Physicians beware: Cholesterol counts in kidney disease patients
To understand the health effects of high cholesterol levels, doctors first need to assess malnutrition and inflammation status in their chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN).
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How to Reduce Blood Cholesterol? Tips to Lower Cholesterol
How to reduce blood cholesterol? This is a common question when people found that they have high cholesterol levels. Reduce blood cholesterol levels is important for everyone, with or without heart disease and/or stroke. It is recommended to lead a more healthy life.
Here are some ways how to reduce cholesterol – tips to lower cholesterol:
1. Natural Treatment to reduce blood cholesterol.
Cholesterol produces by the liver also found in certain foods. That means we can control what we eat. Natural treatment to lower cholesterol is one of the important key to make you success to lower your cholesterol. Lower cholesterol natural way such as healthy eating -low fat food- low cholesterol diet, healthy lifestyle and, exercise regularly.
2. Herbs to reduce blood cholesterol.
Herbs to reduce blood cholesterol are new options to dealing with higher levels of cholesterol. It is especially good for people do not respond well to pharmaceutical cholesterol-lowering medications. Always consult to you doctor before use some of herbs to reduce blood cholesterol.
3. Cholesterol lowering drug medication.
Your doctor may decide to give you cholesterol lowering drug medication if you are not able to lower your cholesterol using natural treatments, or you have seriously high levels LDL cholesterol.
You still need to follow healthy lifestyle to help manage your cholesterol even if your doctor prescribes any of cholesterol lowering drug medications for high cholesterol.
There are ways how to reduce blood cholesterol, tips to lower cholesterol. Remember high cholesterol is serious problem that can higher your risk to heart attack or stroke. So take action now, reduce your cholesterol to the healthy blood cholesterol levels. Read more: Lowering Cholesterol Naturally!
Author: Suririnah Chandra
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Electric Pressure Cooker
What Is High Cholesterol And How Does It Affect Me
Cholesterol is a type of fat that is part of all animal cells. It is essential for many of the body metabolic processes, including hormone and bile production, and to help the body use vitamin D.
Cholesterol is more abundant in tissues which either synthesize more or have more abundant densely-packed membranes, for example, the liver, spinal cord and brain.
The liver is the main processing center for cholesterol. When we eat animal fats, the liver returns the cholesterol it can not use to our bloodstream and when there is too much cholesterol circulating in our bloodstream, it can build up into fatty deposits. These deposits cause the arteries to narrow and can eventually block the arteries completely, leading to heart disease and stroke.
Cholesterol is produced by the liver and it is also made by most cells in the body. It is carried around in the blood by lipoproteins. We need blood cholesterol because the body uses it to build the structure of cell membranes, to produce hormones like testosterone, adrenaline and estrogen and to aid the metabolism.
Types of Cholesterol
There are two types of cholesterol, good and bad, the difference between them is:
a. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol called the bad cholesterol because it goes into the bloodstream and clogs up your arteries.
b. High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol called the good cholesterol because it helps to take the bad cholesterol out of the bloodstream.
Cholesterol is transported towards peripheral tissues by the lipoproteins chylomicrons, very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL).
Risks associated with high triglycerides
According to the lipid hypothesis, abnormally high cholesterol levels (hypercholesterolemia), or more correctly, higher concentrations of LDL and lower concentrations of functional HDL are strongly associated with cardiovascular disease because these promote atheroma development in arteries (atherosclerosis). High cholesterol has also been linked to diabetes and high blood pressure.
Both heredity and diet have a significant influence on a person’s LDL, HDL and total cholesterol levels. Evidence strongly indicates that high cholesterol levels can cause narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis), heart attacks, and strokes.
Cholesterol in the bile can crystallize to form gall stones that may block the bile ducts. Cholesterol count also rises during pregnancy.
However, in recent years, scientists have come to realise that to decide whether an individual’s cholesterol levels are dangerous, these levels need to be considered in the light of the person’s overall risk of heart disease.The higher the risk of heart disease (for example, a male smoker with high blood pressure and diabetes), the greater the need to get cholesterol levels down.
Cholesterol tests
Cholesterol testing is recommended as a screening test to be done on all adults at least once every five years.
