Lower-Cholesterol-Level

Medications to Lower Triglycerides - How to Protect Your Heart

2010-07-04T15:38:00.000-07:00

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You are not, for certain, alien to the fact that there are medications to lower triglycerides. If you are particular about the health of your heart, you should know that elevated triglycerides can be something serious. Elevated triglycerides is a condition that often requires medical attention, especially if they are at alarming levels and have been persisting for quite a long time.

Triglycerides are a form of blood fat; they are present in each and every person as they are actually needed by the body to convert fat into energy. Ideally, triglyceride levels should not go beyond 150 mg/dL. The problem is, there are certain conditions that increase the levels of triglycerides beyond the normal levels. In certain cases the levels can go up from 151 mg/dL to more than 500 mg/dL. When this happens, you can be predisposed to heart problems. Specifically, elevated triglycerides can bring about atherosclerosis, a condition wherein the walls of the artery are thickened, increasing one's chances of suffering from stroke or heart attack or some other form of heart disease.

Increased levels of triglycerides, too, has been associated with diabetes, hypothyroidism, and liver disease. Such incidence all the more increases the need to control the levels of triglycerides early on as much as possible. Sometimes, making simple lifestyle changes and wise food choices are enough to bring the levels down. Losing weight, avoiding foods rich in preservatives and sugar, eating fiber-rich foods as well as those with Omega-3 content, and exercising regularly can be very effective in regulating the levels of triglycerides. Other times, however, these are not enough, in which case medical attention is necessary.

Fortunately, there are a number of medications to lower triglycerides. The recommended drugs of choice are usually fibrates or niacin, specifically Fenofibrate or Femfibrozil. If elevated triglycerides are accompanied by low HDL (short for high density lipoprotein) and high LDL (low density lipoprotein), there's a good chance that your doctor may also prescribe statins or a combination of statin and fibrates. When taking statins, though, be sure to report to your doctor if you feel nauseaus or if you experience diarrhea, constipation or some form of muscle pain.

Cooperation is a must if you want to lower your triglycerides. Remember that these medications can do so much only if you take them as they are meant to be taken. If it's prescribed that you take these twice a day, then do so. Don't skimp on your medications because your life is at stake.

Along with taking the medications comes the responsibility of monitoring your triglyceride levels. Constant checkups with your doctor or submitting yourself to lab exams regularly is a must. This would help you see if the medications are in fact working. If your blood chemistry results suggest that they are not, your doctor may increase the dosage, add more medications or change them with something that is more potent.

Medications to lower triglycerides can be expensive, but think which would be more costly, the medications or your life?

Recommendations:

If you are concerned about the side effects of statin drugs, there are available natural medications to lower triglycerides naturally. Discover the truth on how to naturally control your cholesterol levels and lower triglycerides naturally to avoid the risk of serious heart problems.

Discover more here - http://www.naturalcholesterolsupplements.com

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Cholesterol and Triglyceride Lowering Diet That is Easy to Do

2010-07-02T15:38:00.000-07:00

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You were told to go on a cholesterol and triglyceride lowering diet. You were probably asked to do this by your doctor. Having a high level of cholesterol is not a disorder or condition itself, yet when these levels go too high it will begin to lead to other more serious things. High cholesterol is one of the main causes of heart attacks and strokes. Due to the rise in inactivity and larger unhealthy food being part of our normal diets, It is not surprising that cholesterol and triglyceride levels are at an all time high.

When going through a cholesterol and triglyceride lowering diet, one must first look at the food they currently eat. It is best to keep a food journal in order to keep track of everything you eat. You may then look for what food to replace in your diet. After learning about healthier choices for your diet, you may be able to figure out which of the bad foods you have to replace.

First you must have more vegetables and fruits in your diet; they are full of fiber and nutrients which help lower your cholesterol. Onions are great in that it heals your arteries, which are what is directly affected by high cholesterol. Black tea can reduce cholesterol; you should drink around 5 cups a day. Avoid fried foods especially French fries because it is fully loaded with saturated and trans fats; this type of fat will get turned into bad cholesterol in your body.

Eating nuts are also good for you; you should eat a handful of these a day. Nuts are high in fat, but the fat that is good for you: unsaturated fat. The final and probably the most important thing to have are fish and fish oil. Fish are a great source for omega 3 fatty acids. These acids have been known to lower levels of bad cholesterol and increase the level of good cholesterol.

Take these suggestions and try to replace a lot of the food you eat with them. In a matter of time, you will see that your cholesterol and triglyceride levels will greatly decrease. You don't have to feel like you are giving up a lot to become healthier. You will still feel very satisfied and feel great because of your improved health. It is best for you to start your cholesterol and triglyceride lowering diet as soon as possible!

Recommendations:

All natural and safe, the cholesterol and triglyceride lowering diet is definitely worth a try! You can finally discover how to naturally control your cholesterol levels and lower triglycerides naturally to avoid the risk of serious heart problems.

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5 Foods That Will Lower Triglycerides Easily and Prevent Heart Disease

2010-06-30T15:38:00.000-07:00

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If foods can cause to increase the levels of triglycerides in the body, there must be foods that will lower triglycerides, too. Life does work that way, doesn't it? If there's daytime, there should be nighttime. So if it's what you eat that causes your triglycerides to shoot up, it only makes sense to use foods as your weapon to bring the number back to normal.

Then again you might be wondering why there is a need to regulate the levels of triglyceride? Aren't triglycerides needed by the body? Actually, when you think about it, triglycerides, as a form of blood fat, that plays an important role in the anatomy of the body, so they cannot be a bad thing. They are, in fact, an excellent source and energy and make possible the transport of dietary fat. The problem begins when triglycerides are more than 150 mg/dL because then you can be now considered at risk for developing heart disease. Elevated triglycerides that go unmanaged can cause the heart to lose its function, increasing your risk for strokes, coronary artery disease, or heart attack.

Fortunately, elevated triglycerides are easily manageable, especially in their early stages. In many cases, you don't even need to go to the doctor because elevated triglycerides can be regulated by simply embarking on some healthy habits. Start with your choice of food, for instance. When preparing your meal plan, there are two things you must keep in mind if you are looking to reduce your triglyceride levels - Omega-3 and fiber. Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid that has earned global recognition because of its health benefits, notably on the heart. Fiber, meanwhile, works like a broom - it sweeps anything out of the body that shouldn't be there in the first place. It goes without saying then that the foods that will lower triglycerides should contain either Omega-3 or fiber. In particular, these would include the following:

1. Fish. A rich source of Omega-3 essential fatty acids, fish is recommended to be included in the diet at least 2-3 times a week. However, there are certain varieties of fish that are more contaminated with Mercury than the others, so limit your choices to salmon, tilapia, flounder, sardines, and canned tuna;

2. Vegetables. Vegetables are good, even if you take them every day. Green and leafy vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, celery, and spinach, and other kinds of vegetables like squash, pepper, green beans, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts have excellent triglyceride-reducing properties, so make sure that you have a healthy serving of vegetables everyday.

3. Fresh Fruits, especially those high in fiber content such as apples with the skin on and apricots

4. Nuts and Seeds. Nuts and seeds such as almonds, peanuts, and walnuts, and sunflower seeds are good for the health of the heart.

5. Grains, oats and wheat. These can lower triglyceride levels, too, along with boosting the digestive system.

6. Water. This is something you should never skimp on. Prefer water anytime to sodas and alcoholic beverages. Make sure to drink at least 8 glasses of water everyday for good health.

For sure, you will not have a difficult time remembering these foods that will lower triglycerides, will you?

Recommendations:

All natural and safe, these foods that will lower triglycerides is definitely worth it!

Discover how to naturally control your cholesterol levels and lower triglycerides naturally to avoid the risk of serious heart disease.

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Lowering Cholesterol With Pterostilbene Found in Blueberries and Grapes

2010-06-28T15:38:00.000-07:00

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Have you heard of about lowering your cholesterol with pterostilbene? What is pterostilbene? We have heard of lowering cholesterol through the means of cholesterol reducing drugs and exercise; changing our diets also play a huge role in lowering cholesterol. Cholesterol is normally healthy for people to have. The liver produces all the cholesterol we need for the body. Cholesterol only becomes harmful to our bodies when in large quantities. The cholesterol we do not need gets store in our arteries. When the build-up progresses, it will eventually lead to the blocking of the blood flow. This is what causes heart attacks and strokes.

You were probably told to lower your cholesterol by changing your diet. You were given a list of foods that help lower cholesterol. There is one unexpected food that can help reduce cholesterol levels. These are berries such as grapes and blueberries which are very good for you. These berries contain pterostilbene; it is a compound known to lower cholesterol and promote heart health. How pterostilbene works is it controls special receptors in the body; these receptors are in charge of monitoring the cholesterol levels in your blood. With this regulation your body can maintain more easily a certain level of cholesterol. You will be able to manage your extra cholesterol intake.

Just how much berries should you eat? As of now, it is not determined how much berries you should eat to get the effect of pterostilbene. However, it has been determined that eating too much berries have absolutely no negative effect on your health. Why not eat more of it? Berries are enjoyable and at the same time good for your health. Replace your snacks or desserts with blueberries; you will not regret it. In some studies, blueberries have shown more effectiveness in lowering cholesterol than some drugs in the market.

Blueberries are a natural way to fight high levels of cholesterol. If you are someone who does not want to flood your body with chemicals from the available cholesterol lowering drugs, blueberries and grapes are a great alternative. As for grapes the darker it is, the more potent it is of pterostilbene. Take advantage of foods with pterostilbene. There are products out there made of pure pterostilbene, but wouldn't you rather have a blueberry? To learn more about blueberries and grape's effect on lowering cholesterol with pterostilbene, you may find information on other websites on the internet.

Recommendations:

You can naturally control your cholesterol levels and lower triglycerides naturally to avoid the risk of serious heart problems.

Discover more at these sites -

Cholesterol Lowering Supplements - http://www.naturalcholesterolsupplements.com
Fish Oil Supplement for Heart Health - http://www.naturalfishoil.info

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A List of Foods That Help Lower Cholesterol

2010-06-26T15:38:00.000-07:00

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If you are searching for , you were probably told that your cholesterol levels are too high. If you do not know what this means, it is advisable you learn why it is important. Our bodies need cholesterol. It is essential for the maintenance and repair of our cell membranes. You may think that sounds great, give me more! That's the funny things about cholesterol. It is very helpful to our bodies but in moderate quantities; when in excess, it could be deadly.

Before you read about these foods, you must first take a look at what you normally eat. Sit down and take time to write down what you typically eat within a week. This helps you feel there is progress when you keep track of what you eat; it helps you make the comparison of how bad you ate to how good you are eating. Keep a food journal and write down everything you eat. Substitute bad choices with good foods from the list below. You will still feel satisfied while eating healthy. As your health improves, you will feel lively and energized. This is the benefit of eating right. It will save your life as you age.

One of the first foods you should start eating is oats. Oats are high in fiber; fiber helps reduce the absorption of bad cholesterol from food. Fish is high in omega 3; omega 3 reduces blood pressure which is a sign of high cholesterol. Eat more fruit. Fruit has fiber as well. Eating fresh vegetables lowers cholesterol. Yogurt is great in reducing what cholesterol your body absorbs. Recently there have been findings that flax seed oil reduces blood pressure. Change the oil you cook with to olive oil. Olive oil is full of good fats which prevent heart disease. Nuts are also great to have. Nuts are full of polyunsaturated fat. This type of fat is known for lowering bad cholesterol.

By incorporating these foods into your diet, you are not only filling your stomach, but eating your way to a better lifestyle. Health is the reason why we eat. As the saying goes, we eat to live not live to eat. Take that saying to heart, literally. Eating should not be harmful to our health; it should prolong it. To learn more you can find other foods that lower cholesterol at other websites on the internet.

Recommendations:

All natural and safe, the list of foods that lower cholesterol is definitely worth a try! You can finally discover how to naturally control your cholesterol levels and lower triglycerides naturally to avoid the risk of serious heart problems.

Discover more here - http://www.naturalcholesterolsupplements.com

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Know What to Do to Lower Cholesterol Naturally and Live a Healthier Life

2010-06-24T15:38:00.000-07:00

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I think everyone would agree that it's the magic question, the million dollar question even. How can I safely lower cholesterol naturally and still function as a normal human being? High cholesterol or hyperlipidemia is a serious risk to your health and lowering its levels to a healthy level should be a priority for everyone.

First you should understand that not all cholesterol is bad for you. There are two types in your blood, the first being HDL or High-density lipoproteins. This 'good cholesterol' is mainly made up of proteins and only a small part is cholesterol. This can actually help remove fatty deposits from your artery walls.

The type that should be avoided like the plague is LDL or Low-density lipoproteins; this is your 'bad cholesterol'. LDL cholesterol is what deposits fat on your arteries and eventual y leads to Angina, Strokes and Heart Disease.

Simply increasing your intake of HDL and lowering you intake of LDL is not necessarily the secret to good health. Doing so can lead to there being an increase in free radicals in your blood stream. You will find that these can cause severe damage in many ways.

Lipoprotein A is said to be in the same family as LDL cholesterol and emerges as a result of the detrimental effect of free radicals. The reason Lipoprotein A is really not wanted, is because it clings to the damaged arteries. When it sticks to the arteries then it creates a hard plaque which is very hard or impossible to move.

Really speaking, if you want to lower cholesterol naturally then you should avoid fried food and much of the processed food market. These types of food tend to harbor large amounts of oxidized cholesterol which has the same effect as Lipoprotein A. Having said all this, there are plenty of products and information available on those products that both reduce your levels of LDL and free radicals.

There are medications available that can help lower your cholesterol, most health provider will prescribe some type of statin which most have side effects that you will have to learn to tolerate. There are also more natural alternatives that you can take to avoid having to deal with the negative side effects of statin drugs. Speak with your health care provider to see if you can try the natural alternative.

By sticking to a healthy diet, exercise and using a remedy to lower cholesterol naturally in a few months you should be on your way to better cholesterol level.

Learn how to reduce cholesterol naturally without medication and other great cholesterol lowering tips at: http://www.lower-bad-cholesterol.com

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Cholesterol - The Good and the Bad

2010-06-22T15:38:00.000-07:00

been cited as a possible antioxidant, and plays a major part in the human body as a major component used to manufacture many substances required for proper bodily system functions', such as bile acids in the digestive tract, hormones, and the processing of vitamins of the fat-soluble variety (like Vitamin A, D, E, and K). However, despite its many required functions, this necessary molecule can be a dire indicator of disease if elevated levels are discovered.

