(NUH) heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. This year, an estimated 470 thousand men and women will die of heart attacks; However, you don’t have to be one of those statistics. Maintain healthy cholesterol levels plays an important role in reducing the risk of developing heart disease. Cholesterol is a fatty substance mainly manufactured by the liver that is essential for many vital functions. It is not soluble in the blood and is transported in the body by loaders special fat particles called lipoproteins. Lipoproteins of low density (LDLs, by its acronym in English) are considered bad cholesterol because they have the effect of clog arteries; and (HDls, by its acronym in English) high-density lipoprotein cholesterol are good because they are working to reduce the concentration of LDP. SOME simple steps to help control CHOLESTEROL: Be careful with what you eat. Try to eat more fresh fruits, vegetables and low foods in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Replace with applesauce or pureed half of fat that require the recipes for cakes, cookies or muffins muffins. Similarly, when using commercial mixes for cakes, substitute applesauce all the fat. Use two egg whites for every egg that requires a prescription. Use cheese low fat or low-fat instead of regular cheese in sandwiches and dips spreads. When cooking soups or quisados at home, cool them and then remove the fat layer that forms on the surface before returning to heat to serve them. Increase your activity level. Try to have at least 30 minutes of moderate, such as brisk walking physical activity, several days a week. Recent research found that it is not necessary to exercise for 30 to 45 minutes continuous.

The home of the University of California Cooperative Extension economists claim that the important thing is to have moderate physical activity every day for 30 minutes, even if it is 10 to 15 minutes at a time. In this way, it can reach its quota daily exercise with a walk of 15 minutes before breakfast or another before eating. Check your portion sizes to keep your consumption of calories under control. Know what you is a portion, for example, half cup of fruit, vegetable, cooked cereal, pasta or rice is equal to the size of a small fist. Monitor your cholesterol levels. Several factors can contribute to diseases of the heart, such as a diet high in saturated fat and a history of heart disease in the family. All adults over age 20 should your cholesterol checked at least once every five years.