Foods that contain cholesterol
The cholesterol in your diet comes mainly from the saturated fats found in animal products. All foods from animals contain some cholesterol. Foods from plants do not contain cholesterol. Other sources of dietary cholesterol are full fat dairy foods, eggs and some seafood.
Safe blood cholesterol levels
Health authorities recommend that cholesterol levels should be no higher than 5.5mmols per liter. Approximately 50 per cent of adult Australians have a blood cholesterol level above 5mmols per liter. This makes high blood cholesterol a major health concern in Australia.
How to lower high cholesterol
The best way to maintain healthy levels of cholesterol in your diet is to limit foods high in saturated fats. Try to avoid: Fatty meats , full fat dairy products, processed meats like salami and sausages, snack foods like chips, most takeaway foods, especially deep fried foods, cakes, biscuits and pastries.
However the most important thing you can do to reduce your cholesterol level is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. You should try to:
a. Limit the amount of cholesterol-rich foods you eat.
Increase the amount and variety of fresh fruit, vegetables and wholegrain foods you have each day.
b. Choose low or reduced fat milk, yoghurt and other dairy products or have added calcium soy drinks.
c. Choose lean meat (meat trimmed of fat or labeled as heart smart).
d. Limit fatty meats, including sausages and salami, and choose leaner sandwich meats like turkey breast or cooked lean chicken.
e. Have fish (fresh or canned) at least twice a week. Replace butter and dairy blends with polyunsaturated margarines.
f. Include foods in your diet that are rich in soluble fiber and healthy fats, such as nuts, legumes and seeds.
g. Limit cheese and ice cream to twice a week.
Some studies have suggested that eating oats and legumes may lower LDL cholesterol. Food components like saponins (found in chickpeas, alfalfa sprouts and other foods) and sulphur compounds (like allicin found in garlic and onions) may also have a positive effect on cholesterol levels.
Plant sterols can lower cholesterol levels,these are
found naturally in plant foods including sunflower and canola seeds, vegetable oils and (in smaller amounts) in nuts, legumes, cereals, fruit and vegetables. Some margarine has concentrated plant sterols added to it. Plant sterol enriched margarines may help to lower LDL cholesterol.
Treatment for high cholesterol
Treatment of high cholesterol is aimed at lowering the low-density lipoproteins (LDL) or bad cholesterol, lowering triglyceride levels, and increasing the high-density lipoproteins (HDL) or good cholesterol.
Treatment will be most effective if it also includes appropriate diet, weight loss (if necessary) and physical activity.
The first steps in treating high cholesterol levels are: Regular physical activity and healthy eating.
There are also some foods that may help to lower cholesterol levels, particularly garlic, soya, oats, corn and selenium-enriched cereals.
Cholesterol-lowering foods are not suitable for children under five years or for pregnant or breastfeeding mothers.
Medication :Statin drugs work by interfering with the cholesterol-producing mechanisms of the liver and by increasing the capacity of the liver to remove cholesterol from circulating blood. Statins can lower LDL cholesterol by as much as 60 percent, depending on the drug and dosage.
Dick Aronson has a background of over 35 years in various facets of the Healthcare industry. He set up and ran clinical trials in more than 20 countries and he has also founded a number of small private health related businesses. Dick now runs a number of informative health websites Go to Health Innovations Online and Go to Cholesterol Information
How to Reduce Cholesterol the Natural Way
Having a high cholesterol level has become a very serious problem for many people today. This has been credited to a majority of the population getting accustomed to a diet rich in fats, bad habits such as smoking and leading a sedentary lifestyle. And because of high cholesterol levels, more and more people are finding themselves at an increased risk of developing coronary heart disease as well as stroke and heart attack.
Heart disease is the number one cause of death for most people in the developed countries around the world. Having a high level of blood cholesterol has been linked to the increase of the incidence of heart disease and has become a grave cause of concern.
The only good news to this fact is that developing heart disease is highly preventable. All it takes is for one to be able to follow a healthier lifestyle. The path to such a lifestyle is trying to lower one’s cholesterol level. Although there are already several drugs available that will help an individual reduce body cholesterol levels, this is usually reserved for more high risk patients in need of drastic decreases in their cholesterol levels. There are also natural ways readily available for anyone looking forward to lowering their own cholesterol to normal and healthy levels.
