Normal cholesterol levels are found in over half of Americans. Normal cholesterol levels are usually associated with a lower risk for cardiovascular disease, but not always. Normal cholesterol levels are also necessary in the formation of lipid rafts, such as caveolae and detergent-resistant membrane domains.
As a general rule the GOOD cholesterols are good for you and the BAD cholesterols are NOT good for you. If you are overweight, eat an unhealthy diet, or have a family history of high cholesterol, get your levels checked regularly. Reduce high blood pressure and cardiovascular risks by:Losing weight.
Risk factors associated with the influence of a persons blood ratio include; diet, age, weight, gender, genetics, diseases, and lifestyle. Ever since weight-loss programs gained optimal popularity in the market, the word cholesterol gained the negative connotation as the evil fattening wax from the food we eat.
People who are overweight have placed themselves in a higher risk category.
The location of the extra weight also impacts whether or not the blood ratio will increase. When the weight is centered around the abdominal area, as opposed to the legs or buttocks, an increased risk exists. Weight loss can also decrease blood cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar levels.
Weight loss also means that the volume of blood your heart must pump decreases - and less blood flowing through the arteries means less pressure on them. Overweight people tend to have higher cholesterol and triglyceride levels, while physical activity appears to improve them.
As a result, many people with normal cholesterol levels are not identified as having special risks. Healthy men and women with normal
cholesterol levels are still at risk for future heart attack if they have elevated levels of CRP. The best way to maintain healthy blood pressure is always through lifestyle, including diet and exercise.
You can't control your genes or your age, but there are things you can do to prevent or reduce high blood pressure even if you have genes that might make you more likely to have it. Regular aerobic exercise-such as walking, running, bicycling, or swimming laps-can prevent and reduce high blood pressure.
Cooking with sesame oil in place of other edible oils appears to help reduce high blood pressure and lower the amount of medication needed to control hypertension, researchers reported today at the XVth Scientific Meeting of the Inter-American Society of Hypertension.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Maintain Normal cholesterol levels as if Your Life Depended on it
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Lower Cholesterol Naturally Without Drugs
Diet to lower cholesterol is very simple if you know which type of cholesterol in the foods you must keep off. The best diet to lower cholesterol is one designed to lower blood pressure: the DASH diet, the all-around best diet for controlling cholesterol, diabetes, blood pressure and weight. A diet to lower cholesterol is only a small factor in influencing your body's total cholesterol level. There are also supplements on the market that can make it easier to lower cholesterol naturally. Changing your diet to lower cholesterol is usually the first step in cholesterol maintenance, before medicines are added.
Dietary cholesterol is found only in foods that come from animals. Diets have gotten worse because poor people are eating crappy food, not because the diet fairy left them with the pork rinds rich people didn't want. Diet can be a very effective tool for lowering blood pressure. Dieting to lose weight will certainly improve your health but if you already have existing health problems , then you need to have a healthy diet based on what foods you need to include and what foods you need to omit at mealtime. Diets rich in beans, peas, rice bran, barley, oat bran, whole grains, citrus fruits and apple pulp can help lower cholesterol levels, especially when additionally cutting back on animal products and fats. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, raw when possible.
Most doctors and fitness specialists recommend that you exercise for at least 30 minutes a day for optimal health benefits. Be aware that lifestyle
factors such as diet, health and fitness levels will all play a part in maintaining overall health and routine cardiovascular health. It's really nice to know that now fast-foods establishments even offer low-fat or non-fried food options, helping those on the road to fitness stick to their plans.
Exercise and eating healthy foods is the key to long healthy life with out worry and fear of being within the high risk groups for hypercholesterolemia. It is important however to remember regular exercise and herbal supplements along with a lowering cholesterol diet to get the most benefit from it, as those two things are just as important to get the best results. Another benefit of regular exercise is weight loss, which can also help increase HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol levels. Exercise itself doesn't directly lower cholesterol, but will strengthen the heart and entire circulatory system. Buying a rebounding video is a good idea if you'd prefer structured exercise instruction. Exercise 30 minutes a day as often as you can in a week.
Just a few diet changes, a good combination of supplements, vitamins, herbs, spices, and exercise is all that is needed to get started on a diet for lowering cholesterol. Not just any herbal supplements, but those which only contain natural ingredients. It's also critical that you only purchase
supplements made from what are called standardized herbal extracts. Some of these supplements will actually help you to extend your life by insuring
against poor health. Supplements lower cholesterol naturally. Research also shows that improvement results can be dramatic if you were to strongly
consider the combined use of regular exercises and the regular use of nutritional supplements, which are clinically proven to lower cholesterol naturally with no side effects. Supplements such as Omega-3, inositol hexaniacinate, pantethine, and guggulipid can be effective in lowering cholesterol. Remember that the approach with drugs and / or dietary supplements is to supplement and not to replace a healthy diet and exercise.
