Understanding Cholesterol and Heart Health

If you have a better idea of what cholesterol is and how you can manage it in your life, this information will lead to better heart health, and all round better feeling of well being. Cholesterol is a waxy like substance that is found in the walls of all your body cells, from your nervous system to your liver and in your blood stream as well. Your body uses this cholesterol to make necessary hormones, bile acids, vitamin D and other vital substances that your body needs to survive. There are good and bad types of cholesterol as well

 

Where does the Cholesterol in your body come from?

 

Your body manufacturers all the cholesterol your body requires from the foods you eat. This cholesterol will circulate in your bloodstream in packages known as lipoproteins, which consist of fat inside and protein on the outside. Cholesterol which is a fatty substance does not mix with the blood, just as oil does not mix with water. Your blood carries it to the parts of the body where it is required as mentioned above

 

Your Body has 2 Types of cholesterol in your body, both good and bad!.

 

Your body carries two types of cholesterol one which is good for your health and the other bad… These are known as low density lipoprotein or LDL which is the bad cholesterol which carries cholesterol that builds up in your body tissues including your heart arteries. Most cholesterol in your blood at any given time is the LDL cholesterol. The higher the levels are of LDL cholesterol in your blood stream; the higher your dangers are of contracting heart disease. So remember LDL is the bad cholesterol and you don’t want high levels of this type in your body.

 

The good Cholesterol in your body is called HDL cholesterol. This cholesterol carries cholesterol away from your tissues to your liver where it is harmlessly removed from your body by natural secretion. Low levels of HDL increase heart disease. Healthy levels of HDL are good for you. Do not get mixed up between the two.

 

Why are high levels of LDL Cholesterol bad for your body?

 

Too much cholesterol in your blood leads to blocked and clogged up body tissues including your heart arteries. This build up is called plaque and as a result your arteries become less flexible. You may have heard the term atherosclerosis; which is hardening of your arteries and as you know the end result can be a heart attack. It is not just your heart blood vessels that can suffer from too much cholesterol, but any of the arteries in your body as well. If your coronary artery becomes blocked by too much plaque you will suffer angina because your blood is unable to get the oxygen it needs or the nutrients to the heart muscle. Hardening of the coronary artery is called coronary heart disease which you may likely by now have heard somewhere or another. This form of heart disease is becoming common in the western world due to high cholesterol in the blood from; Yes; and you guessed it; from unhealthy eating habits!

 

The risk factors.

 

Certain risk factors nothing can be done about regarding heart diseases and cholesterol levels. These factors where risks of heart disease are increased, are age groups for men and women over 45, which are ages that will increase the likelihood of coronary heart disease from atherosclerosis. Family history of early heart disease is also a factor that must be taken into consideration. The lack of regular exercise and bad eating habits increase the risk of heart disease from cholesterol as well. Most fast foods are prepared in unhealthy fats which is a high risk factor more than anything else as well…

 

How to lower your risks of high cholesterol.

 

Perhaps you have heard some of these tips before but it is prudent to go over them again for your information:

 

1 Avoid foods with high animal fat content. Trim excess fat off meat

2. Eat Lots of fruit, vegetables, and fiber for your health

3. Eat less salt in your diet and limit salty snacks and foods.

4. Lose some weight if you are carrying too much according to your BMI (Body Mass Index)

5. Regular sensible exercise in moderation and plenty of fresh air.

6. Stay calm and avoid stressful situations.

7. Limit your alcohol intake to a sensible level.

8. Smoke less, or give up altogether if possible.

 

Other treatments that can be used if your doctor has found you to have unhealthy levels of cholesterol are certain drugs called ‘statins’ that will control the rate which your body produces cholesterol. These drugs increase HDL and lower the bad LDL cholesterols. See above about what we mentioned about the good and bad cholesterols.

 

Watch your diet and eat healthily

 

Choose healthy fats like olive oil, avocado pears, peanut butter, unsalted nuts and fish oils. Try and limit intakes of salt, polyunsaturated fats, sunflower oils, soft margarines and salad dressings like mayonnaise. (Some newer soft low cholesterol margarine is available on the market that is completely safe to use nowadays though).

 

Watch out particularly to avoid eating too much animal fats on meats, eat less eggs, cheese, fatty meats, butter, and ice creams and of course take out foods. Naturally you can eat any of the above as long as you are sensible about it. Everyone tells you to eat more fiber, and by now with this advice it should be a given. If you are not eating enough greens or fresh vegetables then take some sort of antioxidants or supplements. Cut down drinking of alcohol to one or two drinks a day.

