How to Reduce Cholesterol Using Home Remedies
There are two types of blood cholesterol: Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and High-density lipoproteins (HDL). LDLs are bad because they are the ones responsible for deposit of plaque on the arteries walls. Deposit of plaque reduces the diameter of the artery and thereby restricts flow of blood through it. Therefore it can increase the risk of heart disease. HDLs are good because they remove cholesterol from arteries walls and carry it back to the liver to be excreted. Therefore HDLs in the blood can decrease the risk of heart disease.
Avoid high cholesterol foods; it can cause increased levels of low density lipoproteins (LDL) that carry cholesterol to build up a mass plaque on the arterial walls. This is known as hypercholesterolemia, the cause of atherosclerosis that causes problems like heart attack or strokes.
Saturated fats, trans fats, fat red meats, chicken, dairy products (fat not removed) are high cholesterol foods and is should be avoided. Avoid alcohol consumption and high sodium food sources. You should plan your diet for lowering cholesterol.
A list of low cholesterol foods that can be combined to create low cholesterol menus is given below:
The best low cholesterol foods are fruits and green vegetables. They are low in cholesterol and contain so many vitamins and minerals too. Green vegetables will help you to control your cholesterol, high blood pressure and reduce your risks for other heart diseases.
Lean protein is good in this condition. The excellent source of lean protein is fish. Try to eat 3 to 4 meals of fish each week.
Whole grains such as oatmeal are the best option for lowering cholesterol. They also provide you lots of energy because they have high-energy content and dietary fiber content. Grains are effective foods to lower cholesterol level. They are also effective in controlling weight. Wheat bread, beans, potatoes, pasta, and cereals can also help lower cholesterol levels.
Exercise and yoga plays an important role for healthy living. Exercise and yoga stimulate your metabolism and help you to lower cholesterol naturally. This is safe and effective too. With the help of exercise and yoga, you can increase your immunity, which will help you to fight with any disease. You will look, feel younger and fit. Stress contributes to the development of every disease in existence. Yoga will help you to manage your stress level and strengthen your immunity.
Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.
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High Cholesterol Foods ? Healthy, not Harmful
High cholesterol foods are usually foods high in saturated fats. High cholesterol foods are the more delicious foods. High cholesterol foods are mainly found in all animals and animal products, for example, egg yolks, meat, poultry, fish and higher fat milk products. High cholesterol foods are a major contributor to having high blood pressure. High cholesterol foods are bad for us, and God knew it.
Your body produces three to four times more cholesterol than you eat. The production of cholesterol increases when you eat little cholesterol and decreases when you eat much. In other words, the more high cholesterol foods you eat, the less cholesterol your body produces. It is true that the body – more specifically the liver – can produce cholesterol for the body’s needs. But taking cholesterol from high cholesterol foods can be helpful. When you do not take enough high cholesterol foods – for example, if you take mainly vegetable oils rather than animal fat containing cholesterol – the cholesterol in your blood will the transferred to your cells.
In traditional societies, high cholesterol foods were regarded as healthy foods. Our ancestors did not know about cholesterol but they knew that eggs, organ meat (including the brain), seafood, shellfish… were all highly nourishing for the body. Cholesterol is not a deadly poison, but a substance vital to the cells of all mammals. Cholesterol in its proper place is good, but it also has a dark side. Thus, the highest concentration of cholesterol in the body is found in the brain and other parts of the nervous system. And because cholesterol is needed for the brain, babies and children need high cholesterol foods for brain development. One of the richest high cholesterol foods is, in fact, human breast milk. And one of the worst foods to give to babies is soy infant formula, because it contains zero cholesterol.
People with very low cholesterol (below 150 mg/dl) are more prone to depression and nervous system disorders. Many scientific studies have found an association between cholesterol and heart disease. But this does not meant that high cholesterol foods cause heart disease – because there are people who eat plenty of high cholesterol foods and do not develop heart disease. And there are also people who develop heart disease even though they avoid high cholesterol foods. It is also important to understand that eating high cholesterol foods will not automatically lead to high cholesterol levels in the blood.
Among the many research findings published in scientific journals, Uffe Ravnskov discovered that: lowering cholesterol did not result in lower death rates from heart disease, but in HIGHER death rates from all causes. More significantly, Uffe Ravnskov has published over 80 scientific papers and letters in peer-reviewed journals criticizing what is commonly called the Lipid Hypothesis of heart disease – the belief that dietary saturated fats and cholesterol clog arteries and cause atherosclerosis and heart disease. Click here to read more about Uffe Ravnskov and the benefits of high cholesterol foods. Foods that are high in saturated fats and trans fat (such as coconut oil) can also raise your level of LDL (bad) cholesterol, so, in a way, they have a similar effect on your body as eating high cholesterol foods. But it does not stop there, because there are a number of other foods that may not be considered “high cholesterol foods” but that still raise your LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol) more than high cholesterol foods do. If a food does not come from an animal (such as a fruit or vegetable), then it does not have cholesterol.