Cholesterol is excreted by the liver. The typical human adult of about 150lb produces naturally, about 1gram (1000 mg) of cholesterol a day, and retains at any given time about 35grams within the body itself. The amount of cholesterol produced by the human body can be influenced by the amount ingested in food products as well. The more cholesterol a person ingests (approximately 200-300mg in the average US citizen's daily diet), the less cholesterol the body produces naturally. This is the body's method of regulating the amount of cholesterol it maintains. Cholesterol enters the digestive tract via the bile produced by the liver, and is recycled by the body by reabsorbing approximately 50% of the original amount produced, through the small bowel and it is then re-transported throughout the body via the bloodstream. Since Cholesterol cannot be soluble within the blood stream, and is only partially soluble in water, (and even at that, at only very small concentrations), the body has a very remarkable method of transporting this highly necessary molecule. To transport cholesterol the body utilizes lipoproteins, which, spherical in shape, are extremely complex particles consisting of a water soluble exterior called amphiphilic proteins, and a lipid

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Compare Cholesterol Drugs - Some Important Things You Need to Know About

2010-06-20T15:38:00.000-07:00

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You were told by your doctor that you have a high cholesterol level. Now, you want to compare cholesterol drugs to help you manage your levels. High cholesterol is on the rise all over the world leading to more serious conditions. High bad cholesterol puts you at a higher risk of suffering from a heart attack and stroke. A majority of this cholesterol comes from the food we eat. Our livers produce all the cholesterol we need for our body. Changing your diet to more healthy choices is the first step in lowering your bad cholesterol. Sometimes if your level of cholesterol is too high, you need to take drugs in order to help you manage and have more control over it.

Your doctor may have already prescribed to you a certain drug to take, but there is no harm in knowing about other cholesterol drugs. Comparing cholesterol drugs will give you an idea of which drug may be better for you. Some have shown to be more effective than others. With this information in your knowledge, you may ask your doctor about these other drugs if it will be helpful to you. The idea is to have options available.

All cholesterol drugs are statins; statins block a certain enzyme in charge of producing cholesterol. The most popular cholesterol drugs are Lipitor, Lescol, Mevacor, Pravachol, Zocor, and Crestor. These drugs were put to the test. According to the Harvard Health publications, the reduction of LDL levels in patients varied among these drugs. All of the doses were 80mg except Crestor which is 40mg. Lescol scored the lowest: 37%. Lipitor did fairly well at 51%. The winner of these drugs is Crestor: 57%. It seems that the drug with the smaller dosage, proved to be more effective. Another thing you must consider is the cost of these drugs. When comparing the costs for a whole year's supply, Zocor is the most expensive at $1,500. The least expensive is Lescol. However, the greatest deal would once again go to Crestor: $825. Crestor seems to have value and effectiveness.

Although there are many other factors to consider when comparing drugs, hopefully this can give you a more broad view about these popular cholesterol lowering drugs. Medicines are expensive; one needs to be wary of the cost. One should also not sacrifice the effectiveness for the bargain deal. You may ask your doctor how to compare cholesterol drugs or search other medical websites and forums for more information

Recommendations:

You can naturally control your cholesterol levels and lower triglycerides naturally to avoid the risk of serious heart problems.

Discover more at these sites -

Cholesterol Lowering Supplements - http://www.naturalcholesterolsupplements.com
Fish Oil Supplement for Heart Health - http://www.naturalfishoil.info

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Red Yeast Rice and Cholesterol - How Does it Help Your Heart?

2010-06-18T15:38:00.000-07:00

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Red yeast rice and cholesterol are directly linked. The effects of this kind of rice on cholesterol levels have been known for almost a thousand years. It is probably the best way to lower your high cholesterol levels. If you are looking for a natural way to lower cholesterol, it is the answer. No one doubts its ability. Doctors recommend it for being all natural. If you are someone who does not wish to have chemicals of other modern-day drugs in your body, it will probably be all you will need.

Red yeast rice was created in China. It is red because monascus purpureus yeast was cultivated onto the rice. This yeast enables the rice to have what is called a monacolin. A monacolin is what modern drugs are; they prevent the liver from producing more cholesterol on the body. This will help you manage your cholesterol levels more easily. This is important because it is a known fact that high cholesterol is dangerous to your health. The cholesterol not used in the body is stored in your arteries. If your arteries run out of room to store them, then you will practically block the blood flow. This causes heart attacks and strokes.

The difference between cholesterol drugs and red yeast rice is that the drugs' dosage is measured. Although there is an issue out there that the dosage is actually too much for the body to take; hence the side effects each drug brings along with it. Regulating red yeast rice is extremely difficult or probably next to impossible. However, the amount of statins in it is not as concentrated as drugs. This will allow you to have your statins without suffering the side effects.

The benefits are undeniable. You should have a decent portion of red yeast rice along with your food. The effects on your cholesterol will be evident as you do this for some time. The only thing one should be aware of is if you have allergies. If you have an allergy to red yeast rice, stop having it. Otherwise, embrace this traditional alternative medicine. It is something you can enjoy without having to remember to take drugs at certain times of day. You may also purchase it in the form of a supplement if you are a busy person. To learn more about red yeast rice and cholesterol you may check other medical websites and forums for more information.

Recommendations:

You can naturally control your cholesterol levels and lower triglycerides naturally to avoid the risk of serious heart problems.

Discover more at these sites -

Cholesterol Lowering Supplements - http://www.naturalcholesterolsupplements.com
Fish Oil Supplement for Heart Health - http://www.naturalfishoil.info

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Which Foods Contain High Cholesterol and Trans Fats?

2010-06-16T15:38:00.000-07:00

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Which foods contain high cholesterol? Those of you who have high bad cholesterol levels or those who are health conscious will ask yourself this question. High levels of cholesterol is not in itself a condition or ailment, yet it does lead to more serious complications such as heart attack and stroke. Our bodies produce cholesterol in the amounts we need. The extra we get from food, gets stored within our arteries. When the cholesterol completely blocks the flow of blood, we get either a heart attack of a stroke. This is the reason why we must keep an eye out for the cholesterol level we have. We do not want it go unnoticed before it is too late. Many victims can attest to that.

Your doctor probably mentioned to you that to control your cholesterol levels, you must start with your diet. You can find other websites suggesting to you what food you should eat, yet none tell you of the food you should not eat. It is easier to know what foods to avoid rather than memorize the whole array of foods you can eat; you will be able to make better and faster choices. In general meat and dairy products are foods that contain high cholesterol; although containing more cholesterol is not just a factor.

You can eat something with no cholesterol, but it may be filled with saturated fat. This type of fat will raise your bad cholesterol level. Saturated fat is usually found in meat. Beware of trans fats; it is even worse than saturated fat. Trans fats can be found in processed foods and baked goods. Anything deep fried such as French fries are expected to be loaded with trans fats. It is best to eat things baked or grilled to avoid this type of fat. The important thing is not to just avoid the food with more cholesterol, but also the food which will cause your bad cholesterol to go high.

Using these guidelines about foods with high cholesterol you may be able to make better decisions in your food. Read the labels on your food next time you go food shopping and see how much saturated and trans fats your food contains. You can make the right choices to ensure you will have control over your high levels of cholesterol and bring it down to a minimum. You will have a healthier heart. To learn more about which foods contain high cholesterol, you can find more information on other websites about this topic.

Recommendations:

You can naturally control your cholesterol levels and lower triglycerides naturally to avoid the risk of serious heart problems.

Discover more at these sites -

Cholesterol Lowering Supplements - http://www.naturalcholesterolsupplements.com
Fish Oil Supplement for Heart Health - http://www.naturalfishoil.info

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Several Tips to Watch Cholesterol Correctly

2010-06-14T15:38:00.000-07:00

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How to Lower Your Triglycerides in a Week - 6 Things to Do

2010-06-12T15:38:00.000-07:00

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There's a wealth of information online teaching you the steps on how to lower your triglycerides in a week. If you are constantly monitoring your health, you should have come across numerous articles about the effects of elevated triglyceride and cholesterol levels to your heart's condition and why there is an apparent need not to take these for granted.

Doctors usually prescribe triglyceride-reducing medications to treat the problem, but you must know that these are not always the best way to deal with elevated triglycerides because of the potentially harmful side effects some of these drugs often bring.

It's always a good idea to approach the problem with natural means first. You're probably thinking that it is impossible to lower triglyceride levels in just seven days without drugs formulated with chemicals, but given the proper diet and exercise, it can be done. As you know, the elevation in triglycerides is often brought about or worsened by inactivity and making the wrong food choices. So, here's how to lower your triglycerides in a week:

1. Cut back on sugar. Sugar is a culprit in many respects, and yes, it has been found to cause spikes in triglyceride levels as well. Unfortunately, sugar seems to be everywhere, even in fruits, so does that mean you will have to avoid fruits, too? Not exactly; because fruits contain natural sugar, although of course it's not to say that you can eat fruits in abundance. Even that, you will need some control. What you have to avoid is processed sugar, the kind of sugar used to make cakes, pastries, and ice cream;

2. Have some fish in your diet. Fish contains Omega-3, the essential fatty acid that plays a very important role in the function of the heart. Health experts recommend a serving of fish two or three times a week. When choosing your fish, go for the ones that are less contaminated with mercury. Your choices may include tilapia, canned tuna, sardines, and salmon.

3. Go green - eat veggies. Don't skimp on vegetables. The need to eat vegetables becomes greater when you have high levels of triglycerides. Green and leafy vegetables, especially broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, and celery, are highly recommended in this case.

4. Eat more of fiber-rich foods. Fiber functions like a broom in that it removes the toxins from the body. Eating fiber-rich foods, like oats, cereals, and wheat, therefore can help a lot in reducing your triglyceride levels.

5. Take Omega-3 supplements. Since you cannot have a daily serving of fish, taking Omega-3 supplements can serve as an alternative. Take a capsule after meals with a full glass of water is the usual dosage, but it may not be the same case for everybody.

6. Exercise, whether or not you need to lose weight. The need to exercise on a regular basis has always been emphasized, all the more so if you have a problem with your triglyceride levels. Of course, one needs to understand, too, that you these tips on how to lower your triglycerides in a week are done with determination and cooperation.

Discover more at these sites:
Cholesterol Supplements - http://www.naturalcholesterolsupplements.com
Fish Oil Supplement for Heart Health - http://www.naturalfishoil.info

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Can You Lower Triglycerides With Fish Oil?

2010-06-10T15:38:00.000-07:00

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Skeptics may not readily accept the idea that it is possible to lower triglycerides with fish oil. Between chemically-prepared medicines and those that come from natural sources, you'd probably go for the former because of their immediate effects. The thing is, chemically-prepared drugs are not always safe; many of them in fact come with undesirable side effects. This moved researchers and health experts to look into possible alternative means to lower triglycerides, and it looks like they have stumbled on a gold mine with fish oil.

Fish oil is packed with Omega-3 fatty acids, the essential fatty acids known to improve the health of the heart as it controls the heart's pumping action, slows down the production of cholesterol, regulates blood pressure, and yes, these fatty acids also reduce triglyceride levels. This oil comes from the tissues of fish. Actually, microalgae are the ones producing the fatty acids, not the fish itself. However, since the fish feeds itself with microalgae, it also takes in a good amount of the Omega-3 fatty acids. This would make you think that eating fish regularly becomes a healthy treat.

Surprisingly, that may not be the case every time. You see, while fish is an excellent source of protein and is not high in saturated fat, its certain varieties are contaminated with mercury and other forms of toxins from the environment. Shark, king mackerel, and swordfish in particular are found to have high levels of mercury that eating them on a daily basis could be costly to your health. The American Heart Association recommends eating the less contaminated varieties such as canned tuna, salmon, shellfish and catfish only twice a week.

That said, you may be wondering how you would be able to lower triglycerides with fish oil when you are only allowed to eat fish twice a week. You cannot expect your triglyceride levels to go down if you don't have enough Omega-3 sources to make it happen.

Fortunately, fish oil now comes in the form of supplements that you can take on a daily basis. This would definitely mean good news for those who are not fond of eating fish, to begin with. These supplements contain Omega-3 essential fatty acids, but since they have been processed already you can be sure that they are no longer contaminated with mercury. Even better, these supplements are not expensive, even the good quality ones.

It is important to understand however that taking fish supplements should not reduce the need to make lifestyle changes. In many cases, the high levels of triglycerides are brought about by eating unhealthy foods (in particular, processed foods and those that are deep-fried in saturated fat), and not even eating enough vegetables, fruits, and fiber-rich foods to compensate. Surely, you cannot expect this oil to work wonders when you continue to live the kind of lifestyle that literally brings you to your deathbed. In order to lower triglycerides with fish oil effectively, it is a must that you eat right and exercise regularly at the same time.

Discover more at these sites:

Cholesterol Supplements - http://www.naturalcholesterolsupplements.com

Fish Oil Supplement for Heart Health - http://www.naturalfishoil.info

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High Cholesterol Worldwide

2010-06-08T15:38:00.000-07:00

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In times past only the very wealthy had to worry about high cholesterol. This of course being modern times, we have created a new kind of dilemma, as not only the rich suffer from elevated risk of heart attack and cardio vascular disease, we are being hit on all sides, and all wealth brackets. is definitely a problem that is plaguing societies. The specific target of this problem is not necessarily rural countries with little to no food, we're talking about the wealthy, developed nations that have access to fatty foods at a low cost, but high risk of increasing weight. Combine bad diet with lack of exercise and treatment and you have a global meltdown of fast food and fast death.

In populated countries, developed and created to have excess on all sides, we see more and more people coming down with high cholesterol. This is due in large part to the fact that fast food and cheap fatty foods are readily available. Convenience really trumps diet in regards to developed nations. The main way to elevate your cholesterol seems to be easy and often the hardest thing to avoid, fatty foods. Fatty foods invade our bodies on a daily basis, and it is a matter of convenience and taste. Those things make life worth living for many Americans and others abroad, creating a disastrous result if prolonged use is not cut back or eliminated. Much like smoking damages the lungs, fatty foods damage the liver, cardio vascular system, and create a society of obese people, all with heart disease and unhealthy lifestyles.

If we are to blame the food we eat, we also need to swing the pendulum at another risk factor; work. Working conditions found in more developed nations usually involve long periods of time sitting down. Whether you're speaking of computer work, or simply talking about sewing machines or assembly lines for products, millions of workers today sit at a desk or a table and work eight to ten hours a day with little to no exercise. This sort of rudimentary job really places a strain on the waist line and attention to diet is definitely not adhered. In favor of time management, whatever is convenient is eaten and exercise is taken away due to exhaustion at the end of shifts. While it is possible to take breaks from work, or to exercise during off hours, millions of people are not "up to" the task of doing so and it is seen as cumbersome, regardless of the health benefits of exercising and eating right in a combination of lifestyle choice.

There are definitely new trends that are fighting this revelation in developed nations. From the U.K government program called "Better Backs" to the NBA, NFL, and MLB forming more advertising space to promote playing, running, and being active for at least sixty minutes a day. While that's not exactly a drastic change, it's starting to get people thinking about moving around a little more, to help cope with the diets that are leaving many civilized nations fat and tired.

Check more information about high cholesterol treatment.

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Learn More About High Cholesterol Foods That You Should Avoid

2010-06-06T15:38:00.000-07:00

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What you should and should not eat if you have high cholesterol levels

Many Americans have cholesterol problems and are trying to find ways to reduce them. If you are in this condition, you must be very careful to avoid eating certain products. Knowing which are the most important elevated cholesterol foods can help you maintain your health.