There is some great advice and diets that have been designed to help people with high cholesterol reduce these high levels. With a little research you will find the right ways to control your cholesterol.

 

More Heart Health Information Here

Lowering Cholesterol Through Eating Right

Although most people believe that the trend towards cutting off cholesterol in diets is brought on by the fact that the young generation is dieting themselves to death; it is not so. Limiting the body’s cholesterol levels is not only for appearance’s purposes but also for health reasons. Cholesterol levels in the body, when at a certain level, can cause a host of body complications and disease that can even eventually cause death.

Problems like hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes come in mind. This is especially true with people who are already old and in their middle ages because of the slowing down of the bodily processes particularly the digestive system and the body’s ability to convert fats to energy. This is perhaps why most older people, especially those that have weight issues, are being asked by their doctors to lessen their cholesterol intake.

What is cholesterol?

People have been talking about cholesterol but do they what it is and how it affects the body. Because of news about rising cases heart problems in the country, cholesterol has become an overnight antagonist. Everybody thinks that cholesterol is bad.

Actually, not all cholesterol is bad for the body. In fact, our bodies need cholesterol to make bile salts. It is also a major ingredients in maintaining hormonal balance as well as in the production of Vitamin D. Things become troubled when the levels become too high that the cholesterol already clog the arteries, making it hard for the blood to flow and the heart to pump.

There are two kinds of cholesterol, the good and the bad. The LDL, which is the bad kind, adhere to the arterial walls, forming plaques that eventually clog the passageway. Saturated fats and the trans fatty kind are sources of this kind of cholesterol. This is frequently found in pre-packed foods like potato snacks and canned goods.

The HDL, on the other hand, can lower the levels of LDL cholesterol. This is because the good HDL helps transport the LDL cholesterol from the arterial walls back to the liver where it is excreted out. These are found in nuts and in seafood particularly fishes.

People who want to lower their LDL levels are also advised to eat a lot of fruits because of the fiber that they bring to the body. Oats, cereals, and legumes are also great sources of fibers that can help combat the rise of LDL cholesterol, eventually decreasing the risk of heart disease.

Factors that affect cholesterol levels

Contrary to popular opinion, it is not just the diet that should be taken into consideration when dealing with high cholesterol levels. There are actually a lot of factors that affect the condition. One of these is the age and the gender. Older people are more affected by increased levels of cholesterol because of their bodies’ slowing processes. Another factor is the level of physical activity. Exercise can actually help in lowering down of LDL cholesterol. Also, it can help in strengthening the body and in toning the muscles.

Lowering cholesterol levels

From what was mentioned above, it seems remarkably simple to lower the body’s cholesterol levels… that is if one has the discipline to see it through. Just eat right and exercise regularly, avoid canned and pre-packed foods and you are on your way to lower cholesterol levels.

Nutritional Approaches for Reducing Cholesterol Levels – Part 2

In Part 1, the reasons why you should be concerned about cholesterol and what some of the recommended levels of total serum cholesterol were discussed. Here in Part 2, things that can affect your cholesterol levels and which of those things you can do something about and those you cannot do anything about; and things to consider in a cholesterol reduction plan are presented.

What Affects Your Cholesterol Levels?

A variety of things can affect cholesterol levels. These are things you can do something about:

o Diet. Saturated fat and cholesterol in the food you eat can make your blood cholesterol level go up. Saturated fat is the main culprit, but cholesterol in foods also matters. Reducing the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet helps lower your blood cholesterol level.

o Weight. Being overweight is a risk factor for heart disease. It also tends to increase your cholesterol. Losing weight can help lower your LDL and total cholesterol levels, as well as raise your HDL and lower your triglyceride levels.

o Physical Activity. Not being physically active is a risk factor for heart disease. Regular physical activity can help lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol levels. It also helps you lose weight. Most health care professionals recommend that you try to be physically active for 30 minutes on most, if not all, days.

Things you cannot do anything about also can affect cholesterol levels. These include:

o Age and Gender. As women and men get older, their cholesterol levels rise. Before the age of menopause, women have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age. After the age of menopause, women’s LDL levels tend to rise.

o Heredity. Your genes partly determine how much cholesterol your body makes. High blood cholesterol can run in families.