To appreciate why high cholesterol foods are not harmful, we need to understand what cholesterol is, and what role it plays in human health. Typically, high cholesterol foods are also high in saturated fats, which is part of what makes them taste good. High cholesterol foods should not be entirely avoided, as many of them are an essential part of a healthy diet, as noted above, but you should learn to reduce their intake in order to maintain or lower your LDL cholesterol levels. High cholesterol foods are animal products such as eggs, fatty meats, and any poultry with the skin on would be high in cholesterol.
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High Cholesterol Foods To Avoid
For those who suffer from high cholesterol the best and first way to control and lower their cholesterol levels is through their diet. But many people are confused as to what constitutes a high cholesterol food they need to avoid and a low cholesterol food. This is because there is a difference between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol.
Generally most health guidelines recommend that dietary cholesterol not exceed 300 mg per day for most healthy people, but if one suffers from high LDL blood cholesterol levels then this intake should be not more than 200 mg per day.
Cholesterol, a waxy like substance, is only found in animal meat and tissues and its sources include red meat, eggs, fish, poultry, and dairy products. On the flip side any food derived from plant sources is cholesterol free, including high fat plants food sources such as avocado\’s and peanut butter. This is where the confusion usually happens because eating large amounts of vegetable oil, which is virtually 100% food fat, can significantly raise blood cholesterol levels, particularly when eaten with high cholesterol foods.
The fact is that blood LDL cholesterol levels are highly influenced by the amount of saturated fat that one eats. There is a relationship between the amounts of saturated fat one eats the LDL cholesterol levels in the blood. For every one percent increase in calories obtained by eating saturated fat, blood cholesterol levels go up around two percent. Conversely for every one percent decrease in saturated fat intake cholesterol levels will reduce about two percent.
The thing to remember when it comes avoiding high cholesterol foods is that while doing so will decrease LDL cholesterol levels, reducing saturated fat intake has a bigger impact on these levels then many people are aware of. This does not mean that those who suffer from high cholesterol can eat high cholesterol foods, but they should be aware that there is more to reducing cholesterol then just this one thing.
The reason for this confusion with the way cholesterol can increase in the blood stream is the way many foods are cooked and/or served. Let\’s look at one of everyone\’s favorite breakfasts; bacon/sausage and eggs. We all know that eggs are high in cholesterol, but what we don\’t know is that the cholesterol in eggs has a small impact on blood cholesterol levels. It\’s the high amount of saturated fat in the bacon or sausage that has a far larger impact on LDL cholesterol levels.
Another culprit is deep fat fried foods. Many foods are for the most part harmless until they are breaded and fried in hot oil. In fact, many fish and seafood choices are considered to be good for us because of the omega-3 fatty acids that they contain, but as soon as they are deep fried and eaten any benefits are cancelled by the saturated fat that raises bad LDL cholesterol.
When it comes to high cholesterol foods to avoid it is important to remember that these types of food aren\’t necessarily bad in and of themselves if eaten in moderation. The real problem occurs when they are combined with high levels of saturated fat, which has a more profound effect on blood cholesterol levels.
To learn more about Low Cholesterol Food please visit the website Lowering Cholesterol by clicking here.
Get Information About Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a fatty substance (a lipid) that is an important part of the outer lining (membrane) of cells in the body of animals. Cholesterol is also found in the blood circulation of humans. 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. Organ meats, such as liver, are especially high in cholesterol content, while foods of plant origin contain no cholesterol.
Blood cholesterol level is affected by the diet, since cholesterol is present in certain foods and is manufactured in the body from digested fats. High levels of cholesterol in the blood are associated with hardened arteries (known as atherosclerosis), coronary artery disease (heart attack), and stroke.
There are many types of cholesterol. LDL or Low-density lipoprotein is the “bad” cholesterol, as it blocks the arteries. HDL or High-density lipoprotein is the “good” cholesterol, as it protects the arteries from clogging.
