Guide To Good And Bad Cholesterol

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
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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.

Copyright © Ryan Mutt, All Rights Reserved. If you want to use this article on your website or in your ezine, make all the urls (links) active.

6 Natural Ways to Lower Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in all animal tissue, including humans, and is found in all foods that come from animal sources. The highest sources of dietary cholesterol come from egg yolks and organ meats such as the liver or kidneys.

There are two primary forms of cholesterol; low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) and high-density lipoproteins (HDLs). LDL cholesterol is considered the bad cholesterol because its primary purpose is to provide cholesterol to the cells. It is transported through the blood stream and tends to drop off along the way, clogging arteries and blood vessels, and contributing to plaque formation. HDL cholesterol on the other hand removes LDL cholesterol from the circulatory system and returns it to the liver which removes it from the body.

For people who have high LDL cholesterol levels the first thing their doctor will recommend is a cholesterol lowering diet. This can include eating low cholesterol foods and cutting saturated fats from the diet. But there are also other ways to help lower LDL cholesterol levels and those include:

1. Exercise – In the sedentary lifestyle most people live today it only makes sense that our susceptibility to disease is much greater. Just 30 minutes of exercise 3 or 4 times a week can significantly lower the risk for many major life threatening disease. So why does exercise lower LDL cholesterol levels?

The energy the body needs to exercise comes from sugars, fats, and proteins. After the sugars and proteins are burned the body turns to its fat stores which must be converted to a usable form of energy. To do this the liver increases its output of HDL cholesterol which circulates through the blood stream picking up LDL cholesterol which is converted into energy for use during exercise. Just like that going for a walk decreases the amount of LDL cholesterol in the body.

2. Eat a low fat diet – One of the interesting things about cholesterol is that eating foods high in cholesterol is not necessarily bad. While they should be eaten in moderation the big culprit in raising cholesterol is a diet high in saturated fat, from both animal and plant sources.

3. Eat more soluble fiber – Actually it is important to get plenty of both types of fiber, soluble and insoluble, but in the case of cholesterol fiber from fruits and vegetables is the most important. Soluble fiber removes cholesterol from the body by binding to it.

4. Red yeast rice – Many of the Statin drugs made to control cholesterol are made from red yeast rice. It only makes sense that taking it in its natural state would work to help lower cholesterol levels by its ability to limit the production of cholesterol.

5. De-stress your life – Being chronically stressed affects the levels of cholesterol in the body. In fact people who eat a cholesterol lowering diet but have a high stress level may not see any significant reduction in their LDL levels.

6. Smoking – If you smoke you better stop. Smoking increases the build up of plaque in the arteries, exacerbating the affects of high levels of LDL cholesterol.

Reducing high LDL cholesterol levels is vitally important in the prevention of coronary artery and heart disease. It is also important to work closely with your doctor to help insure that the steps you are taking to lower cholesterol are working.

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.

Lower Cholesterol And Boost Liver Function With The Ayurvedic Herb Guggul

Guggul is gum resin that can be used to lower cholesterol and boost your liver function, though it has been used for thousands of years in India to treat a number of diseases and conditions. However, its mode of action is completely different to that of most other cholesterol lowering agents.

The active ingredient is known as guggulsterone, which is a plant sterol that increases the amount of body cholesterol into bile acids by the liver. Bile acids are an essential part of our digestion system, working to emulsify the oils and fats we eat and covert them into a form suitable for transferring to the blood and use elsewhere in the body. They also help the body make use of fat soluble vitamins such as vitamins A and E.

The resin used in this Ayurvedic remedy comes from the stem of a tree called Mukul myrrh that grows throughout India. Ayurvedic medicine is said to have originated from ancient Hindu texts, but is now thought to have evolved over thousands of years. The basis of the medicine is contained in two Sanskrit texts written on palm leaves and form the basis of modern Ayurvedic training. Guggul has been used for millennia in the treatment of skin conditions, rheumatism, arthritis, cardiovascular problems and high cholesterol.

Being an oily fat, cholesterol is not soluble in blood plasma and hence cannot be carried around the body without a carrier. These carriers are known as low density lipoproteins and high density lipoproteins. The LDL carries cholesterol to where it is needed by the body, and is a sticky substance that can also deposit cholesterol in the arteries that are carrying it. This can form a hard coating on the inside of the arteries called plaque, and effectively narrow them and harden them up.

This atherosclerosis, as it is called, is a dangerous condition, and if a blood clot encounters the narrow part of an artery so affected it can be blocked. If in the heart, then this can cause a heart attack, and if in the brain it can give rise to a stroke, both potentially fatal conditions.