You Can Reduce Your Cholesterol with a Cholesterol Reduction Plan

The main goal of a cholesterol reduction plan is to lower your LDL level enough to reduce your risk of developing heart disease or having a heart attack. The higher your risk, the lower your LDL goal will be. There are two main ways to lower your cholesterol:

o Eating a cholesterol-reducing diet, being physically active and managing your weight. This is an effective method in reducing your LDL to your goal level.
The National Cholesterol Education Program (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) recommends a cholesterol-reducing diet that is a low-saturated-fat, low-cholesterol eating plan that has less than 7% of calories from saturated fat and less than 200 mg of dietary cholesterol per day. It recommends only enough calories to maintain a desirable weight and avoid weight gain. If your LDL is not lowered enough by reducing your saturated fat and cholesterol intakes, the amount of soluble fiber in your diet can be increased. Supplementing your diet with certain nutrients, such as vitamin C, can also help in reducing your cholesterol levels.
Losing weight, if you are overweight, can help lower LDL and is especially important for those with a cluster of risk factors that includes high triglyceride and/or low HDL levels and being overweight with a large waist measurement (more than 40 inches for men and more than 35 inches for women).
Regular physical activity (30 minutes on most, if not all, days) is recommended for everyone. It can help raise HDL and lower LDL and is especially important for those with high triglyceride and/or low HDL levels who are overweight with a large waist measurement.

o If the lifestyle change of diet, physical activity and weight management are not effective in lowering your LDL to an acceptable level; your health care professional may prescribe cholesterol-lowering drugs, which are used in addition to your diet, exercise and weight management plan.

In Part 3, find out about nutritional options for reducing cholesterol levels.

Copyright 2006. Mary El-Baz. All rights reserved.

Author: Mary El-Baz, PhD
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Eating A Cholesterol Lowering Diet For Heart Disease Prevention

Balancing the ratios of LDL and HDL cholesterol is the aim of any cholesterol lowering diet because lowering the bad (LDL) cholesterol is a large factor in reducing the risk of coronary artery disease. The effect of lowering cholesterol has been medically shown to reduce the mortality risk associated with heart disease.

Cholesterol levels, which are measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), naturally rise as men and women age and are determined through chemical analysis of a blood sample taken via a finger prick or from a blood draw from a vein. For a healthy person cholesterol intake should less than 300 milligrams daily while someone with an elevated cholesterol level should consume less than 200 milligrams per day. One thing to remember is that although dietary cholesterol can raise your blood cholesterol levels, the bigger culprit in elevated cholesterol levels is saturated fat. Foods that originate from animals are the only source of dietary cholesterol.

The basis of a cholesterol lowering diet revolves around eating a mostly plant based diet rich in cholesterol-lowering foods. In fact this approach has been shown to as effective as using statin drugs to lower cholesterol. This was proved out during a recent study showing that people who ate a rich diet of cholesterol lowering foods, such as soy protein, almonds, plant sterol-enriched margarines and natural fiber from oats, psyllium, okra, and eggplant for one year resulted in a 20% decrease in cholesterol, which is comparable to taking statins.

After starting a cholesterol lowering diet your levels will generally begin to recede after two to three weeks. When starting this type of diet the first thing you need to do is increase your fiber intake. This can be done by increasing the amounts of fruits, lots of vegetables, and whole grain products. The other thing that needs to be closely watched is the intake of saturated fat.

The reason for this is simple; nothing increases cholesterol levels quite like saturated fat. There are four main types of fat. The first two increase LDL cholesterol and need to be avoided.

1. Saturated fat found in most animal products, fast foods, and some vegetables should be avoided or at the least limited. Saturated vegetable fats include hydrogenated shortening, palm oil, coconut oil, and cocoa butter.

2. Hydrogenated or Trans-Fat is found in margarine and vegetable shortening.

The two fats that can be eaten in moderation and can help decrease total cholesterol and keep levels of the good cholesterol (HDL) high include:

3. Monounsaturated Fat is found in olive and canola oil.

4. Polyunsaturated Fat is found in safflower, sunflower, soybean, corn and sesame oils.

The best foods for a cholesterol lowering diet are high in starch and fiber and are a good substitute for foods that contain high amounts of saturated fat. You do have to be careful because although foods from plants do not contain cholesterol some do contain saturated fat, such as avocados. Recently the American Heart Association began to recommend that people who have high LDL cholesterol eat foods fortified with plant sterols. These foods that have been fortified with sterols or stanols help block the body\’s absorption of cholesterol.