Diets should contain less than 30% calories from fat, less than 8% from saturated fat, and enriched in marine or plant omega-3 fatty acids. Avoid high saturated fats, like diary fats (ice cream, butter) and palm and coconut oils. Limit high cholesterol foods, like eggs and organ meats (liver). Eat higher fiber foods, fruit and vegetables. Eat more fish and skinless chicken breasts. Avoid fried foods and frying which soaks up the fat . Choose low fat and non-fat dairy products, avoid hard margarines which have trans-fatty acids, and try to use products made from plants instead.
Cholesterol really assists the system by creating original cells, aiding in the output of hormones, and insulating the numerous nerves that operate throughout the system. High cholesterol rates are alarmingly growing. Cholesterol may be accounted for higher blood force and coronary eye diseases but not all of these oily substances are detrimental. There are the terrible and better cholesterol. The better cholesterol aids in bile salts output and vitamin D formations. In fact, cholesterol portrays a character of balancing hormones especially among women. Health professionals are trying urgently to offer extreme solutions to the matter.
High blood cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for coronary heart disease, and it is a risk factor you can modify. Knowing your total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglyceride levels is an important first step in determining your risk for heart disease. Left undiagnosed or untreated, a high blood cholesterol level, as well as other coronary risk factors, can lead to possible serious cardiovascular problems in the future.
Get physical, do regular physical activities and exercises more often. The wonders of exercise are indeed very essential in lowering high cholesterol levels. Doing regular physical activities can also help raise the good cholesterol levels and lose weight as well. There’s really no need for high-intensity workouts, regular brisk walking or jogging can help the body boost HDL cholesterol and also beneficial for the heart.
Medications for cholesterol are most often long-term medications. They have to be taken everyday, often for the rest of your life. Drugs that are most often prescribed are the statins. Statins help the liver remove LDL cholesterol, and reduce production of cholesterol.
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How High Should Your Cholesterol Levels Be?
A 2007 report from the Women’s Health Study showed that high levels of cholesterol, even in healthy women, was a risk factor that increased a woman’s chances of having a stroke. Other studies have shown a link between high levels of cholesterol and Alzheimer’s disease. And the media has been warning us for years to cut down our intake of cholesterol because high cholesterol leads to hardening of the arteries. But what is cholesterol and why is it even it our bodies?
Cholesterol is a soft, waxy, fat-like substance that is made by the body. It is in all of your cells and can be found in all parts of the body including your skin, blood vessels, muscles, and so on. Since your body actively creates cholesterol, we can assume that having cholesterol in your body is not necessarily bad. In fact, you couldn’t eliminate all the cholesterol in your body if you tried.
Cholesterol is important for the body. The cells use cholesterol as a building block in creating its protective membrane. Studies have indicated that “good” HDL cholesterol protects against heart disease and stroke even if “bad” LDL cholesterol levels are high. Good cholesterol helps to prevent dangerous breakaway blood clots – which can be caused by sitting in a cramped position for too long. Cholesterol also helps to manufacture vitamin D in the body from the sun. And there is much more good that cholesterol does for the body.
There is also a second source of cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol comes form the foods that we eat. It can be only be found in animal foods and eating it raises the bad cholesterol level in your own body. There have been many studies over the years that correlate a high intake of dietary cholesterol to coronary heart disease. In other words, the more high cholesterol foods we eat, the greater our chance of developing heart disease or a stroke.
High density lipoprotein (HDL), the good cholesterol, is a form of cholesterol that circulates in the bloodstream. One of its jobs is to remove excess cholesterol from the body’s tissues and transport it to the liver where it will be excreted from the body. This process of “taking out the garbage” or cleansing the bloodstream is why HDL is a called good cholesterol and also why it’s good for your body to have a relatively high HDL level. Some researchers say that an HDL of 60 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) or greater is good and will protect you against hardening of the arteries and lower your risk of getting heart disease.
Conversely, a low level of HDL, such as less then 40 mg/dl, has a negative effect. Many studies indicate that a low level of HDL combined with a high level of LDL seems to be a precursor of heart disease
You can control your cholesterol. The total amount of cholesterol in your body at any point in time is a function of how fast your HDL and liver can cleanse your system of it’s existing cholesterol combined with the amount of dietary cholesterol that you’ve eaten during recent hours.
Controlling the amount of cholesterol that you allow into your body is a huge part of your lifestyle that you can modify to decrease your chances of heart disease or stroke. According to the American Heart Association, if you eat less then 300 milligrams of cholesterol a day, you can significantly reduce your cholesterol levels. By paying greater attention to the foods you eat, you can help to assure yourself of a long and healthy life.
Melissa Chow is a freelance writer who writes articles relating to diet for living with diabetes and high blood pressure and other health issues Visit her site at www.highbloodpressurearticles.com .
