Guide To Good And Bad Cholesterol

September 24, 2010 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 

Cholesterol have both good and bad, and hence this is why it is so very vital to learn what cholesterol is, and how it affects your health, as well as what you can do to lower it if the needed. There are basically two different types of cholesterol, the LDL and the HDL.

LDL is the bad form of cholesterol, when too much of it found in a person’s blood, it can slowly build up on the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain, and together with other substances it is able to shape plaque in the body, which is a thick, hard deposit that can block these arteries; a circumstance which is known as atherosclerosis.

Then there is HDL is the good form of cholesterol, and this is due to a high level of it seems to protect against heart attacks. A low level of HDL levels in a person’s body will in fact increase the risk of having a heart attack on a human body.

There is also another factor which must be raised in this discussion, and that is in regards to triglyceride, a form of fat that comes from food and it also made in your body. The reason that it is involved in this particular subject matter is because people with high triglycerides often found to have high total cholesterol, high LDL cholesterol and a low HDL cholesterol level.

Good Cholesterol (High Density Lipoprotein)

The cholesterol test you normally take actually measures lipoproteins. These lipoproteins are sorted by their density: the measure of fat versus protein in the combination. High density means that there is more protein ratio compared to fat. High density lipoproteins (HDL) are good cholesterol. They do the necessary work assigned to cholesterol, they help to un-clog your arteries and help flush excess fat from your body.

Bad Cholesterol (Low Density Lipoprotein)

Low density lipoproteins (LDL), very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) and triglycerides (a type of fat carried by LDL and VLDL) are the main component of the bad cholesterol. If you have high number of these that they can clog your arteries thus, causing a heart attack or other heart related diseases. The normal level of bad cholesterol is 200mg/dL or less.

Bad and good cholesterol levels vary from person to person. Factors that affect cholesterol levels like being overweight, a diet with too much saturated fat and cholesterol, not enough exercise, heredity and certain medical conditions or medicines. Cholesterol tends to increase with age as well.

How you can Control and Lower Bad Cholesterol

If you have normal levels of good and bad cholesterol all you should to do is ensure that you stay that way and you can do that by taking the following steps: eating healthy and exercising. Eating healthy such as having food items that are low in saturated and trans fat as well as cholesterol.

Also, get in the habit of reading your food labels as they provide all the above mentioned data by law and hence it is easy for you to choose which food items are good and which are damaging for your health.

Some food items that contain high levels of cholesterol are: egg yolks, poultry, meat, shellfish, butter and cheese.

If you already have high levels of the bad cholesterol then the best thing to do is consult your doctor to prescribe you a drug that will help you lower it gradually. There are many cholesterol drugs that are available over the counter and many natural remedies as well. However, it is strongly suggested that you should not self medicate as some of the cholesterol drugs may have serious side effects, which only your doctor can point out as he is familiar with your medical history and conditions.

In general, you can always increase good cholesterol and decrease bad cholesterol by watching your food intake, exercising regularly and losing weight. You’ll also need your doctor’s help with the other factors. Don’t worry about having too little cholesterol. That’s un-likely to happen. Concentrate on building enough good cholesterol, less bad cholesterol and the rest will take care of itself.

Take a minute and learn about your good and bad cholesterol levels, watch closely your food intake and that of your family making them aware as well of the importance of staying below the limits of the bad cholesterol. Just a few minutes of self-education can save your life or one of your family member’s.

Author: Cindy Heller
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Lower Cholesterol Naturally and Safely Reduce Risk of Heart Disease

July 29, 2010 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 

Have you been told by your doctor to lower cholesterol levels through your diet? Or are you one of millions of Americans that realize, heart disease has reached epic proportions in this country and are looking for natural ways to lower cholesterol? Don’t distress; there are several ways to lower cholesterol without prescription statin drugs and their possible dangerous side effects.

“High cholesterol” is actually a misnomer for the improper balance between HDL cholesterol (most commonly referred to as “good” cholesterol) and LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol because it is the major cause of blockages in blood vessels, leading to heart attack and stroke). When the LDL cholesterol level is extremely elevated in relation to the HDL cholesterol level, your doctor may prescribe statin drugs such as Lipitor or Crestor, and recommend you to try a lower cholesterol diet, to bring these cholesterol numbers back into a more proper and safer range.

