During Tet, the habits of people with high cholesterol often get disrupted significantly. Irregular eating schedules, continuous parties, forgetting to take medication, and consuming foods rich in sugar, protein, fat, as well as alcohol, coffee, and tobacco can cause cholesterol levels to spike. To avoid serious consequences, patients need to pay attention to their diet and lifestyle.
What Should People with High Cholesterol Eat and Avoid?
Avoid Processed Foods
According to Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital (Ho Chi Minh City), processed foods like cold cuts, sausages, and pork floss often contain high amounts of saturated fats and proteins, which are not good for people with high cholesterol. Additionally, they also contain preservatives and additives that can harm health. Patients should limit these foods to under 100g per day.
Limit Fried and Fatty Foods
Fried, deep-fried, and stir-fried dishes contain excessive oil, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis. Instead, patients should opt for boiled or steamed dishes to retain natural flavors and promote better health.
Avoid Candy and Fatty Nuts
Cakes, candies, and jams are typical Tet treats but are high in sugar, making them unsuitable for people with high cholesterol. Nuts like watermelon seeds, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds are also high in fat and often seasoned with salt and sugar. Patients should minimize consumption of these items.
Limit Alcohol and Sugary Drinks
Alcohol causes rapid heartbeat and constricted blood vessels, leading to increased blood pressure. For those with high cholesterol, this can result in heart attacks or strokes. You should only consume 100-200ml of red wine or 1-2 cans of beer per day, and limit sugary drinks. Replace them with green tea or chrysanthemum tea to cleanse your body.
Increase Fiber Intake
Patients should include green vegetables such as broccoli, pumpkin, beans, asparagus, carrots, and onions in their diet. They should limit starchy vegetables like corn, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Choose fruits like pomelo, strawberries, peaches, apples, oranges, and papaya.
Juices and smoothies made from vegetables and fruits are excellent choices. A daily glass of apple juice can support overall health effectively.
How to Control Cholesterol Levels?
Maintain a Lean Diet
Patients should eat easily digestible, low-fat, and low-protein meals and supplement their diet with vegetable and fruit juices or smoothies.
Increase Physical Activity
Exercising, particularly abdominal workouts, helps control cholesterol levels effectively.
Use Herbal Beverages
Herbal teas like artichoke and chrysanthemum not only help detoxify the liver but also aid in the recovery of damaged liver cells.
Conclusion
To prevent cholesterol spikes during Tet, patients must adhere to a scientific diet, avoid harmful foods, and increase physical activity. Maintaining healthy habits will help control cholesterol levels and safeguard health during the festive season.