The products that contain saturated fats can also raise your cholesterol. They can actually be more harmful than the high cholesterol foods.

What you should NOT eat

These are the most important products that you should avoid in order to lower your cholesterol and have a healthier diet:

Eggs - Try to substitute them with low-cholesterol products; Fat dairy foods - Avoid products containing cream or cheese; Shellfish - They have a very high cholesterol level; Beef and pork - Two of the products that contain the largest amount of saturated fats.

What you SHOULD eat

If you are a meat lover and you have elevated cholesterol levels you can replace beef and pork with fish, turkey and chicken, which are much better for your health.

It is very important to balance your meal with fiber-containing products, like fruits and vegetables, which will reduce your cholesterol.

You can very easily lower your cholesterol to a healthy level: you only have to cut down the high cholesterol foods listed above and start a low-fat diet.

If you have cholesterol problems and you do not tolerate prescription medication, you should try a cholesterol-lowering diet. This may actually be more effective than drugs!

It is very important for you to know that cholesterol is not all bad. So do not exaggerate, be careful to balance your diet properly and, most importantly, start keeping track of your food intake immediately. You will be amazed how fast your high cholesterol levels will return in the normal range.

Since Dan Donahue found out about his high cholesterol levels he started keeping track of his progress to a healthy lifestyle at his blog http://www.dietallergy.info/. Check it out for the most current articles and discussions.

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What to Eat to Lower LDL and Triglycerides - Put These Healthy Foods in Your Grocery List

2010-06-04T15:38:00.000-07:00

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Given the rising cases of heart disease these days resulting from increased levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, it only makes sense to know what to eat to lower LDL and triglycerides. LDL or low density lipoprotein is the bad type of cholesterol, the kind that could create havoc to your heart once it rises to uncontrollable levels in the blood, while triglycerides are a form of blood fat that can also severely compromise your heart health once they are not within the normal values. For optimum heart health, it is a must that you keep the values of these within the normal range, or the closest to it as possible.

LDL and triglycerides are part and parcel of the human system. The problem often begins when they increase in number beyond what is acceptable. There could be tons of reasons why such happens. Metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism can trigger an increase in the levels of these blood fat. A sedentary lifestyle coupled with increased intake of saturated fat and sugar can also cause your LDL and triglycerides to shoot up.

There are ways you can bring the levels down to their normal values without necessarily seeking medication attention. It's not to say that you would totally neglect the need for medical assistance, but as you know when you consult a specialist with these presenting problems, you can be almost certain that the doctor will prescribe medicines to lower down LDL and triglycerides. Prescription meds may be able to immediately regulate LDL and triglycerides, but often, not without a cost because prescription meds almost always come with annoying side effects.

If your LDL and triglyceride levels are not that high as to warrant a need for prescription meds, exercising regularly and embarking on a healthy diet may be enough to correct the situation. Knowing what to eat to lower LDL and triglycerides becomes essential in this case.

When your LDL and triglycerides are both elevated, you need to have a good amount of Omega-3. Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid that plays a significant role in the development of brain function, and in the health of the heart. Accordingly, Omega-3 has been found to reduce incidence of heart disease by regulating cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Sad to say, the body does not produce this essential fatty acid. You need to source it from outside sources, like fish for instance. Fish is noted to have Omega-3 in abundance, thus doctors recommend that you eat fish at least two times in a week. Omega-3 is also found in olive oil, which makes it a good idea to cook your foods in olive oil and not at all in saturated oil.

It is also essential to eat fiber-rich vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, squash, cauliflower, and fruits like apple (but make sure to eat the skin, too), and apricot because fiber helps in eliminating toxins from the body. Nuts, in particular hazelnuts, can also lower the levels of blood fat in the body, so rather than opening a bag of potato chips, munch on nuts, instead.

So now that you know what to eat to lower LDL and triglycerides, you could no longer say that having a healthy heart is next to impossible.

Discover more at these sites:

Cholesterol Supplements - http://www.naturalcholesterolsupplements.com

Fish Oil Supplement for Heart Health - http://www.naturalfishoil.info

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Essential Tips on How to Lower LDL Cholesterol Naturally

2010-06-02T15:38:00.001-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

A high cholesterol level may be a real threat for your health, especially if we talk about LDL cholesterol. As you probably know, cholesterol is naturally produced by your body, and it is composed of low density cholesterol (LDL or bad cholesterol), intermediate density cholesterol (IDL) and high density cholesterol (HDL or good cholesterol).

Low density cholesterol is considered bad because LDL lipoproteins deposit the fat molecules on artery walls, causing the formation of cholesterol plaque. This may lead to serious heart related problems, cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis and even heart attack.

Almost 80 percent of the total cholesterol level is produced by the liver, and only 20 percent is provided by food. Obviously, a high amount of fats in your diet will increase the level of cholesterol, both LDL and HDL. A higher level of HDL cholesterol is desirable, because it extracts bad cholesterol from artery walls and escorts it out of the body, via the liver.

Avoiding fats is the first step for keeping a low LDL cholesterol level. But this is sometimes easy to say and much harder to do. A healthy diet does not necessarily mean giving up all the tasty food you like. Just try to eat less red meat, eggs and cheese, and try to avoid greasy food.

Instead, you can eat more vegetables, fruits, and cereals. Also, eating fish or taking fish oil supplements can really help you lower your LDL cholesterol level. You may not know, but fish contains important quantities of omega-3 fatty acids, which are proven to reduce bad cholesterol levels. Regular intake of fish oil concentrated supplements is a good alternative for those who do not like eating fish.

Besides dieting, an active life increases HDL and, consequently, lowers bad cholesterol. It is proven that 30 minutes of exercise each day keeps your body and mind healthy. Regular exercise also seems to bring down triglyceride levels and blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart attack.

So do not forget, a healthy diet, a high level of HDL cholesterol and regular exercise can help you lower bad cholesterol levels and keep your body healthy.

Since Dan Donahue found out about his high cholesterol levels, he started keeping track of his progress to a healthy lifestyle at his blog http://www.allergycasein.info/. Check it out for the most current articles, discussions, and tips.

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Lower Cholesterol Level

The Fact of Lowering Cholesterol Level

2010-04-29T15:35:00.000-07:00

The Fact of Lower Cholesterol Level

When the number of cholesterol within your arteries keeps on high, it becomes unsafe. On the other hand cholesterol within correct quantities may be a vital requirement to live a healthy life. Our liver creates cholesterol from the saturated fat in our dietary. The more we consume saturated fats, the additional cholesterol is made by the liver plus circulated through arteries. Cholesterol is a crucial blood fat compound in making of nerve fibers, hormones and cell membranes.

To measure a healthy life, we measure the cholesterol level within our arteries ought to be 5.20 mmol/L or milli moles per liter. Once we take too much saturated fats, it makes our liver makes overload cholesterol. In the matter of time, this surplus cholesterol gets stored in hardens and arteries. This clogged cholesterol stored is termed 'atherosclerosis plaque'. This kind condition would possibly result in stroke and heart problems. Other issues with cholesterol are diabetes and below performing thyroid.

There are two types of cholesterol, one is called HDL and the other called LDL . Among the two, LDL is dangerous to health hence known as bad cholesterol. While HDL is what we call the good cholesterol because it is good four our health. When the bad cholesterol levels are high within in our blood vessel we tend to are a lot of vulnerable to heart problems. With high level of good cholesterol in our blood vessel is as the matter of fact a good thing for our health because it takes the surplus cholesterol from the arteries back to liver where it's metabolized and discharge from our body system through excretion. Optimum level of the bad cholesterol ought to be no more than 3.5 mmol/L. While for good cholesterol the optimum level ought to be more than 1 mmol/L. The entire cholesterol level should not be more than 5.two mmol/L.

Diet management and exercise will lower the cholesterol level but if it will not help at all then there are medicine to manage it. Devise a plan for diet and workout to suit your condition with some help from your physician and follow it fully. Do not eat animal product which contain high fat like red meet,whole milk dairy product, processed foods which contain saturated oils from vegetable and food product that carries hydrogenated oils since these contain harmful fats. Eat high fiber and low fat foods in addition to lots of fruit and vegetables in your diet presumably in raw uncooked type like beetroot, tomato, carrot, as salads. Eat more whole grains to your diet however do not eat too much.

Quit smoking. Decrease your level of stress by trying to find a stress reduction technique that can suit you through tai chi, meditation or even yoga. Since it had been found that stress can double the lipid level within the blood. Exercise frequently and keep a good workout schedule depends upon your condition

Foods With High Cholesterol Level to Avoid and the Most Excellent Extracts to Naturally Lower Cholesterol Level

2010-03-18T15:05:00.000-07:00

There is much dialogue happening right now concerning the true influence of meals high in cholesterol to your well-being and health. But it is definitely good recommendation to eat healthy therefore the following are the foods best to keep away from and those to eat a lot more of in order to lower cholesterol level.

Most of the time, it tends that our favorite foods are the ones that can be dangerous for us! Though they're referred to as high cholesterol foods, it's the trans fats and saturated fat which will be harmful because these two things can encourage the production of additional cholesterol by your liver.

Dairy product, fried food, take away food and potato chips, eggs, butter margarine and fatty meat are all carrying high in the incorrect form of fats plus can increase your LDL or unhealthy cholesterol levels.

At any time you reduce for these meals which have high cholesterol and in addition increase your intake of the healthy foods, you may be on a way to restoring the ordinary balance involving your bad and good cholesterol levels, which can lower cholesterol level.

Healthy foods such as fruit and veggies do not contain any cholesterol plus along with Fatty fish like hoki and salmon, oatmeal and nuts, you may also help to lower cholesterol levels.

But, it is very important to notice that not more than twenty percent of your body cholesterol resulted from the food you eat with another eighty percents coming back out of your liver.

A mix of the appropriate extracts will help to scale back the production of cholesterol from the liver, cut back absorption and facilitate to dissolve the particles of cholesterol.

The best extract include Theaflavins comes from green tea, Policosanol extract from raw sugar cane, Phytosterols from plants and D-Limonene comes from orange peel. These extract combine should be able to lift the amount of good cholesterol while lowering the bad cholesterol.

The more you have the good cholesterol, the more extra bad cholesterol your body can remove to keep your blood vessel clean from any clogs and to deduct your possibility to dying young.

in closing words, now that you know the food that contain high in cholesterol that you should avoid, and the food that you need to eat more and also the extracts from natural source that are useful for your health, you can help yourselves to lower cholesterol level for now and for the long run too.
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Simple Ways to Lower Cholesterol Level

2010-03-03T05:01:00.000-08:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Simple Ways to Lower Cholesterol Level

The raise of cholesterol level within the blood is because of improper eating diet. In order for you to be healthful, you have to lower your cholesterol level to be at normal range

If you have got a high cholesterol level, you have to find a way to lower your cholesterol levels. The following mentioned are a few necessary ways in which can help you lower your cholesterol levels

1. talk to a doctor

If your cholesterol level within the blood is increasing, you ought to talk to a doctor about it as soon as possible. Depending on your cholesterol level and your body circumstance, your doctor would propose you to either take medication, have a right diet plan or to do regular exercise in order to lower your cholesterol level.

2. Having a right diet plan

You eating diet is reflecting your general healthiness. You will save yourselves out of trouble by eating a fat free healthy food. You should strive to avoid eating such whole eggs, fried food and red meat. You want to make sure that you're taking in a very minimum quantity of saturated fats.

You need to include fish, lean meat, legumes, fruit and veggies in your daily diet. Those foods are well known source of active metabolites like polyunsaturated fatty acid, minerals and vitamin that can remove your cholesterol from your body effectively.

3. Exercise On a daily basis

One of the most effective approach to lower your cholesterol level is to do a daily exercise. A walk for about 10-15mins everyday helps lower cholesterol levels a great deal. Depending on your age and your stamina, you can additionally have intensive exercises like aerobics, cycling, jogging and swimming.

Do exercise regularly can greatly improve your body metabolism system, burning the body fat, clean the toxins from your body, and make the body cardiovascular system stronger.

4. Natural Medications

The finest prescribed medication to lower cholesterol level is statin. Unfortunately, there are sides effects of statins that include muscles pain, newborn birth defect and impotency. Because of this motive alone, many people now start to use natural medication and different medication to lower their cholesterol level

Made from natural ingredients like green tea, citrus rind and rice bran, lower cholesterol natural supplement consists of ingredients such as D-Limonene, Lecithins, vitamin E, Oryzanol and Policosanol, that can lower your blood cholesterol level in safety and naturally way and can keep your heart in healthy state for your old days

Lower Cholesterol Level

How to Lower Cholesterol Level With Herbs - Three Great Herbs to Build Your Cholesterol Plan Around

2010-02-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

How to Lower Cholesterol Level With Herbs - Three Great Herbs to Build Your Cholesterol Plan Around

How to lower cholesterol with herbs is a story of old meeting new. With the idea and understanding of blood cholesterol and its importance to overall health being a fairly new revelation the idea of managing cholesterol with plant based medicines may at first glance seem a little strange. Particularly when one takes into account that many of the best herbs for lowering cholesterol have been around for thousands of years. On the other hand one could make the case that if specific herbs are still being used after all that time there is a pretty good chance they work.

How to lower cholesterol with herbs is a fairly straightforward approach known a full spectrum medicine. This approach looks at the big picture rather than the more narrow minded approach often implemented in the practice of modern medicine. For instance a full spectrum approach to addressing how to lower cholesterol with herbs might include combining a red yeast rice supplement with diet, exercise, and stress reduction techniques. As I said, taking a big picture approach. On the other hand the narrow approach might suggest a few small diet changes but would attempt to drive cholesterol levels down by dramatically reducing the livers ability to convert carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into cholesterol. This heavy handed approach has lead to complaints of muscle aches, pains, and muscle cramps along with a myriad of other side effects including headache, fatigue, low blood pressure, nausea, gas, constipation, and in rare cases a breakdown of muscle tissue called rhabdomyolysis.

In order to determine how to lower cholesterol with herbs we must first have an idea of who the players are. In this article we will try to give you our version of the big three and hopefully you can use it as a starting point for learning more about how to lower cholesterol with herbs.

Garlic: An discussion of how to lower cholesterol with herbs must include garlic. After all one would assume that anything that can scare off vampires should be able to at least drop my cholesterol a few points. The main active ingredient in garlic is allicin and has been shown in clinical studies to both lower cholesterol and improve blood pressure. It is also referred to as natural penicillin because of its antibiotic properties. Garlic is one of the oldest herbs known to man having been used in the practice of Chinese herbal medicine for thousands of years.

Red Yeast Rice: In recent years this ancient remedy has come under scrutiny by FDA due to claims its main active ingredient called monacolin K, which inhibits the production of cholesterol by stopping the action of a key enzyme in the liver (e.g., HMG-CoA reductase) too closely resembles the statin medication lovastatin and thus should be regulated as a drug. Nevertheless, few would argue with the fact that red yeast rice does lower cholesterol and there have been major studies in recent years confirming this. RYR also aids in digestion and has been used in the practice of Chinese herbal medicine as a dietary general health supplement for over 1500 years.

