Many people assume that high cholesterol is a problem that affects middle-aged adults only. In fact, many people don't even worry about their cholesterol when they are younger, eating all the fatty convenience foods they want, assuming that their early diet makes no difference.
Nothing could be further from the truth. More children today suffer from high cholesterol. In fact, the numbers of children who are taking cholesterol drugs is on the rise! Some studies have suggested that a childhood of poor eating choices can contribute to higher cholesterol later in life.
Besides this, many of the eating habits learned in childhood affects eating in adulthood. Children who are used to eating high-fat foods and convenience foods are more likely to make the same choices as adults. Switching to healthy foods in adulthood may be harder for children who have made less-than-heart-healthy food choices all their lives.
For all these reasons, controlling food intake and lifestyle choices even in early life can contribute to life-long heart health and good cholesterol levels.
If you have children, you can help ensure that they make the right food choices that can help them with their cholesterol levels now and later in life.
In fact, if you and other members of your family have high cholesterol, you need to introduce your children to cholesterol-healthy eating, as your children may be at an increased risk of developing high cholesterol themselves.
Luckily, it is not that hard to teach your children how to make smart food and lifestyle choices that are heart-healthy:
* Teach your children about healthy eating and cholesterol. If you have high cholesterol yourself, you may want to speak to your children about this. Informed children are better able to make smart food choices that can help keep their cholesterol levels healthy later in life.
* Let children make healthy food choices for themselves. Give your children some say about the fruits, vegetables and other foods that they like. Go through heart-healthy cookbooks with your children and let them help you decide what recipes to try.
* Be careful of the food and cholesterol attitudes you convey to your children. Children pick up emotional cues from their parents. If you treat a cholesterol-friendly diet as a type of punishment, your children will likely see it the same way.
If your children see you turn to fatty junk food when you are depressed or feeling stressed, they will likely do the same thing. Many parents are fussy eaters and pass this on to their children, which is a terrible disservice. Fussy eaters will simply not try the different healthy foods out there simply because the foods are different.
* Do not reward children with food. If your child does well at a sport or gets great grades in school, do not take them to a restaurant or for take-out to celebrate.
Give them horseback riding lessons or let them choose a toy or favorite activity instead. Many parents are tempted to keep sweet foods such as cupcakes and cakes for "special occasions" and "special treats" but this inadvertently makes children associate sugary foods with good times and vegetables with punishment or everyday life.
* Take your children food shopping - especially when you are shopping for fresh produce. Let your children choose which vegetables, fruits, and other healthy foods they would like. Encourage your children to decide which fruits and vegetables look as though they might be tasty. Treat your produce shopping trip as an adventure and your children may be more likely to eat their fruits and vegetables without a fuss.
* Monitor what your children eat. As a parent, it is your responsibility to make sure that your children eat three meals a day that include foods that are low in fats and high in nutrients. Reduce the amount of sugars and fats your children eat and limit how much junk food is allowed.
* Become involved in your child's school lunch program or cafeteria. Many schools offer less than healthy school lunches as well as vending machines full of sugary foods. At a number of schools, though, parents have banded together to force school boards to provide better foods choices for students. Use this as your inspiration to make sure that your child can make healthy foods choices in school.
* If you are worried about what your children eat, consider taking them to a nutritionist who can help teach them what they should be eating.
* Even if your child has elevated cholesterol levels, realize that growing children still need more fats and nutrients than adults. Never simply place your child on a very low-fat diet - consult with a pediatrician to find a diet plan that can help your child grow while keeping cholesterol under control. A too-low-fat diet may affect childhood development.
* Teach your children about the dangers of smoking. Smoking is a risk factor for cancers, heart disease, and high cholesterol.
* Get your children to exercise. Virtually all health experts agree that North American children do not exercise enough. This has disastrous effects on cholesterol levels and overall health. One of the best things you can do to keep your children away from the dangers of high cholesterol is to get them to exercise at least a little each day. Find an activity they enjoy and encourage them in their activity.
* If your child smokes, is overweight, or has at least one parent who has a cholesterol level of more than 240mg/dl, your child is at an increased risk of high cholesterol - even at an early age. Take you child to the doctor - especially if your child has more than one of the risk factors - for a complete check-up and cholesterol check.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Children and Cholesterol
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Paying Attention To Cholesterol Level Reports Can Save Your Life
It's called the silent killer for a reason. A heart attack can strike without warning, and leave behind a wave of chaos within the body that some people will never recover from. Fortunately, there are some signs people can look for to help them avoid this occurrence. One of these signs involves individual cholesterol level checks.
The cholesterol level reports doctors can order via very basic blood work can actually save lives. While the signs of an impending heart problem are very rarely visible, cholesterol is a great marker of what lies ahead.
Getting cholesterol level checks done at least once every five years after the age of 20 is recommended by many a physician. For those over the age of 45, it's a very good idea to have this simple blood test performed more frequently. This is truly as case of what you don't know can hurt you. In fact, it can kill you.
The cholesterol level reports are vital tools for helping stave off trouble down the road for a number of reasons. When cholesterol is high, it's almost a given that arteries are being clogged and heart disease could be present or impending. Knowing levels and working to correct them can stop damage before it becomes deadly.
When cholesterol level reports come back from the doctor's office, most people will want to find they have levels that fall in at 200 mg/dL or less. If they do, there really isn't a need for a change in diet or exercise. If they come back higher, however, the risk for heart attack and other problems is greatly increased. Anything between 200 and 239 mg/dL is considered a borderline risk. Those who have reports in the 240s or higher are at high risk for complications.
With cholesterol level reports in hand, it's easy to make corrections to diet and lifestyle that can improve overall levels and quality of life at the same time. The fact is some basic dietary changes and perhaps the addition of minor exercise can go a long way for many people in lowering cholesterol level reports. Others might need to add some medication to the mix to keep articularly pesky cholesterol problems in check.
The goal in working with cholesterol level reports is to make sure a patient's level goes into the 200 range and stays that way. To tackle the problem by exercise and diet, there are a few very smart things that can be done almost instantly.
The best ways to get cholesterol level makers down include:
Better diet. Shoot for a low-fat diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole wheat grains, lean, white meats, and low-fat dairy products. There's no reason to avoid fats entirely, but look for the good ones when you use them. For example, cut out the shortening and go for canola oil or olive oil. Eat fish rather than fatty, red meats and so on.
Exercise. The fact is losing a few pounds can increase fat metabolism and lower cholesterol level reports by a fair amount. Losing extra weight never hurt over all health either.
Medications. There are many medications available that can assist in lowering cholesterol level reports, as well. Most doctors will want to try diet and exercise first to protect their patients from some of the side effects of these medications, but when they are needed, they can work wonders.
Getting cholesterol level reports under control can lead to an improved level of health overall. A heart attack might be known as the silent killer, but there are ways to "hear" its approach. Cholesterol levels reports can perhaps speak the loudest.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Combatting Atherosclerosis With Good Nutrition
Imagine hundreds of cars zooming down an eight-lane highway. One lane disappears, and then another, until the same cars crawl bumper-to-bumper along a one-lane country road. That's sort of what happens when you have atherosclerosis. Your arteries, the highways for your blood, harden and narrow, and the same amount of blood has to make its way through a much tighter space. This traffic jam in your arteries leads to all sorts of trouble, including heart attack and stroke.
Atherosclerosis occurs when cholesterol, fat, and other substances in your blood build up in the walls of your arteries. The process can begin when you're a child, but it may not become a problem until you're in your 50s or 60s. As this muck gathers in your arteries, it forms plaque. Plaque can clog or completely block arteries, cutting off blood flow to your heart or brain. That's when you have a heart attack or stroke.
Too much cholesterol and triglycerides - types of fat - in the blood, high blood pressure, and smoking cause the most damage to your arteries. Other risk factors for atherosclerosis include diabetes, a family history of the condition, stress, obesity, and an inactive lifestyle. Men, in general, are at greater risk, as are people who have an "apple" body shape - with the fat gathering at the belly rather than the hips and thighs.
You can fight atherosclerosis by making good food choices. Cut back on saturated fat and cholesterol from meat and whole-milk dairy products, and look for the following foods that lower cholesterol, bring down blood pressure, and keep your blood flowing smoothly.
Nutritional blockbusters that fight atherosclerosis
Fish. Reel in a big, fat fish and wriggle off the hook of atherosclerosis. Omega-3 fatty acids, the polyunsaturated kinds found in fatty fish like tuna, mackerel, and salmon, protect your arteries from damage.
First, omega-3 takes out triglycerides, the fats that build up on your artery walls. It also stops your blood's platelets from clumping together. That way, your blood remains smooth instead of sticky. Sticky blood can clot and block blood flow. Lastly, omega-3 might lower blood pressure.
No wonder so many studies show that eating fish can reduce your risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two fish meals a week.
You can find a form of omega-3 called alpha-linolenic acid in walnuts, which lower cholesterol. Other sources of omega-3 include flaxseed, wheat germ, and some green, leafy vegetables, like kale, spinach, and arugula.
Garlic. Anything fish can do garlic does, too. The sulfur compounds in this amazing herb not only lower cholesterol and triglycerides, but they also go after only the LDL or "bad" cholesterol and leave the HDL or "good" cholesterol alone.
Garlic can also lower blood pressure so your arteries don't take as much of a pounding. Thanks to a substance called ajoene, garlic keeps your blood from clumping and clotting. One study even showed garlic helps your aorta, the body's main artery, remain elastic as you age.
Experts recommend getting 4 grams of garlic - about one clove - into your diet each day.