HDL, on the other hand, carries excess cholesterol back to the liver for destruction or conversion to bile, and is a free flowing liquid material known as ‘good cholesterol’. Cholesterol is needed by the body and so cannot be eliminated completely. That would be even more dangerous. One of the major functions of cholesterol in the liver is in the production of bile that is used by your digestive process to emulsify fats. Any compound that could also carry out this vital function would mean that liver would have less cholesterol to manufacture.

Your body receives a dietary supply of cholesterol from fatty animal sources such as meat, fats, eggs and dairy products such as cheese and butter. There is no cholesterol in purely vegetable foods. However, that does not mean that vegans have no cholesterol, since as stated earlier, it is an essential substance in the body’s metabolism. In fact, the liver is able to generate all the cholesterol you need, and that which is taken in your diet is superfluous.

The liver can manufacture cholesterol from the trans and saturated fats in your diet, and there are several sources of these. Included among them are popcorn, vegetable shortening such as found in cookies and donuts and other manufactured bakery products made from hydrogenated margarines and oils widely used in the bakery industry. Also from rapeseed and palm oils and coconuts. Saturated fats are also contained in French fries and similar fried foods using certain vegetable oils, and also potato chips. Even vegetarians and vegans can suffer from high cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol is manufactured in the liver and taken up by LDL for distribution by the blood. However, a large proportion of that cholesterol is used by the liver to manufacture bile, essential for digestion of fats. This bile is stored in the gall bladder, and released into the upper intestine on the ingestion of fatty food. The bile acids and fats pass down the intestine, where the fats are emulsified into a form suitable for absorption by the body.

The bile acids are then absorbed in the final part of the ileum by proteins that carry them back to the liver where they are recirculated into the bile. Once the level of bile acids in the body reaches a certain level, a chemical known as the Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) stops the liver from converting cholesterol into bile. Although only 5% of the bile is excreted from the body and needs replaced, this still accounts for 50% of the body’s usage of cholesterol.

The production of bile from cholesterol operates on a closed loop system, with a feedback that maintains a constant level of bile acids. The feedback is controlled by FXR that detects the current level of bile acids and represses the enzyme (CYP7A1) that stimulates bile manufacture until a minimum level has been reached when the CYP7A1 is re-activated.

By blocking the action of FXR, the guggulsterone in guggul continues the conversion of cholesterol to bile acids by the liver without interruption. The liver has to use more LDL cholesterol for this and so reduces the overall amount of cholesterol in the body, specifically the LDL type.

A double blind study in India showed a total cholesterol reduction of 11.7%, including a 12.7% reduction in LDL and a 12% reduction in blood fat (triglyceride) levels, and other studies have indicated a total cholesterol reduction of up to 27% and triglycerides of up to 30%. The Indians believe guggul to be so effective that is has been approved as a treatment for high cholesterol by the Indian government. The connection with FXR has been confirmed by testing with mice with and without FXR.

Another factor in high cholesterol levels is that an under-active thyroid can interfere with the liver’s ability to process cholesterol. Guggul stimulates then production of thyroid hormones, and so can help to reduce excessive LDL cholesterol in the blood cause through a low level of thyroid hormone production.

Overall, then, this Ayurvedic remedy for many ills can help anyone who needs to reduce the level of cholesterol and triglycerides in their blood. Recommended dosages are about 1500 mg twice daily, though if you are also taking statins or are under treatment for cancer you should first consult your doctor, as you should with all natural remedies that are new to you.

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.

Testing Cholesterol Level

Cholesterol is a substance which is found naturally in our blood and as a part of cell membranes. It is made by our liver but we can also get it with food we eat – animal products like meats, dairy fats, and egg yolks. Cholesterol is needed to make hormones and vitamin D. But cholesterol can also contribute to plaque formation in our blood vessels, a process called atherosclerosis and to increased risk of heart disease. In general cholesterol levels are largely determined by genetics – having a low level of cholesterol in our blood is natural and healthy but having a high cholesterol level can be dangerous.

To understand how cholesterol can contribute to atherosclerosis and heart disease, we should first understand where it is present and how it is carried around our body. Cholesterol is transported in the bloodstream with lipoproteins. Lipoproteins are special proteins of which two types are important in cholesterol transportation. High-density lipoproteins (HDL) transport cholesterol away from blood vessels (good for us), while low-density lipoproteins (LDL) can penetrate walls of our blood vessels, deposit cholesterol and form plaque (bad for us).