Guggul: When discussing how to lower cholesterol with herbs one cannot leave out guggul. It is perhaps the most effective natural cholesterol buster that no one outside of natural medicine has heard of. Guggul significantly lowers serum triglycerides and cholesterol as well as LDL and VLDL cholesterols (bad cholesterol). At the same time, it raises levels of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). As antioxidants, guggulsterones (ketonic steroid compounds) keep LDL cholesterol from oxidizing, an action which protects against atherosclerosis.

Certainly there is always more to learn about how to cholesterol with herbs. But in conclusion if you use garlic, red yeast rice, and guggul as your foundation to build your cholesterol reduction plan from you likely will be very success regardless which natural cholesterol reducing remedy you ultimately choose.

Rob D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of safe and effective high quality alternative health products and natural living, with over 10 years experience in the field. Learn more about natural remedies and natural health at Purchase Remedies.com.

Lower Cholesterol Level

How to Lower Cholesterol Level in Children

2009-10-09T14:13:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

How to Lower Cholesterol Level in Children

Having a high cholesterol level is always a concern for everybody, especially when the children have it. Here is an overview of what we have to do to lower cholesterol level in children.

What is cholesterol?

If you have too much cholesterol in your blood, your blood cholesterol levels is high. There are several factors that effected cholesterol level, like gene, lifestyle and disease, may present a risk for heart problem and stroke. What actually happens is that with too much cholesterol, so that it can not be metabolized in the liver and the excess stored on artery walls and create a plaque. It will eventually blockage or slow blood flow to your brain, to your heart or to other organs.

Why is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is used by the liver in a natural and important body work, as the cholesterol is the material to create the cells and hormones. Cholesterol can be adopted also from dietary sources such as eggs, fish, animal meat dairy products. We can not survive without cholesterol as it is good for us.

Cholesterol in Children

Children Cholesterol Level is measured differently than an adult Cholesterol Level. For children age 2 up to 19 years, total cholesterol below 170, and LDL cholesterol should be below 100 The total cholesterol from 170 up to 200 and to have LDL-cholesterol from 100 to 130 to be limited as the risks. For children with an LDL cholesterol greater than 200 and 130 are considered a high risk, especially for girls with the levels of HDL cholesterol of less than 50 and the boys at a lower level than children with levels 45th LDL over 100 of the likely demand for high cholesterol are treated, especially when they have a history of heart disease in their family.

The treatment to lower cholesterol level in Children

Two primary reasons why children should be treated with high cholesterol. The plaque may develop as the LDL cholesterol is too high, in spite of age, so that the injury to the arteries start early, eventhough they are still young to build it, it will impose a greater problem when they are older. Secondly, good habits can be built to protect against high cholesterol levels if they are old.

What are the treatments to lower cholesterol level in children?

Change your eating habits for children with hypercholesterolemia in the foreground. A healthy diet can benefit not only the children who have high cholesterol level, but also the whole family. Limit fat intake to less than 30% of calories per day. 1500 to 2400 of calories count each day, depending on the age and the activity of the children. Reduction of saturated fat, choose lean meats and sliced low-fat milk and healthier and better cooking oil. Still Children need fat in the brain, so do not remove fat from the diet completely. The Fiber intake must be increased approximately 25 grams each day by eating whole grains, cereals and vegetables. Avoid high-sugar snacks like candy bars and soft drinks.

Another ways to lower cholesterol levels down,

Your children will be more effective if the whole family involved in the program. For example, the children learn, and this will prevent them also from feeling "targeted". Makes the food attractive, try as much possible to eat at home. Let your kids participate in preparing the meal and promote of physical activity.

Lower Cholesterol Level

Proven Natural Ways to Lower Bad Cholesterol By Bob D.

2009-09-20T04:20:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Proven Natural Ways to Lower Bad Cholesterol
By Bob D.

Hypercholesterolemia or high cholesterol is a complication that involves a high quantity of fatty substances called Cholesterol that gets clogged up in the artery walls. This impedes proper circulation of blood and needed nutrients leading to poor circulation. Blockages in the arteries pose a risk on the heart leading to heart attacks and various heart diseases.

To avoid such complication, one should keep their cholesterol level at bay for a long, healthy life. To lower the level of cholesterol, especially of Low density cholesterol or LDL, otherwise known as bad cholesterol, there is a need to lead a healthy lifestyle routine. Among these routines are the following:

• More intake of food with low cholesterol levels. These types of food include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and many other natural foods. These must be a part of one's daily diet.
• Minimize intake of food with high amount of fat. Commonly included in this category are meat, oil, full cream dairy products and egg yolks. Instead of this food, better opt for fish, fat-free dairy products and egg whites.
• Drink 8 or more glasses of water, along with various fruit juices to facilitate proper circulation and digestion.
• Increase the amount of fiber rich food in your daily diet.
• Increase the amount of cholesterol controlling food like:

Garlic - this is useful for the fat produced in the liver. One or two garlic cloves per day can be helpful. However, be sure to brush your teeth after taking it as it can cause a not so good odor in your mouth.

Whole grains and oats - the fiber from this food can help remove the clogged up fat in the artery walls.

Fish oil - noted for their high omega 3 fatty acids, fish oil can greatly lower cholesterol level in the blood as shown in various studies and research.

Yogurt - it may be a dairy product as well but the amount of probiotics like Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Lactobacillus Reuter can lower cholesterol level by preventing the re-absorption of cholesterol in the body.

Grapes - this is known to have compounds that can lower cholesterol level. Grape juice or grape fruit itself can be taken. At least one and a half cup of grape fruit taken per day can lower cholesterol by 7% within two months.

Beans - there are different types of beans that you can include in your diet such as legumes, soybeans, navy beans, lima beans, kidney beans and many other types. Beans are known to have pectin and other high fiber content which can lower general cholesterol level.

• Include exercise in your daily routine. Exercise is proven to lower triglycerides which can clog up your arteries and to raise High Density Cholesterol or HDL, otherwise known as good cholesterol. A variety of exercises can be of big help to lower bad cholesterol levels and keep the body health as well. One can opt for strength training for the muscles along with other stretching exercises. Aerobic activities like running and brisk walking along with swimming and Yoga have been proven to raise good cholesterol level.

The author has dedicated himself in helping others to lower cholesterol naturally. He has educated hundreds of people on the subjects related to cholesterol. As a a victim to High Cholesterol, he continues to write and publish articles on various subjects relating to Cholesterol.

For more information go to my website. There you will find lots of information on cholesterol.

If you want to want to read on various subjects relating to health go to my Healthy Life Blog. There is lots of great articles there.

Homehealthplus1@gmail.com
813 505-5982

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_D.

Lower Cholesterol Level

How to Lower Cholesterol Level - Revealing Facts About Cholesterol Reduction

2009-09-18T11:04:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

How to Lower Cholesterol Level - Revealing Facts About Cholesterol Reduction

If you are like me, then learning how to lower cholesterol levels without having to turn to statin drugs is important to you. The interesting thing about this is that medication is not always the most effective way to reduce high cholesterol.

You see, it has been shown that certain foods work to effectively lower cholesterol levels by blocking the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream, the very thing that some medications seek to do. However, while medications have negative side effects such as muscle pain and spasms, as well as the potential for liver and kidney damage, the foods that lower cholesterol only have positive side effects.

The beneficial side effects of these healthy foods include an increased amount of energy, weight reduction, improved mental functioning... and the list goes on. You tell me. Which of these two treatments for high cholesterol makes the most sense?

In learning how to lower cholesterol level naturally, I found that a structured cholesterol lowering diet was extremely helpful due to the fact that I am human. Most individuals can benefit greatly from a structured diet plan. Most diets will work as long as they emphasize a reduction in those foods that are highest in the amount of saturated fats and include many foods have been shown to lower high cholesterol.

Look for vegetables, fruit, nuts and whole grains. All of these contain very high amounts of soluble fiber and plant sterols. Sterols are substances that occur naturally in all plants and have a molecular design that is very similar to that of cholesterol. Scientists believe that because of the similarity between cholesterol and sterols, the sterols compete with cholesterol for absorption into the bloodstream.

A cholesterol lowering diet that contains these foods along with healthy fats such as those found in fish and fish oil supplements has been shown to be just as effective or more so than statin medication for balancing out cholesterol and reducing triglyceride levels.

Learning how to lower cholesterol level is not complicated, but it does take consistency and lifestyle changes. I encourage you to visit my website where I discuss the most effective steps you can take to naturally reduce high cholesterol.

Van Crawford has been researching health related issues for more than 10 years and shares his research into natural ways to lower cholesterol levels on his website. To learn more about effective ways to lower your cholesterol and to learn how Van was able to lower his cholesterol without the use of medication, visit his website now: http://www.Lowering-Cholesterol-Resources.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Van_Crawford

Lower Cholesterol Level

How to Lower Cholesterol Levels - Surprisingly Effective Techniques That Work

2009-09-16T04:17:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

How to Lower Cholesterol Levels - Surprisingly Effective Techniques That Work
By Van Crawford

For most individuals, learning how to lower cholesterol levels is critically important. Statistics tell us that more than half of the population in the United States has high cholesterol which is why medication for lowering cholesterol has become such big business.

There are many different approaches you can take for lower cholesterol level. While your doctor may suggest immediately using medication, this really is not the place to start. I say this because it has been proven over and over again that the best way to reduce high cholesterol is through changes in your diet.

A cholesterol lowering diet that contains high amounts of vegetables, fruits and nuts is the most effective way to bring down high cholesterol levels. I even read a news story about a doctor who could not tollerate cholesterol medication so he turned to reducing cholesterol through diet. To his amazement, he actually obtained better results than what most of his patients were getting with medication.

If you are serious about reducing your high lipid readings, you'll need to make these changes in your diet.

1.) Increase the amounts of high fiber foods you consume.

2.) Reduce the amounts of saturated fats such as those found in beef and pork.

3.) Limit your snacking too high fiber foods such as fruit and nuts.

4.) Add more vegetables to your meals whenever possible.

These are just a few of the simple tips for lowering cholesterol that you can use to begin improving your cardiovascular health.

Other natural ways to address this issue include increased amounts of exercise and cholesterol lowering supplements that contain plant sterols.

Lowering cholesterol levels naturally, without the use of medication, will give you more energy and improve your immune system in addition to providing a healthier cardiovascular system. This is why I have built a website where I show you how to lower cholesterol levels most effectively.

I encourage you to visit it to read more about the foods, supplements and diets that have been proven to reduce high lipid levels.

Van Crawford has been researching health related issues for more than 10 years and shares his research into natural ways to lower cholesterol levels on his website. To learn more about effective ways to lower your cholesterol and to learn how Van was able to lower his cholesterol without the use of medication, visit his website now: How To Lower Cholesterol Naturally

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Van_Crawford

Lower Cholesterol Level

The Best Natural Way to Lower Cholesterol - Nature's Solution to High Lipid Levels

2009-09-14T00:39:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

The Best Natural Way to Lower Cholesterol - Nature's Solution to High Lipid Levels
By Van Crawford

If you are a health conscious individual, what do you do when you find out that you need to lower your cholesterol readings? Of course, you are going to look for a natural way to lower cholesterol. After all, why would you want to rely on putting drugs into your system as a solution to a health problem, when nature has already provided the best solution.

If you are serious about taking control of your health then you will find that a diet to lower cholesterol is the best way to go. Let's take a look at some of the foods that this diet will need to emphasize.

The best natural way to lower cholesterol is going to involve reducing the amounts of saturated fat in your diet, especially beef and pork and at the same time substantially increasing the amounts of high fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These are the types of foods that nature has provided for reducing high cholesterol.

The primary reason they are so effective is because of the high amounts of fiber that they contain. If we all ate a high fiber diet that is rich in these nutritious foods, the rate of obesity and cholesterol problems in North America would be greatly reduced.

What happens when we eat a high fiber diet is that the cholesterol in our intestines attaches itself to the fiber so that it is eliminated from the body. In so doing, it also stimulates the liver into absorbing more cholesterol. This two edged sword has incredible benefits for the cardiovascular system.

Another great thing about fruits and vegetables is that they contain high amounts of plant sterols. Plant sterols are naturally occurring substances found in all plants that are very similar to cholesterol and seems to compete with cholesterol for absorption into the body.

The highest amounts of plant sterols are found in vegetables including brussels sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli.

These are the types of food that provide the best natural way to lower cholesterol. I encourage you to visit my website where I discuss these and other natural ways to reducing high cholesterol.

Van Crawford has been studying health and nutrition for over 10 years as he has researched ways to lower his own cholesterol levels. Visit his website now for more information on powerful ways to improve your health and lower your cholesterol: natural way to lower cholesterol

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Van_Crawford

Lower Cholesterol Level

Lowering Cholesterol - 10 Critical Tips to Decrease LDL

2009-09-12T00:19:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Lowering Cholesterol - 10 Critical Tips to Decrease LDL
By Sean G Johnson

Many Americans today are health conscious and are pursuing ways to lose weight and maintain a healthy diet. Thousands of people worry about not consuming fat and lowering high cholesterol levels while eating a nutritionally adequate diet. Here are a few tips that you can put into practice in your everyday diet.

1. Choose foods that are low in cholesterol and saturated fats such as fruits and vegetables. Make sure to research the Nutrition Facts panel to compare foods due to the fact that serving sizes are usually consistent in similar types of foods.

2. It would be wise for you to replace saturated fats and trans fat with mono-polyunsataurated fats. This type of fat does not raise LDL cholesterol levels. If consumed moderately it does have health benefits. Monounsaturated fats include canola and olive oils. Polyunsaturated fats include corn and soybean oil and sunflower oil. Foods like fish and nuts are also sources of polyunsaturated fats.

3. Make sure to choose vegetable oil, and soft margarine (liquids or spray) being that saturated and trans fats and cholesterol are lower in soft oils than in solid shortenings, animal fats, and butter.

4. Another good choice of low cholesterol food is fish. Most fish is lower in saturated fat than meat. Certain fish like, salmon and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids which may or may not help fight against heart disease.

5. Always choose lean meats, like poultry and chicken, lean beef and pork. Do not eat your food fried. Try to bake whenever possible. Fried foods are absolutely a no-no.

6. If your a person who likes to eat out, make sure to inquire about the fats that are being used to prepare your food.

7. Keep an eye out on high calories such as fat. All fats are high in calories. You will do better to eat some carbohydrates and protein which are way lower in calories.

8. You can drink yourself to a lower cholesterol level by consuming vegetable juices and fruit juices. Here's a tip- drink plenty of orange juice. Most importantly drink plenty of water!

9. Eliminating stress out your life can help reduce cholesterol dramatically. The way the body fights stress is to release more of a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol will trigger the release of fat into the bloodstream. Fat in the bloodstream equals higher cholesterol levels.

10. There is one method of lowering cholesterol that most average people do not realize. Exercising is one of the most effective ways to keep cholesterol low. Exercising increases HDL which is good cholesterol and HDL can reverse some of the effects of LDL which is bad cholesterol.