The thing to remember when undertaking a cholesterol lowering diet is that foods that contain high amounts of complex carbohydrates, if eaten plain, are low in saturated fat and cholesterol and contain the vitamins, minerals, and fiber you body needs. A healthy diet is the first step to successfully lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart disease that is associated with high levels.

Take Control of Your Cholesterol

We’ve all heard of someone having “high cholesterol,” and your doctor may have even told you that yours is high. Most of us would agree that it’s a bad thing, but few really know what cholesterol is or how to combat unhealthy levels.

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that your body actually needs a small amount of in order to function normally. However, if you have too much of it in your bloodstream, the extra amounts may be deposited in your coronary arteries where it can lead to the narrowing and blockages that cause the signs and symptoms of heart disease.

In some cases, certain prescription medication can cause elevated cholesterol levels, but for the most part, inherited risk factors, a sedentary lifestyle and an unhealthy diet are the main causes:

• Weight: Excess weight may modestly increase your LDL (bad) cholesterol level. If you are overweight and have a high LDL cholesterol level, losing weight may help you lower it. Weight loss especially helps to lower triglycerides and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
• Physical activity/exercise: Regular physical activity may lower triglycerides and raise HDL cholesterol levels.
• Mental Stress: Several studies have shown that stress raises blood cholesterol levels over the long term. One way that stress may do this is by affecting your habits. For example, when some people are under stress, they console themselves by eating fatty foods. The saturated fat and cholesterol in these foods contribute to higher levels of blood cholesterol.
Not sure whether you are at risk? If your doctor doesn’t automatically test you, request a lipid panel or profile (i.e. cholesterol test) during your annual physical. Here are the general guidelines for interpreting the results:

Total Cholesterol
Below 200 mg/dL Desirable
200 – 239 mg/dL Borderline high
240 mg/dL High

LDL Cholesterol
Below 70 mg/dL Optimal for people at very high risk of heart disease
Below 100 mg/dL Optimal for people at risk of heart disease
100 – 129 mg/dL Near optimal
130 – 159 mg/dL Borderline high
160 – 189 mg/dL High
190 mg/dL and above Very high

HDL Cholesterol
Below 40 mg/dL Poor
40 – 59 mg/dL Better
60 mg/dL and above Best

Triglycerides
Below 150 mg/dL Desirable
150 – 199 mg/dL Borderline high
200 – 499 mg/dL High
500 or above Very high

In order to promote healthy cholesterol levels, follow these four steps:
1. Lose excess pounds
Excess weight contributes to high cholesterol. Losing even 5 to 10 pounds of excess weight can help lower total cholesterol levels. Start by taking an honest look at your eating habits and daily routine. Consider your challenges to weight loss — and ways to overcome them.

2. Eat heart-healthy foods
What you eat has a direct impact on your cholesterol level. In fact, researchers say a diet rich in fiber and other cholesterol-lowering foods may help lower cholesterol as much as medication for some people.

• Choose healthier fats. Saturated fat and trans fat raise your total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Get no more than 10 percent of your daily calories from saturated fat, and try to avoid trans fat completely. Monounsaturated fat – found in olive, peanut and canola oils – is a healthier option. Almonds and walnuts are other sources of healthy fat.

• Limit your cholesterol intake. Aim for no more than 300 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol a day — or less than 200 mg if you have heart disease. The most concentrated sources of cholesterol include organ meats, egg yolks and whole milk products. Use lean cuts of meat, egg substitutes and skim milk instead.

• Select whole grains. Various nutrients found in whole grains promote heart health. Choose whole-grain breads, whole-wheat pasta, whole-wheat flour and brown rice. Oatmeal and oat bran are other good choices.

• Stock up on fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are rich in dietary fiber, which can help lower cholesterol. Snack on seasonal fruits. Experiment with veggie-based casseroles, soups and stir-fries.

• Eat heart-healthy fish. Some types of fish — such as cod, tuna and halibut — have less total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol than do meat and poultry. Salmon, mackerel and herring are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help promote heart health.

• Drink alcohol only in moderation. In some studies, moderate use of alcohol has been linked with higher levels of HDL cholesterol — but the benefits aren’t strong enough to recommend alcohol for anyone who doesn’t drink already. If you choose to drink, do so in moderation. This means no more than one drink a day for women, and one to two drinks a day for men.

3. Exercise regularly
Regular exercise can help improve your cholesterol levels. With your doctor’s permission, work up to 30 to 60 minutes of exercise a day. Take a brisk daily walk. Ride your bike. Swim laps. To maintain your motivation, keep it fun. Find an exercise buddy, join an exercise group or hire a personal trainer.