Fiber. During the course of a day, you should eat about 25 to 35 grams of fiber. If you do, you'll boost your general health and give atherosclerosis quite a battle.
Certain types of soluble fiber, such as the kind in oats, barley, apples, and other fruits, shrink your cholesterol levels. It works by slowing down your food as it passes through your stomach and small intestine so your "good" cholesterol has more time to take cholesterol to your liver and out of your body. Eating more than 25 grams of fiber every day might also cut your risk of developing high blood pressure by 25 percent.
Fiber comes with an added bonus - it fills you up. After a fiber-rich meal, you feel full, so you're less likely to overeat and put on unwanted pounds. Because being overweight increases your risk of atherosclerosis and other heart problems, eating fiber could be part of an effective strategy to guard your arteries.
You'll find fiber in fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain breads and cereals.
Antioxidants. An unarmed intruder poses less of a threat than one with a weapon. By stopping free radicals from oxidizing LDL cholesterol, antioxidants remove much of the danger. Once oxidized, LDL cholesterol makes a beeline for your artery walls much faster. In fact, some scientists believe LDL cholesterol only harms you once it has been oxidized.
Vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta carotene are antioxidants. Peppers, oranges, strawberries, cantaloupe, and broccoli give you vitamin C, while carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, mangoes, and collard greens are full of beta carotene. Sources of vitamin E include wheat germ, nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils.
While you munch on those fruits and vegetables, you'll get the added benefit of antioxidant substances called flavonoids. Resveratrol in grapes, anthocyanins in cranberry juice, and quercetin in onions, apples, and tea are some of the flavonoids that help your heart and arteries.
Monounsaturated fat. To keep your blood running smoothly, maybe you need an oil change. Olive oil, the main source of fat in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet, has mostly monounsaturated fat. This type of fat slashes the "bad" cholesterol without harming the "good" cholesterol. It also prevents clotting, giving your arteries even more protection.
Like fiber, monounsaturated fat also fills you up so you're less likely to overeat.
Think about switching from soybean or corn oil to olive oil. After all, the Greeks - even while enjoying a rather high-fat diet - rarely develop atherosclerosis.
Besides olive oil, sources of monounsaturated fat include avocados, nuts, and canola oil.
Ginger. Make your dinner a little bit tastier and your arteries a little bit healthier with this ancient spice. Ginger contains phytochemicals called gingerol and shogaol, which give it its antioxidant power.
Animal studies show ginger not only lowers LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, it also prevents LDL oxidation. On top of that, ginger also keeps your blood from clotting by reducing the stickiness of your platelets.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
How to improve the Cholesterol levels naturally?
You have many ways to lower the Cholesterol levels naturally .Be away from the drugs that control the Cholesterol levels because they can be dangerous for you ,as they may cause liver and immune problems ,general weakness and weaken the muscles ,and also it may be cancer risk.
Here are the natural ways that lowers your Cholesterol:
1 -Lifestyle changes.
2 -Reducing stress.
3 -Exercise.
4 -Giving up smoking.
5 -Diet.
And a magic secret which is: Drinking more water.
How can you do that?
1- Lifestyle changes:
· You have to eat balanced food, like fresh fruits and vegetables.
· Olive oil and Fish oil in your diet is very important and very useful for your health.
· Be away from eating hydrogenated oil and processed food.
· Fast food is very dangerous as it is full of bad fats and salts and with no calories.
· Cookies, cakes, muffins contain sugar and unhealthy fats.
So you have to stay away from these poisons to improve your health. It may be inconvenient at the beginning but you have to adapt to this routine.
2-Reducing stress:
The good way to reduce the stress is by starting to add some beneficial tool to your arsenal, like bio-feedback, meditation and going out to have some time to relax as traveling at least one day.
Be away from caffeine especially in soda and coffee .As you have to remove the soda from your drinking habits.
3 -Exercise:
Exercise can help you to reduce the stress and it is one of the most important things to improve your health and lower your Cholesterol level, at least walking everyday, this will decrease the bad Cholesterol (LDL).
4 -Giving up smoking:
It is the most important thing you have to do for yourself and for the people you love, by giving up smoking, the good Cholesterol (HDL) will increase naturally.
5-Diet:
You have to follow your doctor instructions and orders about the balanced food like: vegetables and fresh fruits.
Some useful food is:
Good fats and oils like (Olive Oil ,Fish Oil).
Fresh vegetables and fruits.
Fish (mercury free).
Grapes and Orange juice.
Legumes.
Curry.
Avocados.
Garlic.
Blueberries (they are so useful, they are fruits but in a class by themselves).
Nuts and Seeds.
Oats and soluble fibers.
Be away from:
Caffeine.
Wheat.
Red meat.
Muffins.
Soda.
Alcohol.
Fast food.
Cookies.
Canned or prepared food.
Refined sugar.
Here are some supplements that can help in improving your health and lowers your Cholesterol:
B complex.
Vitamin C, E,D.
Coral Calcium.
Fish Oil.
Plant Sterols.
Policosanol.
Magnesium.
Don't hesitate and make all these changes in your lifestyle to go through a positive way to improve your health without spending money on Cholesterol drugs.
weight loss tips
The Facts About Your Cholesterol Level
It's one thing to be told that cholesterol level is too high. It's another thing entirely to understand what that means and why it is important to bring it into check.
The cholesterol level a person hears about in a doctor's office following a simple blood test is generally the read out of several different types of cholesterol in the bloodstream. Most tests look for a few different types of cholesterol, or fat, with three forms being vital for good health.
The LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, is called the "bad" cholesterol. This form of fat is known for its ability to stick to plaque in the arteries and assist in hardening and clogging. When the level of this kind of cholesterol is too high, serious problems can be on the horizon. Issues that might arise include an increased risk for heart disease, heart attacks and even stroke. Bringing this down can greatly increase the risk for such conditions developing.
HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, will also be checked as part of a standard cholesterol level test. This kind of cholesterol is known as the "good" kind. It has earned the reputation of being good simply because it is known to help remove bad cholesterol from the bloodstream and transport it to the liver where it can be removed from the body. When the levels of HDL are too low, it can be a problem.
Triglycerides are also checked in a standard test. This form of fat is the type the body tends to make all on its own. When these levels are too high, there is cause for concern.
When blood cholesterol level tests come back in, the most common reading will be in milligrams per deciliter of blood, which is written generally as mg/dL. The levels of cholesterol a person should have in their bloodstream will vary depending on age, but in general when a total cholesterol test comes back it should be under 200 mg/dL. Anything between 200 and 239 is considered borderline and 240 and above is a cause for concern.
If a test happens to break it down. The standard "normal" results will be 60 mg/dL or above for HDL or "good" cholesterol. LDL cholesterol level readings should be less than 100 mg/dL. Anything in the 130 to 159 range is considered borderline. At about 160, there is cause for concern. Triglyceride level should fall in at 150 mg/dL for the normal range.
Finding out cholesterol level on a regular basic can help a person avoid one of the biggest risk factors for heart disease and stroke. When the numbers are known, the correct action can be taken. In some cases the tests will lead a doctor to recommend diet and exercise changes. In other cases, diet, exercise and even special medications will be ordered.
Understanding cholesterol level and its implications on health can save a life. At the very least, the information can help a person make conscious decisions about their health and what they can do to improve it. Heart disease is a silent killer, but there are warning signs. Cholesterol level is a rather loud and clear sign.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
The Cause of Heart Disease
If both of your parents and your grandparents suffered from hear disease then you may think you are also doomed to suffer from heart disease. There is good news, heredity can be a cause of heart disease, it is but one factor among may factors that must be taken into account when assessing your risk for heart disease. One recent study found that heredity accounts for less than 10 percent of a person's risk for developing heart disease.
That leaves the other 90 percent of the heart disease causing factors that you may be able to do something about. If you are at risk because of heredity factor then modifying your life style and taking certain precautions could substantially reduce your risk of developing heart disease.
Doctors cannot agree on the number one cause of heart disease, so you will have to evaluate the evidence yourself and determine your own risk/reward ratio. Smoking, obesity, and high cholesterol are usually in the forefront of any study.
The chemicals in cigarettes can damage artery walls, thereby making it easier for cholesterol deposits to build blood-blocking deposits on the artery walls. Smoking also makes platelets, the component of blood that causes clotting and carries oxygen, to be more active, thus increasing the risks of blood clots that cause heart attacks and storks.
A body needs cholesterol and can actually produce all it needs, so when we ingest foods high in cholesterols, like dairy and meat products, our bodies get a lot more cholesterol than they need. The body saves cholesterol instead of excreting it, and that cholesterol gets stored along the walls of the arteries. Too many cholesterol deposits lead to artery blockage and clots.
Having a large numbers of large HDL particles correlates with better health and it is commonly called "good cholesterol". Having a large number of LDL particles in the blood is commonly called "bad cholesterol". However, as today's testing methods determine LDL ("bad") and HDL ("good") cholesterol separately, this simplistic view has become somewhat outdated.
High blood pressure is also thought to be a major cause of heart disease. Give this a try. Plug you nose and breath through you mouth. No problem right? Now put something about the size of a garden hose in you mount and breath through that. It is harder to get enough oxygen but it is still not unreasonable. Not try breathing through a straw. You will not be able to do this for every long before you have to give up.
Your arteries are narrowed because of all that cholesterol stored on the walls of the arteries. But your body needs the same amount of oxygen that is supplied by the blood that is always has. Your heart has to pump harder and faster to give the body what it needs. As you arteries become narrower and narrower your heat has to work harder and harder. Sooner or later something has got to give.