Cholesterol from food is hard to get away from, even though you may be watching your diet. All foods of animal origin contain cholesterol, especially including eggs, red meat, and shrimp. Generally, foods that are high in saturated fats or trans fats should also be limited. These include foods you may not even think of, such as: grilled cheese sandwiches, margarine, potato with butter, and even chicken pot pie. Fortunately, a national campaign has recently eliminated trans fats from being used by the many fast food restaurants. This will surely reduce some of the high cholesterol numbers across the nation over the long run.

Lowering cholesterol through your diet is a good start to “lower cholesterol,” but other things can be done to affect your goal. You can lower cholesterol through more exercise. But exercise alone will not reduce cholesterol, lower cholesterol must be attacked from within the body. It has been discovered that several herbs and vitamins can be used in combination with your diet to lower cholesterol.

Guggul, cayenne, policosanol, garlic, vitamin C and niacin are just a few of the herbs and vitamins that have been clinically proven to bring cholesterol levels back into a proper and safe range. Lowering cholesterol naturally with these herbs and vitamins, in conjunction with diet and exercise, have been shown in medical studies to reduce high LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol levels within 30-60 days. Studies have also documented that use of these herbs and vitamins while taking statin drugs, resulted in a more rapid correction to proper cholesterol levels than taking statin drugs alone. You can get more cholesterol information that will help you lower cholesterol at my website, www.GreatNewsHealth.com. We can all benefit from lower cholesterol, which will lead to a longer, more enjoyable, and productive life for everyone.

Lower cholesterol is the most efficient way to avoid serious health problems such as heart attack and stroke. Visit my website, www.GreatNewsHealth.com to learn more ways to combat this dangerous killer, along with the best natural cholesterol remedy available today. Take responsibility for your own health today; you won’t regret it.

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Home Remedies to Control Cholesterol

June 8, 2010 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 

Cholesterol is one of the body’s fats. Cholesterol levels in the blood rise slightly with age, and women generally have a higher HDL-cholesterol level than men. Cholesterol is also found in the blood circulation of humans. Cholesterol is naturally present in cell walls or membranes everywhere in the body, including the brain, nerves, muscles, skin, liver, intestines, and heart. Having too much cholesterol in the blood is not a disease in itself, but can lead to the hardening and narrowing of the arteries in the major vascular systems. When the cholesterol level is measured in a blood sample, the levels of all forms of cholesterol can be calculated. The cholesterol in a person’s blood originates from two major sources; dietary intake and liver production.

Dietary cholesterol comes mainly from meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products. High cholesterol is the best known of all the many threats to a healthy heart. High cholesterol can cause the formation and accumulation of plaque deposits in the arteries. A person’s lifestyle, including inactivity, obesity and eating a high-fat diet, can contribute to high levels of total cholesterol.

People who smoke and also have high cholesterol are at even greater risk for heart disease. Food cholesterol comes exclusively from animal products: meat, eggs, milk products, butter, etc. Most people wrongly believe that the cholesterol contained in food is responsible for their high cholesterol levels. Lipid disorders are more common in men than women. Excess cholesterol in the bloodstream can be harmful and lead to a condition in which fat and cholesterol are deposited in the walls of the arteries. It is currently recommended that your total cholesterol level be less than 200mg/dl. A healthy diet, regular exercise and other lifestyle changes can go a long way toward reducing high cholesterol. Sometimes medication is needed, too. Statins block a substance the liver needs to make cholesterol. This depletes cholesterol in the liver cells, which causes the liver cells to remove cholesterol from the blood.

Prevention of High Cholesterol

· Eating a diet low in saturated fats and cholesterol may help prevent high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

· Quitting smoking and exercising may raise levels of “good” HDL cholesterol.

· Maintaining a healthy weight – or losing weight, if necessary – can help prevent lipid abnormalities.

· Eliminate the use of caffeine, alcohol and tobacco.

Home Remedies for High Cholesterol

· Garlic is a wonder drug for heart. Clinical trials have shown that fresh garlic and garlic supplements may lower cholesterol levels, prevent blood clots, and destroy plaque.

· Arjuna is a coronary vasodilator. It protects the heart, strengthens circulation, and helps to maintain the tone and health of the heart muscle.

· Ginger reduces cholesterol and thins the blood improving circulation.

· Shudh Shilajit was found to lower serum cholesterol, liver cholesterol, serum triglycerides and serum phospholipids in test subjects feed high cholesterol diet.

