by Bridget Hollingsworth | Jan 28, 2025 | Well Balanced Wisdom
When it comes to maintaining overall well-being, your heart is the engine that keeps you going, and deserves special attention! If you want to keep your cholesterol in check, you’ll be happy to learn that managing cholesterol doesn’t mean giving up everything you love. Here are some tips for lowering cholesterol naturally:
1. Fiber for cholesterol reduction: Think of fiber as your heart’s best friend!
Soluble fiber, found in foods like oats, beans, lentils, apples, and citrus fruits, helps reduce LDL (or “bad” cholesterol) by binding to it and flushing it out of your system. Aim to include more fiber-rich foods in your meals and snacks – your heart will thank you!
2. Learn the best fats for heart health: Say yes to healthy fats.
Not all fats are created equal! Swap out saturated fats (found in red meat, fried foods, and butter) for heart-healthy unsaturated fats. Think avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish like salmon or mackerel. These power-packed fats can help boost your HDL (“good” cholesterol) and keep your LDL in check. My favorite way to add these in is to sprinkle some chopped walnuts and ground flaxseed on top of oatmeal in the morning!
3. Embrace a cholesterol-lowering plant-based diet: Plant power for the win!
Plant-based foods are a game changer when it comes to lowering cholesterol. Incorporate more fruits, veggies, whole grains, and legumes into your meals. Bonus points for adding cholesterol-lowering superheroes like soy products, almonds, and flaxseeds!
4. Exercise to reduce cholesterol: Move Your Body in Ways that Feel Good.
Regular exercise strengthens your heart and improves circulation. Regular physical activity can raise your HDL and lower LDL. . The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, but any movement is helpful and better than none. Find activities you enjoy, whether it’s walking or hiking, dancing, or swimming, and gradually introduce them to make them part of your routine.
5. Avoid these foods for high cholesterol: Keep trans fats off your plate!
Trans fats, often found in processed and fried foods, can increase LDL but also lower HDL—a double whammy! Check ingredient lists for “partially hydrogenated oils” and steer clear.
6. Add spice for heart health: Spice things up!
Spices like turmeric, garlic, and ginger are not only delicious but may also have heart-supporting benefits. Experiment with these flavorful additions in your cooking to make meals both tasty and nourishing. One of my favorite ways to include these spices is this Sheet Pan Chicken Tikka recipe.
7. Reduce added sugar and improve heart health: Try these smart swaps.
High added sugar intake is linked to increased LDL and lower HDL. Pay attention to the amounts of added sugars in your foods & drinks, these are frequently found in sugary beverages, snacks, and some more surprising sources in ultra-processed foods like salad dressings and breads. Swap sugary snacks and drinks for naturally sweet options like fresh fruit or herbal teas.
8. Lower your cholesterol by lowering your stress: Unwind a bit.
Chronic stress can impact your heart health via blood pressure, inflammation, and cholesterol levels. Find what helps you unwind—whether it’s yoga, meditation, spending time in nature, or laughing at your favorite sitcom—and make it a priority. Don’t hesitate to seek support from friends, family, or a professional when needed.
9. Boost your heart health by prioritizing sleep: Don’t skip good rest.
Quality sleep is a secret weapon in the fight against high cholesterol. Aim for 7-9 hours of shut-eye each night, and establish a consistent bedtime routine to give your body the rest it needs to repair and regulate itself.
10. Make It a Lifestyle, Not a Chore
Adopting habits to lower cholesterol naturally isn’t about perfection, but gradual changes can make a big difference over time. Start small—add an extra veggie to dinner, take a quick walk, or swap soda for water. Celebrate your wins and keep building on them!
Your heart works hard for you every day. Let’s work together to give it the care, love, and support it deserves! Your Well Balanced Nutrition dietitian can help with specific changes to target your individual heart health needs.
Not a client yet? Sign up for a free clarity call to get started today!
by Kristen Norton | Feb 22, 2018 | Well Balanced Wisdom
If you are a regular reader or current client you know, fat is our friend. Although a little can go a long way, it absolutely deserves a spot on your plate. You also know that we want you to embrace more natural foods and limit processed foods. Keeping those things in mind, how do we include fats that will protect our heart health? Let’s dive in and find out.
What does the research say about fat and heart health?
Randomized clinical trials have shown that replacing 5% of your calories from saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat (omega-6 fatty acids) reduces total and LDL cholesterol. This swap is associated with a 9% lower risk of CHD events and a 13% lower risk of CHD deaths. That equates to just one simple swap a day!
Swap it, don’t eliminate it
It’s important to note that it’s not enough to just decrease saturated fat in our diets because when saturated fat is replaced by simple carbohydrates, like sugar or white rice, no benefit is seen. Switching from a regular cookie to a fat-free cookie is not heart healthy. Nor is swapping out steak for white pasta.
