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I am a CONFIDENT Cholesterol Buster, and this tasty collection will help you be one, too! Each recipe delivers the satisfying flavor you crave while jumpstarting your heart healthy future. I must tell you, I never anticipated this particular focus in food. But after Mark and I returned from extended travel in the UK in 2022, I got some ROYALLY rotten news. My total cholesterol (TC) had skyrocketed to a whopping 332! That is not a typo. I had to repeat it to myself to comprehend it. 3-3-2. The shock in the moment was enough to give me a heart attack!

As the doc delivered the news, she sympathetically explained that it was probably genetic and whipped out her prescription pad. But my brain was whirling, and I knew, “I’m not ready for this.” And so I slowly said, “No… I think I can knock it down with cholesterol-busting recipes that TASTE GREAT.”

BECOMING A CHOLESTEROL BUSTER

Fast forward… I dropped my total cholesterol (TC) to 154 with the added bonus of shedding about 15 pounds. It took countless hours of research to distill the wealth of information on how cholesterol works and to learn how to control it. But now I can say that I am a fully CONFIDENT Cholesterol Buster. To be honest, my numbers fluctuate. But I monitor them at home with an inexpensive little cholesterol tester that is surprisingly easy to use. And now I am sharing my cholesterol buster journey and recipes with you!

And yes, I am working on my next cookbook, “Confident in the Kitchen… Cholesterol Buster!”

INGREDIENTS TO INCLUDE

My cholesterol-buster ingredients include plenty of dietary fiber because fiber binds with cholesterol, helping to expel it from the body. I also incorporate flavorful, nutritionally rich ingredients to keep things exciting. Some of my favorites are oat milk, oatmeal and barley, tofu and other legumes, fish, mussels and scallops, avocado. I also select an endless array of additional fruits and vegetables. These can very widely when we travel because we like to eat local produce.

INGREDIENTS TO AVOID OR LIMIT

Ingredients I avoid include meat, poultry, shellfish (except mussels and scallops), dairy, eggs, and oils such as coconut or palm. Even “healthy” varieties, such as canola, vegetable (soy), olive, and avocado oil, are best used in moderation. And finally, I enjoy wine, but generally limit my red wine intake to 500 ml in 6 hours, with no more than 1000 ml a week.

FOOD DATABASE RESOURCES

When in doubt, I use a reliable food database such as H appy Forks or My Food Data, which rely on the USDA nutritional database.

CHOLESTEROL BUSTER RECIPES

I am currently developing new Cholesterol Buster recipes, but I along the way I discovered that many of my existing recipes transform easily into cholesterol busters with just a tweak here and there. Sometimes that requires a reduction or substitution for the dairy or fat in the recipe. Other times, I look at the food pairing or the protein and make an adjustment. And finally, I add fiber everywhere I can because it dramatically lowers cholesterol.

Please look for the “Cholesterol Buster Tip” on recipes that demonstrate how small changes in the kitchen add up to significant gains in your efforts to reduce your cholesterol.