So as you can see there is a lot you can do to reduce cholesterol. The trick is in disciplining your mind so that the body can follow along. Try not to stress over things you can't control in your life. You must maintain a healthy well balanced diet and try to add a exercise program in your life. However you must remember that a certain amount of cholesterol is necessary for the body to function at it's full potential.

For more information on healthy living, please feel free to visit low cholesterol foods.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sean_G_Johnson

Lower Cholesterol Level

Lowering Cholesterol Naturally - Herbs to Lower Cholesterol Level

2009-09-10T00:17:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Lowering Cholesterol Naturally - Herbs to Lower Cholesterol Level
By Bryan Len

It is not a secret anymore that excess of cholesterol in the bloodstream can lead to cardiac diseases and strokes - both; America's No. 1 and No. 3 killers. Even though there are many things one can do lowering cholesterol, it remains difficult issue to tackle on a regular basis, i.e. constantly. One can lower down the cholesterol in the bloodstream by consuming healthful foods, shedding off the extra pounds and maintaining the healthy level of essential fatty acids.

In some stubborn cases, wherein lowering cholesterol is not possible with some dietary modification and lifestyle improvement, supplements are to be added. Furthermore, when supplements are not sufficient and are short of getting us the results, one has to consult some physician who might add some medications. Modern medicines may help in lowering cholesterol but then, in a long run, they may produce some unwanted, harmful and side effects. That is why, more and more people are now considering herbal way to lowering cholesterol.

Most heart and blood vessel adverse condition occur due to a buildup of cholesterol, plaques and other fatty deposits inside the walls of arteries. The arteries that supply the heart may become so choked that the blood flow gets reduced, that result in severe chest pain. If a blood clots and blocks the artery, a heart attack may happen. Similarly, if a blood clots and blocks any artery supplying the brain, a stroke may occur.

Ways to lowering cholesterol:

· Focus on low-saturated-fat, trans fat-free, low-cholesterol foods like fruits and vegetables (go for 8 to 10 servings a day)
· A variety of grain products such as breads, cereals, rice and pastas, include whole grains (choose six or more servings a day)
· Fat-free and low-fat milk diet
· Beans and peas and for non vegetarians - fish oil with essential fatty acids
· Unsaturated vegetable oils such as soybean, safflower, corn, canola, and olive oil
· Limit whole milk, cream and ice cream and also butter, egg yolk and cheese
· Give up organ meats, high-fat processed meats like salami and hot dog
· Fried foods, junk/canned and preserved foods are also contraindicated.

One can also bank upon some herbs that help in lowering cholesterol. Herbs cum foods such as garlic can help in reduce the elevated cholesterol levels in the bloodstream. It is also better to consume dark green leafy vegetables and fresh fruits in order to lower the cholesterol. They also help in keeping the body in harmony since they help in leveling the hormones and enzymes in the body.

Many holistic healing practitioners favor that some holistic exercises such as yogasanas and Pranayama can help in lowering cholesterol. Especially, Pranayama is said to be very beneficial in bringing down the high cholesterol levels. Such holistic practice is also now backed by many research papers and clinical trials.

Herbs like hoodia, garcinia, rudraksha, Indian gooseberry, tagara, vanshalochan are also considered to be very useful in lowering the cholesterol and lipid levels. These herbs have been prescribed to treat cardiac disorders since many years as described in ancient texts such as Ayurveda.

You may be interested in reading Lowering Cholesterol Naturally and Heart Diseases Remedies

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bryan_Len

Lower Cholesterol Level

Best Diet to Lower Cholesterol - How to Lower Cholesterol Level Without Medication?

2009-09-07T23:15:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Best Diet to Lower Cholesterol - How to Lower Cholesterol Level Without Medication?
By Amy Myers

If you want to avoid future complications of LDL then you can opt for the best diets which can lower your cholesterol level. In such a case the cholesterol clots the arteries and prevents the flow of blood which results in blockages in brain, heart and other body systems and organs. This situation is popularly known as atherosclerosis.

How to Lower Cholesterol Level Without Medication?

As it is very well understood that its level mainly get affected by our diets, the main mantra is to change the items of our diet chart if we tend to suffer from HDL or LDL. Moreover, a perfect combination of healthy diet and regular exercises can help you to get rid of such problems quite easily and that too without the support of any type of medication.

The top food items that can lower your Cholesterol Levels are:

. Oatmeal and Oat Bran: These food items are very rich in soluble fibers. They actually help to lower the absorption level of cholesterol in the intestines.

. Walnuts and Almonds: Many studies have pointed out that walnuts are very beneficial in reducing the level of cholesterol. Actually, it is very rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids which can ensure to maintain healthy blood vessels. Almonds can also play the same role like the walnuts. These items can also help you to lose weight and avoid such risks at ease.

. Olive Oil: As per the food and drug administration if an individual regularly takes 2 tablespoons of olive oil daily then he or she can have a healthy heart for a long time. This is because this item is rich in antioxidants.

. Foods complimented with Stanols and Plant Sterols:These days foods fortified with stanols and sterols are very easily available. Yogurt, margarines and orange juice fortified along with the plant sterols can effectively lower the cholesterol level.

Apart from the above mentioned diets one can even carry our regular exercises to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Drinking lots of water would help to kick start your metabolism and help you to lose weight in a natural manner. Moreover, you should try to avoid artificial medications because they do come up with certain side-effects.

Excessive weight & Toxins in the Colon are two major reasons for high Cholesterol. Dr Oz, Oprah Winfrey & Rachel Ray have all endorsed the Dynamic Duo! for Weight Loss, Reduce LDL and Total Body Detox.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_Myers

Lower Cholesterol Level

Foods That Lower Cholesterol - Top 3 Foods to Reduce Bad Cholesterol Level Or LDL

2009-09-05T17:52:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Foods That Lower Cholesterol - Top 3 Foods to Reduce Bad Cholesterol Level Or LDL
By Amy Myers

Foods that lower cholesterol specially refer to those eatables that can easily combat against high density lipoprotein or HDL. You can opt those food items which would definitely help you out to lower your cholesterol level at a very steady pace. Apart from proper medication, food also plays an important part in managing the level of cholesterol in your body.

Top Three Foods to Reduce Cholesterol Level:

Beans Lentil and Peas: The mixture of these food items would appropriately act on your body to lower cholesterol level. Actually, lentils, beans and peas contain high soluble fibre which is very effective in managing the Low Density Lipoprotein in your body. In to add more spice in your diet you can take extra pain to prepare a colourful salad with these items. Apart from these items you can even opt for barley, carrots and oatmeal which are also very rich in soluble fire.

Fish: It is an important food item to lower cholesterol level or Low Density Lipoprotein. Fish can efficiently, meet the demand of Omega 3 oil which is very beneficial in lowering the blood pressure. Further, the food items which are rich in Omega 3 oils are tuna, sardines, salmon, flax seeds, almonds and halibut etc.

Garlic:: It is more famous as kitchen's pride. Its medicinal characteristics get due respect in many cultures but apart from this it has the capability to fight against cardiovascular diseases like HDL and high blood pressure. Further, garlic even functions effectively to regulate the amount of cholesterol that needs to be released in the blood stream. Thus, it also helps you to get rid of bad cholesterol or Low Density Lipoprotein.

Thus, in case you are suffering from HDL then you can add these food items in your diet chart to lower cholesterol level at a very steady pace.

Excessive weight & Toxins in the Colon are two major reasons for high Cholesterol. Dr Oz, Oprah Winfrey & Rachel Ray have all endorsed the Dynamic Duo! for Weight Loss, Reduce LDL and Total Body Detox.

Click Here For Free Trial ---> Acai Berry and Colon Cleanse

Get additional information or to request one of the FREE Acai or FREE Colon Cleanse samples.

Visit ---> Dr Oz's Acai & Colon Cleanse

FREE offers are for a limited time only so get yours today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_Myers

Lower Cholesterol Level

Causes of High Cholesterol - The Causes and Tips to Lower High Cholesterol Level

2009-08-19T13:58:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Causes of High Cholesterol - The Causes and Tips to Lower High Cholesterol Level
By George Christodoulou

The causes of high cholesterol are numerous and common. If you don't have high cholesterol and your looking for a preventative measure, I applaud you and your efforts. Prevention is the best solution.

There is a tipping point at a certain level where you enter a danger zone. Although it takes years of bad habits and age to amplify the problem, cholesterol only becomes a problem at a certain point. At this high point, you have to start changing your diet and exercise in order to prevent heart disease. The problem is you are no longer allowed to have a balanced diet. People with high cholesterol are told to avoid high cholesterol foods and for some, this is the only source of protein and important nutrients.

Your job is to understand what causes high cholesterol in order to keep your levels at bay. The first aspect of cholesterol that everyone needs to know about is that their are 2 different types.

Good Cholesterol (Also known as, HDL cholesterol) - This is the type of cholesterol in the body that removes extra cholesterol from the body. You see, the body needs cholesterol to form cell membranes, produce vitamin D, produce bile to digest fat, and many other things. You don't need too much cholesterol in order to follow through on these different processes. Your body uses HDL cholesterol in order to remove all the extra.

Bad Cholesterol (Also known as, LDL cholesterol) - This is the type of cholesterol that brings cholesterol to the rest of the body. Out of all the causes of high cholesterol, this has to be one of the most prominent. This type sends cholesterol to the cells. It is more likely to be turned into plaque by free radicals. When your cholesterol turns into plaque, it builds up on the artery walls. one day when your not aware, the bubble of plaque bursts and unleashes blobs of fat that get stuck and have the tendency to cause a heart attack.

The causes of high cholesterol really have to do a lot with the different types of cholesterol.

1. Overeating Saturated Fat Foods

If you eat foods with high saturated fat content, you are at a high risk for high cholesterol. Ingesting saturated fat always increases the level of cholesterol the body produces. The liver understands that their is more fat to process so it creates more cholesterol to take care of it. Remember, cholesterol is used in the production of bile. Since bile is necessary in order to process fat, cholesterol is required in order to produce bile.

In addition, fat is also turned into triglycerides or the basic form that is stored in the body. Cholesterol is required to transport this to the cells. Again, the more fat eaten, the more that has to be stored in the body. This is an additional burden that has to be carried through the blood and increases the constant level of cholesterol.

2. Lack of exercise

This is another one of the larger causes of high cholesterol in the body. Exercise is shown to increase levels of good cholesterol in the body. If you don't exercise, your good cholesterol will ultimately me lower. If your good cholesterol level is low, there is not enough of it to transport all the excess out of your body.

3. Genetics

Studies have shown that genetics has a lot to do with different cholesterol levels. Even if you stay on a healthy diet and exercise, you can still have high cholesterol. This is one of the causes of high cholesterol that is very difficult to explain and treat.

Now that you know what it takes to reach high levels of cholesterol, try to prevent that from ever happening by keeping fit, eating healthy foods, and above all, by taking the right supplement. If you are at risk for high cholesterol, it is recommended that your daily supplement be specific for high cholesterol. Studies have shown the preventative powers of cholesterol lowering supplements. Their ingredients are a special blend of different cholesterol managing substances, vitamins, and minerals.

If you would like more information on cholesterol lowering supplements, please visit: http://lowercholesterolreview.com

Again, to prevent the causes of high cholesterol, it is recommended that you take a cholesterol lowering supplement. They are all natural and very similar to a multivitamin except they contain a few extra ingredients that comes from all natural plant sources like rice, sugar cane, and wheat husk.

Please click here for more information: Cholesterol lowering supplement

I applaud you for your effort in learning about high cholesterol. It is the leading cause of heart disease in the world. By taking the time to make a difference now, you are choosing a more healthy lifestyle.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=George_Christodoulou

Lower Cholesterol Level

Does Red Yeast Rice Lower Cholesterol Level Safely?

2009-08-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Does Red Yeast Rice Lower Cholesterol Level Safely?
By Max Wardlow

Does red yeast rice (RYR) lower cholesterol? Is it a safe natural alternative to the commonly prescribed cholesterol lowering drugs?

It has been used since the 7th century A.D. in China as both a food and medicinal nutrient. It has been noted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as having the benefits as both a promoter of blood circulation and a digestive stimulant.

It is a by-product of cooked rice on which red yeast has been grown. The rice is then dried, powdered and used medicinally.

Its effectiveness in lowering cholesterol is backed by reliable and consistent scientific data as well as centuries of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Based on a recent study, 62 people with high cholesterol took red yeast rice daily for six months, and the other half of the study participants received identical placebo capsules. They also made changes in eating habits, exercise and other lifestyle adjustments. After three months, the LDL (so-called "bad" cholesterol) levels of those taking the active supplements had declined 27%, compared to 6% in the placebo group.

The participants in this study were unable to continue treatment with prescription cholesterol lowering drugs, due to adverse and possibly dangerous side effects. There were no significant side effects reported while using RYR.

Is Red Yeast Rice Safe?

Those raising safety concerns say that since RYR contains natural statins similar in effect to cholesterol lowering drugs, it's logical that it would have the same risks. This argument is not valid because statins in prescription drugs have been chemically altered in a laboratory, whereas the statins in red yeast rice are naturally occurring.

Detractors often say that RYR is not regulated by the FDA and the supplements on the market vary in quality and may not be safe.

All dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA based on the guidelines of the Dietary Supplement Health Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994. Under DSHEA, supplement companies are responsible for determining that the nutritional supplements they manufacture are safe and that any claims made about them are substantiated by adequate evidence.

Although some critics argue that DSHEA is no regulation or excessively lax regulation, it seems that nutritional supplements are generally safe enough that this legislation does what it's intended to do. Almost never do you hear of dietary supplements causing extreme and/or dangerous side effects or death.

The same cannot be said about the pharmaceutical industry, where drugs that have proven to be dangerous are regularly recalled by the FDA and personal injury law suits are common.

Although acceptance in the mainstream medical community is slow, at this time, there is no solid evidence that red yeast rice is unsafe. Although there is some variation in the quality of nutritional supplements, and under DSHEA, consumers are responsible for locating high quality and safe supplements produced by firms that adhere to agreed upon good manufacturing practices (GMP).

Of course, you may want to consult your health care provider before starting any supplementation program or to have any questions or concerns addressed. Also, it's not recommended that you take red yeast rice if you're also taking prescription cholesterol lowering drugs.

At this time, research and centuries of use in traditional medicine show that the answer to the question, "does red yeast rice lower cholesterol safely?" is "yes it does." If you have high cholesterol and are unable to take prescription drugs because of side effects or you just want a safer, natural alternative, red yeast rice may be worth looking into.

Max Wardlow is an independent natural health and nutritional supplement researcher and helps manage a website about natural remedies. Visit today to find out more about red yeast rice supplements

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Max_Wardlow

Lower Cholesterol Level

Lower Cholesterol Level, of course, with these strategies

2009-05-31T02:13:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Lower Cholesterol Level with these strategies

If you already have been diagnosed with a high cholesterol level, but do not to lower your cholesterol level down with the drugs. It is hard to figure out what to do after that. However, a simple Internet search can discover a lot of services and products you can purchase to help - some are using natural ingredient, some are not.