4. Don’t smoke
If you smoke, stop. Quitting can improve your HDL cholesterol level. And the benefits don’t end there. Just 20 minutes after quitting, your blood pressure decreases. Within 24 hours, your risk of a heart attack decreases. Within one year, your risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker’s. Within 15 years, your risk of heart disease is similar to that of someone who’s never smoked.

Cholesterol Levels and Ratios – Are Your Cholesterol Numbers Confusing You?

Cholesterol levels are being tested all over the world in order to determine risk factors for heart disease, yet  many people are confused by their cholesterol numbers and how they are expressed.  Part of this confusion may stem from the fact that literature originating in the United States gives cholesterol levels in units that are different from those used in Canada, Europe, and a good portion of the rest of the developed world.  So when you are looking for information to help you understand your test results, on the internet and elsewhere, you might not  understand the numbers that are reported in the American literature because they might look quite different from the cholesterol numbers on your lab report.

The United States reports cholesterol levels in mg/dL (milligrams per decilitre) of blood.  The rest of the world is using the measurement called mmol (or millimoles per litre).  Without going back to basic chemistry from high school, let’s just say  that they are different measurements. So is it any wonder that these two ways of expressing your cholesterol numbers are so different?

Here is how the two different systems of measurement stack up for desirable cholesterol numbers.

As expressed in the system of measurement used in the United States

Total cholesterol = less than 200 mg/dL LDL  = less than 100-129 mg/dL (below 100 is best) HDL  = more than 40 mg/dL (greater than 60 is considered protective against heart disease)

However, as expressed in the SI units (International System of Measurement) that most of the world is using the numbers are stated differently. (You can remember which letters refer to the good and the bad stuff by remembering it this  way…H stands for healthy  and L stands for lousy.)

Total cholesterol = less than 5.2 mmol/L LDL  = in the range of than 2.6 – 3.3 mmol/L (less than 2.6 is best) HDL  = in the range of more than 1 to 1.5 mmol/L (higher is better) mmol/L

Can you see the difference in how the cholesterol numbers are expressed?  The difference of course is in the units that are being measured. Think of it like metric and imperial measures. Your weight in pounds might be a three digit number but in kilograms it could be a two digit number. Same weight different measurements.

Understanding the Cholesterol Ratio

When used to determine if you have cholesterol risk factors for heart disease it is not the specific levels that are analyzed but rather the ratio of HDL in your total lipid profile. This number is called the cholesterol ratio and it gives an indication of how much of your total cholesterol is the “good” stuff.

The reason this is important is because the HDL is so beneficial, if it is present is sufficient quantities it  has a protective effect and  the LDL in your system cannot do as much damage.  So even if your LDL is higher than the desired levels, if the HDL is high as well and the ratio comes within the desired range then the risk of heart disease is less.

The goal is to keep the cholesterol ratio below 5:1; the optimum ratio is 3.5. The cholesterol ratio comes in at the same number no matter which system of measurement is used. The cholesterol ratio is obtained by dividing the total cholesterol number by the value given for the HDL. For example, if a you have a total cholesterol of 240 mg/dL and an HDL of 60 mg/dL,  the ratio is 4. Using the SI system of measurement if the total cholesterol is 7.20 mmol/L and the HDL is 1.8 mmol/L  the ratio is still 4.

You can see how this is a better way of understanding the cholesterol risk factors for heart disease and expressing it this way can prevent confusion that might result from not being familiar with the units that are used. This information is also helpful for understanding why the strategies recommended  for cholesterol imbalances work. Some of the best strategies are the ones that raise the HDL levels.  In particular, exercise has been found to be one of the best ways to improve the cholesterol ratio because it raises HDL levels.  By contrast smoking has been found to lower HDL levels so no exercise and smoking is a recipe for low HDL levels, a poor cholesterol ratio, and a higher risk for heart disease.

Cholesterol is found in every cell of the body and is essential for the maintenance of good health.  Low cholesterol levels have been associated with poor health so the goal is not to eliminate or reduce cholesterol entirely but to obtain the desirable levels of each type so that the protective benefits of the HDL can work for you in maintaining good health.

So don’t get mixed up when trying to understand your cholesterol levels.  No matter what way the numbers are expressed the message is the same.  You want to have enough of the good stuff and not so much of the bad stuff in order to reduce your risk factors for heart disease.

