High cholesterol is a major problem amongst a lot of people. There are various reasons that lead to one having cholesterol problems but one of them is food. Now this is the one thing we can control. Eating certain foods can and does indeed lead to high cholesterol. It is important to find a healthy and balanced diet and not necessary to eat boiled and bland food for the rest of ones life. A wise move to keep the cholesterol in check would be to get your blood's lipid profile checked in regular intervals.

There are a few do's and don'ts that can be followed to keep the cholesterol in check.

Foods to avoid

1. If you are a non-vegetarian, then it's best to avoid red meats, sea food such as prawns, crabs and avoid the egg yolks. Consume lean cuts of chicken and fish instead.
2. Avoid milk products like cottage cheese (Paneer), butter, ghee, cream and processed cheeses. Consume skimmed milk and skimmed milk products instead.
3. Avoid all fried foods.
4. Avoid foods which have Trans fats such as vanaspati ghee and margarine.
5. Avoid maida (white flour) based products, reason being they have zero fibre and they tend to upset the insulin balance; this leads to an increase in cholesterol.
6. Avoid all diet products that contain aspartame, this can again affect the insulin hence leading to high cholesterol.
7. Avoid aerated drinks and fast foods like burgers, pizzas etc. Opt for juices and healthy sandwiches instead.
8. Avoid processed foods.
9. Avoid alcohol, as the liver is the seat of cholesterol metabolism and alcohol affects the liver resulting in cholesterol imbalance.
10. Avoid saturated oils like coconut oil.

Foods to eat

There are several options to choose from, so one's cholesterol can be in check.

1. Unprocessed fibre rich atta/ whole wheat breads/ missi rotti/ sattu roti etc. All of these are rich in insoluble fibre, which help to flush out part of the oil from the intestine.
2. Soya products like the atta or nuggets etc have a positive effect and lower the cholesterol.
3. Moderate consumption of fish helps to keep the blood flowing and prevents thrombus formation.
4. Rotate oils between olive oil, sunflower oil, corn oil and rice bran oil. You could also try the newer mixed heart friendly oils. However, note that about 2/3 teaspoons of oils should be one's limit per day.
5. Eat fruits with their skins as the pectin in the fruits' skin is soluble fibre that keeps the blood cholesterol low.
6. Eat oats as it is loaded with soluble fibre.
7. Herbs such as curry patta, methi seeds (Fenugreek), dhania (Coriander) keep the cholesterol low.
8. Exercise regularly as it cuts down stress and has a remarkable effects in enhancing the "Good cholesterol" (HDL).
9. Ginger is a good herb to keep the liver healthy and garlic has cholesterol lowering effects.

Our life style speaks a lot about what kind of health we may keep. One has to remember to strike a balance between food, fun and fitness.