Obesity is another factor that can cause heart disease. Often obesity comes with high cholesterol and high blood pressure, which can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Since there are more areas that need blood because of the increased size of someone suffering from obesity the heart must work harder to supply the needs of the body.
Stress is also associated with heart disease. But unless your parents are stressing you out enough to cause a heart attack, they are not the cause of heart disease.
Common Vitamins and over the counter products can help with Heart Disease such as Vitamin C, Lecithin, Pectin, Garlic, EPA, Niacin and Phytosterols.
Vitamin C has been shown to combat the development of cholesterol deposits in the arteries. Within a few hours after receiving vitamin C patients showed a sharp decline in the cholesterol levels of the blood.
Lecithin has the potential to protect against fat clogged arteries when take daily.
Pectin limits the amount of cholesterol the body can absorb. High pectin count in apples may be why "One a day keeps the doctor away".
Garlic counteracts the usual result of high fats in the diet and to help reduce high blood pressure.
Studies of the Greenland Eskimos lack of heart attacks have show that Eico-Sapentaenoic Acid (EPA) lowers blood cholesterol considerably, even more than polyunsaturated fat does. It also triggers a major drop in triglycerides. Salmon Oil is one of the best-known sources of natural EPA.
Niacin is the closest thing available to a perfect treatment that corrects most causes of coronary heart disease. Niacin blocks the release of fatty acids from fat cells. Niacin plays a critical role in energy production, gene expression, and hormone synthesis. You cannot live without it. Niacin also tends to shift LDL particle distribution to larger particle size and improve HDL functioning. The intake of 3 grams Niacin for as little as two weeks can reduce serum cholesterol by 26 percent.
Phytosterols is found in flax seed and peanuts, which are suggested to help lower serum cholesterol.
If you are at risk of developing heart disease then find a good health care professional prior to starting any type of home treatment.
Always consult your doctor before using this information.
This Article is nutritional in nature and is not to be construed as medical advice.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Lower Cholesterol Or Risk Death
Seemingly in excellent health, Beth goes to the doctor for her regular checkup. In the past year, she has lost weight, begun an exercise routine, and finally landed her dream job. Life is good! During the checkup, Beth tests all come out great, except one. She has high cholesterol. Since the other tests look good, Beth is not overly concerned. Unfortunately, her "put off until tomorrow" attitude is her final, and fatal mistake. At the age of 57, Beth dies.
Although the name has been changed, and a few irrelevant details omitted, the circumstances are true. If a patient is diagnosed with high cholesterol, especially above 240 mg/dL, he/she is 50% more likely to have a life cut short unnecessarily. Thus, lowering high cholesterol is paramount. The risks of suffering from a debilitating illness, or leaving life behind prematurely are simply not worth the gamble.
First, people with high cholesterol are daring a heart attack to strike. Many individuals, like Beth, die before paramedics or doctors can administer possible life-saving medical aid. For the person who is lucky/unlucky enough to survive, the future is no picnic. Usually, blocked arteries have to be replaced, in order for the heart to have a chance to function properly. Thus, the doctors have to pull the breastbone apart to perform open-heart surgery.
Question: Where will the replacement artery come from? Answer: The doctors need to take a long vein from the patient's leg. Now, after suffering a heart attack, the patient also has to recover from a lengthy incision in the leg, and the process of healing bone and tissue from cracking the ribcage and invading the heart. Not fun! The healing process is lengthy, and many people do not regain 100% of pre-attack abilities. For the people who may still feel invincible, consider an alternative possibility.
The second possibility is a stroke. When most people contemplate a stroke, older senior citizens come to mind. However, anyone with dangerously high cholesterol levels is a prime candidate for a stroke. To explain, think of arteries as highways and blood as the car. High cholesterol leaves fatty deposits in the bloodstream. The resulting plaque adheres to the artery walls, much like plaque sticking to teeth. However, as plaque builds up, the roadway for the blood gets clogged, basically causing a physical traffic jam. If an sufficient amount of blood cannot continue on the journey to the brain, an individual suffers a stroke. Thus, any adult with high cholesterol can die, or become severely disabled.
Knowing someone who has survived a stroke is a real wake up call. While some people die, many people technically live, although a stroke can render an individual into a vegetative state. Most people are unable to move on one side of the body, speak without slurring, are unable to swallow-and drool as a result, unable to communicate, and an innumerable combination of other disabilities. Sometimes, with therapy, a person can regain physical abilities torn away by the stroke. However, most people have lingering and permanent effects to contend with throughout life. Also, the process to reach an individual's full recovery potential can take years, is extremely costly, and terribly frustrating.
Hopefully, by now the reality regarding the importance of lowering high cholesterol is becoming scarily apparent. If not, consider the effects dying, or suffering a debilitating stroke, will have on loved ones. Children will grow up without a parent; parents will miss monumental milestones in a child's life. Grandchildren will have to depend on pictures and memories to know a grandma or grandpa. Friends will mourn the loss, and gather to reminisce, until life moves on, and the memory is delegated to the anniversaries of special events, or a trip down memory lane.
Instead, make the effort to stick around and remain more than a melancholy memory. Finally, do not risk leaving friends and family the responsibility of taking care of a disabled loved one, when medical science can prevent a catastrophe from happening in the first place.
Scared? Good! If the diagnosis is high cholesterol, do something! If the levels are dangerously high, the doctor will probably prescribe medication, in addition to the necessary lifestyle changes. Do not put off until tomorrow, what needs done today. Do not invite a heart attack or stroke. Instead, do everything possible to stay healthy and vibrant. Life is too precious to lose prematurely. Friends and family do not want to mourn a loss, or be responsible for rehabilitative care. Do not become a memory; stay an active and loving presence.
Destroy Cholesterol,Tips and Rules
What is Lipitor?
Lipitor is a cholesterol-lowering medication that blocks the production of cholesterol (a type of fat) in the body.
Lipitor reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and total cholesterol in the blood. Lowering your cholesterol can help prevent heart disease and hardening of the arteries, conditions that can lead to heart attack, stroke, and vascular disease.
Lipitor is used to treat high cholesterol. Lipitor is also used to lower the risk of stroke, heart attack, or other heart complications in people with coronary heart disease or type 2 diabetes.
Lipitor may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about Lipitor?
In rare cases, Lipitor can cause a condition that results in the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue. This condition can lead to kidney failure. Call your doctor at once if you have unexplained muscle pain or tenderness, muscle weakness, fever or flu symptoms, and dark colored urine. This medication can cause birth defects in an unborn baby. Do not use if you are pregnant. Use an effective form of birth control, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. Do not take Lipitor if you are pregnant or breast-feeding, or if you have liver disease.
Before taking Lipitor, tell your doctor if you have diabetes, underactive thyroid, kidney disease, a muscle disorder, or a blood disorder:
Avoid eating foods that are high in fat or cholesterol. Lipitor will not be as effective in lowering your cholesterol if you do not follow a cholesterol-lowering diet plan.
Avoid drinking alcohol while taking Lipitor. Alcohol can raise triglyceride levels, and may also damage your liver while you are taking Lipitor.
There may be other drugs that can affect Lipitor. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Lipitor?
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to atorvastatin, if you are pregnant or breast-feeding, or if you have liver disease.
Before taking Lipitor, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
-diabetes;
-underactive thyroid;
-kidney disease; or
-a muscle disorder.
-drink alcoholic beverages,
-have a chronic muscular disease,
-require major surgery, or
-have a blood disorder.
If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use Lipitor, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.
FDA pregnancy category X. This medication can cause birth defects. Do not use Lipitor if you are pregnant. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment. Use an effective form of birth control while you are using this medication. Lipitor can make birth control pills less effective. Ask your doctor about using a non-hormone method of birth control (such as a condom, diaphragm, spermicide) to prevent pregnancy while taking Lipitor. It is not known whether Lipitor passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not take Lipitor without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Lipitor is not for use in children younger than 10 years of age.
How should I take Lipitor?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Take Lipitor with a full glass of water.
Lipitor can be taken with or without food.
Lipitor is usually taken once a day. Try to take your dose at the same time each day. Follow your doctor's instructions.
To be sure this medication is helping your condition, your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. Your liver function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.
Lipitor is only part of a complete program of treatment that also includes diet, exercise, and weight control. Follow your diet, medication, and exercise routines very closely.
You may need to take Lipitor on a long-term basis for the treatment of high cholesterol.
Store Lipitor at room temperature, protected from moisture, heat, and light.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take only the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.
An overdose of Lipitor is not expected to produce life-threatening symptoms.
What should I avoid while taking Lipitor?
Avoid eating foods that are high in fat or cholesterol. Lipitor will not be as effective in lowering your cholesterol if you do not follow a cholesterol-lowering diet plan.
Avoid drinking alcohol while taking Lipitor. Alcohol can raise triglyceride levels, and may also damage your liver while you are taking Lipitor.
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Lipitor and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor.
What are the possible side effects of Lipitor?
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using Lipitor and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
-muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness with fever or flu symptoms and dark colored urine.
Keep taking Lipitor and talk to your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects:
-mild stomach pain, gas, bloating, stomach upset, heartburn;
-nausea, stomach pain or upset;
-constipation, bloating, gas;
-stuffy nose;
-itching, skin rash; or
-muscle pain.
Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.
What other drugs will affect Lipitor?
