Eat your oatmeal

5 natural ways to lower your cholesterol

For healthy arteries, you'll need to lower your LDL level, and also try to boost your HDL level. Here are five easy ways to do it

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Eat your oatmeal

Oatmeal is a rich source of soluble fibre, which form a kind of gel in your intestine to reduce y our body's absorption of the fat you eat. Eating 1-1/2 cups a day could lower your LDL 12 to 24 percent. Choose quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats over instant oatmeal.

Other especially good sources of soluble fibre include prunes, barley, beans (legumes), eggplant and okra.

Not getting enough soluble fibre in your diet? Try psyllium, found in dietary fibre supplements like Metamucil. Research shows that taking about 10 grams a day for eight weeks can reduce LDL by seven percent.