Cholesterol Levels – The Good, The Bad, and Management Of

July 26, 2010 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 

What is cholesterol, and is it all bad? What’s the difference between LDL and HDL cholesterol? What are the healthy or normal cholesterol levels you should strive for?


In this article, I’ll explain what happens when your cholesterol levels aren’t normal, as well as some of the ways to manage them, so that you can be better educated and proactive where your health is concerned, and maybe even extend your life.


First of all, cholesterol is a waxy substance found in cells in all parts of the body. And no, it is not all bad. In fact, cholesterol is necessary for building and regenerating cells. It also insulates nerves and produces hormones in the body. The key is maintaining normal levels.


Where does cholesterol come from? About 75% of the cholesterol in our bodies is manufactured in the liver, and the other 25% comes from food, mostly meat and dairy products. If your liver produces too much cholesterol, that is when the levels become abnormal or unhealthy, and a method for bringing them back in balance becomes a necessity in order to preserve cardiovascular health.


This is especially important in people with diabetes, or metabolic syndrome (sometimes referred to as pre-diabetes.) Unhealthy cholesterol levels, when combined with weight gain and increased blood pressure, can lead to all kinds of health challenges.


IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS


Notice the plural, because it is not only total cholesterol or just the bad cholesterol number that is important. Complete cholesterol care implies being aware of all the numbers.


So what are the numbers you should know that make up the complete cholesterol picture?


First is the LDL or bad cholesterol. This is the component that when it becomes elevated, causes buildup on the walls of the arteries. As this buildup hardens, it becomes plaque, which increases your risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Science is proving that this buildup starts to develop in late teens and early twenties, and continues progressively as we age.


Of course as this buildup continues, it starts to narrow the opening in the arteries, restricting blood flow and raising blood pressure. Left unchecked, it can continue until it ruptures which causes a clot to form, totally cutting off the flow of blood.


If this clot is in the area leading to the heart, it is a heart attack. If it is in the arteries leading to the brain, that is a stroke. Both are considered cardiovascular disease.


LDL levels of greater than 190 are considered dangerous. 160 to 189 is considered poor, 130 to 159 is fair, and readings less than 129 are considered healthy. Some doctors are suggesting levels be below 100, and recent research is showing that if we can reduce our LDL to less than 70, we can actually start to reverse the plaque buildup.


The next number to be aware of is HDL, or the good cholesterol, which reduces your risk of CVD. In fact, your HDL number is becoming much more important because research has shown that for every 1% you reduce your LDL or bad cholesterol, you get about a 2% reduction in cardiovascular risk. But for every 1% you increase your HDL, you get a 3% reduction in risk. What should your HDL be? Healthy levels for men are above 40, and for women, it should be above 50.


Total Cholesterol or TC is the addition of your LDL, HDL and a component known as VLDL. Healthy levels are anything under 200. Another important number to be aware of is your cardiovascular risk ratio. This number is determined by dividing Total Cholesterol by HDL. This number should be below 5, with the optimal amount of 3.5 or lower.


Where do triglycerides come from? Fats consumed in our diet, or made in the body from carbohydrates, cause triglycerides in the blood. Some calories are converted to triglycerides and move into the fat cells for storage. So how do those numbers stack up?


Triglyceride levels of less than 150 are considered acceptable. Levels from 150 to 199 indicate moderate risk, 200 to 499 indicate high risk, and levels in excess of 500 indicate extreme high risk.


If it’s confusing to remember what’s good and what’s not, an easy way to remember the different parts of the total picture is “L” stands for “lethal” LDL, “H” stands for “healthy” HDL, and “T” stands for “treacherous” triglycerides.


METHODS FOR DEALING WITH UNHEALTHY CHOLESTEROL


There are different methods a person can use for improving one’s cholesterol levels. The most widely known is through the use of special cholesterol lowering prescription drugs called “statins”. Statins such as Lipitor, Zocor, Crestor, and others represent nationally a 25 Billion Dollar per year treatment option. They have proved themselves effective at lowering the LDL segment of the cholesterol picture, however they do very little to reduce triglycerides or raise the HDL.


Besides, statins sometime carry very significant side effects, and therefore some people can’t take them. What are some of these documented side effects?


The Statin Effects Study concluded that the top two are possible liver and muscle damage. However, there are also lesser known effects such as sudden memory loss, increase in eye cataract risk, suppresses the body’s natural immune function, increased cancer risk, kidney and nerve damage, depletes CoQ10 levels (necessary for healthy heart function), sleep disturbance, blood sugar or blood pressure changes, and sexual dysfunction.