List of Things You Can Do to Lower Your Cholesterol
Experts say that people who are over 20 years of age should pay more attention to their cholesterol level and advise them to do everything they can to lower their levels of “bad” cholesterol. Despite the so many claims that you can lower your cholesterol level through low cholesterol diet plans, lifestyle changes, and monitored medication, more and more people who suffer from this condition still fail to lower their cholesterol level.
Although it is sometimes hard to stick with the needed requirements to be able to lower your cholesterol levels, it is still possible to get the result that you want by following these easy ways to lower to cholesterol:
1. Make sure you know where you stand by getting your levels checked regularly. Visiting your doctor and getting your cholesterol levels checked regularly is very important to achieving optimum health for good. Since high cholesterol is related to cardiovascular disease, make sure that you know your numbers so you can rearrange your diet and change lifestyle habits as well. Knowing your cholesterol level will also help you decide what kind of diet plan you should follow and if you need medication and treatment already. Knowing your starting point will also help you monitor your progress toward healthy cholesterol levels. If you know your exact cholesterol status then you can also do something to combat it by learning to quit cigarette smoking and excessive eating of high cholesterol foods.
2. Understanding the basics and learning everything you can about the condition. If you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol levels, the first thing to do is to understand the situation fully and acquire more information about the condition. By conducting your own personal research on the condition will also make you knowledgeable about initial lifestyle changes you can do to lessen the problem and you will also have an idea what other treatments options available. Knowing everything about cholesterol, its types, kinds, and health risks will also make you understand that the case is not really hopeless if you are in the right track.
Finding and getting more information about the condition will also make you realize that there are so many things that you can do. You can get more information from a registered dietician, local centers for nutrition, local hospital or public health department, and from a consultation with your attending physician or health care provider.
3. Watch your weight and get rid of extra pounds if needed. Monitoring your weight is one of the best ways to combat high levels of cholesterol. If you think you are overweight for your age and height, then you should be contemplating on slimming down to be able to decrease your high cholesterol level. Since being overweight disrupts a person’s normal metabolism of dietary fat, experts say that people who weight more than they should shout start planning on a healthy lifestyle and diet to lose weight safely.
But, before having a drastic change in your diet and lifestyle, make sure that you visit your doctor first to access your overall health. Doing this may prevent further damage especially if you have to undergo certain medications.
4. Get physical, do regular physical activities and exercises more often. The wonders of exercise are indeed very essential in lowering high cholesterol levels. Doing regular physical activities can also help raise the good cholesterol levels and lose weight as well. There’s really no need for high-intensity workouts, regular brisk walking or jogging can help the body boost HDL cholesterol and also beneficial for the heart.
5. Make a commitment and stick to that commitment. The best way to lower cholesterol levels is to be able to develop the discipline to stick to your goal. You can also lower your cholesterol level by acquainting yourself what are the good and the bad fat and its sources, by discovering the wonders of fiber in cutting down cholesterol, by taking in good multivitamins, by freeing yourself from lots of stress, and by exploring and considering treatment options when all else fails.
To learn about high cholesterol foods and normal cholesterol levels, visit the Cholesterol Guidelines site.
Low Cholesterol Diet – Decrease Risk of Heart Diseases
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fatty wax lipid that can be found in the cell membranes of humans and animals.
Cholesterol is a tricky little devil, because if it gets out of hand you could have a serious health risk, including heart attack and other potentially fatal conditions. That is why it is so important to have a low cholesterol diet, because it reduces your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. High cholesterol is something you need to avoid. It can cause many conditions including heart disease.
By having a low cholesterol diet, you are less likely to contact heart disease than someone who eats a high cholesterol diet.Well, whether or not you have high cholesterol, eating too many high cholesterol foods will give you high cholesterol. So, manage your diet and eat right, and remember that a low cholesterol diet is important for your health.
Causes, Symptoms of High Cholesterol
Nobody wants High cholesterol. When you hear the dreaded words from your doctor saying you have high cholesterol, you are probably thinking something along the lines of – “Now. I will never be able to eat my favorite food again!” But do not worry, there are many low cholesterol diets that can be good for you and taste well all at the same time. First let’s look at the causes of high cholesterol. In most cases, weight plays a large role in high cholesterol because of the food you eat and the amount of food you eat.