Before taking Lipitor, talk to your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:
-cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral);
-digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps);
-erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, others) or clarithromycin (Biaxin);
-gemfibrozil (Lopid), clofibrate (Atromid-S), or fenofibrate (Tricor);
-niacin (Nicolar, Nicobid, Slo-Niacin, others);
-an antifungal medication such as itraconazole (Sporanox), fluconazole (Diflucan), or ketoconazole (Nizoral);
If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to use Lipitor, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.
There may be other drugs not listed that can affect Lipitor. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Ischemic Heart Disease
Ischemia is a decrease in the blood supply to a bodily organ, tissue, or part paused by constriction or obstruction of the blood vessels, and it is the proper medical term for reduced blood flow to the heart. Hardened or blocked arteries us usually the cause of it, and it is the number one cause of death in most western countries. The growth of these tissues is called arteriosclerosis.
Arteriosclerosis typically begins in early adolescence but is rarely diagnosed until late in life usually due to a stroke or heart attack. Autopsies of healthy young men who died during the Korean and Vietnam Wars showed evidence of the disease. Early diagnosis and treatment can stop the progression of arteriosclerosis and prevent a medical emergency.
According to United States data for the year 2004, for about 65% of men and 47% of women, the first symptom of Arteriosclerosis disease is heart attack or sudden cardiac death (death within one hour of onset of the symptom) or the obstruction of arteries supplying the brain result in a stroke.
Another problem that can be caused y Ischemic heart disease is what is called an Aneurisms. It is a localized, pathological, blood-filled dilatation of a blood vessel causing a weakling of the vessel's wall. As plaque builds up in the arteries it causes an obstruction and the blood flow around the obstruction puts pressure on the walls of the arteries. This can cause the walls of the arteries to balloon out and become weaken as the blood moves around the obstruction. If one of these balloon or aneurisms explodes then death can occur within minutes.
If the plaque becomes dislodged from the arterial walls it can travel to the heart and cause one of the blood vessels of the heart to be come blocked causing a heart attack. If the plaque becomes lodged in one of the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain then it will cause a stroke.
Ischemic is caused by a diet that is high in fats and physical inaction. A high fat diet leads to a high amount of cholesterol in the blood. The American Heart Association provides a set of guidelines for total blood cholesterol levels and risk for heart disease. The desirable LDL level is considered to be less than 100 mg/dl. However the 1987 report of National Cholesterol Education Program suggest the total blood cholesterol level should be less 200 mg/dl normal blood cholesterol, if the cholesterol level is between 200 and 239 mg/dl it is considered borderline-high, and higher than 240 mg/dl is considered high cholesterol level.
Many scientists, nutritionists, and activists, are worried about ischemic heart disease and they are trying to educate the American population in healthier diets. And this power of healthy suggestion seems to be working on restaurants. Especially since 2004, fast food chains have started to offer healthier menu choices such as yogurt, salads, and fruit. Many restaurants now print some nutrition information on their menus and offer specifically Heart-Smart recipes.
Common Vitamins and over the counter products can help with Ischemic Heart Disease such as Foti, Niacin, Vitamin C, Pectin, and EPA.
Foti also called He Shou Wu in China is legendary in its ability to lengthen life. Modern studies have show that Foti has the ability to lower serum cholesterol, prevent premature gray hair, promote red blood cell growth, and to increase longevity on a cellular level. This herb raises the level of the naturally occurring antioxidant Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) in the body. Foti can lower the cholesterol in the blood by inhibiting its absorption in the intestines, which assists in the prevention of arteriosclerosis and other heart related diseases.
Niacin is the closest thing available to a perfect treatment that corrects most causes of coronary heart disease. Niacin blocks the release of fatty acids from fat cells. Niacin plays a critical role in energy production, gene expression, and hormone synthesis. You cannot live without it. Niacin also tends to shift LDL particle distribution to larger particle size and improve HDL functioning. The intake of 3 grams Niacin for as little as two weeks can reduce serum cholesterol by 26 percent.
Vitamin C has been shown to combat the development of cholesterol deposits in the arteries. Within a few hours after receiving vitamin C patients showed a sharp decline in the cholesterol levels of the blood.
Pectin limits the amount of cholesterol the body can absorb. High pectin count in apples may be why "One a day keeps the doctor away".
Studies of the Greenland Eskimos lack of heart attacks have show that Eico-Sapentaenoic Acid (EPA) lowers blood cholesterol considerably, even more than polyunsaturated fat does. It also triggers a major drop in triglycerides. Salmon Oil is one of the best known sources of natural EPA.
If you are at risk from Heart Disease then find a good health care professional prior to starting any type of home treatment.
Always consult your doctor before using this information.
This Article is nutritional in nature and is not to be construed as medical advice.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
How To Lower Your Cholestrol Effectively
Experts say that people who are over 20 years of age should pay more attention to their cholesterol level and advise them to do everything they can to lower their levels of "bad" cholesterol. Despite the so many claims that you can lower your cholesterol level through low cholesterol diet plans, lifestyle changes, and monitored medication, more and more people who suffer from this condition still fail to lower their cholesterol level.
Although it is sometimes hard to stick with the needed requirements to be able to lower your cholesterol levels, it is still possible to get the result that you want by following these easy ways to lower to cholesterol:
1. Make sure you know where you stand by getting your levels checked regularly. Visiting your doctor and getting your cholesterol levels checked regularly is very important to achieving optimum health for good. Since high cholesterol is related to cardiovascular disease, make sure that you know your numbers so you can rearrange your diet and change lifestyle habits as well. Knowing your cholesterol level will also help you decide what kind of diet plan you should follow and if you need medication and treatment already. Knowing your starting point will also help you monitor your progress toward healthy cholesterol levels. If you know your exact cholesterol status then you can also do something to combat it by learning to quit cigarette smoking and excessive eating of high cholesterol foods.
2. Understanding the basics and learning everything you can about the condition. If you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol levels, the first thing to do is to understand the situation fully and acquire more information about the condition. By conducting your own personal research on the condition will also make you knowledgeable about initial lifestyle changes you can do to lessen the problem and you will also have an idea what other treatments options available. Knowing everything about cholesterol, its types, kinds, and health risks will also make you understand that the case is not really hopeless if you are in the right track.
Finding and getting more information about the condition will also make you realize that there are so many things that you can do. You can get more information from a registered dietician, local centers for nutrition, local hospital or public health department, and from a consultation with your attending physician or health care provider.
3. Watch your weight and get rid of extra pounds if needed. Monitoring your weight is one of the best ways to combat high levels of cholesterol. If you think you are overweight for your age and height, then you should be contemplating on slimming down to be able to decrease your high cholesterol level. Since being overweight disrupts a person's normal metabolism of dietary fat, experts say that people who weight more than they should shout start planning on a healthy lifestyle and diet to lose weight safely.
But, before having a drastic change in your diet and lifestyle, make sure that you visit your doctor first to access your overall health. Doing this may prevent further damage especially if you have to undergo certain medications.
4. Get physical, do regular physical activities and exercises more often. The wonders of exercise are indeed very essential in lowering high cholesterol levels. Doing regular physical activities can also help raise the good cholesterol levels and lose weight as well. There is really no need for high-intensity workouts, regular brisk walking or jogging can help the body boost HDL cholesterol and also beneficial for the heart.
5. Make a commitment and stick to that commitment. The best way to lower cholesterol levels is to be able to develop the discipline to stick to your goal. You can also lower your cholesterol level by acquainting yourself what are the good and the bad fat and its sources, by discovering the wonders of fiber in cutting down cholesterol, by taking in good multivitamins, by freeing yourself from lots of stress, and by exploring and considering treatment options when all else fails.
allergy treatment
Anti Aging Herbs For The Heart
Dr. John Christopher, a famous natural healer, praised the use of Cayenne throughout the time of his practice. He once stated that in 35 years of practice he never lost a patient due to a heart attack if he was present during the attack. His emergency treatment was to get the patient to drink a cup of cayenne tea and within minutes the danger has passed.
Take a bite on a habanero pepper and you instantly feel a rush of heat to all parts of your body. That is due to the increased blood flow throughout your body. That is an effect that no pharmaceutical drug can create. Cayenne moves blood to the sick and dying organs and with it nutrients and healing bio-chemicals. At the same time it gets the waste materials carried away. For best result, Cayenne pepper should be taken with meals. Use 1/4 of a teaspoon of powder, or more, in a cup of distilled hot water.
Jiaogulan.
Jiaogulan is a Chinese herb and in Japan it is called Amachazuru and it is used to lower the cholesterol levels in the blood stream. It lowers the LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and raises the HLD cholesterol (good cholesterol). This herb can lower the blood pressure when it is to high and it can also rise the blood pressure when it is to low.
Soy.
Soy has been used in Japan and China for centuries and has shown to reduce the chances of having a heart attack. It is also shown to reduce the chances of developing breast cancer, uterine cancer, and ovarian cancer. Good sources of soy are lentils and flaxseeds, tofu, miso and soymilk.
Gynostemma Herb.
Gynostemma herb is also known as Southern Ginseng by the Chinese Herbalists. It is not related to ginseng and it belongs to the cucumber family and has traditionally been grown in the South Central China area. This area of China is well know for the long life if it's people as well as the low occurrences of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Gynostemma has been shown to have a marked effect in reducing the amount of cholesterol levels in the blood. Gynostemma works by emulsifying the cholesterol deposits that have accumulated on the blood vessel walls, thus making them available for excretion out of your body.
Procyanidolic.
Procyanidolic aligomers (PCO) are derived from pine bark and grape seeds. Studies have show it to prevent histamine release, promotes healthy veins and circulatory system.
Lecithin.
