[I am not a medical provider, medically trained professional, nor do I have any medical certifications or degree. This blog is based solely on personal experience].

I recently went for a visit with my primary care doctor for anxiety issues that I have been struggling with due to the pandemic. My doctor asked about symptoms I was experiencing in which I told her that sometimes I feel so upset that I experience heart palpitations and chest pain. She decided to give me a blood test. Two weeks later I got my results and it wasn’t good news for me. I was told that my LDL levels were high and that I needed to start watching my diet and exercise. If you’re like me, and find yourself in this situation and want to change up your food choices, here are some simple food and drink options to help get you started and get those LDL levels back in check.

OATS

Not my favorite choice for morning breakfast however, if I throw bananas and peanut butter I find it much more enjoyable.

BEANS

As a Hispanic woman, wife and mother, I cook a lot of Pinto beans during the week but these are not the beans that I should be eating. I should really change this to kidney beans and black beans apparently. Black beans don’t taste much different from Pinto in my opinion but I have to work on this a little more.

NUTS

An article by Mayo Clinic says Almonds and other tree nuts can improve blood cholesterol. A recent study concluded that a diet supplemented with walnuts can lower the risk of heart complications in people with history of a heart attack.

GREEN TEA

My favorite on the list by far is Green tea. It gives me an excuse do drive to Starbucks on the rare occasion I get the chance. Try adding a twist of lime for enhanced flavor. Web MD shows us the many benefits of drinking Green tea has been shown to improve blood flow and lower cholesterol. A 2013 review of many studies found green tea helped prevent a range of heart-related issues, from high blood pressure to congestive heart failure.

RED WINE

Speaking of excuses, I’m now allowed more wine? Yes please. I’m not making this up, I promise. Mayo Clinic states red wine has Antioxidants called polyphenols that may help protect the lining of blood vessels in the heart. A polyphenol called resveratrol is one substance in red wine that’s received attention for its health benefits. Definitely adding this to salmon night. This should be fun!

FISH

Tuna and salmon are probably some of the most basic fish you can find at any local grocery store. The article by Mayo Clinic states that the fish doesn’t impact LDL levels specifically, but is considered highly heart healthy.

AVOCADO

Eating one avocado per day as part of a healthy diet can help lower bad cholesterol in people who are overweight, according to a small study in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

EXERCISE

My least favorite of all of the above. I must be in need of some cute workout gear because I have not been feeling motivated. But this is key. If you have never been told before, doctors recommend 30 minutes of exercise everyday. I guess I’ll put a Playlist together and get motivated by shopping for gym gear.