There are also other types of lipoproteins like very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), which are similar to low-density lipoproteins, but can more easily penetrate walls of our blood vessels; intermediate-density lipoproteins (IDL) like very-low-density lipoproteins, these also carry triglycerides and cholesterol; and chylomicrons which carry only a small percentage of cholesterol and are mostly rich in triglycerides (another type of fat).

High levels of LDL, IDL and VLDL lipoproteins contribute to increased risk of heart attack because these types of lipoproteins actually harm arteries. On the other hand, higher levels of HDL lipoproteins reduce risk of heart attack because these lipoproteins transport cholesterol away from the blood stream.

To keep cholesterol at safe levels we should focus on reducing LDLs while increasing HDLs. This can usually be done by taking care of what kind of food we eat. In order to know if we need to regulate our cholesterol level we should first measure it. For people older than 20 years it is advised to test cholesterol level every 5 years and adults over 45 years should have cholesterol test every few years.

The level of cholesterol in our blood is determined with a blood test. It can be done clinically or at home. There are many home cholesterol test kits available. Some tests measure only the total cholesterol level while others can measure also HDL and LDL levels. The cholesterol level in our blood is measured in units mmol/l. It is important to measure both types, LDL and HDL, because their ratio is also important – LDL to HDL ratio should be less than 4. Sometimes also the Cholesterol/HDL ratio is calculated. It is determined by dividing the total cholesterol level by the HDL cholesterol level and for most people this ratio should be below 5:1. The ideal Cholesterol/HDL ratio is below 3.5:1.

Normal cholesterol levels are the following:

• Total cholesterol level: less than 5.5 mmol/l
• LDL level: less than 3.5 mmol/l
• HDL level: greater than 1.0 mmol/l
• LDL to HDL ratio: less than 4
• Triglycerides level: less than 2.0 mmol/l

Cholesterol level can be lowered naturally. Foods rich in soluble fiber like fruits and vegetables, in particular citrus fruits and apples, have been shown to help decrease blood cholesterol level by binding it to fibers and thus preventing it from being absorbed into the body. Patients who have not improved their cholesterol levels with natural ways like with dietary and lifestyle changes can use cholesterol medications to regulate their cholesterol level.

Before investing in home cholesterol test kits, we should consult our doctor. Even when cholesterol testing is done by trained professionals in a lab, there can be significant variability in test results. The variability may be even greater with home cholesterol test kits, especially if we’re not fasting when we take the test. Home cholesterol test kits are widely available. They are practical, we can easily determine our total, HDL and LDL cholesterol levels in few minutes. However, we should be also aware of the accuracy of such home tests. Usually it is at least 95% but can vary. And we should also remember that home cholesterol tests don’t replace clinical cholesterol tests – nor do they offer an overall assessment of other risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Author: Jan Pascal
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Optimum Cholesterol Levels for Liver Health

Typically assumed to inflict solely negative consequences, cholesterol is actually a necessary component of a healthy body. Cholesterol is a waxy substance in the blood, critical in the digestion of dietary fats, the building of cell walls and in manufacturing vitamins and hormones. One of the secrets to securing a healthy body, including a healthy liver, is to maintain an ideal balance of cholesterol levels.

If cholesterol levels are too high, a person is at risk for coronary artery disease, heart disease, a metabolic disorder or even liver disease. Embedded in vehicles known as lipoproteins, cholesterol is transported in the bloodstream to be used or excreted throughout the body. When these inhabitants of our blood become overpopulated, traffic jams can result, blocking subsequent blood flow in the vessels. Impeded circulation is a primary factor in most types of illness.

Cholesterol and the Liver
Excessive cholesterol in the blood can deposit plaques along the vessels, contributing to the development of atherosclerosis, the hardening of the arteries. While atherosclerosis is a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes, it can also have negative consequences on the liver. The relationship between the liver and blood cholesterol is multi-faceted:

· Synthesis of bile acids – Essential to the digestive process, the liver synthesizes bile acids from cholesterol. Bile acids emulsify dietary fat, allowing for its absorption in the intestines.

· Liver circulation – Liver disease, particularly cirrhosis, can lead to portal hypertension. Portal hypertension is the result of high blood pressure within the portal vein, where the blood enters the liver. When blood cannot flow easily through the liver, internal pressure increases, posing the risk of ruptured blood vessels. Cholesterol deposits may also contribute to decreased blood flow in the liver, further restricting the vessels that safely handle the liver’s duties.

· Removal of cholesterol – High-density lipoproteins (HDL) help remove excessive cholesterol from the body by transporting it to the liver for its breakdown and excretion. As a diseased liver’s function decreases, do does its ability to remove excessive cholesterol from the blood supply.