Lower Your Cholesterol and Increase Your Chance of Stroke

Recently, The New York Times published an article entitled – “U.S. calls for major cholesterol reductions” and which was also printed in numerous local papers.

Sounds like a great way to fight heart disease, right?

Let’s take a look at what the article does not tell you about lowering your cholesterol. Because you must understand the effects of artificially lowering your cholesterol levels without implementing other strategies which are crucial to your health.

Because the fact of the matter is the Framingham Heart study – which has followed people for over 5 decades – proved without a doubt that LDL cholesterol is just one of many misleading factors of heart disease.

In fact, LDL cholesterol levels are only a very minor factor of heart disease and only under certain conditions.

Here is a quote from Christie Ballantyne, M.D., a cardiologist from the Baylor College of Medicine – “The majority of people who end up having heart attacks or stroke don’t have high cholesterol.”

Here is another quote from an article in the Red Flags Daily By Malcolm Kendrick, M.D. who talks about the Framingham Study results as published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

“There is a direct association between falling cholesterol levels over the first 14 years and mortality over the following 18 years.”

You guessed it, the mortality rate goes UP.

Scientific research has also proved without a doubt that as people lower their LDL cholesterol level, their chances for stroke go up.

Using cholesterol lowering drugs may artificially lower cholesterol levels, however, they will also increase the death rate from stroke. And because of toxicity to the body, you will also face liver and kidney failure.

You see, your body not only produces cholesterol, it also needs cholesterol for a variety of functions. Cholesterol is an essential part of each and every cell membrane.

Cholesterol also provides the critical starting point and building block for the steroid hormones in our bodies. These hormones include testosterone and estrogen.

As you can see, cholesterol itself is not bad. It is the oxidation of cholesterol which is just one of the factors of developing heart disease.

Oxidation of cholesterol is the more specific problem which would enable the cholesterol to become “sticky” and start to form plaque in the walls of the arteries.

We have all seen an apple cut open and watch as it turns brown – this is oxidation. Your body will oxidize on the inside unless steps are taken to help prevent this.

The way to keep oxidation from damaging your cholesterol is to zap them with antioxidants!

You can keep oxidation of cholesterol in check by eating plenty of food and supplements which are rich in anti-oxidants.

A few of the most powerful anti-oxidants are:

CoenzymeQ10

Vitamin E

Vitamin A

Vitamin C

And the mother of all anti-oxidants – Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA).ALA is produced naturally by your body but, as you age, your body produces less and less.

Low cost food sources which you can easily get, which are high in omega 3’s and the right fats to help keep your cholesterol levels in balance.

Garlic

Ginger

Olive oil

Olives

Almonds

Walnuts

Flaxseed

Eggplant

Okra

Organic Eggs

Fresh fruit

These are easily purchased, safe, proven and natural ways to prevent cholesterol from becoming a problem.

And if you are someone who truly needs to lower their cholesterol, there is an organic plant alcohol from sugar cane which is one of the most powerful ways to reduce bad cholesterol levels. It’s called – Policosanol.

As for the majority of you, focus on raising your HDL cholesterol levels because as you raise your good cholesterol it decreases the concern about your LDL levels of cholesterol and gives you a better total cholesterol profile.

Some of the best ways to improve your “Good” or HDL cholesterol is through:

Exercise.

Vitamin D

Niacin
Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with raising HDL cholesterol levels

Sources:

Framingham Heart Study conducted on healthy people since the 1950s. cholesterol misleading as only one of 240 factors in heart disease.

Health Sciences Institute e-alert “Cholesterol Cowboys”, August 2nd , 2004, Jenny Thompson

Dr. Al Sears Health Confidential for Men – “Ignore the hype focus on cholesterol that matters” April 4, 2004

Hyman, Mark M.D., Liponis, Mark M.D., Ultra-Prevention, The 6-Week Plan that will Make you healthy for life, New York, Scribner, 2003

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Vitamin C – a Natural Remedy for High Cholesterol

High cholesterol: two words that strike fear into the hearts of many people. High cholesterol: something that can strike more than fear into a person’s heart if it goes untreated. Conventional medications for the treatment of high cholesterol may or may not be effective, but they certainly cause side effects: muscle pain, nausea, and if taken for too long, liver damage. Clearly medication is not a long-term measure, which is why many people try to find a natural remedy for high cholesterol; something that can lower cholesterol levels, and keep them down. Is Vitamin C a natural remedy for high cholesterol? That is what we will discuss in this article. But first…