Sometimes it can be as simple as losing a few pounds to lower your cholesterol levels, but other times you simply can do nothing. You lose weight but your cholesterol levels are still the same. This can be an example of hereditary cholesterol, which means your high cholesterol levels could be the result of one of your family members having high cholesterol. A low cholesterol diet will help to keep your cholesterol levels down but it will be harder because it is something in your genes that makes your cholesterol high. Also stress can raise your cholesterol so practicing stress relief is a good idea, and exercise may be the perfect option for you, exercise can both decrease your stress and your cholesterol levels all at the same time.
Symptoms of high cholesterol can be, fatigue, depression and other emotional conditions. A good suggestion when starting a low cholesterol diet would be to avoid fatty, unhealthy foods, like french fries, and other fast foods that are high in cholesterol. Junk food is never good, so when you are trying to stay on a low cholesterol diet, try to avoid these types of foods at all costs. Yes I know you love those kind of foods, but it is not the end of great tasting foods for you yet. Today there are many substitutes for junk foods that can be made right at home with ingredients that will not raise your cholesterol levels.
It is good to go to your local book store and find a low cholesterol diet cookbook, because a lot of the time you can find delicious recipes that are much lower in cholesterol than other foods. For example if you get hungry for french fries while on a low cholesterol diet, consider this – most low cholesterol cookbooks will have a recipe for oven fries. These are a delicious substitute for regular french fries and they taste great! Of course if you cannot find this recipe feel free to go online and find low cholesterol recipes for you and your family to enjoy.
Author: Dr. John Anne
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Causes of High Cholesterol – The Causes and Tips to Reduce High Cholesterol
The causes of high cholesterol are numerous and common. If you don’t have high cholesterol and your looking for a preventative measure, I applaud you and your efforts. Prevention is the best solution.
There is a tipping point at a certain level where you enter a danger zone. Although it takes years of bad habits and age to amplify the problem, cholesterol only becomes a problem at a certain point. At this high point, you have to start changing your diet and exercise in order to prevent heart disease. The problem is you are no longer allowed to have a balanced diet. People with high cholesterol are told to avoid high cholesterol foods and for some, this is the only source of protein and important nutrients.
Your job is to understand what causes high cholesterol in order to keep your levels at bay. The first aspect of cholesterol that everyone needs to know about is that their are 2 different types.
Good Cholesterol (Also known as, HDL cholesterol) – This is the type of cholesterol in the body that removes extra cholesterol from the body. You see, the body needs cholesterol to form cell membranes, produce vitamin D, produce bile to digest fat, and many other things. You don’t need too much cholesterol in order to follow through on these different processes. Your body uses HDL cholesterol in order to remove all the extra.
Bad Cholesterol (Also known as, LDL cholesterol) – This is the type of cholesterol that brings cholesterol to the rest of the body. Out of all the causes of high cholesterol, this has to be one of the most prominent. This type sends cholesterol to the cells. It is more likely to be turned into plaque by free radicals. When your cholesterol turns into plaque, it builds up on the artery walls. one day when your not aware, the bubble of plaque bursts and unleashes blobs of fat that get stuck and have the tendency to cause a heart attack.
The causes of high cholesterol really have to do a lot with the different types of cholesterol.
1. Overeating Saturated Fat Foods
If you eat foods with high saturated fat content, you are at a high risk for high cholesterol. Ingesting saturated fat always increases the level of cholesterol the body produces. The liver understands that their is more fat to process so it creates more cholesterol to take care of it. Remember, cholesterol is used in the production of bile. Since bile is necessary in order to process fat, cholesterol is required in order to produce bile.
In addition, fat is also turned into triglycerides or the basic form that is stored in the body. Cholesterol is required to transport this to the cells. Again, the more fat eaten, the more that has to be stored in the body. This is an additional burden that has to be carried through the blood and increases the constant level of cholesterol.
2. Lack of exercise
This is another one of the larger causes of high cholesterol in the body. Exercise is shown to increase levels of good cholesterol in the body. If you don’t exercise, your good cholesterol will ultimately me lower. If your good cholesterol level is low, there is not enough of it to transport all the excess out of your body.
3. Genetics
Studies have shown that genetics has a lot to do with different cholesterol levels. Even if you stay on a healthy diet and exercise, you can still have high cholesterol. This is one of the causes of high cholesterol that is very difficult to explain and treat.
Now that you know what it takes to reach high levels of cholesterol, try to prevent that from ever happening by keeping fit, eating healthy foods, and above all, by taking the right supplement. If you are at risk for high cholesterol, it is recommended that your daily supplement be specific for high cholesterol. Studies have shown the preventative powers of cholesterol lowering supplements. Their ingredients are a special blend of different cholesterol managing substances, vitamins, and minerals.
Author: George Christodoulou
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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