Last week I sent hubby in for a physical. In the 13 years that I have known him, he had never had a physical. Since he hit a milestone birthday, it was time for a checkup!
Overall, he checked out great. The only concern is that his LDL cholesterol was on the high side. Not high enough to warrant medication, but enough for me to be concerned. His family history puts him at a higher risk for a heart attack or stroke. Hubby’s eating habits are not good and somehow he manages to stay thin – so not fair!
In a way, I feel a little responsible for what hubby eats. I am the one that buys the groceries and fixes most of the meals. I do provide fruits, vegetables and plenty of healthy food. However, there is plenty of junk food around too. Hubby is a sauce person- he loves ranch dressing, ketchup, butter and pasta sauces. His food almost drowns in sauce!
Not only do I have a responsibility to change what is brought into the house, but hubby has a responsibility too. He needs to eat smaller portions and make sure to eat the vegetables I prepare (some how he forgets to put those on his plate!).
Foods that help reduce LDL Cholesterol (the bad guy!):
- High fiber foods such as oatmeal.
- Cooking with olive oil instead of butter.
- Eat fish or foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids two times a week.
- Eat a handful of nuts.
Other tips in reducing cholesterol:
- Cut the skin of a whole chicken before you bake or roast it.
- Limit whole milk, butter, cheese and ice cream.
- Limit processed meats.
- Limit fried foods.
- Grill foods instead of pan frying.
- Use egg whites instead of the whole egg.
I think the hardest thing for hubby will be limiting fried foods and butter. The man loves butter and french fries! The menu plan for this week included Shrimp Alfredo. I decided that the alfredo sauce would have to go! We had shrimp sauteed in olive oil with rice and steamed carrots instead.
I am considering buying a book on reducing cholesterol. There are a ton of them out there- including cookbooks! Has anyone read Cholesterol Down? It has very good reviews on Amazon.
For more tips on reducing cholesterol check out the reference list at The American Heart Association and the Mayo Clinic.
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I just had a physical and after losing 35 pounds and eating better than I ever have in my life mine is up too :-( Boo! I am going to check this book out. Thanks!
Keep at it Melissa. I know it has to be disappointing but the weight loss means you are healthier overall.
So, I told hubby that I am going to try to cook more lean meats like fish. He said “I like fish! Do fish sticks count?” I almost died laughing! We have a long ways to go here!
I lowered my Cholesterol 20 points by eating almonds everyday and eating avocados 3 times a week. It really works but you have to be consistent. A handful of nuts once a week won’t do anything. Exercise will do more than anything. Good Luck. I enjoy your blog.
I don’t know you if like Pesto.. but that is a great topper for pasta. I make chicken pesto pasta all the time.