Okay, so what DOES this 5% swap look like IRL?
If you eat somewhere between 1600 to 2000 calories per day, you’ll want to replace 9 to 11 grams of saturated fat with 9 to 11 grams of omega-6 fatty acids to reduce your cholesterol levels and lower your risk. One simple swap a day can take care of this. Think about some processed foods or sources of saturated fat in your day-to-day diet that don’t provide a lot of nutrients and health benefits. Replace one of those items each day with an ounce of nuts or seeds as they are the best natural sources of omega-6 fatty acids in whole food form. Another idea is swap out buttered toast for avocado toast.
| Swap Out (food – amt of sat fat) |
Swap In (food – amt of omega 6) |
| 1 Bojangles biscuit – 8g of saturated fat |
2 TBS peanut butter – 4.4 g omega-6 fatty acids |
| 1 doughnut from Dunkin Donut – 6-11g |
1-ounce pecans – 6 g |
| 1 cup of ice cream – 10g |
1-ounce sunflower seeds – 10 g |
| 1 Honeybun – 14g |
1-ounce pumpkin seeds (pepitas) – 5.8 g |
| 1 TBS butter – 7.2 g |
1 cup sliced avocado – 2.4 g |
Where NOT to get your omega-6 fatty acids from:
Omega-6 fatty acids are very prevalent in processed and junk foods like vegetable oils, margarine, chips, and cookies, but of course, I can’t confidently recommend those for heart health. (Occasionally enjoying your favorite things is perfectly acceptable in our book, but right now we are talking about the healthiest thing we can do for our heart every day.)
Note: Omega-3 fatty acids are still important, too.
You probably know that omega-3 fatty acids are heart-healthy. The beautiful thing about natural food is that it usually contains a package of nutrients. Plant-based foods include both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Both are important in lowering your risk of heart disease and contrary to what you might hear, research indicates that increasing both types is helpful.
Food for thought:
Often times meat, eggs, and dairy can get blasted in the media because of their saturated fat content. These foods deliver many nutritional benefits and aren’t necessarily the first things that should go into your diet if you want to be heart-healthy. Moderate portions (think of them like a side dish on your plate) are part of a Well Balanced eating plan. We encourage you to look first at the processed foods in your diet. If there is room for improvement, replace processed foods with a serving of natural plant-based fat.
Ready to take the next step on your wellness journey?
Let’s make it simple and fun together! Join the Well Balanced Nutrition community for personalized tips, practical strategies, and a little extra motivation to reach your health goals. Click here to schedule a free consultation or sign up for our weekly recipes to stay inspired!
by Kristen Norton | Feb 22, 2017 | Well Balanced Wisdom
We’ve been talking about whole grains this month and this is the last post in this series. If you missed the first 3 posts, you can read them here: Not All Carbs Are Bad: whole grains and heart health part 1, You’ve been challenged | whole grains and heart health part 2, and 4 delicious swaps | whole grains and heart health part 3.
The food industry has definitely caught on to how awesome whole grains are for us and they aren’t shy about boasting the whole grains goodness in their products. The trouble is that between the marketing and super sizing we can be fooled into making the following mistakes.
Mistake #1: Being misled by the front of the box.
Quick story: I used to enjoy grocery shopping…finding all the new foods in the grocery store, leisurely reading labels and so forth. Then I had kids. Now grocery shopping is different. I get in and out as quickly as I can. I still read all the labels but it’s more exhausting than exciting. So, the other day I was grocery shopping with the kids and I picked up this spaghetti. We had already been in the store too long and the kids were getting antsy so I didn’t have time to truly analyze things until I was home.
When something says 100% whole grain, that’s a good sign. But what I didn’t notice that day at the store was it said 100% durum wheat which is NOT the same as 100% whole wheat. Ugh. I got tricked! In the picture below you can see the difference, but unfortunately for me, I missed the one that said whole wheat until I went back to the store another time. This goes to show, you must have a keen eye for reading the food labels. Be careful not to get thrown off by things that appear to be something that they are not.
Mistake #2: Assuming all foods that contain whole grains are healthy.
According to Harvard’s Nutrition Source website, one study revealed that the whole grain stamp isn’t a good way to identify healthy whole grains.
“The stamp, while designed to steer consumers towards healthy whole grains, actually identified products that were low in trans fats but higher in sugar and calories than whole grain foods without the stamp.“
The FIX for the first two mistakes: First, we encourage you to embrace more natural whole grains. As for bread and packaged items, the ingredient list is the best place to gather your information, not the front of the package where marketers try to entice you with health claims or this fancy stamp. Look for whole grains that are high in fiber and with few ingredients. The first ingredient should say “whole.” Ideally, the item should not have many added sugars.