Lecithin has been showed to lower the risk of heart disease. It reduces the adhesiveness of platelets in the blood stream; reduce very low-density lipoprotein, lowers triglycerids and cholesterol in the blood.
Foti.
Foti can lower the cholesterol in the blood by inhibiting its absorption in the intestines, which assists in the prevention of arteriosclerosis and other heart related diseases.
Niacin is the closest thing available to a perfect treatment that corrects most causes of coronary heart disease. Niacin blocks the release of fatty acids from fat cells. Niacin plays a critical role in energy production, gene expression, and hormone synthesis. You cannot live without it. Niacin also tends to shift LDL particle distribution to larger particle size and improve HDL functioning. The intake of 3 grams Niacin for as little as two weeks can reduce serum cholesterol by 26 percent.
Vitamin E.
Vitamin E supplies Oxygen to the heart and the other muscles in the body. Accelerates wound healing and aids in the functioning of the immune system.
If you just feel that you need vitamins, supplements or herbs to fight the aging process then find a good health care professional prior to starting any type of home treatment.
Always consult your doctor before using this information.
This Article is nutritional in nature and is not to be construed as medical advice.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Scientific Research shows Juices can Reduce Cholesterol and Prevent Heart Disease.
Heart disease effects many of us in the UK, more so than in many other countries, but there is a strong possibility that this could be changed simply by changing our attitude towards food and consuming more juice.
The term 'heart disease' includes several conditions such from Congenital heart defects seen at birth to atherosclerosis (hardened arteries) that develop later. It is a complex issue with several inter-related factors. Hardening of the arteries and angina are a result of the inner walls of the bodies arteries narrowing due to a build up of plaque (fat, LDL cholesterol and other substances). Plaque build up is increased in people who have high levels LDL (bad) cholesterol and low levels HDL (good) cholesterol. Oxidation of excess LDL cholesterol results in an increase of plaque. The HDL cholesterol helps to prevent the LDL cholesterol from increasing the plaque, moving it instead to the liver. Plaque build up alone may be enough to cause pain (angina) or heart attack. However, if the plaque is ruptured or torn it can block the artery causing a coronary thrombosis (heart attack). Atherosclerosis can also be caused by inappropriate platelet activation causing the platelets in the blood to clot.
Grape Juice inhibits Atherosclerosis
Many of us will have seen news items claiming red wine helps to keep our hearts healthy. This is due to a substance in the grapes that used to make the wine known as polyphenols. However, recent tests have shown that although less polyphenols are present in grape juice than red wine, grape juice is better at inhibiting atherosclerosis [1]. Purple Grape juice has also been found to help patients with coronary artery disease due to significantly improving the function of the cells (endothelial) lining the hardened arteries as well inhibiting inappropriate platelet activation [2]. Purple grape juice's action as a potent platelet inhibitor is important as Platelets are involved in the development of Atherosclerosis [3]. Other research has shown grape seed proanthocyanidin extracts reducing Atherosclerosis by up to 50% in animals. [4] Although that study was for grape seed extract alone, other studies have shown that the combination of grape seed extract and grape skin, as you would find in the juice, is more effective [5].
Fruit Juices Reduce Cholesterol
Pomegranate juice also offers wide protection against cardiovascular diseases6 and has been shown to reduce cholesterol build up in plaque [7] and reduce the development of atherosclerosis [8].
In laboratory tests orange juice has been found to lower cholesterol and significantly inhibit atherosclerosis [9]. A 750ml serving of orange juice daily has been shown to decreased the LDL-HDL cholesterol ratio by 16% in tests on people [10]. Tests on smokers has shown that carrot and orange juice combined significantly susceptibility of LDL to oxidation [11] (the process that increases plaque).
As little as 330 mL of tomato juice [12] has also been shown to significantly reduce LDL oxidation [13]
Adding garlic to vegetable juices takes some getting used to, but garlic has also been shown to decrease bad LDL cholesterol while increase HDL cholesterol [14] as well as reducing LDL oxidation [15].
Plant sterols and stanols found in high quantities in veg like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower16 have been found to reduce LDL cholesterol [17]. One report says around 2g per day of plant sterol ester can decrease LDL cholesterol levels from 9% to 20% [18]
Ginger has also been shown to significantly reduce LDL cholesterol and abnormal cell tissues (Aortic atherosclerotic lesion) [19] in the arteries around the heart.
With so much evidence proving the benefits of fruit and vegetable juices why on earth would we not want to include them in our diet?
1 Atherosclerosis. 2001 May;156(1):67-72. Red wine, dealcoholized red wine, and especially grape juice, inhibit atherosclerosis in a hamster model. Vinson JA, Teufel K, Wu N. Department of Chemistry, University of Scranton, Linden and Monroe Streets,
2 Adv Exp Med Biol. 2002;505:95-111. Potential health benefits from the flavonoids in grape products on vascular disease. Folts JD. Coronary Thrombosis Research Laboratory, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, USA.
3 J Nutr. 2000 Jan;130(1):53-6. Grape juice, but not orange juice or grapefruit juice, inhibits human platelet aggregation. Keevil JG, Osman HE, Reed JD, Folts JD. Cardiology Section of Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison,
WI 53792, USA.
4 ol Cell Biochem. 2002 Nov;240(1-2):99-103. Beneficial effects of a novel IH636 grape seed proanthocyanidin extract and a niacin-bound chromium in a hamster atherosclerosis model. Vinson JA, Mandarano MA, Shuta DL, Bagchi M, Bagchi D. Department of Chemistry, University of Scranton, Scranton, PA, USA.
5 J Nutr. 2002 Dec;132(12):3592-8. Grape seed and grape skin extracts elicit a greater antiplatelet effect when used in combination than when used individually in dogs and humans. Shanmuganayagam D, Beahm MR, Osman HE, Krueger CG, Reed JD, Folts JD. Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53792,
USA.
6 Atherosclerosis. 2001 Sep;158(1):195-8. Pomegranate juice consumption inhibits serum angiotensin converting enzyme
activity and reduces systolic blood pressure. Aviram M, Dornfeld L. The Lipid Research Laboratory, Technion Faculty of Medicine, The Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences, 31096 Haifa, Israel.
7 J Nutr Biochem. 2005 Sep;16(9):570-6. Pomegranate juice inhibits oxidized LDL uptake and cholesterol biosynthesis in macrophages. Fuhrman B, Volkova N, Aviram M. Lipid Research Laboratory, Technion Faculty of Medicine, The Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa 31096, Israel.
8 J Nutr. 2001 Aug;131(8):2082-9. Pomegranate juice supplementation to atherosclerotic mice reduces macrophage lipid peroxidation, cellular cholesterol accumulation and development of atherosclerosis.
Kaplan M, Hayek T, Raz A, Coleman R, Dornfeld L, Vaya J, Aviram M.
The Lipid Research Laboratory, Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, The Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences and Rambam Medical Center, Haifa 31096, Israel.
9 Adv Exp Med Biol. 2002;505:113-22. Polyphenol antioxidants in citrus juices: in vitro and in vivo studies relevant to heart disease. Vinson JA, Liang X, Proch J, Hontz BA, Dancel J, Sandone N. Department of Chemistry, University of Scranton, PA 18510-4626, USA.
10 Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 Nov;72(5):1095-100. HDL-cholesterol-raising effect of orange juice in subjects with hypercholesterolemia. Kurowska EM, Spence JD, Jordan J, Wetmore S, Freeman DJ, Piche LA, Serratore P. Departments of Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
11 Clin Chem. 2000 Nov;46(11):1818-29. Influence of increased fruit and vegetable intake on plasma and lipoprotein carotenoids and LDL oxidation in smokers and nonsmokers. Chopra M, O'Neill ME, Keogh N, Wortley G, Southon S, Thurnham DI. Northern Ireland Centre for Diet and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland BT52 1SA, United Kingdom.
12 J Nutr. 2000 Sep;130(9):2200-6. Moderate intervention with carotenoid-rich vegetable products reduces lipid peroxidation in men. Bub A, Watzl B, Abrahamse L, Delincee H, Adam S, Wever J, Muller H, Rechkemmer G. Institute of Nutritional Physiology, Federal Research Centre for Nutrition, D-76131 Karlsruhe, Germany.
13 Lipids. 1998 Oct;33(10):981-4. Tomato lycopene and low density lipoprotein oxidation: a human dietary intervention study. Agarwal S, Rao AV. Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
14 J Nutr. 2001 Mar;131(3s):994S-9S. Study of garlic extracts and fractions on cholesterol plasma levels and vascular reactivity in cholesterol-fed rats. Slowing K, Ganado P, Sanz M, Ruiz E, Tejerina T. Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Complutense University, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
15 J Nutr. 2001 Mar;131(3s):985S-8S. Suppression of LDL oxidation by garlic. Lau BH. Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA.
16 Curr Opin Lipidol. 2000 Dec;11(6):571-6. Therapeutic potential of plant sterols and stanols. Plat J, Kerckhoffs DA, Mensink RP. Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
17 Am J Clin Nutr. 2002 Jan;75(1):79-86. An increase in dietary carotenoids when consuming plant sterols or stanols is
effective in maintaining plasma carotenoid concentrations. Noakes M, Clifton P, Ntanios F, Shrapnel W, Record I, McInerney J. CSIRO Health Sciences and Nutrition, Adelaide, Australia.
18 Circulation. 2001 Feb 27;103(8):1177-9. AHA Science Advisory. Stanol/sterol ester-containing foods and blood cholesterol
levels. A statement for healthcare professionals from the Nutrition Committee of the Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism of the American Heart Association. Lichtenstein AH, Deckelbaum RJ.