But If you really want to lower the level of your cholesterol in natural way, there are two major strategies that you can follow, which will make is a difference the next time you got the result of your cholesterol blood test.

1. Regular Physical Exercise

Physical activity which is done regulary will immediately lower your bad cholesterol level also known as the Low Density Lipoprotein(LDL), and at the same time will increase your good cholesterol level also known as the High Density Lipoprotein(HDL). There is a biological basis for this reason.

If you exercise, even with moderate levels, your muscle cells need more injection of fuel, and your body reacts to that needed by mobilizing the fatty acids and also glucose to supply some quantities of fuel. For each time that you get up from your comvertable couch and go to do some training season, you just make yourselve a positive difference. More to that, exercise regulary will also lower your stress level, and remember that stress can increase the level of your bad cholesterol.

If you have not done any exercise for the time being, it is wise to talk to your doctor before hand just to make sure that it is okay for you to get sweaty. After you finish consult with your doctor, use your doctor recommendations, take the phone and you can book an appointment to see your local accredited and qualified personal fitness coach. Basically they are not for celebrities only, your fitness coach will show you which exercise that can make you shapely result and fast, and to make sure that you do it in safety way.

2. A good diet

Fibers, particularly soluble fiber is your second important strategy. Most of the food that people in the world eats are not having enough fiber, especially to those people who eat more of takeaway food or processed food.

Soluble fiber will vacumm the fat and bring it out from your body and prevent the fat from being stored on the blood vessel. It is crucial to have the right quantity of soluble fiber within our body: you must eat every day,

- 57-140g of oatmeal
- 2-3 pears or apples
- 100-150g of dry legumes (beans)
- 10-30g Psyllium or cups
Any combination of those above

If you put your determination to eat the right quantities of fiber every time every day, than you will automatically eat less the non healthty food and the processed food from your diet. more to that, your bowel will also in better health!

Since you know now two main strategies for lower your cholesterol level naturally, of course, it is the time to put into practice. The best thing is, these strategies are also boost a lot of energy for life, in the same time lowering the stress level. Soon you will feel right to control your health. The problems with high cholesterol level is the thing of the past.

Lower Cholesterol Level

How to Lower Cholesterol Level Without Medications

2009-05-17T18:04:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

How to Lower Cholesterol Level Without Medications

A lot of people, who has high cholesterol level, often use prescription medication in hope that this medication will automatically reduce our cholesterol blood level without changing anything in our lives. Even though these prescription medications can really lower your cholesterol level, but there are side effects for both short and long term.

However, if you let this high cholesterol level without any treatment, over time, the level will be rising so high and out of control, and it will block the arteries and will lead to a lot of dangerous disease such as heart attack or stroke.

Lowering your cholesterol level without any medication is possible to do if you follow the following tips. The following simple basic tips are not just only going to lower your cholesterol level, but will improve your health as well.

Healthy Dietary

It may sound difficult to change from eating everything that we like, to eat for healthiness. But this is the number one factor that you need to look at when you want to lower your cholesterol blood level, because the food that we eat is the source for the production of the cholesterol within our body. Therefore changing our diet will play a significant role in lowering our level of cholesterol. So the first thing is eat no fat and low cholesterol diet.

Exercise Regularly

Exercise regularly will stimulate the body to produce a lot of good cholesterol. And this good cholesterol has a function to vacuum the bad cholesterol from our blood vessel. Therefore the more you have the good cholesterol in your body the more bad cholesterol in your vessel will be clean. More to that, regular exercise will also make our heart strong and will make our blood circulation flow smoothly.

Stop Smoking

Smoking can make the bad cholesterol accelerated, thus it will build a plaque in our blood vessel. This plaque will block the blood flow, and that makes our heart had to work extra harder in order to make the blood flow smoothly. This extra hard work by our heart that can lead to a heart attack, where the heart stops working. And if the plaque will completely block our blood vessel, then we can have a stroke.

Relax

Stress is dangerous to our health. Chronic stress can stimulate the production of the bad cholesterol. So even though you are eating healthy foods but if you are constantly stressed, there no way you can lower your cholesterol level. Therefore it is important for you to learn how to relieve stress.

Consult to your doctor

Not every doctor is quick in prescribing medication to lower cholesterol level. Some doctors will only prescribe medication if your level is already extremely high. But it is very important to have someone that can help you monitor the up and down of the cholesterol level. Someone who has all the qualification to do the monitoring would be your doctor. So if you want to know whether following a specific diet or exercise will be good for you or not, your better consult your doctor first. Your doctor can help you create a program that will combine the diet and exercise that you need to do daily that will suit your current situation

In Summary, It will take determination, hard work and long time if you want to see a significant improvement, however, lowering cholesterol level without prescribe medications is something that is possible to be done.

Lower Cholesterol Level

How you can Lower Cholesterol Levels?

2009-04-30T05:12:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

How you can Lower Cholesterol Level?

Lower cholesterol level is very important for all human beings, including for children, adults and parents, and whether they have heart disease or not. The decrease in cholesterol levels is very important for the cardiovascular risk of those people who infected. if LDL is high, the risk of having heart disease also high. Lower LDL also lowering the risk of heart disease. Most doctors recommend that cholesterol levels should be below 200 mg / dl. Lowering cholesterol is recommended for people to have a healthy life. The deduction in cholesterol level is one way to protect your heart.

Lower Cholesterol level is very simple and requires neither surgery nor medication; just change your life to healthy lifestyles. Lower cholesterol level naturally, of course, it is simply because it helps your cholesterol return to normal level, naturally and safely. One easy way to lower cholesterol level is to eat a good diet. What good diet or type of food that can help you to reduce cholesterol?

There are several food and nutrition that has been proven to reduce the cholesterol level;

- Foods with a high level of plant sterols.

- Food with low cholesterol. Choose foods low in fat, especially saturated fatty acids.

- Do not eat fried foods.

- Foods high in soluble fiber are very helpful in reducing cholesterol levels, especially LDL. The food is more effective in reducing cholesterol.

- Replace fatty foods with all low - fat diet.

- Of oats and rice are the best foods to lower cholesterol.

See how cholesterol can reduce cholesterol, of course, with food, exercise regularly and there are some plants that naturally reduce cholesterol. Keep your good cholesterol, of course, without medicine, allowing you to easily cholesterol normal, natural and safe. And there is the possibility, of course, reduce cholesterol. Cholesterol-lowering, of course, to live a healthier and longer.

Lower cholesterol levels is important for everyone, because cholesterol is a reduction of the central role in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The most important goal in reducing LDL cholesterol is lower and raise your HDL. The decrease in cholesterol is a chance for a healthy life and healthy heart

Lower Cholesterol Level

Top Foods to Increase HDL and Lower LDL Cholesterol Level

2009-04-21T06:03:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Top Foods to Increase HDL and Lower LDL Cholesterol Level
By Kate Willson

Many people think that cholesterol is bad for the health. Actually our body needs a minimal level of cholesterol and beyond that it is hazardous. It keeps up the strength of the intestinal walls and converts the sunlight into vitamin D while the skin is in direct contact with the sun. To be precise there are two types of cholesterol; i.e. Good & Bad. Good is HDL (High Density Lipoproteins) and Bad is LDL (Low Density Lipoproteins). When it comes to reducing its level in the body, the diet is all about good and bad cholesterol foods. You should focus your diet on lowering the LDL and increasing the HDL.

Here are some basic fact of Good and Bad Cholesterol Foods

· You must avoid trans fat. This gives a boost to the good cholesterol. For this you must avoid fried foods as much as possible.

· Another basic tip is to do the cardiovascular workouts on daily basis

· You must never smoke or take alcohol as it is the bad cholesterol food that gives adverse effect on the health

· You must increase the intake of monounsaturated & polyunsaturated types of fat. The foods that are rich in these types of fat are olives, canola oils, fish (some particular types), nuts, avocados, etc.

· Omega 3 fatty acids also help in improvising the HDL & LDL ratio thereby checking the effect of good and bad cholesterol foods. There are several fishes rich in these for instance tuna & salmon. You should take them a couple of times in a day.

· Other foods rich in Omega 3s are fish oil, leafy green vegetables, soybean products, acai berries, etc need to be taken.

· Taking 1 1/2 cups cooked oatmeal gives you 6 grams fiber everyday. You might also like to add fresh fruits like bananas to this. This would add 4 grams more fiber to the diet.

· You can also try taking steel cut oatmeal, cold cereal made along with oatmeal, oat bran, walnuts, almonds, etc which are considered to be the good cholesterol food items.

Excessive weight & Toxins in the Colon are two major reasons for high Cholesterol. Dr Oz, Oprah Winfrey & Rachel Ray have all endorsed the Dynamic Duo! for Weight Loss, Reduce LDL and Total Body Detox.

Click Here For Free Trial ---> Acai Berry and Colon Cleanse

Get additional information or to request one of the FREE Acai or FREE Colon Cleanse samples.

Visit ---> Dr Oz's Acai & Colon Cleanse

FREE offers are for a limited time only so get yours today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kate_Willson

Lower Cholesterol Level

Best Ways to Lower Cholesterol Level Naturally

2009-03-25T13:42:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Best Ways to Lower Cholesterol Level Naturally

What separates good cholesterol from bad cholesterol can determine whether you have a healthy heart or coronary disease. Although cholesterol is not considered fat, it is very similar to fats. LDL or the "bad" cholesterol can also contribute to atherosclerosis; this is when the blood vessels become narrowed by deposits of fatty tissues, all of which are composed of cholesterol. This can create angina, and also raise the risk of a blocked artery in your heart which can cause you to have a heart attack.

The HDL or "good" cholesterol usually protects the heart against an attack. From the statements of researchers, it is the HDL which carries the cholesterol away from your arteries and back into your liver, where it will eventually be passed from the body. They have taken it a step farther and stated that HDL removes excess plague from your arteries.

If you have your blood tested each month, you will receive an indication of your bodily levels of LDL and HDL.

If your levels of cholesterol are below 200, you are considered to be in good shape. If it is above 200, it is essential that you change your diet, exercise, and/or begin taking cholesterol medications which should then lower the bad and increase the good. Also, your doctor will recommend that you stop smoking. However, some people bodies normally produce high levels of cholesterol, which means you may possibly be on medication for life; or sometimes there is a family history of elevated cholesterol. No matter what the case may be, drugs are available today which are considered to be safe, such as Crestor and Lipitor. They are non-habit forming, and can also lower one's bad cholesterol by as much as fifty percent.

Having a healthy diet would mean eating natural foods which should include fruits, veggies and whole grains. You should steer clear of foods that have large amounts of cholesterol like eggs, shellfish, shrimp or liver. Avoid fats that are unsaturated; when cooking use vegetable oil; and instead of whole milk, drink skim milk. Skinless chicken should be your choice; lean beef and pork; and make effort to limit the portions. You may not realize it but diets will work if the servings are smaller. It does not mean you will have to starve yourself. Eating little portions of food 3 or 4 times per day is okay, just as long as you continue with the low-fat, non dairy plan.

There is an old saying, "Never go to the grocery store if you have an empty stomach. " This is very true! At times some tend to purchase everything that they see; some of these items are sweets and are not very good for you. Eating slowly is another tip; use smaller plates and place your fork all the way down between bites. It really does work!

Last, lower cholesterol naturally by doing exercises. It is a proven fact that exercising for 30 minutes a day can raise the good and lower the bad cholesterol. If you are clueless as to what your cholesterol level is, ask your doctor to provide you with a blood test so that you will know exactly where you are. This is very important to the well being of your heart and health!

About the Author

Author Keith Jensen writes on a broad range of topics and has been contributing articles for the internet audience for the last six years. lower cholesterol naturally

Lower Cholesterol Level

How to Lower Cholesterol by 22% With Dry Beans

2009-03-06T05:21:00.000-08:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

How to Lower Cholesterol Level by 22% With Dry Beans

For centuries, dry beans have been a major component in what is known as an Authentic Mediterranean diet for the heart. By lowering cholesterol through their soluble fiber, they have contributed to lower the incidence of heart disease in the population living in the countries along the Mediterranean Sea.

Why? Because...
- Legumes contain essential minerals and vitamins such as iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, zinc, potassium, folic acid, and some of the B-complex vitamins.
- They are low in fat and sodium which make them an ideal food to keep high cholesterol and high blood pressure at bay.
- Legumes are also high in soluble fiber, the kind that lowers cholesterol.
- They can help balance your budget because they are very inexpensive.
As you can see, dry beans are an almost perfect food.

In the past few years, research has paid a lot of attention to the connection between regular legume, or dry beans consumption and a lower incidence of heart disease. The studies have shown that the people who eat dry beans regularly have a lower risk of suffering from heart attacks than the ones who barely eat them.

One study examined the relationship between soluble fiber intake and the risk of heart disease on 9,632 men and women over a period of 19 years. It showed that consuming legumes four times or more per week, compared with less than once a week, lowered the risk of heart disease by 22 percent1

How Eating Legumes Can Help You Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease?

1. Dry beans contain high amounts of soluble fiber
Fiber is what gives plants its structure. It's found mainly in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds, as well as whole grains. It is the portion of plants that our system can not break down because it doesn't have the appropriate mechanisms to do it. Consequently, our cells have very little use for fiber. Fiber can be soluble and insoluble, and most plant foods contain a combination of both.

Soluble fiber means that the fiber dissolves in water and forms a jelly-like paste with other foods in the intestine. This feature is very important because it reduces the amount of cholesterol circulating in the blood. Soluble fiber not only lowers LDL cholesterol, the "bad" guy, but it also raises HDL cholesterol, the "good" guy.

Insoluble fiber does not have any effect on cholesterol but it is very beneficial for our whole body because it acts as a natural laxative

2. Dry beans help remove cholesterol from your system
Bile, produced by the liver, is a substance necessary to break down the fat we ingest in food. To produce bile, the liver grabs the cholesterol from the blood, converts it into bile, and sends it to the gallbladder where it's stored until needed. Then, when we eat, the gallbladder sends the bile to the intestines to help break down the fat portion of the food. Once the bile has done its job in the intestines, one of two things can happen:

- If our meal has enough soluble fiber, the fiber grabs the bile and takes it out of the body through the feces. Once the bile is eliminated, the liver responds by drawing more cholesterol from the blood to make new bile. The result is less cholesterol circulating in our system.

- If our meal does not have enough soluble fiber, the bile is not taken out of the body. In this case, the liver doesn't need to draw more cholesterol from the blood to produce more bile because there is plenty available in the system. The result is more cholesterol navigating in our blood vessels.

3. Dry beans stop cholesterol from even forming
When our meal includes soluble fiber, bacteria in the colon ferment it. This fermentation produces certain compounds that prevent the formation of cholesterol. This results in lower levels of cholesterol circulating in your blood vessels.

4. Dry beans can stop homocysteine from causing heart attacks or strokes
Homocysteine is a substance the body needs to produce certain compounds vital for our organs to function properly. To produce homocysteine, the body needs adequate amounts of vitamin B6, B12, and folic acid. However, when any of these vitamins is lacking, homocysteine is not converted into the necessary compounds. It then spills into circulation.