(Mini commercial break: We help our clients do this kind of label reading at the store! Ask about our grocery store sessions.)
Mistake #3: Eating too much… because whole grains are good, right!?
Well, yes but size still matters. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. We all know that eating a ton of bread is not good for us, so this visual way of thinking about portion sizes can be really helpful. You wouldn’t eat more than 2 slices of bread at one meal, right?
The FIX: Keep your portion sizes small with whole grains, 1/2 cup is usually a good place to start when it’s balanced out with other foods. Start small on your plate and always listen to your body. Let it tell you to get more or to stop eating.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Well-balanced eating can be tricky. We all make mistakes!
What was your biggest take-away or ah-ha from this whole grain series?
What is one thing you can apply to your life today?
Ready to take the next step on your wellness journey?
Let’s make it simple and fun together! Join the Well Balanced Nutrition community for personalized tips, practical strategies, and a little extra motivation to reach your health goals. Click here to schedule a free consultation or sign up for our weekly recipes to stay inspired!
by Lucy | Feb 15, 2017 | Well Balanced Wisdom
Every Wednesday this month we are talking about whole grains because of their connection to good heart health. If you missed the first two posts check them out: Not all carbs are bad: whole grains and heart health part 1 and You’ve been challenged | whole grains and heart health part 2. Today, I share 4 delicious whole grain swaps.
Last week, I didn’t just challenge you, I accepted the challenge myself. I was pumped when I found these Super Grains at Aldi! It is a mixture of millet, buckwheat and quinoa – all gluten-free whole grains. I’ve had quinoa but never millet or buckwheat. So, I tried them out! I simply prepared the grains as directed, then added them to stir-fried vegetables. Voila! Pretty tasty!
SWAP #1 Replace white rice with brown rice or a super grain blend. 
I also had the Super Grains for breakfast with some cinnamon, almond milk and maple syrup. It was delish!
How about you? Did you get a chance to try out a new whole grain? If you didn’t try something new, I hope you’ve checked out your local grocery store to at least see what is available. I know it’s not easy to incorporate something new into your diet. So, I wanted to highlight some more common options you can SWAP OUT.
That’s right. Take those refined grains and just swap them with nutrient-rich, heart-saving whole grains. These pictures prove just how delicious whole grains swaps can be.
At my house it’s pizza night every Friday. When we make our own at home we use a store bought whole wheat crust (and use lots of veggies).
SWAP #2 Buy or make a whole wheat pizza crust.
SWAP #3 Buy whole grain/whole wheat bread products. One day last week my husband made these delicious burgers and we ate them with whole wheat buns. They were as good as they look.
SWAP #4 Use whole wheat flour in place of white flour. I’ve been baking with whole wheat flour or whole white wheat flour for quite some time and I’ve never been disappointed. These are almond butter cookies made with whole wheat flour plus a little almond meal. 
Stay tuned! Next week I’ll talk about how to truly tell what is a whole grain and what is not. It’s confusing sometimes. I’ll show you the item that completely tripped me up!
by Kristen Norton | Feb 8, 2017 | Well Balanced Wisdom
In honor of Heart Health month, every Wednesday in February we are talking about whole grains because of their connection to good heart health. If you missed the first post do check out: Not all carbs are bad: whole grains and heart health part 1
Last week I challenged the notion that all carbs were bad and should be avoided. It is just not true. Whole grains have powerful health benefits and it is not just because of the fiber. They contain various phytochemicals that protect and fight against heart disease and diabetes.
There are many whole grain options to choose from. So, don’t limit yourself to whole wheat bread, crackers, and cereal. I CHALLENGE YOU to try something new and less processed. Pick any of the following grains to try this weekend. Notice there are 7 gluten-free whole grains below for those who need to avoid gluten for health reasons.
What do I eat it with? The easiest way, in my opinion, to start eating new whole grains is to prepare them plain and add then use them as a base for a salad or a “power bowl.” Start with a 1/2 cup to 1 cup of whole grains in a bowl and then top with your favorite veggies and protein. Lastly, drizzle with a dressing and voila! Simple and delish!
Here are 17 different ideas to get you thinking of the perfect combination for your taste buds.
Ready to take the next step on your wellness journey?
Let’s make it simple and fun together! Join the Well Balanced Nutrition community for personalized tips, practical strategies, and a little extra motivation to reach your health goals. Click here to schedule a free consultation or sign up for our weekly recipes to stay inspired!
Read more in this series:
4 delicious swaps | whole grains and heart health – part 3
3 common mistakes | whole grains and heart health part 4