The Skinny on Cholesterol

The truth is that most of the cholesterol in your body does not come from the diet, but is produced by your own body. What? How could your own body do such a thing to you! But cholesterol is vital for the body to function, as it is used in cell repair and maintenance. When doctors or nutritionists talk about high cholesterol, they are referring to the amount of cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol travels in the blood so that it can be used anywhere in the body as and when it is needed. However, if blood levels become too high, cholesterol deposits itself onto the walls of your arteries, as a kind of “plaque.” As the cholesterol builds up, the blood has less and less space to travel through the arteries. This causes a build-up in pressure, and high cholesterol easily leads onto hypertension, and hypertension severely increases the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

So, a natural remedy for high cholesterol must seek to lower cholesterol in the blood, rather than eliminating it all together. What natural supplement could help in this?

Vitamin C’s role in High Cholesterol Treatment

Vitamin C is considered an excellent natural remedy for high cholesterol because of its properties in dealing with the effects of high cholesterol and because it actively reduces cholesterol levels in the blood.

Vitamin C deals with the effects of high cholesterol

Vitamin C is a good natural remedy for high cholesterol because it helps to widen arteries and so minimize the effect of cholesterol deposits on the artery walls. A study conducted on rabbits showed that high doses of Vitamin C can prevent the narrowing of arteries by anywhere between 4% and a whopping 50%. Counteracting the effects of high cholesterol in this way effectively “buys time” for you, so that Vitamin C can reduce cholesterol in other ways.

Vitamin C deals with the cholesterol in your blood

Vitamin C also helps in increasing fibrinolytic activity, which is responsible for removing cholesterol plaque from the arteries. A number of studies conducted on animals suggest that Vitamin C can reverse plaque formation caused by high cholesterol, making it an excellent natural remedy for high cholesterol. Vitamin C also eliminates excess cholesterol in the bloodstream by converting it to bile.

Vitamin C keeps the cholesterol levels down

Vitamin C isn’t just a natural remedy for high cholesterol, it can also maintain healthy levels of cholesterol in the blood. There is a continuous recycling process where excess cholesterol in the blood is removed and converted to bile (as mentioned above). This process only occurs when you have enough Vitamin C in your body. However, in the absence of enough Vitamin C, the conversion of cholesterol into bile is affected and cholesterol accumulates in the bloodstream.

Vitamin C does all of the above. Safely

Vitamin C is also incredibly safe compared to high cholesterol medications, and even compared to other vitamins, having no known fatal dosage or side-effects. If Vitamin C is taken in extremely high dosages then minor side-effects can occur, such as stomachache or diarrhea, but we’re talking huge dosages here. People have been reported taking 150 times the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C (RDA of around 100mg). Up to 2000mg of Vitamin C daily is considered by most experts to be completely safe, with no harmful side effects.

Bottom line: Vitamin C safely deals with the effects of high cholesterol, lowers cholesterol, and then keeps it down.

Cholesterol Facts – Cholesterol Reduction Treatment

With all the news and warnings about the dangers of high cholesterol, many people view cholesterol as a “bad” substance that should be eliminated completely from our lives. In truth, cholesterol serves some important functions in the body. In order to understand how cholesterol affects the body, one must first understand what cholesterol is.

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is attached to the fats in our bloodstream and is present in all of the cells of the body. Cholesterol comes from food that we eat, as well as being manufactured directly by the liver. Cholesterol is an important regulator in the bloodstream, as it helps to regulate the formation of many cells as well as hormones. However, to have too high or too low of a cholesterol count in the blood can be a very dangerous factor, often leading to a heart attack or a stroke. Although cholesterol is prevalent in the blood stream, it cannot dissipate in the blood. The cholesterol maneuvers throughout the body attached to lipids (fats).

There are two main types of cholesterol. The first type is called LDL cholesterol, and the other is HDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol, otherwise known as low-density lipoprotein, is considered the “dangerous” cholesterol. LDL cholesterol can build up on the artery walls. Over time this plaque build-up blocks blood flow, reducing circulation and causing stress and damage to the heart. This raises blood pressure, and eventually leads to heart disease or a heart attack. Individuals that have higher levels of LDL run a much higher risk of having heart disease. Although LDL is affected by genetics, there are several precautions that individuals can take towards keeping safe LDL levels.