· Sunflower seeds are extremely beneficial, as they contain linoleic acid that helps in reducing the cholesterol deposits on the walls of arteries. You just need to modify your cooking style a bit and substitute sunflower seeds for solid fats such as butter and cream.

· Incorporate loads of fiber in your meals, as fiber helps a great deal in lowering the cholesterol pressure in blood.

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What Is A Healthy And Normal Cholesterol Level?

February 24, 2010 · Posted in cholesterol · 1 Comment 

Cholesterol is a medical problem that most of us encounter and have to battle with at one point in our lives. So what actually is cholesterol and what role does it play in our body?

Cholesterol is a substance that exists in our cell which our body needs. It flows through our blood stream and has a waxy texture. It is common knowledge nowadays that cholesterol is not always a bad thing. There is actually good cholesterol or the high-density lipoprotein known as HDL which helps in carrying cholesterol away from the arteries to the liver. It is then processed into harmless particles.

The good cholesterol HDL helps to build cell membrane and various hormones while the bad cholesterol LDL when present in high levels in our body will clog the arteries and may cause a heart attack in due course.

Healthy Cholesterol Levels And How To Achieve It

A healthy HDL cholesterol level should be a minimum of 40 mg/dL and a healthy LDL cholesterol level should be a maximum of 200mg/dL.

The first thing you need to achieve a healthy cholesterol level and to maintain it is to first get it tested regularly. The only way to know your cholesterol level is through a blood test. Once you get the results of your cholesterol tests, you can start making changes in your lifestyle to achieve or maintain a healthy cholesterol level.

The first thing you must do is to watch your weight. Although cholesterol levels are not measured by weight, obesity is often a sign of high levels of bad cholesterol. At the same time, it does not mean that a person with an ideal weight or even under weight will have normal cholesterol levels.

How To Achieve A Healthy Cholesterol Level With Your Diet

A lot of information about cholesterol and the foods that will make your cholesterol level higher are easily available. However, it’s easier to simply list the foods that will not increase your cholesterol level such as fresh fruits and vegetables especially. You should also know that there are some types of foods that can actually lower your cholesterol. If you have high cholesterol levels you can try to achieve normal cholesterol levels by consuming these foods.

Oatmeal and oat bran are some types of foods that can help to lower cholesterol level. This is because bad cholesterol levels can be lowered by soluble fiber. Experts think the reason is because fiber can help stop the absorption of cholesterol. A good amount of soluble fiber should be five to ten grams a day.

Oatmeal need not only be taken at breakfast. It can be eaten at other meals for your lunch and dinner by adding it to baked foods. Other types of soluble fiber can also help you maintain normal cholesterol level if you do not like the taste of oatmeal.

Another type of food you should include in your diet is food that contains Omega-3 fatty acids. This is because it has been found to lower the levels of triglycerides. Some types of foods that are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids include nuts, and they are tasty additions to a healthy diet. Nuts are high in protein and fiber, which make them filling. Walnuts and almonds are also types of nuts that are good for lowering cholesterol, besides peanuts, hazelnuts, pecans and pistachios.

However, it is not recommended to consume nuts with higher amounts of fat are when trying to achieve a normal cholesterol level through your diet. These high fat nuts include Brazil nuts, cashews, macadamia nuts and some pine nuts.

As most of us know, Omega-3 fatty acids can also be found in fatty fish. Some examples of fatty fish are sardines, mackerel, salmon, tuna, herring and trout. Most of these fatty fish are cold-water fish.

Besides knowing the foods you should eat to achieve a healthy and normal cholesterol level, you should also know the foods you should avoid. These foods are mostly foods that contain high cholesterol, including saturated fats and trans fats.

Bad cholesterol can found in trans fat and saturated fats and make your LDL cholesterol levels very high. That is why you should read all food labels and make sure you do not purchase and consume food that contains them. There are many types of food which contain cholesterol such as poultry, meat, eggs, milk and butter. As you cannot remove all the food with cholesterol from your diet, you should try minimizing the amount or portion of these foods.

If you are still not sure of what to eat to achieve and maintain a healthy and normal cholesterol level, you can consult your doctor or a dietician to help you make a diet plan. They can help you make a diet plan which consists of foods that have just the right amount of cholesterol for you.

Author: Cindy Heller
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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