Many studies have shown that when homocysteine accumulates in our system, it becomes toxic. Even in small amounts, it will dramatically increase your risk of heart disease. High levels of homocysteine concentrations in the blood may cause a heart attack or a stroke, even among people who have normal cholesterol levels.

How can homocysteine cause heart attacks or strokes?

Abnormal levels of homocysteine appear to:

- Damage the inner lining of the arteries and blood vessels
- Promote blood clots
- Oxidize LDL cholesterol

How can you prevent homocysteine from accumulating in your blood?
Eat foods that contain folate as well as vitamins B6 and B12. Legumes are an excellent source of folate and contain moderate amounts of B6. Recent data show that the practice of fortifying foods with folate has reduced the average level of homocysteine in the U.S. population.

Conclusion
You don't have to eat dry beans every day, but based on studies conducted during more than 25 years, nutrition experts at the Michigan State University have concluded that eating 2 to 4 cups of cooked dry beans every week can protect us against heart disease by lowering cholesterol. Mediterraneans follow this practice and are notorious for having a low incidence of heart attacks and strokes, so let's follow their example and let's include more dry beans as part of an Authentic Mediterranean Diet.

About the Author:
With her new book, "Your Heart Needs the Mediterranean Diet", Emilia Klapp has helped thousands of people just like you reduce the risk of heart disease, lose weight and enjoy a more abundant life at the same time. For more information on an Authentic Mediterranean Diet for the heart, what is heart disease, and to receive a FREE especial report on the "Top 10 Mediterranean Curative Ingredients" go to: http://www.MediterraneanHeart.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Emilia_Klapp

Lower Cholesterol Level

Lower Cholesterol Level - Some Effective Natural Techniques

2009-01-29T05:56:00.000-08:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Lower Cholesterol Level - Some Effective Natural Techniques

Obesity is a topical issue that has been closely studied and research into this subject reveals that obesity is on the increase. A popular theory as to why more and more people are overweight is that the fast food industry and mass catering, especially in schools , plus a more sedentary lifestyle has contributed to this problem.

The problem with obesity is that it carries a legacy of coronary and associated illness which could be potentially life threatening. However, preventative measures can be taken to avoid future suffering.

There is a link between obesity and high cholesterol, so both issues can be addressed by making lifestyle changes. These include maintaining a low cholesterol diet and taking some form of regular exercise.

A low cholesterol diet does not have to be bland and unpalatable. The main issue is to reduce the intake of food and to ensure that the healthier food options become a way of life.

The advice given to those who wish to lose weight and lower their level of cholesterol is to include certain foods that are rich in fiber and low in saturated fats. The best type of foods to introduce into the diet are fish, vegetables, including corn, mushrooms artichokes and garlic and to substitute full fat milk for soy milk. Whole grains, nuts and olive oil are also very effective as part of a low cholesterol diet.

Certain food groups containing fruits and vegetables are essential and the recommended daily amount of servings is five per day. The reason why vegetables are so beneficial is that they contain sterols which have been proven to prevent levels of cholesterol from rising. One advantage to this kind of diet is that everything required is easily accessible and relatively inexpensive.

It isn't just food that should be monitored but beverages also. Moderation is the key and one glass of red wine a day is actually permitted. Fluid intake is important as long as you limit the amount of alcohol to a moderate amount and include fruit juices, mineral water and non fat milk.

One type of fresh fruit juice that is particularly good for reducing cholesterol is Apple. Either bought or prepared yourself in a blender or juicer, apple juice should be regularly consumed for the best results, and is claimed to reduce cholesterol levels by fifty percent.

As previously mentioned another natural way to reduce cholesterol is to take up some form of regular exercise. You can easily incorporate this into your daily life by walking instead of using the car. Jogging and running are both excellent and don't require any equipment. There are many different types of great exercise classes offered at your local gym and most offer the service of a personal trainer who can design an exercise program that will include some resistance training with weights and a cardio vascular work out which is perfect for burning calories and thus reduce cholesterol. You might also like to consider some kind of competitive sport. It doesn't matter what you choose as long as you are disciplined and consistent.

As a last resort if your cholesterol levels are not reduced by diet and exercise your doctor may prescribe a course of drugs that are specifically created for the purpose of lowering cholesterol. The manufacturers of these medicines claims that can reduce cholesterol levels anywhere between fifteen to thirty percent, and this claim is substantiated by many studies that have shown significant reduction of cholesterol after taking these drugs.

On the negative side, drugs that are used to reduce levels of cholesterol do have certain contraindications and should never be taken unless under the advice of a physician.

You can monitor the levels of cholesterol in your system by having regular blood tests taken by your doctor, and you can ensure you are doing all you can to prevent the cholesterol levels increase by carefully choosing food that is proven to be beneficial for this condition, wherever you are.

About The Author:
Abhishek has got some great tips on Lowering Cholesterol! Download his FREE 85 Pages Ebook, "How To Lower Your Cholesterol" from his website http://www.Health-Whiz.com/506/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

Lower Cholesterol Level

Bran For Lowering Cholesterol

2009-01-13T05:49:00.000-08:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Bran For Lowering Cholesterol
By Robert Rister

When you eat a high-fat food, such as butter, ice cream, whipped cream, or, say, fried chicken, the contents of your digestive tract become "smoother" and more viscous. Sensitive cells lining your intestine detect a change in the fluidity of the food in your gut. They release a hormone called cholecystokinin. This hormone tells your brain that you have eaten a filling, satisfying food.

Bran does the same thing. The fibers in bran swell up with water and make the contents in your digestive tract "smoother." The cells lining your intestine sense a change in the fluidity of the food being digested and release cholecystokinin, just as if you had eaten fat. Even though you have consumed relatively few calories, you feel full. Cholecystokinin also tells the nerves lining your stomach to "hold" the food longer so fats can be digested completely-even if there is little fat in the food because you have been eating bran.

This keeps your digestive tract from dumping a load of sugar into your bloodstream causing the sugar highs and sugar lows. Men and women, however, differ in their responses to cholecystokinin. Women are more sensitive to the hormone, and more likely to feel full after eating bran. Men are less sensitive to the hormone, and more likely to continue to want any food that is in sight.

You have to be careful about combining bran and high-fat foods, however. Fat "revs up" the liver to make a chemical called triacylglycerol. This chemical stores fat. Eating bacon and eggs tells the liver to make triacylglycerol to store any excess fat that may come along. (Of course, if you are, say, on Atkins and all you eat is one strip of bacon and one egg, there may not be any energy left over to store.) Eating a bran bagel also tells the liver to "rev up" to store fat.

If you eat the bran bagel with butter and cream cheese, and also have bacon and eggs, your fat storage system is going to especially primed to soak up those calories, more than if you ate just the bacon and eggs and cream cheese, and more than if you ate just the bran bagel. If you eat fiber, save the fatty foods for another time.

If bran stimulates the storage of fat, how can it lower cholesterol? The answer is, it doesn't, if you are eating a high-fat diet. If you limit your consumption of fats, however, every time you eat bran your liver is a little less likely to "rev up" to store fat. After about six weeks of including oat or rice bran in a daily diet including five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables will raise your protective HDL cholesterol and lower the potentially destructive LDL cholesterol, usually in the range of 10 to 20 "points (mg/dl).

Wheat bran does not lower cholesterol. It raises it. The best bran for cardiovascular health is oat bran, which not only improves cholesterol but lowers blood pressure. If you eat an ounce and a half (45 g) of oats every day and you follow a low-fat diet, you can expect your upper number (systolic) pressure to fall up to 7 "points" (mm/Hg) and your lower number (diastolic) pressure to fall up to 10 points.

Reduction in blood pressure when you eat oats every day is greater than if you lose weight or take medication without eating oats. Scientists do not know why oat bran lowers blood pressure and other kinds of bran do not, but there seems to be something in the soluble fiber of oats that stops the production of insulin, which helps the kidneys eliminate salt without losing other minerals, which lowers blood pressure. A word of caution on eating oat bran: Don't eat oat bran if you have gallstones. Eating oat bran stimulates the release of bile, and can make your gallbladder painful.

Read Red Yeast Rice for High Cholesterol and Could Curcumin Lower Cholesterol Robert Rister is the author or co-author of nine books on natural health including Healing without Medication.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Rister

Lower Cholesterol Level

Natural Cholesterol Reducer Verses Popular Statin Drugs

2009-01-06T22:17:00.000-08:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Natural Cholesterol Reducer Verses Popular Statin Drugs

Cholesterol knows no boundries, it can be a problem for anyone. The problem is when it becomes a problem it has been elevated for to many years. I have found the best way to lower cholesterol is with phytosterols. What are phytosterols you ask?

Phytosterols come from plants and are chemically similar to cholesterol; phytosterols replace cholesterol in the digestive system, preventing cholesterol from entering the bloodstream.

The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2003 stated this, The combination of eating a high fiber diet and supplementing with phytosterols is just as effective at lowering cholesterol as popular statin drugs-of course without the adverse side effects.

Lipitor is often the drug of choice. Side effects of this drug are;

1. Headache-- in up to 16.7 percent

2. Infections -- up to 10.3 percent

3. Muscle pain -- up to 5.6 percent

4. Diarrhea -- up to 5.3 percent

5. Joint pain -- up to 5.1 percent

6. Inflammation of the sinuses (sinusitis) -- up to 6.4 percent

7. Accidental injury -- up to 4.2 percent.

Other common side effects that were observed in more than 2 to 4 percent of people included: Unexplained rash, abdominal pain (stomach pain), General feeling of weakness (asthenia), the flu, Back pain, Allergic reaction, Constipation, Inflammation of the sinuses (sinusitis), Sore throat (pharyngitis). There are a number of side effects with Lipitor that you should report immediately to your healthcare provider. These include, but are not limited to: Signs of liver damage, such as yellow eyes or skin, upper right abdominal pain, dark urine, and elevated liver enzymes. Muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if you also have a fever or feel ill, since these may be signs of serious breakdown of muscle, known as Rhabdomyolysis. Significant, unexplained changes in the amount of urine you produce (which may be a sign of kidney problems) Signs of an allergic reaction, such as: A rash, Itching, Hives, Wheezing or difficulty breathing, swelling of the mouth, tongue, or throat.

Two lawsuits are currently in progress; Wilson, one of the 2 plaintiffs who has filed a lawsuit: took Lipitor for 17 months from 2002 to 2003 and blames the drug for memory loss, nervous-system damage, and weakness in his arms and legs, which caused him to leave his job, according to Krum (the plaintiff's lawyer). Mazzariello blames Lipitor for memory loss and muscle damage, said Krum, and he needs a cane to walk.

My intention is not to bash Lipitor but to help people realize there are much safer alternatives, that work just as well or better. What has out of these studies is that phytosterols are most effective when taken with a high fat diet. This raises a quandary as to how can we use them to lower cholesterol when we need fat in our diet to get the full benefit of what they do?

A process has been developed where the plant phytosterols are combined with omega-3 fatty acids and the combination has proven very effective. Not only is cholesterol reduced but triglycerides are reduced as well. What is really beautiful is the fact there are no side effects experienced at all. Independent clinical studies show phytosterols reduce cholesterol up to 29%. Let's compare a few products with phytosterols to fight cholesterol that are available now;

Coromega Omega-3 Packets contain 650mg of Fish Oils & Omega 3's and cost about $1.01 cents per day. There are no phytosterols for cholesterol in this product.

Twinlab's Cholesterol Success has 900mg of phytosterol Esters but no Omega-3's and costs about $0.89 per day.

Enzymatic therapy's Cholesteril Plus has 400mg phytosterol esters and no Omega-3's and costs about $1.02 per day.

Lipitor the drug alternative costs about $3.12 per day, the side effects were discussed above.

The supplement I used and highly recommend reduced my cholesterol to safe levels costs $0.67 per day and has 1500mg of plant phytosterol esters and 1000mg of Omega-3's. The two together are a wonderful team. The fish oil supplies the fat needed for the plant phytosterols to really do their job at attaching cholesterol while at the same time the Omega-3's do their job with triglycerides and many other functions in the body. There you have it; the best of science and the best of nature working together and bringing a super cardivascular benefit to you

About The Author:
I'm John and I have had high cholesterol and high blood pressure and have found how to control them with natural means and am so excited that I can write these articles and share what I have found with you and others. If this makes your life better I'm happy. If you need more information visit my website and Help Your Heart Health with some more really good information. You can also call me direct at my home office: (918) 543-2675 or e-mail me at john@secrettohearthealth.info. I look forward to speaking with you and answering any questions you might have. Call now before you put it off and forget. Leave your name, number and the nature of your call. I promise you at least a 30 minute consultation to help you in your search for better health.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Wayne_Miller

John Wayne Miller - EzineArticles Expert Author

Lower Cholesterol Level

Lower Your Cholesterol by Eating Almonds

2009-01-04T22:11:00.000-08:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Lower Your Cholesterol by Eating Almonds

Almonds are a high-fat food with the unexpected application of lowering cholesterol. Researchers at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto conducted an experiment involving twenty-seven men and women with high cholesterol who agreed to snack only on foods that the hospital provided for thirty days. One-third of the study participants sate a 150-calorie low-fat whole-wheat cookie three times a day, one-third ate a 150-calorie snack that contained equal calories from whole wheat and almonds three times a day, and one-third ate a 150-calorie snack that contained only almonds three times a day.

At the end of the month, none of the study participants had gained or lost weight. In the whole-wheat group, LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol levels were the same at the end of the study as at the beginning of the study, and the half-wheat/half-almond group experienced an average reduction of 4 percent in LDL cholesterol levels and 9 percent reductions in total cholesterol levels. Meanwhile, the almonds-only group experienced 8 percent reductions in LDL cholesterol and 12 percent reductions in total cholesterol.

A similar study at Louisiana State University, in which participants were given 400 calories in almonds a day for a month found reductions of 21 percent in LDL and 29 percent in total cholesterol. Researchers at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation in Australia found that almonds lower cholesterol even if they are consumed in candy, but by only 7 to 9 percent.

The beneficial effect of almonds on cholesterol seems to be due to their high content of unsaturated fat. Despite their high-fat content, eating almonds on a regular basis does not lead to weight gain. Nutritionists at Loma Linda University in California instructed a volunteer group of non-athlete men and women aged twenty-five to seventy-five who were not on a heavy exercise program to eat 320 calories in almonds in addition to their regular intake of food every day for a year.

Food diaries showed that participants ate more 50-150 total calories a day when they ate almonds, although most had a diminished appetite for other high-fat foods.

At the end of the year, participants were weighed and measured, and underwent blood tests. One of the surprising results of the study was that participants who were overweight when the study began lost weight, despite taking in more calories when they ate almonds. The only participants in the study who gained weight-by eating more calories-were the few who were underweight at the beginning of the study. Surprised by this result, the researchers did blood tests for the presence of plant lectins that confirmed that participants actually ate the almonds.

