Bell pepper, scallions (young green onions), radishes, tomatoes, Romanian telemea cheese, and bread with eggplant salad — veggies and foods my mother eats and their health benefits — Bell pepper, tomatoes, green onions, radishes, Romanian telemea cheese, and bread with eggplant salad.
Foods my mother eats and which I, too, have adopted (Photo by the author)

I like to experiment in the kitchen and use modern superfoods, but my mother likes to eat traditional foods. Here are a number of them with some of their health benefits.

Part 4, the final section of an article originally published on April 28, 2023 in The Road to Wellness on Medium

Here’s the first part of this article, published on this blog three days ago, and here’s the second part, published two days ago, and the third part, published yesterday.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical or health practitioner, and no part of This Blog, or the articles, websites, and products I mention and link to on This Blog, is intended as professional medical or health advice, and should not be considered as such. Consult with your doctor(s) about starting any course of treatment, taking any supplements, or changing any (dietary, exercise, etc.) routines. Note that natural supplements and even some foods may interfere with certain medications. Also ask your doctor(s) about potential allergies you may have, including cross-reactive allergies. Some allergens can cause anaphylaxis. Here are my Full Terms and Conditions.

Disclosure: This blog post contains some affiliate links. If you click on (any of) them and make a purchase, they generate revenue for this blog (at no extra cost to you!). I am a Zazzle Associate and designer, and I earn commissions when you buy products through my referral links. All affiliate links on this blog are identified as such. Here’s my Full Disclosure.

Herbs and Spices

In terms of spices, my mother doesn’t use ginger and turmeric, or exotic spice mixes (such as red Thai curry), as I do. She relies instead on a mix of salt and dried vegetables that has been popular in Romania since communist times (when there weren’t many spices around — or foods, for that matter; even basic foodstuffs were rationed, and coffee was made with substitutes). But she likes the flavor of Dijon mustard with fish and in certain salads, and she uses plenty of either parsley or dill, or both, among other herbs, in most of her dishes.

These traditional herbs are extremely healthy. Parsley is a great source of beta-carotene, and vitamins C, K, and folate. It’s also rich in antioxidants, anticancer flavonoids, and in lutein and zeaxanthin. The latter two are carotenoids that, along with beta-carotene, are critical for the health of our eyes, protecting against age-related macular degeneration, among other things. Then vitamin K is good for the bones, and folate for heart health.

Dill is less rich in micronutrients but does contain its share of healthy antioxidant phytonutrients (flavonoids, terpenoids, etc.). And besides, it’s very flavorful, and its essential oil has antibacterial properties.

Herbal Teas

My mother loves herbal teas. This is something we share. I’ve been drinking tea daily for many years, and lately, I’ve been using herbal teas to lower my cholesterol. I’m now also poised to see how I can do more of that with the right foods as well.

Other Foods

My mother eats a varied diet, so there are many foods that make an appearance in her dishes. The ones I mentioned here are those that I’m working on to be healthier generally and, in particular, to lower my cholesterol and triglycerides naturally.

We do share an interest in cooking things like sweat peas, spinach, cauliflower, eggplant, zucchini, carrots, bell peppers, potatoes, beets, fennel, and other vegetables, almost always with onion and garlic, and we do appreciate the taste and health benefits of olive oil, eggs, and fruit like avocado, pears, Galia melon, and watermelon. We also eat cereal, cheese, yogurt, kefir, pickles, and other foods.

Here Are Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3

And now here are some of my products with 35 foods that help lower cholesterol. Again, talk to your doctor first. This list, originally inspired by Chef Braux’s How to Lower Your Cholesterol with French Gourmet Food (affiliate link) and extended with more recent research of my own, is meant for information purposes only. Remember that some people have a hard time lowering their cholesterol with food and walking along with one dance class a week, as he did, or even with food and regular exercise, and they may need an allopathic treatment. Personally, however, I managed to improve my cholesterol and triglyceride levels about a year ago after a detox diet and then by including more cholesterol-reducing foods in my daily meals, and I managed that at the time with minimal exercise—well, I did go often for acupuncture and chiropractic treatments, so that counted too as exercise, I guess.

