EAT TO LOWER CHOLESTEROL

These foods target a key factor influencing heart health.

- BY JACLYN LONDON, M.S., R.D., AND CAROLINE PICARD RECIPE BY KRISTINA KUREK

KEEPING YOUR biological timepiece in good working order is essential for longevity and right-now health— and just like the ticker worn on your wrist, your heart is its own complex system of parts with functions that coordinate to keep you on the go.

What you eat has a particular impact on your heart's structure and efficiency, and while you hear a lot about foods that support healthy blood pressure or control inflammation, you can also use food to help control your cholesterol. Cholesterol is a waxy, fatlike substance (though it’s not technically fat) that’s produced by your liver to help you digest fatty foods, create hormones, and build cells. There are two main types: LDL cholesterol is the “bad” kind that can cause plaque buildup in arteries, increasing your risk for heart disease, and HDL cholesterol helps sweep away the LDL.

In addition to the cholesterol your liver makes, you get it from certain foods (red and processed meats, fried foods, and desserts are the main culprits) — it's smart to minimize these. And some foods, like the ones at right, contain nutrients that can help reduce LDL levels to keep things in balance.

WARM LEMONY SALMON AND BROWN RICE SALAD

ACTIVE 30 MIN. TOTAL 1 HR. 5 MIN. SERVES 4