19 J Nutr. 2000 May;130(5):1124-31. Ginger extract consumption reduces plasma cholesterol, inhibits LDL oxidation and attenuates development of atherosclerosis in atherosclerotic, apolipoprotein
E-deficient mice. Fuhrman B, Rosenblat M, Hayek T, Coleman R, Aviram M. Lipid Research Laboratory, Technion Faculty of Medicine, The Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences and Rambam Medical Center, Haifa,
Israel.
diabetes treatment
Diet to Lower Cholesterol Naturally
High cholesterol claims thousands of lives every year because having high cholesterol sooner or later will lead to having a heart disease, a heart attack, or a stroke. You can prevent this happen to you and your family if you act the right way.
Diet to lower cholesterol would help you reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke if you are suffering from high cholesterol. A low cholesterol diet is a must to help you lower your cholesterol naturally and fast.
You need to consult to your doctor first before you start your diet to lower cholesterol. Mostly the doctor would suggest you to combine it with exercises. You may still need to take medicine if your doctor determines your cholesterol level very high depending on your family history and age.
A myth says that high cholesterol was caused primarily by eating too many fatty and high cholesterol foods. It is not true since cholesterol has more to do with genetics and your activity than your diet. Nevertheless, a low cholesterol diet still holds an important aspect of your cholesterol when it combines with exercise and medications.
Diet to lower cholesterol is very simple if you know which type of cholesterol in the foods you must keep off. You can consume foods that are high in HDLs which stands for high density lipoproteins which known as good cholesterol while for bad cholesterol or known as LDLs which stands for low density lipoproteins you must reduce it. Foods that high in saturated fat likes heavy pastries, fatty meats, lard, butter, greasy sauces are very high in LDLs and you should reduce or avoid it on your low cholesterol diet menu. Having a list of foods that lower in cholesterol could help you a lot on your low cholesterol diet plan.
You may ask your nutritionist or doctor about foods that are high in HDLs. He or she will give you a list of food that lower in cholesterol and high in HDLs likes avocado, some nuts, and dark chocolate. Don't forget to ask for some fiber on your cholesterol diet menu since it is a proven way to lower cholesterol. Whole wheat or anything with oats likes oatmeal is a great source for fiber, also plenty of roughage likes fibrous green stuff and salads minus the ranch dressing. It's better to get fiber from food than fiber supplements.
By having many types of healthy and delicious foods to choose from that are good for you and your heart, it would make your diet to lower cholesterol more attractive and will help you success with your lower cholesterol diet program.
Author: Dr. Suririnah
Diet Suggestions For Lowering Cholesterol Levels
We all have cholesterol whether we like it or not as it plays an important role in our bodies. However, having high cholesterol is not good and should be lowered. Regardless of how we get it, lowering high cholesterol is always a good idea. We get cholesterol in two ways, through our body and mainly the liver. Every day, our bodies produce amounts of cholesterol that we don't need. Animal foods like eggs, poultry, meat, seafood and milk contain a lot of cholesterol, which add to the levels we produce naturally.
The safest foods are vegetables, seeds, nuts and fruits, as these do not encourage further production of cholesterol.
Lowering cholesterol requires finding the right diet for you and sticking to it. The main source for cholesterol is saturated fatty acids. This makes your blood cholesterol rise abruptly and could cause heart disease. Trans fat also contributes to raising your blood cholesterol level. But diet can beat it all.
The American Heart Association has recommended that the limit for your daily cholesterol should be no more that 300 milligrams. If your diet is maintained properly you will dramatically lower your cholesterol.
Diet plays a vital role in lowering cholesterol. Choosing your food is the best way to start. Choose foods that contain low saturated fat. Saturated fat can be found in foods from animals, such as poultry, meat, lard and vegetable oils like palm oil, coconut and palm kernel.
The best diet would be choosing foods which are low in saturated fat. The solution to this is choosing foods that are rich in fiber such as vegetables, fruits and grains. They do not add cholesterol to your body but they help you maintain a healthy diet. Choose the foods that are low in cholesterol.
Did you know that the dietary cholesterol can still raise your blood cholesterol level? The answer is yes, although it is not that high in saturated fat
Avoid foods that come from animals. These types of foods are the richest in saturated fat and they are not recommended for high daily intake. You can supplement your diet with the help of lecithin. This is helpful and it contains phosphatidyl choline which is able to increase the solubility of the cholesterol in your body and allows the fatty deposits in your bloodstream to break down.
Your diet should be absolutely free from oily foods, which only contain minimal amounts of fatty acid. Choose foods that are rich in omega-3 and omega-6. This is important in normalizing your blood cholesterol level and can help you maintain good health. Increasing your dietary fiber can be very helpful because it can neutralize the excess bile acids in the bowel. Eat fiber rich foods instead of greasy foods.
Observing this diet is a must because your cholesterol is something you should maintain and watch out for in order to stay healthy, fit, and free from heart disease. Lowering cholesterol can be observed and achieved by choosing the foods you eat.
If you are suffering with high cholesterol, you should consult your primary care physician first before making any changes in your diet.
The Right Amount Of Cholesterol is Fundamental For Good Health
Cholesterol is a fatty substance in blood which is designed for building and repairing cells. They are produced in a large-scale by the liver and other organs and consumed via animal fat. In the human body, large amounts of it are found in brain and nerve tissue.
Liver produces this cholesterol. It produces about 800-1500 mg. of cholesterol per day. The liver can also produce cholesterol from carbohydrates, proteins or fat. Only animal foods contain cholesterol. Excess cholesterol harms the body when it forms plaque deposits on artery walls, leading to atherosclerosis and heart disease.
Their presence in high quantity in the body will increase the risk of thickening of the artery walls. This may lead to other cardiovascular problems and in particular heart attack. Generally, as this is the leading cause for the death of people, lowering cholesterol has gained importance in the humanity. Thus people, as prevention, give importance for eating foods with less cholesterol and taking on regular exercises including walking.
Fats are also known as lipids. They are divided into three general categories:
1. Triglycerides
2. Phospholipids
3. Sterols
Triglycerides form the main part of fat. They provide us with energy and help our bodies to use carbohydrates and proteins, with more efficiency.
Like cholesterol, Triglycerides are a form of fat. Triglycerides are chains of high-energy fatty acids and provide much of the energy needed for cells to function. Recent research has shown that high levels of triglycerides in the bloodstream may indicate a higher risk for heart disease.
amphiphilic lipids, in general, and Phosphatidyl Serine ethanolamine, in particular, are major constituents of cell membranes. These molecules form phospholipids.
Healthy cholesterol level is measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). After knowing this, one need to go further and find out what is his HDL level (or "good" cholesterol level ) and the result ratio will guide you the risk factor, whether your level is healthy and what is the advisable course of action to achieve optimum levels.
Less than 200 mg/dL - means that your cholesterol level is in the desirable category and your heart attack risk is relatively low, unless you have other risk factors.
If your cholesterol levels are high, a diet control for lowering them can help you avoid the risk of heart disease. Even though most of the cholesterol in your body is produced by your liver from saturated fat in your diet, some comes from foods such as eggs, meats and dairy products. Instead of taking food which contains a lot of saturated fats, replace them to ones containing unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
High cholesterol is one of the main risk factors for coronary heart disease which is under your control. In your body, there are no warning signs for this. When symptoms finally do occur, they usually take the form of angina or a heart attack in response to the buildup of plaque in the arteries. This condition only necessitates you for testing cholesterol. Testing cholesterol will prevent the dangerous, life-threatening symptoms before they occur.
Some fats are essential to our health. The reason that fats have a bad name is because; saturated fats are a major cause of coronary heart disease along with cholesterol. But this does not mean that all are bad.
Lipoproteins are arranged into six categories according to size and density. They can be further defined by, whether they carry cholesterol (the two smaller lipoproteins) or triglycerides (the three largest lipoproteins).
Also known as LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, it binds to the walls of arteries and veins. When the circulation of LDL cholesterol exceeds in the blood, it will slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries, which feed the heart and brain. A small abnormal patch, on or inside the body, can form a thick, hard deposit that can clog those arteries. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. If a clot forms and blocks a narrowed artery, it leads to heart disease, heart attack or stroke and thus has harmful actions.
Known as HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, it is having beneficial actions. Researchers have shown that enough HDL levels have a protective effect on people's cardiovascular diseases. Research, in a consistent manner, shown that sufficient HDL (or "good cholesterol levels") has a protective effect on people's heart health. High HDL cholesterol levels are good because HDL has been shown to reverse some of the harmful effects of LDL or "bad cholesterol".
A study in the year 2001 (in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society) showed that the centenarians of both sexes, who have High levels of good HDL cholesterol, seem to live longer.
Niacin supplements are also prescribed, when a person has low levels of HDL cholesterol, but in most cases, a person can get their daily requirement of niacin, by eating a balanced diet, that includes fresh fruit and vegetables.
Simple blood test will reveal your cholesterol level. The following are steps to lower cholesterol without much change in your lifestyle. A simple walking for at least 30 minutes, as an exercise, is sufficient for a start. Any form of exercise has been shown to reduce cholesterol.
Next concentration is on your eating habits. This applies, mostly to eatables that can bring animal fats into the body. That is dairy and meat foods.
Full fat milk is to be avoided and try a low fat alternative or even soy milk. Low fat milk now, comes in all sorts of varieties that claim to keep all the minerals and vitamins in, but take the fat out. They are advisable.
Red meat and pork are also fatty foods. Avoid this type of meat and chose foods like chicken, duck or fish. Remove chicken or duck skin, before cooking.