One of the natural ways of lowering cholesterol levels is through diet. Following a low cholesterol diet day in and day out can be very effective in trying to control and maintain a normal cholesterol level. This would mean eating low cholesterol foods such as soy products, vegetables and fruits.
High fiber foods are also known to help in the fight to lower cholesterol. Regular exercise is also a good habit to develop if you are really intent in trying to lower your cholesterol levels. Exercise helps in increasing HDL or “good” cholesterol in the body as well as strengthens your heart muscle, helps keep your blood pressure at normal and even helps you in shedding of those excess pounds.
There are also several natural supplements that will be able to help you lower your cholesterol levels. Taking B-complex vitamins, specifically Niacin, has been known to help lower blood cholesterol in the body. supplements fortified with Lecithin can also help in lowering your cholesterol as it enables excess fat and cholesterol to be dispersed in the water instead of building up in the arteries.
There are other natural ways of lowering cholesterol levels available today. All it will take is some research and talking to your doctor about how to effectively follow a lifestyle that will enable you to lower cholesterol the natural way.
Learn about what is cholesterol and how to reduce cholesterol at the Cholesterol Guidelines site.
There is a Drugfree Way to Lower Cholesterol
There has been a substantial increase in people having high cholesterol levels. It has been proven in many studies that an unhealthy increase in blood cholesterol levels can lead or be associated with the development of heart disease. High cholesterol levels can also increase the risk of strokes and heart attacks. Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death among people living in industrialized societies such as the US. The increasing incidence of high cholesterol levels in people living in this part of the world can often be contributed to a high saturated fat diet, smoking and leading a sedentary lifestyle.
There are several dugs now available that is being used to treat unhealthy cholesterol levels in people. Most popular of these is the HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor or what is more simply known as Statins. This group of cholesterol lowering drugs come in different name drugs and is increasingly being used in order to help high risk patients drastically lower their cholesterol levels. Statins can also increase the levels of HDL or “good” cholesterol.
Although statins and other known drugs being used to lower cholesterol levels have been proven to be very effective, there are also other ways available for people to lower their cholesterol levels without the use of such drugs. One of these is trying to lead a more active lifestyle. Physical activity and exercise is an important part of several low cholesterol therapies that aim to reduce bad cholesterol levels. Regular exercise can also help in reducing blood pressure, excess weight as well as decrease the diabetes risk.
Following a low cholesterol diet can also help a lot in trying to decrease high cholesterol levels. Scientists have found that a low cholesterol diet can help decrease cholesterol levels by as much as 29 percent in one month. This suggests that a combination diet can also be as effective as drugs like statins used to treat people with high cholesterol levels. It has also been established that eating low cholesterol and high fiber foods can cut individual cholesterol level by seven percent.
A recommended diet that can help people avoid developing coronary heart disease include consuming non-hydrogenated or unprocessed fats, eating a rich diet of soy protein, nuts and fiber rich foods such as oats and barley. Increased consumption of Omega-3 fats from fish and other plant sources can also have a positive effect in any low cholesterol diet as well as a healthy amount of fruits and vegetables.
Information on cholesterol ratio can be found at Cholesterol Guidelines.
Understanding What is Bad Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a very familiar medical term almost to anyone, particularly the middle age group. It is a common thing the word will never be a part of teen-age lingo. The main reason is, most of the dreaded ailments accompanying “high cholesterol” levels are associated with hypertension, heart failure, diabetes and other long term and acquired conditions, which does not could also happen to younger generation as juvenile complications. To make it clear, when the majority is talking about lowering cholesterol, it is all about alleviating the further progress of bad cholesterol.
There are two kinds of cholesterol accumulating or present in the human body. Bad cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein is harmful because it can cause atheroma. Atheroma is considered to be the plaque of the arteries, commonly referred to as fat streaks. If not watched carefully, accumulation of ‘macrophage white blood cells’ can happen to a child even before the age of 10.
The early symptoms may start as early as 5 years old, while the child grows up and the condition is accumulating quietly in the veins. Most of the time, the exact symptoms are only given prognosis after the onset of heart attack or stroke, which is already too late for the patient. The attack of silent killers may not cause death but chances are it can lead to lifetime disability.