According to the drug manufacturers, only an insignificant number of patients are affected by these side effects. But if you’re one of them, is it “insignificant” for you? What you will hear more and more from the drug companies, is that they also will admit that just lowering the LDL is not enough.


Combination therapy will become the new buzz word. It means adding additional drugs to raise the good cholesterol, or lower triglycerides or blood sugar. Of course, it’s highly likely that these additional drug additives will have their own set of additional side effects.


In fact, reports on the recent results of a clinical study by one of the leading pharmaceutical company’s combinations to try to raise the HDL led to “pulling the plug” on the whole experiment. Why, you ask? According to the report, an “unacceptable number of people died” while taking the combination therapy. Makes me wonder what number of people would be “acceptable”.


Do we see increased costs and co-pays in our futures? I believe you can bank on it. Some people feel, and I’m one of them, that even the cheapest co-pay is more than they’re willing to risk their quality of life for.


So are there other, safer alternatives for you? The answer is yes. In fact, according to the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) guidelines for healthcare providers, statin drugs should not be the first treatment option offered. According to these guidelines, Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) should be used as a first approach.


What are some of the features of TLC? Increase of soluble fiber, regular exercise, and weight reduction are the main ones. When it comes to diet, watch your fat intake, and eat more fruits and vegetables.


In addition to soluble fiber, other methods that can control cholesterol levels are the use of plant sterols or stanols, and a natural component called policosanol, from sugar cane, which blocks the enzyme in the liver that produces cholesterol. Statins block the same enzyme; however, the difference is that the policosanol does not damage the liver. Also ancient Chinese medicine has used a particular extract from the chrysanthemum plant to help in the breakdown of cholesterol.


If you’re concerned about safety and effectiveness, choose a natural solution with solid clinical evidence, that incorporates multiple methods, and raises HDL in addition to lowering LDL.


Be proactive in your own health, be educated on your cholesterol situation, make the right lifestyle choices, and you’ll improve your chances of living longer.


Additional information on lowering cholesterol can be found in “Your Guide to Lowering Cholesterol with TLC” by the US Nat’l Institutes of Health. NIH Publication 06-5235

Jack Koetting is a professional network marketer who specializes in teaching others how
to be successful with network marketing. If you want to get in touch with Jack
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What Is A Healthy And Normal Cholesterol Level?

February 24, 2010 · Posted in cholesterol · 1 Comment 

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

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

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

Healthy Cholesterol Levels And How To Achieve It

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

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

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

How To Achieve A Healthy Cholesterol Level With Your Diet

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Author: Cindy Heller
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Cholesterol Levels and General Health

February 15, 2010 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 

People with high blood cholesterol levels are very exposed to developing heart disease. High cholesterol levels are common to people with ages over 50, people with weight problems, people with gastro-intestinal disorders and people with diabetes. High blood cholesterol levels can be the result of either overproduction of the substance (due to liver dysfunctions) or the inability of the body to eliminate it. However, apart from physiological factors that enable the accumulation of cholesterol inside the organism, there are also many other external factors that contribute to cholesterol build up: inappropriate diet, sedentary lifestyle, smoking and alcohol abuse.

Although the body is able to produce the amount of cholesterol it needs for sustaining its normal activity, a high-cholesterol diet can significantly increase blood cholesterol levels. Foods of animal origin are rich in cholesterol and saturated fats that are very harmful to the organism when they are consumed in large amounts. You should replace meats and dairy products with vegetables, cereals and fruits in order to maintain normal cholesterol levels. Simple carbohydrates (sweets) also enable cholesterol to build up inside the body and therefore should be avoided.

Proper physical exercise is very important for keeping your blood cholesterol levels in check. Regular physical exercise improves blood circulation and helps in the elimination of excess cholesterol. Exercise frequently and you will be able to maintain normal cholesterol levels and lose extra weight.

Smoking is considered to be a major factor of risk in heart disease. Smoking facilitates cholesterol to deposit inside arteries, where they can cause blockage, perturbing the normal blood flow. If you have high blood cholesterol levels and you are a smoker, it is advised to stop smoking. Alcohol also contributes to the accumulation of cholesterol in the bloodstream and therefore it should be avoided.