Avoid deep fried foods and oily food like French fries. Any ready made products that were deep fried should be skipped. To reduce cholesterol, select broiled, grilled, steamed or baked meats. Try fresh foods like salads, fruit or steamed vegetables instead.
Have periodic blood pressure check. If you have anything over the average range, you should seriously consider seeing a doctor to have your cholesterol readings checked. Your doctor is the right person to help you with some literature on the most popular types of low cholesterol diet.
Decreasing a high level of cholesterol
Generally patients find out about the fact that they have a high level of cholesterol in the blood during the regular blood tests they take. Before prescribing them a treatment based on pills most doctors prefer to try other methods first. They recommend the patient to lose some weigh and to keep a diet for a while. Loosing weight is important in the process of reducing the level of cholesterol and so exercising and other weight loss resources should be considered. Also, the patients should be careful what they eat, especially what amount of fat they digest.
Specialists recommend the patients to make sure the diet contains less that 30% fats. It is important to be careful what type of fats patients eat. There are three types of fats: saturate, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Those foods that contain saturate fats are dangerous for the patient because they increase the level of cholesterol in the blood and so they should be eaten in small amounts and even avoided. These dangerous aliments are: fatty meats, butter, cheese, cream, and processed foods.
The pre-processed foods and takeaway ones are harmful because they get "bad" during their processing. These foods do not contain a label where it is written the substances they contain but you can pay attention to the ingredients producers used. If you see hydrogenated fat or oil you can be sure that they are unhealthy and should reduce consuming them as much as possible.
The monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are good for the organism as they reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood. These precious aliments are: vegetable oils, soya oil, margarines, seeds, olive oil, avocado and nuts. The most important thing is to avoid frying the food but if this is necessary try to do that in olive oil and not in butter.
Besides concentrating about eliminating fats from your diet, you should make sure you eat oats, barley, pulses and fruits because they contain soluble fiber which is useful in lowering the cholesterol level and are low in fat too.
Try to eat daily at least 25 grams of soya protein because it has been proven to be healthy. It seems that it lowers efficiently the level of cholesterol by lowering both the low density lipoproteins and the total cholesterol. You can get 25 grams of soya by drinking three glasses of soya milk, but try to avoid those varieties which contain sweet. Of course, soya can also be found in other products like special yoghurt, creams and soya deserts but you must pay attention to the calories these products contain.
Taking the wrong calcium, like Coral Calcium, may cause problems
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Soy Genistein: Your Smart Choice For A Healthy Heart
By adding soy to your diet, you can simply and effectively protect your heart. Soy foods, which are low in saturated fat, provide protein, and are completely cholesterol-free. About 3 million Americans take prescription drugs to lower cholesterol. Although these drugs can be effective, they come along with many significant side effects. Additionally, many of us are unaware that we have high cholesterol levels. Recent studies suggest that over thirty-five million Americans have a cholesterol level which puts them at risk for heart disease. Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1995 stated that the consumption of soy protein rather than animal protein significantly decreased LDL (bad) cholesterol levels without affecting HDL (good) cholesterol levels. It is important to remember that when cholesterol is artificially lowered, not only do the bad cholesterol levels drop, but so do the good cholesterol levels. However, soy protein only lowers LDL cholesterol and does not affect HDL levels. Also, when adding soy to your diet, you can also reduce the amount of bad cholesterol that is oxidized, which is what causes damage to the artery walls.
It is very important to read labels on soy foods because soy products without isoflavones will not give the cardiovascular benefits proven in clinical studies. Scientists have recently determined that the cholesterol-lowering effect depends on the amount of isoflavones that are present. The higher the amount, the more beneficial the effect will be. But keep in find that isolated isoflavones will not have the same effect, as resent research has shown that those isoflavones extracted from soy do not have cholesterol-lowering effects. Although most scientific studies have been on genistein, a study in progress at Wake Forest University is looking into daidzein, which may have even greater cardiovascular value. This new study explores the role of genistein and daidzein, rather than just genistein.
Studies have shown that soy protein, when it is consumed at a level of twenty-five grams and combined with diet and exercise, significantly lowers bad cholesterol. It is the protein component found in soy that contains isoflavones which are thought to be responsible for this effect. By getting more knowledgeable about soy and looking for the protein content of soy foods, you can lower your overall fat and animal protein intake along with lowering your bad cholesterol levels. Health experts recommend adding two servings of soy-based foods to your daily diet.
Since the FDA has recently finalized the Soy Protein Health Claim, which states that soy protein is associated with reducing coronary heart disease, any company producing food or food substances under the FDA's jurisdiction can make a legitimate health claim that the product follows this rule. In order to meet the stipulations, the food must contain 6.25 grams of soy protein per serving, 3 grams or less of fat, 1 gram or less of saturated fat, and 20 milligrams or less of cholesterol. The food must also meet specific restrictions on the amount of sodium included. The only exceptions to this rule include products that consist or are derived from whole soybeans and contain no fat in addition to what is naturally found in soybeans.
How To Lower LDL Cholesterol Levels
High cholesterol is a big concern these days and puts people at high risk for heart attack and other serious cardiovascular problems. The diseases of the heart and circulatory system are the leading cause of death in the U.S. killing more than 1.3 million people a year.
High cholesterol is one of the primary risk indicators of heart disease and effects nearly 50% of Americans. It's a silent disease - there are no symptoms until problems have already developed. The worst thing is that many people don't know they have it until their first sign is a heart attack.
It is vital to keep your cholesterol within healthy limits. A healthy diet and regular physical activity are necessary for maintaining cardiovascular health, but supplementation may also be needed in order to manage cholesterol levels.
What exactly is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a type of fat and most of it is generated by our bodies. It is made by your liver from the fats, carbohydrates, and proteins you eat. You also get cholesterol by eating animal products such as meat, eggs, and dairy products. We need cholesterol, but too much of it generates problems.
The term high cholesterol is actually a bit misleading because there are two types of cholesterol - HDL and LDL. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is the good cholesterol and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is the bad cholesterol. The good cholesterol (HDL), decreases the risk of heart disease while the bad cholesterol (LDL), increases the risk. Most cholesterol is unfortunately LDL.
LDL cholesterol can build up on the inside of artery walls, contributing to artery blockages that can lead to heart attacks. Most efforts to battle arterial clogging focus on lowering LDL. HDL cholesterol is good because it helps prevent arteries from becoming clogged. It transports cholesterol to the liver where it is eliminated from the body. Higher HDL levels generally mean lower risk.
How can Policosanol help?
Policosanol is a natural supplement derived from sugar cane or beeswax that has been shown to promote cardiovascular health by raising HDL, the good cholesterol, and keeping LDL, the bad cholesterol, in check.
Policosanol works by helping the liver control its production and breakdown of cholesterol. In addition to reducing dangerous LDL, it also inhibits abnormal platelet aggregation, protects against LDL oxidation and suppresses arterial inflammatory factors.
Clinical studies have shown that Policosanol works as well as FDA-approved drugs, only free of side-effects.
People with elevated LDL cholesterol as well as people with low levels of good HDL cholesterol may benefit from taking Policosanol.
Switching To A Low Cholesterol Diet
Who doesn't crave for health? Who doesn't want to have his sandwich with an extra layer of mayonnaise without caring about the girth around the waist? And who doesn't want to stop thinking about what to eat and what not to? Surely, in addition to all that, we also want to have rippling muscles. But leave that for later because in today's hectic life it's difficult to find time and energy for a regular jog, let alone pumping iron Arnie style.
If I were to advise adopting a healthy lifestyle I am sure it would sound like an oft-suggested-never-followed kind of an advise, which it surely is. But the fact is, nothing helps better than a healthy lifestyle with some form of regular physical activity thrown in. It not only keeps one fit but also helps reduce one's risk of disease, especially heart ailments. Cholesterol is considered to be the erring element.
One of the effective ways to reduce blood cholesterol is to combine regular physical activity with low cholesterol diet. A diet with low cholesterol may include foods with high fiber and vitamin content, and must be low on fat. Now going low on fat does not mean that you shun fat altogether because fat is an important requirement for the healthy functioning of the body. They help the body in digestion and excretion.
As indicated earlier, a low fat diet alone will not be sufficient to substantially reduce your chances of a heart stroke. For that you must exercise a bit. This is not to say that you join the fancy neighborhood gym. Exercise may just comprise of half an hour of brisk walking or light jogging in the morning or in the evening. Mornings are better because at that time the air has more oxygen which is healthy for every single cell in your body. That's the reason why nothing matches a morning of vigorous activity.
Cut down on smoking and if possible quit it. Moderate drinking may not be harmful but if you tend to get carried away and often cross the delicate boundary between light and heavy drinking, it's better that you keep clear of alcohol altogether.
For those who have a family history of cholesterol related problems it is important to be extra cautious, as they are more likely to have cholesterol accumulation.
Switching to a low cholesterol diet helps one reduce one's chances of a stroke and pumps more life in every second of life. What more could one ask for?
Cholesterol Types
Cholesterol is a blood fat needed by the body in moderate amounts. However, high cholesterol levels can lead to atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD). Angina is chest pain caused by the restriction of blood flow to the heart (cardiac ischemia). Nitrates may be used to relieve angina.
Most people will have cholesterol blood tests regularly, including triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol. Methods for increasing good cholesterol or lowering cholesterol levels may include cholesterol reducing drugs, such as statins, fibrates, niacin (nicotinic acid) and bile acid resins. However, these drugs do not reverse calcification. A heart attack occurs when the coronary arteries become blocked. Cholesterol has many types. The two big components are called LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and HDL (high-density lipoprotein). And simplistically, we talk about the LDL being the bad cholesterol and the HDL being the good cholesterol.