What is Excessive Cholesterol?
According to the American Heart Association, about 20 percent of the U.S. population has high blood cholesterol levels. When getting your cholesterol checked, there are four numeric values that come into play – total cholesterol, LDL (low-density lipoproteins), HDL (high-density lipoproteins) and triglycerides.

· Total Cholesterol – A comprehensive measurement of the cholesterol in your blood, it is desirable to have a value less than 200 mg/dL. A person carries a borderline level of health risks if the total cholesterol is between 200-239 mg/dL, and is considered high risk if total cholesterol exceeds 239 mg/dL.

· LDL – This cholesterol is the primary cause of harmful fatty buildup in arteries. The higher the LDL cholesterol levels in the blood, the greater the health risk. Ideal LDL levels are below 100 mg/dL, while values exceeding 159 mg/dL carry a high risk of cardiovascular disease.

· HDL – This form carries blood cholesterol back to the liver, where it can be eliminated. HDL helps prevent a cholesterol buildup in blood vessels. While values typically range from 40 to 60 mg/dL, an HDL under 40 mg/dL puts the individual at risk for cardiovascular disease. Studies suggest that high levels of HDL cholesterol reduce your risk of heart attack.

· Triglycerides – Triglycerides are the chemical form in which most fat exists in food as well as in the body. Triglyceride levels under 150 mg/dL are normal, while values exceeding 199 mg/dL carry a high risk of cardiovascular disease.

Due to the delicate balance of useful cholesterol and damaging cholesterol, most physicians rely on specific ratios of these four numeric values to determine healthy blood cholesterol.

Liver Benefits from Good Cholesterol Ratio
The public is being increasingly educated on the various ways to maintain the best possible cholesterol levels. These include lifestyle modifications, such as smoking cessation, regular exercise, a diet high in fiber and low in saturated fat, as well as reliance on cholesterol lowering medications.

Awareness of cardiovascular risk by improving your cholesterol ratio will benefit not only your heart’s health, but also your liver’s health. While the heart muscle pumps blood throughout the body, the liver must cleanse the blood and extract ingredients critical to sustaining life.

Just as the heart and liver contribute to blood maintenance health, all of our organs and body systems work in unison to support the proper functioning of our bodies. Factors that affect one system will likely affect every other. So if optimal liver health is desired, then steps to increase HDL and decrease LDL and triglycerides are definitely called for.

References:

Henkel, John, Keeping Cholesterol Under Control, FDA Consumer Magazine, January/February 1999.

http://www.abouthypertension.info, Health Issues Associated with Hypertension, NCERx LLC 2006.

http://www.americanheart.org, About Cholesterol, American Heart Association, Inc., 2006.

http://www.liverdisease.com, Cholesterol and Liver Disease/Hepatitis, Melissa Palmer, MD, 2004.

Author: Nicole Cutler
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Cholesterol BAD?

The first thought that comes to a person’s mind when buying something with high cholesterol level would be “NO! I don’t want to end my life with a heart attack!!” They are probably right but CAN THEY POSSIBLY LIVE WITH NO CHOLESTEROL AT ALL? Cholesterol is the cause of number of diseases related to heart but on the other side it is an essential sterol that gets converted to other steroid hormones. Not to mention that the cholesterol intake level of a person is proportional inversely to the cholesterol synthesized by the body itself. So is cholesterol really a nightmare or is this just another misconception?

Cholesterol is a lipid found in the tissues of all the animals, associated with other sterols. It is the best known member of the biological group – sterol, a combination of steroid and an alcohol. Most of the cholesterol is produced inside the body and only a minute quantity has dietary origin.

Almost of 20-25% of the total daily production occurs in the liver. The other sites include the intestines, suprarenal glands and reproductive organs. This cholesterol is either converted to other hormones, transported to cell that require cholesterol or secreted via bile into the intestines. Of the cholesterol poured into the intestines, 92-97% is reabsorbed in the intestines and recycled via the enterohepatic circulation. The cholesterol, insoluble in blood, of the diet is transported to the liver from the intestines, where it is absorbed, within the lipoproteins – chilomicrons, Very Low Density Proteins (VLDL), Intermediate Density Lipoproteins (IDL), Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) & High Density Lipoproteins (HDL).

Cholesterol is mainly obtained from food having saturated fatty acids and is also synthesized from acetate inside the body. Normally the total amount of cholesterol from these two sources remains constant because the rate of cholesterol synthesis in the liver is under feedback control. When the dietary intake is high, liver synthesis is low; when intake is low, synthesis increases.

