Hello-
I just had my annual physical and my results came back with high cholesterol! I am a 22 year old girl who eats very healthy and exercises 5-6 days a week. I do take a birth control(due to my Endometriosis)..this just doesn't make sense! I would love advice/wisdom.
My normal breakfast would be a bowl of cherrios with a banana(or something similar)-lunch would be crackers, cheese and a piece of fruit-dinner would be a big salad or chicken, rice with a vegetable. I don't eat many fatty things at all, which is why I am so confused.
WEll, that's a horrible lunch! Try a turkey sandwich - no mayo...mustards are OK. Use whole wheat bread. And depending what all is in the salad, that could be bad as well. Dressing, cheese, croutons, etc can overload you on carbs and fats. Try brown or wild rice instead of white also. No eggs if you are eating them on the salad too. And skim milk on the cereal. You might try some oatmeal as it seems to lower cholesterol. Do you drink alcohol? If so, you might want to cut back - 1/2 glass of wine a day. More fiber and tweaking the fats should help.
I don't know why fruit, crackers and a bit of cheese is bad?
Also--on my salads, I put about a tablespoon of ranch, raisins, broccoli and a bit of cheese.
I don't drink the milk in my cereal(I don't like milk)
I only ever eat brown rice..never white. Same with bread--we have never gotten white bread--always whole wheat.
I have never drank alcohol.
It just seems strange...I don't eat fatty foods or drink alcohol. The only beverage I drink all day is water...
Crackers are generally high in fat, sodium and carbs. Cheese is not good as the only protein in a meal every day. You need more fiber (it helps with the cholesterol) and veggies. And good protien in your meals. You may have a bad gene for cholesterol and your diet isn't helping to eliminate the bad food. And I'd switch to a vinaigrette dressing instead of ranch. It's high in fat.
One tablespoon is good - put all the salad in a bowl (without meat) and pour one on it and stir. Shouldbe adequate as that is all I use.
Thanks for your help.
The crackers I eat though are whole grain, usually. Wheat thins, natural/organic crackers. I may have a bad gene. I can't imagine cheese is giving me bad cholesterol at 22 haha. Someone who works out most days, never drinks alcohol, doesn't eat much fat whatsoever..it's strange.
I thank you for your insight, I will work on it.