Within normal limits, cholesterol is very important to the organism. The liver produces cholesterol (a waxy, viscous substance) in small amounts, as it is required in certain physiological processes. Without cholesterol, the body is unable to produce hormones (testosterone and estrogen), vitamin D (fortifies bone tissues) and bile (a very important substance used in digesting fat). While in small quantities cholesterol is benefic for the organism, in excess it can cause a lot of harm. Cholesterol is not soluble in blood and therefore it accumulates and deposits inside arteries, slowing down the normal blood circulation. High cholesterol levels considerably increase the risk of cardio-vascular diseases and even heart failure.

It is very important to know that there are several types of cholesterol. When you have your cholesterol levels checked, you are usually told the total cholesterol level. Total cholesterol level consists of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). Low-density lipoprotein is also known as “bad cholesterol” and this substance can be harmful to the human body when it accumulates in excess. Bad cholesterol (LDL) accumulates inside arteries and perturbs normal blood circulation. Good cholesterol (HDL) is benign to the organism, as it collects low-density lipoprotein from the bloodstream and brings it back to the liver.

By keeping a healthy diet and by exercising regularly, you will be able to raise your good cholesterol levels, while reducing bad cholesterol levels. By making improvements in your lifestyle, you will be able to maintain your total cholesterol levels in check.

Author: Groshan Fabiola
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Natural Ways To Lower Cholesterol – 5 Natural Treatment Tips To Lower Cholesterol Quickly

December 25, 2009 · Posted in cholesterol · Comment 

How long does it take to lower cholesterol? That is a question that seems to plague almost anyone who suffers from high cholesterol. If youre suffering from high cholesterol, lowering your cholesterol level can never be fast enough; whether you’re seeking a natural way to lower cholesterol or via some other alternative treatment. According to an article by CNN in November 2006, more than 70 million Americans live everyday with some form of heart disease.” And the number is expected to rise steadily over the next 10 years.

Heart disease is Americas number one killer and probably, the number one killer in the industrialized world. The myth being perpetuated that cholesterol is never high before the age 40 is exactly that a myth. Dont believe a word of it.

The facts necessitate a quick guide to lowering your cholesterol quickly preferably opting for a natural and alternative treatment for high cholesterol.

But first for some good news. Cholesterol contrary to popular belief is not the cause of heart disease. The inflammation of arteries does that. Heart attacks occur in people with normal cholesterol levels. Thats right. There’s a lot of misinformation being passed around that cholesterol is bad – that cholesterol is the cause of heart disease. That’s so far from the truth. In fact, your body needs cholesterol to stay healthy. Your body uses cholesterol to produce hormones, vitamin D and bile acids to digest fat. And the truth of the matter is – your body requires only a small amount of cholesterol in the blood to meet these needs.

So why should you worry about lowering your cholesterol levels and maintaining it preferably at less than 200mg./dl.? Because failure in doing so can lead to the inflammation of your arteries … and that is when cardiovascular events like heart attacks will occur. It’s only when you have too much cholesterol in your bloodstream (referred to as hypercholesterolemia) that problems start to arise. And this is where you need to pay attention. Because a high cholesterol level … let’s say north of 250, can and will lead to problems such as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis clogs arteries including your coronary arteries (arteries that feed the heart) and if left unchecked overtime, will lead to heart disease like angina and heart attack.

This is why you need to lower your cholesterol level and why it’s so important to keep those levels in check. Statins such as Zocor and Lipitor may be powerful, cholesterol-lowering drugs and helps to some extent, but … whether you believe it or not … these can cause more damage (liver toxicity is a common side effect) than good to your body in the long run. You don’t need these ill-effects creeping into your life just as you’re about to kick back and enjoy your retirement.

Don’t get me wrong … I’m all for taking prescriptions drugs under doctor’s orders if no other alternatives are made available. I’m sure you’ll agree with that.

But Im about to show you 5 tips you can go about lowering your unhealthy cholesterol levels without drugs right now and fast!

Heres how to lower your cholesterol the natural way:

Consume more healthy” fats

You must have heard of monounsaturated fats. Usually found in some types of nuts like almonds and walnuts, olive oils, canola oils and avocados. These healthy” fats lower bad” cholesterol (LDLs Low-Density Lipoproteins) but at the same time, help maintain the good” cholesterol (HDLs High-Density Lipoproteins).

Your doctor can vouch for the fact that consuming monounsaturated fat instead of saturated fat can lower your cholesterol levels quite drastically. You would have probably come across health advice about lowering cholesterol such as, Replace whole milk with skim milk,” Cut down on that refined sugar,” or Dump butter for margarine.” Most of that information is true except for dumping butter for margarine. Margarine increases the bad cholesterol and even worse, lowers the good cholesterol almost tripling the risk of a coronary heart disease.