It is debilitating to imagine how high levels of bad cholesterol can cause serious consequences to the body. When most people may appear healthy all the time, cholesterols can only be checked through lab tests. Sometimes it surprises people to find out how high their cholesterol build-up has soared for the past years.
There is no mystery behind the strengthening of bad cholesterol other than high consumption of saturated fats in the diet. In the advent of labels or guides in processed foods like canned goods and other packed products in the groceries, it is easy to see the amount of cholesterol a food has. This is just a small matter on how to grasp the essence of being cholesterol conscious.
The major way to lower down cholesterol levels in the body is to understand how it metabolizes in the body. Cholesterol doe not actually come from diet alone. It is a whole process within where diet is just one of the contributing factor. Good cholesterol aids in the body’s biochemical functioning like producing bile, regulating of vitamins that are fat soluble such as A, K, D, and E.
It also has impact on the synthesis of the body hormone. After cholesterol has been utilized in the body, it excretes as excess lipids in the liver and gall bladder as crystal particles. Because cholesterol is not water soluble, it circulates over and over and gets converted to bad cholesterol (low density lipoproteins). For normal individuals with healthy metabolism, bad cholesterol is minimal and comes in as large quantities. The harmful ones are those that come in many number of small sizes trapped in the veins as accumulated clogs.
When it comes to lowering high cholesterol, basically there is nothing to ponder about genetic weaknesses, the key is watching over food intake. Cholesterol is highly present in animal meats and fats, especially pork and beef. It is easy to watch fatty foods with all the precautions available today. But it takes discipline to live a life with less cholesterol consumption.
For tips on cholesterol ratio and low cholesterol foods, visit the Cholesterol Guidelines website.
Food to Lower Your Cholesterol
High cholesterol levels are slowly killing off the population. The increasing prevalence and risk of hypertension and heart disease in Americans are ringing the alarm bells in the country’s health sector. Health officials are desperately trying to find ways to combat the rise and make people aware of the eating lifestyle and exercise lifestyle that they are imbibing.
The truth about cholesterol
Although cholesterol is mainly the culprit in the increase in high blood pressure in the body, not all cholesterol that we take in is essentially bad. In fact, small amounts of cholesterol is being used by the body in the production of bile salts and in the transformation of Vitamin D. Cholesterol also plays a role in the balancing of hormones especially in women.
There are two kinds of cholesterol, the good and the bad as the lay people will like to clal them. The bad cholesterol or the LDL is the kind that is often found in saturated fats and trans fatty acids. These are taken into the body through foods that are pre-packed and prepared such as potato chips, canned goods, etc. LDL cholesterol adheres to the walls of the arteries. High levels of LDL can form plaques in the arterial walls that may eventually cause clogging in the passageway of the blood. This slows down the blood flow, which in turn makes it hard for the heart to pump. This scenario describes the initial stages of hypertension and coronary heart problems.
What to eat
The good cholesterol HDL on the other hand lower the levels of LDL in the body by helping transport the LDL to the liver where it is excreted. HDL cholesterol can be found in fishes as well as in nuts.
Other foods that can lower the cholesterol levels are fruits and vegetables. These foods do not contain that much cholesterol so whatever you have, you will not be adding to its levels.
Another great thing about veggies and fruits is the fact that they are great sources of fibers that the body also need to combat the increase in LDL cholesterol. Berries, fruits that are citrus and carrots are just some of the fruits that you can count on. Another food that can dramatically reduce the levels of cholesterol in the body is the soya. Fiber-rich food, soya as well as almonds and plant sterols figure in a landmark study conducted by University of Toronto that reduced the cholesterol levels of the participants by as much as 20 percent. Eating oats, olive oil and barley are also great ways to lower LDL.
Another great source of cholesterol are foods that are really oily. To lower one’s LDL, one must consciously avoid foods that are deep-fried. If you have to eat fried foods, make sure that the oil that you use is made out of vegetable.
Never use butter as this is rich in saturated fats. Instead, use margarine as a substitute. Try to also steam, braise, boil or bake your food. You will find that they are tastier and healthier.