How to lower cholesterol by 14 percent without cholesterol medications and without side effects. You can lower cholesterol naturally with many different cholesterol lowering herbs and nutrients. Dieting to lose weight will certainly improve health but if existing health problems already exist, such as high cholesterol, a diet to lower cholesterol is essential. The conclusion of the experts is that good regular exercising and a diet to lower cholesterol is a must.
men's health
Great Health Eating Tips To Lower Cholesterol Diet
We are raising an obese society. With big-sizing everything that we eat especially in fast food chains, we are slowly clogging our arteries with unnecessary fats and cholesterol that our bodies do not actually need and cannot use.
The high levels of cholesterol in the body are happening more often now than ever before. This is because of the variety of food offered now in the grocery and in restaurants. The person can still recover from this by eating foods that are not high in saturated fats.
The healthiest thing to have either for lunch and dinner is food that comes from the ocean. This can be fish or shellfish that is known to carry Omega 3, which is very effective in lowering the levels of cholesterol in people.
Eating a candy bar or a slice of cake doesn\'t see so bad but these things are rich in fat. Those who need to fill the stomach with something should try nuts or fruits instead. These products are rich in fiber as well as have vitamins and minerals that are healthier to consume.
There are many ways to cook the food mentioned. The individual can get a cookbook or download some recipes from the Internet to be able to come up with something delicious and at the same time lower one\'s cholesterol levels.
Eat less oil. One of the first things that a person dieting should avoid is to eat foods that are deep-fried or those that are cooked using oil. These include potato chips, fries, fried meat, fried seafood, fried veggies and a whole lot more.
Eat vegetables. Vegetables do not only contain zero cholesterol, it is also a great source of fibers that help the body in digesting the food that we take in.
If following the instructions are hard, there are always shows on television that teach homemakers and other people the basics into cooking something fat free which is good for the diet.
hair loss prevention
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
For a Healthy Heart...
If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by total blockage of a coronary artery, the result is a heart attack. The first thing that comes to mind when one hears about heart disease is almost always cholesterol. Importantly, while many cardiologists insist that lowering cholesterol is correlated with a reduction in the risk of heart attacks; few can say that there is a reduction in the risk of mortality (death). There may be a weak correlation of elevated cholesterol with heart attacks, however this does not mean it is the cholesterol that caused the heart attack. However, the bottom line is that a high level of plasma cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for heart disease and strokes. For a healthy heart, the best course of action is often to lower cholesterol in large part by losing weight.
If high cholesterol were the most important cause of cardiovascular disease, it should be a risk factor in all populations, in both sexes, at all ages, in all disease categories, and for both heart disease and stroke. Fish and fish oils are said to help prevent cardiovascular disease including fatal and non-fatal heart attacks, strokes, sudden cardiac death, and coronary artery disease (angina). High cholesterol and triglyceride levels are common among diabetics and are major contributors to their increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
People suffering from type II diabetes often have high blood levels of triglycerides and are therefore prone to coronary heart disease. Many people with hypertension also suffer from diabetes and there has been concern that fish oil supplementation may aggravate problems with glucose intolerance. It is also known that a high fish intake can delay the development of diabetes in glucose-intolerant individuals. Obesity is also strongly associated with type 2 diabetes, which itself poses a significant risk for high cholesterol levels and heart disease. Overweight and obese children who have high cholesterol should also get tested for high blood pressure, diabetes, and other conditions associated with metabolic syndrome. The establishment of diabetes as a CHD risk equivalent reflects the prevalence of heart disease as a cause of death in the diabetic population.
Although most studies that prove that lowering cholesterol saves lives are done using drug therapy, the absolute mandate for improving cholesterol levels is to first make changes in lifestyle (both diet and exercise). Aerobic exercise helps to open up blood vessels and, in combination with a healthy diet, may improve blood-clotting factors. If you are unable to lower your cholesterol to safe levels through diet and exercise, then your doctor may prescribe cholesterol-lowering medication. I am sure many of you have been reminded by doctors, nurses, and public health officials to lose excess weight, quit smoking cigarettes, exercise regularly, and eat less saturated fat and sweets. You will also find information on cholesterol-lowering diets, recipes, exercise, weight loss, and lifestyle changes.
Again, high cholesterol is not necessarily the direct cause but may only be a marker. Now consider that more than 90 % of all cardiovascular disease is
seen in people above age 60 also and that almost all studies have found that high cholesterol is not a risk factor for women. Of particular interest is the finding that a high ratio of triglycerides to HDL cholesterol is a powerful risk factor for a major cardiac event even when LDL cholesterol levels are normal.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Using A Cholesterol Test Kit At Home
Blood cholesterol testing is usually performed with the help of health specialists. However, with various home medical supplies available on the market, you can now monitor your cholesterol levels in the cozy ambiance of your house with the aid of a home cholesterol and blood monitoring test kit. But what are the benefits of having a cholesterol test kit at home?
Why use a home test kit?
One great benefit of a cholesterol test kit is that you are able to identify whether you need to make changes in your lifestyle to reduce your cholesterol. It has been identified that the risk of heart attack is higher when your blood cholesterol is above normal. As a result, it is imperative that people maintain low cholesterol levels to reduce this risk. Using home medical kits to monitor your heart health regularly is a practical way to determine if your cholesterol level is normal.
