certain foods key to lowering cholesterol level

 　　BEIJING, Aug. 24 (Xinhuanet)-- A new study shows that a diet rich in cholesterol¹-friendly foods, such as soy products and tree nuts, can decrease LDL (bad) cholesterol significantly, according to media reports on Tuesday.

　　The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that people who ate a healthy diet filled with cholesterol-lowering foods experienced a 13 percent decrease in their LDL cholesterol levels.

　　For patients with high levels of so-called bad cholesterol, doctors usually have two prescriptions²: cholesterol-lowering statin drugs and a diet that cuts out foods high in saturated³ fat, such as ice cream, red meat and butter.

　　But the new study found that when it comes to lowering artery-clogging cholesterol, what you eat may be more important than what you don't eat.

　　David Jenkins of St. Michael's Hospital and the University created the "portfolio⁴ diet," which includes regular consumption of tree nuts and high amounts of fiber⁵ from oats, barley⁶ and vegetables.

　　The diet, which replaces butter with plant sterol-enriched margarine and substitute soy-based products for meat, allows maximum benefit in lowering cholesterol and preventing heart disease.

　　"The study highlighted the power of food to lower risk for cardiovascular disease: What you do eat and what you don't eat are both important," said Dr. Jane Klauer, a New York internist specializing in metabolism⁷ and nutrition.

　　A high overall cholesterol level makes a person nearly twice as likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke as someone whose total cholesterol falls into a healthy range.

1 cholesterol   

n.（U）胆固醇

参考例句：

• There is cholesterol in the cell of body.人体细胞里有胆固醇。
• They are determining the serum-protein and cholesterol levels.他们正在测定血清蛋白和胆固醇的浓度。

2 prescriptions   

药( prescription的名词复数 )； 处方； 开处方； 计划

参考例句：

• The hospital of traditional Chinese medicine installed a computer to fill prescriptions. 中医医院装上了电子计算机来抓药。
• Her main job was filling the doctor's prescriptions. 她的主要工作就是给大夫开的药方配药。

3 saturated   

a.饱和的，充满的

参考例句：

• The continuous rain had saturated the soil. 连绵不断的雨把土地淋了个透。
• a saturated solution of sodium chloride 氯化钠饱和溶液

4 portfolio   

n.公事包；文件夹；大臣及部长职位

参考例句：

• He remembered her because she was carrying a large portfolio.他因为她带着一个大公文包而记住了她。
• He resigned his portfolio.他辞去了大臣职务。

5 fiber   

n.纤维，纤维质

参考例句：

• The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。
• The material must be free of fiber clumps.这种材料必须无纤维块。

6 barley   

n.大麦，大麦粒

参考例句：

• They looked out across the fields of waving barley.他们朝田里望去,只见大麦随风摇摆。
• He cropped several acres with barley.他种了几英亩大麦。

7 metabolism   

n.新陈代谢

参考例句：

• After years of dieting,Carol's metabolism was completely out of whack.经过数年的节食，卡罗尔的新陈代谢完全紊乱了。
• All living matter undergoes a process of metabolism.生物都有新陈代谢。