consuming one to two cloves of raw garlic a day can reduce triglyceride levels, and garlic is an economical and natural lipid-lowering ingredient for people with hyperlipidemia.
Eating garlic raw works best, but many people are worried about bad breath and can choose to eat it after a meal, in addition, allicin is destroyed when exposed to heat, so try to avoid cooking at high temperatures for a long time.
For people who are not used to eating raw garlic, you can choose health products that contain garlic extract, but you also need to pay attention to the dosage and should not overdose.
Black fungus
There is a patient who often stays up late and eats unhealthy food for a long time, resulting in elevated blood lipids, and this patient always thinks that he is young and does not need to make drastic changes to his diet.
Later, the doctor advised him to eat black fungus salad several times a week as a plan to help improve blood lipids, and after a few months, his blood lipids and liver function indicators were closer to the normal range than before.
Known as the "blood scavenger", black fungus is rich in vegetable gum and dietary fiber, which can adsorb excess cholesterol and fat in the intestine to reduce absorption, and contains polysaccharides that can anticoagulate blood and reduce the risk of thrombosis.
A study in patients with hyperlipidemia showed that long-term consumption of black fungus could reduce total cholesterol levels by more than 8%.
Black fungus is also very easy to eat, it can be used for cold dressing, soup or stir-frying, but it should be noted that dried fungus needs to be thoroughly washed when soaking, and should not be soaked for a long time to avoid bacterial growth.
For those who don't like traditional Chinese recipes, you can also try adding black fungus to salads and eating it with other ingredients.
nut
There is a hyperlipidemia patient who likes to snacking, he has to come to a bag of potato chips every day after work to satisfy his cravings, and his blood lipids are naturally not well controlled, and later I recommended him to replace potato chips with nuts, and he chose walnuts and almonds.
After a few months, the patient not only had a decrease in his blood lipids, but also felt significantly more energetic.
Nuts are known as natural lipid-lowering tools because of their rich in unsaturated fatty acids and dietary fiber, and these small foods can not only inhibit cholesterol synthesis in the liver, but also speed up cholesterol metabolism.
Studies have shown that for friends with high blood lipids, eating about 28 grams of nuts (almost a small handful) every day can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, however, because nuts are relatively high in calories, eating too much will outweigh the losses, and it is recommended to eat such a small handful every day.
It's best to choose unsalted and unsweetened natural nuts, such as walnuts, almonds, cashews, etc., and if you're feeling a little more creative, try mixing nuts with yogurt or fruit to make a delicious healthy snack that can bring health benefits.
The management of hyperlipidemia cannot be completely solved by drugs or a specific food alone, and every detail of the diet may have an important impact on the control of blood lipids.
Deep-sea fish, flaxseed, garlic, black fungus and nuts are all scientifically proven to be beneficial for high blood lipids, and the right combination of these ingredients can not only help improve blood lipid levels, but also make the daily diet richer and more interesting.
Health requires persistence, but it doesn't mean boring, and with these diet tips, you'll find that managing high blood lipids can also be simple and effective.
The above content is for reference only, if you feel unwell, please consult a professional doctor in time
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Proofread by Zhuang Wu