The other form of cholesterol is HDL, or high-density lipoprotein. HDL is considered the “good” cholesterol. HDL cholesterol is important for the body to have as this type of cholesterol helps filter out LDL cholesterol from the lining of the arteries, as well as transporting fat in the bloodstream (triglycerides) to the liver so that it can be excreted from the body. It is believed that even having high levels of HDL is safe, as it can help protect one’s heart from a heart attack or stroke. Low counts of HDL could potentially lead to a heart attack and stroke, however this is rare for people eating a western-style diet, which is typically high in both forms of cholesterol.

Most of the cholesterol in our bodies comes from the foods we eat. Foods high in fats, particularly saturated and trans fats, contribute to high levels of LDL cholesterol. Meat and dairy products are the main sources of LDL cholesterol, while leafy vegetables, fruits, and nuts are more nutritious alternatives that have higher levels of HDL cholesterol. While genetics does play a role in cholesterol levels, a change in diet is the most effective way to lower dangerous cholesterol levels, and reduce your risk of heart disease and associated health problems.

Certain natural substances found in Vasacor, including plant sterols, fish oils, and policosanol have been shown in numerous clinical studies to be highly effective in promoting healthy cholesterol levels, particularly when combined with a healthy diet and exercise. If you are concerned about your cholesterol levels, now is the time to make a change, and Vasacor can help.

The Article is Originally Published Here: Cholesterol Facts

Learn More:
Vasacor Cholesterol Treatment – Vasacor helps to reduce LDL (Bad Cholesterol) levels and improve HDL (Good Cholesterol) levels.

Cholesterol Reduction – a Doctor’s Guide

Cholesterol ? Good, Bad and to Keep Cholesterol Level Low

When you hear the word cholesterol, what is your immediate reaction, or what comes first in your mind? Many people worry when they hear the word cholesterol. They perceive it as something that is always bad for the health. It is always associated with heart problems like hypertension and heart attack. But what cholesterol really is what it does to our body and health.

Cholesterol Defined

Cholesterol is a kind of fat or lipid found in the bloodstream and almost all parts of the body. It is a soft waxy substance in the body’s cells. Cholesterol is very useful because it is a component in forming cell membranes, some hormones. It is also needed for other body functions. Many of this substance is produced naturally inside of our bodies and some are from the food that we eat.

Cholesterol is not really a dangerous substance but it is actually one of those substances that our body needs to keep us healthy. However, it should be understood that there are two kinds of which, the good and bad cholesterol.

The Good and Bad

Since cholesterol is a kind of fat, it can not be directly dissolved in the blood. This substance is carried into and from the cell by another substance called lipoproteins. High-density lipoproteins or HDL is the good ones. This kind protects the body from heart diseases because the cholesterol is carried away from the arteries where fats could build up. It is also believed to remove other cholesterol from the arteries. This kind of cholesterol, however, should be maintained and monitored, because low level of this can also increase the risk of heart problems.

Bad cholesterol is known as the low-density lipoproteins or LDL. This kind highly contributes to the build up of plaque in the inner walls of the arteries. High levels of both compounds in the blood causes major risk of coronary diseases that could lead to heart attack.

Sources of Cholesterol

Though LDL is primarily produced in the body, the cholesterol from our food intake still contributes a lot to the total cholesterol count. Seventy five percent of our body cholesterol is produced inside and the remaining 25 percent comes from food. Almost all food that we take in everyday contains cholesterol and many of these foods contain large amounts.

Topmost of the list of food that contains large amounts of cholesterol is a food familiar to all and could be bought in almost all fast food chains and restaurants. Chicken and egg contains the highest count. These two are followed by livers, sea foods and Thanksgiving Day favorite turkey.

Unknowingly, our body cholesterol is also affected by hereditary means. There are some genes inherited from our parents or even grandparents that cause the cholesterol in our body to be too much produced.

Cholesterol Levels

Everyone should monitor cholesterol count because too much or too low cholesterol in the body bring a lot of sickness. The cholesterol count includes both the good and bad, both those produced inside the body and those that are acquired from food intake.

Cholesterol counts are determined through a blood test. Each person has a unique physicality that is why an individual should consult a doctor to know the cholesterol count that should be maintained. It is recommended especially people ages 20 and older to have lipoprotein fasting and test at least once in every five years. Consult a doctor for necessary medical routine before your cholesterol would be tested. Usually, doctors ask their patients to go on 10 to 12 hour fasting, meaning no food or pills taken. This determines the exact amount of good and bad cholesterol present in your blood and cells.

There are a lot of misconceptions about cholesterol especially with the food in take that make self-diagnosing patients worry about their health. As such, the best option is consultation to experts and living a healthy lifestyle.

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