Preferably, you should have your cholesterol examined at least every 3 to 5 years. Home tests can be regularly used to keep a check for any sign of increase in cholesterol when it may not be easily noticeable. A visit to the doctor just to check your cholesterol level may be time-consuming. And because of this a home cholesterol test kit can be a more efficient approach to getting peace of mind.
The application of cholesterol test kit for home use has answered the consumers' wish to have a cheap option to monitor cholesterol on a regular basis without visiting their doctor. Precise and simple to use, they can be an early indication of potential problems.
Though heart disease and high blood are deemed as the most common threats to people, early prevention and detection of symptoms through home cholesterol test kits can help win the campaign. But, even if you see no clear symptoms of high cholesterol, being conscious on your eating habits and keeping an eye on your overall health is essential for long term health.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
5 Tips for Lowering Your Cholesterol
You're intelligent enough to know that if you have high cholesterol, then most likely it is an unhealthy diet that is to blame for the problem. Having high cholesterol is a serious problem which can lead to even more serious problems such as a heart attack or stroke. If you have high cholesterol then the time to give up the junk food and fast food dining is now, before matters take a turn for the worst.
In order to lower your cholesterol you need to revamp your diet. In order to do so, you need to follow these tips.
Tips for Lowering Your Cholesterol #1 Eat oatmeal
Replace the eggs and bacon in the morning with a bowl of oatmeal, but not the flavored kind. I recommend the plain kind of oatmeal. If the idea of eating oatmeal isn't appealing for its lack of taste, you can always slice up a banana and add it in to give it a little flair. Oatmeal is a great source of fiber which helps remove harmful nutrients from your body and has been scientifically proven to lower cholesterol.
Tips for Lowering Your Cholesterol #2 Exercise
Exercise speeds up your metabolism, which in turn allows your body to breakdown food faster so that the chances of cholesterol building up drop. In addition, the act of sweating is a great way to purify the body of harmful toxins.
Tips for Lowering Your Cholesterol #3 Eat less red meat
Our digestive system was not made to process red meat very effectively. Thus, the fat and other unhealthy nutrients it contains often gets stored in our body where it builds up until the day you find out you have high cholesterol or you have a heart attack.
Tips for Lowering Your Cholesterol #4 Stop eating fast food
One of those popular combo meals from a fast food restaurant can contain twice the daily allowance of calories that your body needs, and that's just one meal. Don't forget that you're likely to get hungry again later and need to eat, and then you're going to add more calories to your system on top of that. You don't want this if you're trying to lower your cholesterol; thus, it would be in your best interests to forego fast food dining completely.
Tips for Lowering Your Cholesterol #5 Drink water
You should drink eight big glasses of water per day. Water keeps you hydrated and moving like a well oiled machine when working out. By staying hydrated, you burn fat more efficiently when exercising, as well as help purge your body of harmful toxins. What's more, drinking plenty of water negates hunger pangs by tricking your stomach into feeling full.
Having high cholesterol should not be ignored. If you have high cholesterol then you need to change your diet immediately. By eating the foods above you can begin to lower your cholesterol, but don't forget to add exercise to help the process work optimally.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Low Cholesterol Lipitor - The Weight Control Formula
The ratio is very simple but at the same time it is a serious matter of concern. You just can't take it for granted. The figures show that in every five adult persons of the world, at least one suffers from high cholesterol problem. And all other associated troubles with the cholesterol rise also make shelter in your body with this troubleshooter. Thus no more can you put off the issue restricting it to older people or obese fellows who normally are the victims of the cholesterol problem.
Basic reasons of cholesterol rise
- Unhealthy food with rich fatty substances
- Excess of oil and butter in the diet
- Low activation of the body and no physical labor
- Excess tension and pressure in the regular life pattern
- Genetic reason inherited from parents by their children
The last reason that is the genetic factor can happen in one of the five hundred persons and that is scientifically termed as hypercholesterolemia. It is found in the familial block where the LDL cholesterol known to have ill effects on the body is transferred in the gene factor of the next generation. You might be one of the unlucky fellows suffering from this problem.
Effective use of Lipitor
In the United States, a decade before the drug Lipitor was first made into use. Nearly the figure shows a record of 18 million people in the country using the Lipitor to lower the cholesterol level and hence keep a check on the body weight.
Lipitor originates from Atorvastatin. The basic function of Lipitor is to prohibit the formation of bad or LDL cholesterol in the body. How is it mad possible by this medicine? This drug regulates the specific enzyme present in the liver that works behind the formation of cholesterol in the body. Once the level of the production of this enzyme is checked, automatically the level of LDL cholesterol is brought under control.
Further regulation
Hindering the cholesterol formation path is the first step. Next, once the production of the cholesterol is less, the bloodstream can easily absorb it. The arteries can carryout the normal flow of blood without ant blockades that cause heart attacks. On the other hand Lipitor also enhances the production of good cholesterol or lipoprotein that keeps your heart healthy.
If eighteen million people have relied upon Lipitor, you too can use it provided you are not suffering from liver problems. Lipitor will maintain your cholesterol level and thus make you slim and smart.