That means that the bad cholesterol tends to accumulate in the arteries, tends to form plaques, tends to be the precursor to what eventually might end up being a heart attack.
The good cholesterol actually acts in part in reversing the cholesterol transport, takes cholesterol out of the plaque in the artery and may return it to the circulation, to the liver, to be excreted. So these are the two major categories, but within each one there are different particles, different cholesterols, different lipoproteins that carry the cholesterol, and they are differentially difficult players.
Some of the LDL cholesterol, i.e., the bad cholesterol, is worse than others. And it tends to be the small particle size that is very dense. You can think of the cholesterol particles as marbles, maybe, the small dense ones, and the larger, lighter ones might be ping-pong balls. And so the small marble ones are more dangerous.
On the other side, HDL the good cholesterol, posseses some components that are better than the others. So cholesterol is quite a complicated subject, and we're developing more and more therapies that aim not just at the total cholesterol, but in altering the good and the bad.
The Article is Originally Published Here:Cholesterol Types
Learn More:
Cholesterol Treatment - Vasacor helps to reduce LDL (Bad Cholesterol) levels and improve HDL (Good Cholesterol) levels.
Cholesterol Reduction - a Doctor's Guide
Want To Lower Your Cholesterol - Naturally?
With adequate, accurate information and changes in your lifestyle, you can take control of your cholesterol, lower it and then maintain it at a healthy level.
Here is your step by step plan to enable you to lower your cholesterol within a few weeks - without medication.
• get your physician to test your personal cholesterol levels - it is simply done with a blood test;
• when you get the results, discuss them in detail with your physician. There are two important readings - HDL and LDL levels. The LDL level is the one that can become high and threaten your wellbeing. Also important is the ratio between the two readings - a slightly higher LDL level may be compensated for by a very low HDL.
• if your HDL and/or LDL level readings need to be improved, ask your physician for advice. If the situation has become serious, it may be necessary to commence some medication to quickly stabilize the HDL and LDL levels. If however, the levels are just a little out of kilter, or even if you are told they are within the normal range for your age group, it should be possible for you to take control and, with some changes in your lifestyle - in the areas of food and activity - reduce your cholesterol to more satisfactory levels and to maintain them at those levels. This contributes significantly to your ongoing wellbeing and to your future prospects of maintaining good health as you get older.
• what do I have to change about my eating habits to achieve this? You do not have to go on a strict diet. Merely ensuring that certain types of food are not, or at least not very often, included in your meals and making sure that other types of food that you may not at present eat much of, make up a larger part of your meals.
You should try to eat:
a. as much of different kinds of fresh fruit and vegetables as possible;
b. lean cuts of meat and poultry [make sure the poultry is skinless];
c. lean fish and shellfish;
d. use low-fat dairy products - fortunately there is an abundance of them available now - it was not always so;
e. reduce the amount of salt and fat you use in your cooking;
f. use herbs and spices to add flavor to your food;
g. grill, steam, poach, broil or bake your food - avoid frying it;
h. in other words, reduce the amount of fat you eat. Check the labels on the food you buy - it is not only the total amount of fat in the food that is of concern, but also the amount of saturated and trans-fats. These are the deadly, and I use that word advisedly, the deadly components of your fat intake;
i. prepare your own meals, AND serve smaller portions of them. It is better, not only for this plan, but for your general health, to have smaller meals, and to have more of them during the day if you still feel the need for more food;
j. stay away from the fast-foods - no pickups or deliveries!
• what else do I have to do?
a. increase your activity level - it may have been almost non-existent or you may already be reasonably active. Increasing the level will have a major impact on your health. You do not have to over-exert yourself to gain the healthy benefits of exercise - just be consistent with what you do. Try to get regular exercise, every day if possible;
b. not only will increased levels of activity help any cholesterol problems you may have, but it will also allow you to get to achieve, and to maintain, a healthy body weight;
c. if you are a smoker - STOP - enough said;
d. if your physician has prescribed medication to stabilize your cholesterol levels, follow precisely the advice and treatment you were given;
e. keep a journal of what you do - the changes you make to your lifestyle and the results you achieve. If you begin to struggle to stay on target, read back over what you have done - use the account of what you have done, and where you have come from and be proud of it. This will help to motivate you to stay on track.
Finally, learn as much as you can about cholesterol, about your health in general, and about how maintaining a healthy lifestyle not only brings you great benefits now - but will continue to do so into the future - into that longer lifetime you will surely enjoy as a result of your efforts now to take charge of your health - and of your life.
Cholesterol Myths
There are so many myths about cholesterol that it makes sense to have an article that can help make sense of all the myths and half truths that are circulating about cholesterol. The first question is what is cholesterol and how does it affect a person's health? Cholesterol is a naturally synthesised lipoprotein and is the result of break down of food. Cholesterol is found in almost all mammals. Unusual build up of cholesterol can cause blockage of major arteries, especially arteries that provide blood to the heart (coronary arteries). The build up of cholesterol leads to problems like atherosclerosis and can cause cardiac arrest. Now that we know what cholesterol can do let's start with some common myths:
Myth 1 - Cholesterol is unnatural
This is not true; cholesterol is a naturally synthesised lipid and is essential for the build up of cell membranes. Without cholesterol a cell's structural integrity is effected, and the cell cannot function properly. Apart from acting as the 'cement' of a cell, cholesterol also aids the production of bile, and may also act as an anti-oxidant. So the body makes up cholesterol no matter what a person eats.
Myth 2- All cholesterol is bad
This is another popular myth; cholesterol is divided into LDL (Low density lipoproteins) and HDL (High density lipoproteins). Earlier it was believed that high levels of cholesterol in general were bad for the body, however with advances in technology and with newer testing techniques it is now possible to measure the levels of LDL and HDL in the blood separately. Only high levels of LDL are a matter for concern, as it has been established that HDL is by and large good for the body and indicates that the body is functioning normally. Not all cholesterol is bad for the heart.
Myth 3- Eating oily food can cause Cholesterol build up
This myth is partly true, not all oily foods are harmful for the body. There are only certain oily foods that can cause the accumulation of LDL in the body. Also oily food by and large contributes to other problems like obesity. So in a nutshell eating too much oily food is generally unhealthy, however what type of oily food you eat determines if your will have high LDL levels.
Myth 4- Eating medication alone can reduce Cholesterol level
Just like diabetes, using drugs is only one part of the battle. Yes medication can reduce the amount of LDL in the body, however without dietary control and regular exercise it is impossible to control the LDL levels in the body effectively. Almost all physicians recommend a lifestyle change once high levels of LDL are detected after a blood test. It is important to understand that high LDL levels are not always a result of improper habits; they could be other reasons for a high LDL build up. But there is no denying that a strict dietary regimen is important to control the levels of cholesterol in the body. Major dietary sources of cholesterol include eggs, beef and poultry.
Myth 5- High cholesterol levels are hereditary
There is no scientific study that can conclusively prove that the tendency to accumulate high levels of cholesterol in the body is inherited. The truth is that just like diabetes, people that have a family history of heart diseases and cholesterol problems maybe susceptible to high cholesterol themselves. However this in no way means that a person will definitely show high cholesterol levels if there is a family history of cholesterol related problems. Similarly, just because there is no past history of high cholesterol in a family, does not mean that family members cannot exhibit high cholesterol levels. It is better to regularly test the cholesterol levels if a person has a past history of high cholesterol. Equally important is to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Best Ways To Lower Cholesterol Naturally
If you want to stay fit and healthy, you should keep an eye on your cholesterol intake. There are natural ways of lowering cholesterol if it is out of control. The first natural way is by taking your diet seriously. There are also dietary supplements that will help you lower your cholesterol. For diets high in saturated fats, eating more fiber rich foods may help decrease your cholesterol level.
This is a great place to start in getting your body healthy and in shape. The natural ways of lowering cholesterol are easy to maintain as long as you are patient and willing to follow a few rules.
Eat more vegetables and vegetable oils. Increase your intake of plant sterols in your body through yogurts, fortified margarines, salad dressings, cream cheese. This will also increase your phytostanols. Plant sterols are also available in supplement form. Although not hard to find, they can be a little pricey, but ultimately an easy, effective, and convenient natural way to lower cholesterol.
Lestrin is also a plant sterol available in supplements which is made available in pharmacies, stores, independent chemists and health food stores. People have claimed that garlic and nuts have no effect in lowering cholesterol, but there is also a percentage that proves they help reduce cholesterol in our body.
Low in saturated fats, nuts, especially walnuts are particularly helpful for reducing cholesterol more than expected. This may be a high-fat food, but it is rich in monosaturated and polyunsaturated fat. Scientists have shown that these supplements contain plant proteins which affect cholesterol levels.
Omega 3 fatty acids help lower your cholesterol easily. Fish oil supplements are suitable and effective to increase the good cholesterol especially stable fish oil. This does a better job than the ordinary fish oil we find in the market.
Red yeast rice is known to be the most effective way to fight LDL. This is considered the best dietary agent of it all. Red yeast rice is available in the form of cholestin which is a dietary supplement. In recent studies, it has been proven that cholestin has lowered cholesterol effectively as statins. This is so because cholestin contains an amount of natural statin which helps prevent the increase in cholesterol.
Fresh fish is the best delicacy for the summer season and the best thing is that it can help in lowering cholesterol magnificently.
If you are suffering from high cholesterol, you should first consult your primary care physician before making any changes in your diet.