Here’s my list of 35 foods that help reduce cholesterol naturally. They include almonds, apples, avocado, garlic, lentils, onion, olive oil, lentils, persimmons (kakis), pistachios, prunes, salmon, walnuts, and many others. Enjoy!

Please note that the writing is much crisper on the actual products. Just click on the images to see them on Zazzle.

35 Foods that help reduce cholesterol levels naturally, among them almonds, apples, avocado, garlic, lentils, onion, olive oil, lentils, persimmons (kakis), pistachios, prunes, salmon, and walnuts. — 35 Foods that help lower cholesterol naturally. Magnet (affiliate image link)

How to lower cholesterol naturally with food. 35 foods inspired by Chef Alain Braux's book as well as more recent scientific studies. They include almonds, apples, avocado, blueberries, broccoli, eggplant, hibiscus tea, kiwis, lentils, olive oil, onions, persimmons, prunes, salmon, strawberries, turmeric, walnuts, and many other veggies, fruit, fish, grains, and seeds, such as flax, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds — 35 Foods that help reduce cholesterol levels naturally.
Mug for Righties (affiliate image link)

35 Foods that help reduce cholesterol. Natural ways to lower cholesterol inspired by Chef Braux's book and recent research. The list includes almonds, apples, avocado, garlic, ginger, lentils, onions, oranges, peas, salmon, flax, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds, strawberries, walnuts, and many other veggies, fruit, spices, grains, and fish. — Natural ways to help reduce cholesterol. 35 Foods. And remember to exercise
and smoke and drink less. Mug for lefties (affiliate image link)

How to lower your cholesterol naturally with food. 35 foods inspired by recent research and Chef Alain Braux's practical guide. They include almonds, apples, avocado, blueberries, broccoli, eggplant, garlic, ginger, grapes, hibiscus tea, kiwis, lentils, olive oil, onions, oranges, salmon, strawberries, turmeric, walnuts, and many more — 35 Foods that help lower cholesterol, many of them inspired by Chef Alain Braux’s book.
Hard plastic beverage coaster with a cork back (affiliate image link)

35 Foods that help lower cholesterol, graphic inspired by Chef Alain Braux's book How to lower your cholesterol with French gourmet food. The list includes almonds, apples, avocado, blueberries, broccoli, garlic, ginger, lentils, olive oil, onions, oranges, peas, persimmons, pistachios, prunes, salmon, strawberries, turmeric, walnuts, and many others — 35 Foods that help reduce cholesterol naturally, along with exercise,
less smoking, and less alcohol. Magnet (affiliate image link)

35 Foods that help lower cholesterol. Natural ways to reduce cholesterol: 35 healthy foods, along with exercise, less smoking, and less alcohol. The list includes almonds, apples, blueberries, broccoli, garlic, ginger, lentils, onions, oranges, prunes, salmon, strawberries, turmeric, walnuts, and many others. — 35 Foods that help lower cholesterol,
along with exercise, less smoking, and less alcohol. Natural ways to reduce cholesterol
(affiliate image link)

List of 35 foods that help lower cholesterol, along with exercise, less smoking, and less alcohol. The list includes almonds, apples, blueberries, broccoli, eggplant, garlic, ginger, onions, oranges, prunes, salmon, strawberries, tomatoes, turmeric, walnuts, and many other veggies, fruit, fish, grains, and seeds. — How to lower cholesterol levels naturally. List of 35 foods that help,
along with exercise, less smoking, and less alcohol. Poster (affiliate image link)

Thank you for reading! I hope you’ve enjoyed this article. As always, pins and shares are much appreciated!

To a happier, healthier life,

Mira