Not just the food
There are many factors that contribute to the rise of cholesterol levels in the body. In addition to one’s eating lifestyle, there is the age, the gender, the family history and of course the amount of physical activity that the person does.
Exercise is fairly important in keeping LDL cholesterol at bay. What is more, it strengthens the body’s resistance as well as improves blood circulation.
Find tips about what is cholesterol and how to reduce cholesterol at the Cholesterol Guidelines site.
Having a Diet to Lower Cholesterol
If you want to lower your cholesterol levels, following an ideal diet may be able to help you a lot. It has been known for a long time now that the food a person eats or is accustomed to eating daily can have a direct relation in the body’s cholesterol levels.
And it is important for people to lower their cholesterol levels because cholesterol has been associated with the development of coronary heart disease. The higher the level of blood cholesterol levels in an individual, the more likely it is that he will be developing heart disease later on. Aside from that high cholesterol levels can also put a person at risk of suffering from a stroke or a heart attack.
Aside from using drugs to lower cholesterol levels, following a low cholesterol diet is the next best thing to keep your cholesterol levels down. Eating more vegetables, soy products and other low cholesterol foods can be just as effective at reducing blood cholesterol as medication. A study has been able to show that a vegetarian diet can lower cholesterol by as much as one-third in just a month.
The best cholesterol-lowering diet that you can follow usually includes a hearty serving of vegetables such as broccoli and red peppers. Soymilk and soy sausages, oat bran cereal and bread as well as plenty of fruits and nuts make up a complete low cholesterol diet. Soy protein, nuts, and fiber rich food such as oats and barley can effectively cut cholesterol levels by up to seven percent.
A low cholesterol diet also requires you to minimize your intake of saturated fat by seven percent and other fat substances by 25-35 percent. It has been discovered that the best diet for avoiding coronary heart disease includes consuming non-hydrogenated (unprocessed) fats rather than the hydrogenated variety. Increased consumption of omega-3 fats from fish, fish oil or plant sources such as flaxseeds is the suggested fat intake in a low cholesterol diet. With a low cholesterol diet, one should also limit daily sodium intake somewhere in the level of 2400 milligrams daily.
A typical day on the low cholesterol diet would include a hearty breakfast of soymilk, oat bran cereal with chopped fruit and almonds, oatmeal bread, vegetable-based margarine and jam. A typical low cholesterol lunch would comprise of soy cold cuts, oat bran bread, bean soup and a dessert of fruit. For dinner, stir-fry vegetables, tofu, fruit and almonds would be the usual low cholesterol diet fare. Following this type of low cholesterol diet religiously for long periods, it is possible for one’s cholesterol level to drop by as much as 29 percent in just a month.
Visit Cholesterol Guidelines to learn about normal cholesterol levels and high cholesterol foods.
The Difference Between HDL and LDL Cholesterol
There is a soft waxy substance found in fats that are in the blood stream and all of your bodies cells, it is called cholesterol. It is used to form cell membranes, hormones, and needed for other things, that’s why it is an important part of the health of your body. But too much or too little cholesterol in the body can cause health concerns. Cholesterol can not be dissolved in the blood so it is transported by lipoproteins.
There are two different kinds of lipoproteins that transport cholesterol throughout the body called Low density and high density lipoproteins. LDL cholesterol is circulated in the blood and can slowly build up plague on the walls of arteries. It can cause a clot to form and block the blood flow to the heart and cause a heart attack. If the clot blocks the blood from the brain it is a stroke.
HDL cholesterol carries about one fourth of the blood cholesterol. It mostly carries it away from the arteries and into the liver where it is removed from the body as a toxin. HDL cholesterol is better known as the good cholesterol. It is referred to as this because it seems to protect the heart.
As there are 2 different main kinds of cholesterol there is also 2 main ways to get cholesterol. The liver produced some cholesterol and food that is consumed contains cholesterol. There is food that doesn’t have cholesterol in it as well. Normally the liver makes all the cholesterol that the body is going to need. Therefore you don’t need to consume any cholesterol. Trans fats and saturated fats raise the blood cholesterol. The liver does remove some of the excess cholesterol but the body is still taking in more than it needs.