Dont believe the TV ads and stay away from margarine. Dr. Allan Spreen calls margarine, plastic butter.” And he has a point. Why? Because being hydrogenated, margarine is in fact one molecule away from actually being plastic no kidding! To put it mildly, youre actually about one molecule away from eating Tupperware. Youre more than welcome to carry out a simple test to prove this. All you have to do is leave a container of butter and a container of margarine out for a while and watch. It will only be a matter of time when you see flies hovering your container of butter – avoiding the margarine altogether. If it’s not good enough for flies, you know you’re in trouble!

Lower your intake of bad” fat

Lowering cholesterol without drugs begins with this very important step simply limit your consumption of saturated fat. Saturated fat is said to stimulate your liver to produce LDLs or bad cholesterol that would simply clog up your arteries. According to Dr William Castelli, co-author of Good Fat, Bad Fat, he recommended that a smart diet to help lower cholesterol would take into consideration the amount of bad” fat consumed per day ideally being 20 grams a day. And thats just for those who are healthy.

A good idea would be to simply check your food labels when grocery shopping to get a sense of how much fat grams will be going into your body at any given day. Make this a habit because a simple precautionary measure like this can mean a lot to your long-term health.

Also, take note of trans-fatty acids. The name probably already gives it away it is another bad fat. Trans-fatty acids are chemically processed and will not only raise your total cholesterol levels but can also lower your HDLs. These acids are usually found in deep-fried fast foods, biscuits, shortenings and packaged pastries. Theyre not usually indicated on food labels so be extra prudent about your food choices.

Get a blood test

You will want to get a blood test if you find yourself gaining weight, losing hair, feeling depressed, feeling more tired than usual, more sensitive to cold than usual and sudden stiffening of your joints. These could be symptoms of an underactive thyroid medically termed as hypothyroidism. Diagnosing this condition with a blood test could nip the problem in the bud and save you from a rising cholesterol level.

While youre at it, ask your doctor to check your homocysteine level as well. Recent studies are pointing towards homocysteine as a better predictor of cardiovascular events. And there is a connection between hypothyroidism, homocysteine and heart disease. If you have an underactive thyroid, this prevents the absorption of B vitamins causing homocysteine levels to shoot up. The result is a 300 percent risk of a heart attack.

A good homocysteine level is under 8. Anything above that and your doctor should be able to prescribe you some supplements. These supplements would usually center around vitamins B2, B6, B12 and folate.

Can I have my eggs back?

Yes, you definitely can. According to the British Nutrition Foundation’s Nutrition Bulletin, dietary cholesterol in eggs “has no clinically significant impact” on heart disease. In fact, eggs are such a rich source of nutrients that avoiding them could cause more damage than good to your health.

I mentioned homocysteine. Well, according to a study from Harvard Medical School, choline may be effective in managing homocysteine. And where is choline found? You guessed it. Eggs. In fact the best source of choline is egg yolks. But if youre someone with elevated cholesterol or heart disease, you should check with your doctor about the number of eggs you can consume per week. Such cases are usually limited to two eggs per week.

Stop smoking and get moving!

Those are two obvious actions to take to keep your body in good working order. If youre overweight, you can be sure that your HDL readings will be low. Shed the weight and watch your HDLs rise. Its quite difficult to raise HDLs by dieting alone. You will need the combination of regular exercising and watching what you eat. Exercising helps in lowering your triglycerides (a blood fat linked to heart disease) as well. If you are serious about lowering your cholesterol levels, pay attention to triglycerides. Because apart from clogging up your coronary arteries, high triglycerides can lead to kidney disease and pancreatitis.

There is not much to be said about smoking that has not been said already. Its just bad. Smoking depresses HDLs considerably. It is a cause of heart and blood-vessel disease and basically causes irreversible damage to your overall health. There are no two ways about it. Smoking kills.

Here is a rough checklist to monitor your cholesterol levels and as always, consult with your doctor.

LDLs

Keep it less than 130mg./dl. Anything above 160mg./dl. is high.

HDLS

The higher the better. 35mg./dl. or less increases the risk of heart-disease.

Triglycerides

Keep it less than 150mg./dl. Anything above 200mg./dl. is high.

Total cholesterol

This is the combined measure of all blood cholesterols. Keep this less than 200mg./dl. Anything above 240mg./dl. is high.

Author: Rafael Todorini
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