LDL is the major transport protein for cholesterol, supplying both free and esterified cholesterol to body tissues. High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) is involved in the transport of cholesterol to the liver to be broken down and excreted, and in removing some LDL cholesterol from artery walls. The esterified cholesterol is essential for a cell to maintain the fluidity of membrane over a wide range of temperature, so the cells use this esterified cholesterol for its maintenance. If the cholesterol is not esterified, the cells pushes it and the free cholesterol comes in the cholesterol, which sometimes along with Ca++ accumulates in the capillaries causing embolus formation and coronary obstruction.

The significance of cholesterol cannot be neglected. Some researched indicate that cholesterol might be used as an anti-oxidant. Besides that it also maintains the fluidity of the cell membranes. The cholesterol content of a membrane varies with the tissue and with specific membrane function. The ratio of cholesterol to polar lipids affects the stability, permeability, and protein mobility of a membrane. Membranes with high ratios have high stability and relatively low permeability; their major function is a protective barrier.

They serve primarily in synthetic and degradative reactions and energy production. It also reduces the permeability of hydrogen and sodium ions. In addition to its role in membrane structure cholesterol has other important functions. Cholesterol is stored in the adrenals, testes, and ovaries, chiefly as the fatty acid ester, and converted to steroid hormones. These hormones include the male and female sex hormones (androgens and estrogens) as well as the adrenal corticoids (cortisol, corticosterone, aldosterone, and others). In the liver cholesterol is the precursor of the bile acids, 24 steroid carboxylic acids that aid in the digestion of foods, especially lipids, and, when linked with the amino acids glycine or taurine, form the bile salts. Recently it has been suggested that cholesterol assists in the formation of lipid rafts in the membrane.

Besides the numerous functions of cholesterol, high free cholesterol level in the blood can cause life threatening problems as well. As mentioned above LDL is involved in the transportation of cholesterol. But high levels of LDL or free cholesterol in the blood causes the cholesterol to deposit in the blood capillaries hence narrowing the lumen of the vessels. The narrowed vessels increase the blood pressure and may lead to its rupture and ultimately causing an embolus. In the brain, it causes cerebro-vascular accidents and in heart it causes Ischemic Heart Disease. High LDL level are major cause for the arthrosclerosis of the arteries, leading to coronary heart disease and other forms of cardiovascular disease. However increase levels of HDL not only transport cholesterol to the liver to be broken down and excreted but also remove LDL cholesterol from the artery walls.

It has been suggested that abnormally low levels of cholesterol might cause depression, cancer and cerebral hemorrhage but it unclear whether cholesterol itself is responsible for it or something else associated with low levels of cholesterol. Esterified cholesterol when crystallizes in the gall bladder, is the major cause of formation of gall stones which leads to severe pain in near the liver region.

Cholesterol is present in many dietary components that we consume daily. This cholesterol is called the dietary cholesterol. Its percentage is significantly higher in animal fats (saturated fats), eggs, yolks, beef, poultry, liver, kidneys, and shrimps. Besides these, plants and fungi also contain trace amounts of cholesterol so even a vegetarian’s diet has cholesterol in it but in trace amounts.

Although the intake level of cholesterol must be kept low but not so low so as to lead to its deficiency which would the affect the normal anatomical and physiological state of the body. Since the total cholesterol level in the body almost always remains same so people with higher cholesterol intake maybe at the same risk of having a heart attack as those with lower cholesterol intake. An effective way to keep the cholesterol balance healthful and beneficial to the body is by exercising regularly whether walking, sprinting, or working out in the gym. With this, the benefits of cholesterol would dominate its harms and the body would function normally at its optimum performance.

Author: Umar Majeed
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Programmable Multi-cooker

5 Foods to Boost Good Cholesterol

This article lists 5 basic foods that can potentially boost your good cholesterol levels. These foods are inexpensive and can be found at any local grocery store.

HDL stands for high density lipoproteins and is often referred to as “good” cholesterol. These proteins transport cholesterol in the blood. If your levels are too high, your risk of heart disease decreases, and likewise, if your levels are low, you risk increases.

There are certain foods that can have a positive effect on your HDL levels. Dark chocolate, salmon, berries, eggs and whole grains are five food items that can help you boost your good cholesterol levels.

A study conducted at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, suggests that eating dark chocolate (the gourmet kind that is 70% cacao) can raise your HDL levels significantly. Eating small daily doses (1/2 ounce) over an extended period of time should help raise your good cholesterol.

According to a Loma Linda University study in California, high density lipoprotein levels rose 4 percent in people who ate two 4-ounce servings of salmon a week for four weeks. Researchers also say that eating other fatty fish, such as, mackerel, herring and sardines should deliver similar benefits. Read more

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