People who have high cholesterol levels need more excess cholesterol removed from the body. Getting regular exercise can actually increase HDL cholesterol in some people. It can also help control weight, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Things like power walking, jogging, and swimming are great exercise. Even things like yard work; house work, cleaning, and grocery shopping are getting exercise.
Smoking has a great affect on your body. It is one of the risk factors for heart disease. You can change or treat it though. Smoking does however lower your HDL Cholesterol levels and increases the risk for blood clots. Moderate use of alcohol has been linked with higher levels of HDL Cholesterol, but the other risk f actors of drinking still don’t make it a great preventative. It can raise blood pressure, cause obesity, stroke, and cancer.
Some of the foods that should be avoided to prevent excess cholesterol in the body are beef products, veal products, pork products, egg, egg yolk, turkey products, fish oil, fish products, lamb products, chicken products, and processed meats.
Mostly all meat products will raise cholesterol levels. So will any fast food, and junk foods.
Alterative Health Supplements has a product that will lower cholesterol levels in your body. Cholestasys will promote elimination of cholesterol from the body and reduces the level of cholesterol that the liver produces. It will balance your level of cholesterol to a healthy level and give you an increased energy level as well and a feeling of overall well being. It has no negative side effects and it safe to use.
>Steven Johnson is interested in maintaining a vital, active, and healthy lifestyle. For more information on pet health products, as well as other life-enhancing nutrients please visit his website Alternative Health Supplements.
Change Your Diet to Change Your Cholesterol Levels
Cholesterol is a soft way substance found in all parts of the human body. Some of the cholesterol is produced by the body and some of it comes from the food you eat. The body does need some cholesterol to function properly. Too much cholesterol can cause arteries to clog and can lead to heart disease. Maintaining a diet that is designed to reduce cholesterol levels can reduce risks of heart disease and lower cholesterol. Increasing physical activity and losing weight will help lower your cholesterol too.
Cholesterol can be found in eggs, dairy products, meat, and poultry. Egg yolks and organ meats like kidneys, liver, and sweetbreads are very high in cholesterol. Some shellfish are high in cholesterol but fish contains less cholesterol than that of other meats. Fat content of foods is not always the way to go to measure cholesterol in foods. Some times foods can be very low in fat and have high cholesterol content like liver. Foods of plant origin have no cholesterol like veggies and fruits.
To lower your high cholesterol levels you can limit your intake of fats to 25 to 35 % of the total day’s calories. Eating less than 200 mg’s of dietary cholesterol per day and getting more fiber in your diet can help to lower your cholesterol levels as well. It is still very important to get enough calories in your diet to support health.
A low cholesterol diet does not have to be hard to follow. There is such a huge variety of foods and ways to cook them that it would be hard to get bored. There are even many food companies that offer low fat and low cholesterol for people who don’t have time to put together large meals.
When shopping for food with your new diet in mind keep the following things in mind as well. Fruits and vegetables have no cholesterol in them. Lower the intake of saturated fats in your diet because these foods can raise your cholesterol levels. Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils contain a form of saturated fat called Trans fats. They raise blood cholesterol levels the same way saturated fats do. Trans fats are found in foods like margarines, shortenings, and cooking oils.
Whole grains should be used instead of foods with white flour. Eating large amounts of carbohydrates can raise cholesterol levels, especially if you have diabetes. Buying low fat or skim milk dairy products instead of whole milk products can help you lose weight along with decrease cholesterol levels. Lean meats like turkey, chicken, or fish are better for you rather than eating red meats. Instead of using ground beef using ground turkey is a healthy substitute for hamburgers or spaghetti. Olive and canola oils are lower in saturated fats which can help lower cholesterol.
Another great thing to add to a low cholesterol diet is an herbal supplement. Cholesterol Control is a product that can assist the body’s normal ability to balance cholesterol levels. Using this product with the diet and adding exercise to your daily routine can decrease bad levels of cholesterol. This product can be found at Alternative Health Supplements and is all natural and perfectly safe to use with no negative side affects.
>Steven Johnson is committed to helping people maintain healthy and effective lifestyles. For more information on products to aid with varicose veins, or any other health supplements please visit his website http://www.alternative-health-supplements.com/cholesterol-control.htm