The cholesterol-lowering compounds in the almonds are the monounsaturated fatty acids found in the oil. Almond oil, which is available in grocery stores and can be used in place of other cooking oils or fats, also lowers cholesterol. Almond oil also contains vitamin E, which may reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, a key event in the development of cardiovascular disease. Other nutrients important to cardiovascular health are found in the non-fatty part of the nut and, therefore, are not found in almond oil. The cholesterol-lowering effects of eating whole almonds are greater than those from the consumption of an equivalent amount of almond fat supplied as almond oil.

And that's not all the benefits of almonds in heart health. Almond kernels are rich in the amino acid arginine, a dietary precursor for nitric oxide, which keeps blood vessels pliable and open. Almonds are a significant source of the trace element magnesium. A 2-ounce serving of almonds contains about one-third of the body's daily requirements of this nutrient. (Even if you take magnesium supplement, you should eat some magnesium-rich foods such as almonds to provide a steady supply of the element to your body.) Almonds also contain cardioprotective copper in significant concentration.

Eat almonds raw or roasted. You might try almond butter as a substitute for peanut butter. Almond butter contains all the nutritional value of whole almonds. The oil in almond butter sometimes rises to the top of the jar, but you can just stir it back in before use.

Almond milk also contains all of almonds' nutrients. It's made from ground almonds suspended in water and usually sweetened with rice syrup. Drink almond milk like milk or use to make fruit smoothies. Almond milk goes exceptionally well with apricots. There's no lactose in almond milk, so you can drink it even if you are lactose intolerant.

About The Author:
Read about Diet & Lowering Cholesterol and Lowering Cholesterol with Red Yeast Rice. Robert Rister is the author or co-author of nine books on natural health.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Rister

Lower Cholesterol Level

Total Cholesterol - What Does it Mean?

2009-01-01T21:57:00.000-08:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Total Cholesterol - What Does it Mean?
By Matt Morrison

With all of the new information that has been given to us concerning cholesterol over the recent years, it isn't hard to get lost in the fray of HDL, LDL, triglycerides and total cholesterol counts. On average, people just don't know what it means anymore, let alone how to calculate it. Even if they figure out how to calculate it, what does any of it mean? Cholesterol is a double-edged sword, and while it is getting constant attention, it needs to be truly understood in order to harness its pros and cons.

Going to your doctor and requesting a simple lipid panel is the best way to get accurate cholesterol results. Be sure to plan your blood work ahead of time, though, as you need to refrain from eating and drinking (besides water) for twelve hours before the exam. Depending on your medical coverage, results should be in within about a week, and they should be sent to your home so that you can do the calculations on your own.

The blood test will contain three categories, HDL cholesterol (this is good cholesterol), LDL cholesterol (this is bad cholesterol), and triglycerides (another form of fat that is found in your blood). Remember, the numbers are measured in mg/dL, which is milligrams per deciliter of blood. At first glance, some things to look at concerning your numbers are as follows: HDL cholesterol should be above 40mg/dL in men, and above 50mg/dL in women. Anything lower than this represents borderline to high risk levels of cholesterol. On the LDL scale, an optimal number is below 100mg/dL, though a healthy amount can be measured all the way up to 130mg/dL. Above 130mg/dL and below 160mg/dL are borderline high risk, and anything above 160mg/dL is considered a high risk amount of LDL cholesterol. Finally are your triglyceride levels. On average, these numbers should be below 150mg/dL. So, on to the calculations.

With these three numbers in hand, the formula to find your total cholesterol is simple. First, you add your LDL and HDL levels. Then, take your triglyceride level, divide it by five, and add it to the sum of your LDL/HDL levels. (i.e. if HDL = 45, LDL = 105 and Triglycerides = 160 the formula should look like this: [45+105] + [160/5] = total cholesterol of 182mg/dL). This number is your total cholesterol level, and the desirable number here is below 200mg/dL, though borderline high risk goes up to 239mg/dL.

With all of the concern focused on having a high total cholesterol, many other factors are often overlooked. Runners tend to have a very high HDL cholesterol count and a very low LDL count as a result of the amount of exercise they do. This affects their total cholesterol, and may still put them in to the borderline zone of total cholesterol, but that doesn't mean that they are high risk. Many doctors are now looking at maintaining a healthy HDL/LDL ratio as opposed to worrying bout total cholesterol. The target here is to keep the ratio of these two cholesterols somewhere above 0.3, while the ideal ratio is 0.4.

To learn how to increase hdl and get your heart disease statistics in check, visit: http://www.decreasecholesterol.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Morrison

Lower Cholesterol Level

To Lower Cholesterol and Lose Weight, Go Macadamia Nuts

2008-12-26T03:38:00.000-08:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

To Lower Cholesterol and Lose Weight, Go Macadamia Nuts

No food is a better source of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) than macadamia nuts. Every 100 g of macadamias contains 60 g of MUFAs. These beneficial fats are known to reduce LDL cholesterol levels without reducing HDL cholesterol levels, and to reduce the body's need for antioxidants. Macadamias also contain a little more than 0.1 percent plant sterols, the compounds added to "smart" margarines used to lower cholesterol.

For these reasons, eating macadamias lowers total cholesterol and LDL and raises HDL, even though they are a high-fat food. Australian researchers Manohar Garg, Robert Blake, and Ron Wills recruited seventeen middle-aged men with total cholesterol levels of 237 to 300 mg/dl. They instructed them to maintain their diet and lifestyle but also to eat 40 to 90 g (1-1/2 to about 3 oz) of macadamias every day, the men who ordinarily consumed the most calories given the most nuts. At the end of four weeks, the men's average total cholesterol had been lowered by 3.0 percent. LDL cholesterol was down 5.3 percent, and HDL cholesterol was up 7.9 percent.

Eating macadamias also slightly lowered concentrations of n-6 fatty acids (which the body uses to make hormones that raise blood pressure) and slightly raised concentrations of n-3 fatty acids (which the body uses to make hormones that lower blood pressure). Triglycerides and homocysteine were unaffected. Despite increasing their total daily food consumption by about 160 calories and increasing the percentage of fat in their diet from 31 percent to 37 percent, the men lost weight, an average of 0.54 kg (a little more than a pound), and their body mass indices (BMIs) also were reduced.

The Australian researchers explained these results by the unusual combination of beneficial nutrients in the nuts. Cholesterol-lowering margarines are made with 1000 times more sterols than occur naturally in macadamias, but the combination of MUFAs, sterols, and other fats in the nuts makes them as beneficial as artificial margarine-with the added benefit of lowering weight.

Read about Diet & High Cholesterol. Robert Rister is the author or co-author of nine books on natural health.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Rister

Lower Cholesterol Level

Normal Cholesterol Readings - What's Healthy and What's Not

2008-12-19T12:30:00.000-08:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Normal Cholesterol Readings - What's Healthy and What's Not
By Gloria Gangi

You can be fit as a fiddle and still have cholesterol. Cholesterol is necessary for the growth of a human body, in today's society cholesterol is generally misunderstood and the impacts of it are underestimated. Cholesterol can lead to disturbing health problems if it is not controlled correctly.

It is imperative, when selecting a diet or making lifestyle choices, to distinguish between the various kinds of cholesterol. HDL cholesterol is generally thought to be the superior type of cholesterol. It is accountable for many significant physical functions as well as the preservation of cell walls.

LDL cholesterol, or low-density, is the bad type of cholesterol. An excess of LDL cholesterol in the human body can bring about cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and even stroke. If your family has a history of heart problems, it's imperative not only to supervise your cholesterol intake, but also to get regular cholesterol readings from your healthcare professional.

What Are Normal Cholesterol Readings

Cholesterol readings normally comprise of an LDL cholesterol reading, an HDL cholesterol reading and a total cholesterol reading. You might impulsively be inclined to get a whole cholesterol reading, but it actually isn't the most significant number. Be sure to keep your eyes on the whole picture.

In general, you want your whole cholesterol to stay under 200. A borderline analysis may be as high as the 230s, but anything above 240 should indicate some grave red flags. LDL cholesterol ought to if possible remain below 130. If it strays into the 160s, you'll want to begin making some fairly major nutritional changes. Lastly, HDL cholesterol should stay above 45. Anything below 40 should give you concern.

As a precaution normal cholesterol readings should be performed regularly by your doctor. In between visits to your healthcare professional, there are a number of things that you can do yourself to keep bad cholesterol at bay. Choose a balanced diet that includes a good amount of protein, in the form of fish and dark meat, and be sure to get four to six servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Keep away from foods that have a lot of fat, as they are inclined to raise blood cholesterol levels.

When all is said and done, cholesterol is nothing to get panicked about. The best solution for high cholesterol truly is common sense. Be reasonable in the foods you eat, and you'll most likely never have to worry about it.

For more details on how to control your cholesterol please visit: http://www.yourcholesteroldiet.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gloria_Gangi

Lower Cholesterol Level

The Cholesterol Lowering Benefits of Acai Berry

2008-12-12T16:53:00.000-08:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

The Cholesterol Lowering Benefits of Acai Berry

Up until about 6 years ago, the Acai (pronounced ah-sa-yee) Berry was one of the best-kept secrets of the Amazon rain forest. Many of the fruits of this luscious rainforest are thought to hold magical healing properties for many of our modern world's illnesses. Legend has it that the native people of the Amazon have been aware of the powerful health-enhancing benefits of Acai for thousands of years, and that this miraculous berry has always been a part of their traditional diet.

In recent years, Acai has become very popular among health food circles because of the unbelievable number of health benefits it offers. As more and more people become interested in natural alternatives to staying healthy, consumption levels of Acai in the Western world are sure to increase. The deep purple Acai berries grow wildly on the palm trees in Brazil and the Amazon basin, and local farmers harvest them and turn them into a fruity pulp. The fruity pulp is then frozen in order to preserve the valuable nutrients of the berry and is shipped to destinations worldwide.

Acai contains a fantastic range of vitamins, nutrients, and amino acids that help fight off many health problems that are associated with the process of aging. But it also contains another special ingredient that many people have overlooked in the past: cholesterol combating fatty acids. Acai is rich in Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids, which are the same healthy fatty acids contained in olive oil. Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are polyunsaturated essential fatty acids that work to lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or bad cholesterol) and increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL or good cholesterol) in the bloodstream. Omega-9 is a monounsaturated essential fatty acid that likewise lowers LDL and maintains HDL levels in our bodies.

Lowering the level of LDL cholesterol in your bloodstream is important if you want to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system. When too much LDL circulates in your bloodstream, it will build up along the inner walls of our arteries. This, in turn, eventually causes a narrowing of the arteries that severely restricts the flow of blood. If left untreated over the longer term, this condition can lead to the formation of arterial clots, which could result in a heart attack or a stroke.

HDL cholesterol, on the other hand, can work to protect a person against heart attacks. HDL carries the bad cholesterol out of the arteries and into the liver, where it is then excreted from the body. It slows down the build-up of fat deposits along the inner walls of the arteries and improves the flow of blood.

In addition to its cholesterol reducing properties, Acai also comes with a number of other health benefits. It's an energy booster, an anti-aging superfood, and a rich source of calcium. It strengthens our bones and makes us less prone to fractures. It prevents gum disease and keeps our teeth healthy. It even contains antioxidants which destroy cancer cells. Best of all, Acai Berry is 100% natural. Isn't it amazing what this little purple berry can do?

If you found this article helpful and would like to learn more about the Acai Berry, please visit Free Acai Berry Trial where you can get a FREE TRIAL bottle of ACAI BERRY SELECT.

About The Author:
Michael Guzman is an expert Internet home business builder providing one-on-one guidance to individuals who are starting their own Internet home business.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Guzman

Lower Cholesterol Level

HDL Cholesterol is not good enough

2008-12-07T17:29:00.000-08:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

HDL Cholesterol is not good enough

For so many years, High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) has been seen as the good cholesterol that can help us reduce the bad cholesterol level or Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), therefore we’ve been encourage to raise the Good cholesterol, the more HDL in the blood level would be the better. However the new study publish in the December 2008 issue of The FASEB Journal said a different thing.

Researchers from University of Chicago, shows that the good cholesterol (HDL) itself has a different level in quality and a bad quality of HDL can actually bad for you.

The researcher found that people with chronic disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, kidney disease and diabetes, have a different HDL compare to the HDL from the healthy people, even when their blood level of HDL are comparable. The HDL from the healthy people can reduce inflammation while the HDL from the people with chronic disease cannot.

This is might can explain that why some people can still develop cardiovascular disease while they have perfect cholesterol levels. Therefore it become a subject that for some people with high HDL blood level are not necessarily protected from the heart disease problem, they should ask their doctor to find out if their high HDL is a good one or a bad one.

So if you think that your high HDL Cholesterol Level is good, you might want to think again.. what do you say??

Article source:
http://www.fasebj.org/Press_Room/December_2008_Press_Release.shtml

Lower Cholesterol Level

Green Tea and High Cholesterol

2008-12-01T12:16:00.000-08:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Green Tea and High Cholesterol

To be honest, I've become kind of burned out by all the hype about the health benefits of green tea. Recently, however, I came across a study of green for cholesterol in kids, however, that's really worth passing on.

Nowadays there is pretty general acceptance of the idea that green tea has remarkable health benefits, and there is growing evidence that it is an essential element in the best diets for high cholesterol, notably for children with high cholesterol.

A team of medical researchers at the Nippon Medical School in Chiba (Japan) gave 40 volunteers either 500 milligrams of green tea catechins (that's the equivalent of drinking 6 or 7 cups of green tea a day) or a placebo for four months . The scientists found that in the green tea group at the end of the twenty-four week trial:

* Total cholesterol was essentially unchanged,
* Triglycerides also were unchanged,
* LDL cholesterol stayed the same, but

The fraction of LDL particles that had been attacked by free radicals and oxidized into a form that cause plaques in the lining of arteries fell nearly 18 per cent. Since it is oxidized LDL cholesterol that actually clogs arteries, green tea is more effective in heart health than beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, or vitamin E.

Green tea may also help children with high cholesterol. The journal Obesity reports that Japanese children who were given a drink containing 576 milligrams of green tea catechins once a day for six months lowered LDL and blood pressure and enjoyed slimmer waistlines while continuing normal bone and muscle growth.

And if that is not enough, there is evidence that for people who eat a high-fat diet, green tea acts as a cholesterol-blocker. Green tea attacks the very causes of high cholesterol, keeping cholesterol from ever entering circulation. The catechins in green tea mix with the cholesterol so that it clumps and is excreted rather than absorbed. They do not interact with essential n-3 fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins. Good fats in, bad fats out.

The easiest way to get your catechins is to take a supplement, but many people prefer to brew their own green tea. Here's what you need to know to brew a heart-healthy green tea:

Green tea develops a full flavor and releases the most catechins if it is brewed at about 140 degrees F (80 degrees C). Black tea, in contrast, is usually brewed in water that is almost boiling. You make the catechins unavailable if you add milk to hot green tea (although green tea ice cream typically has a high catechin content). Loose green tea has a higher catechin content than bagged green tea.

Most of the complaints about green tea center on its taste, or lack thereof, but you can be creative. In addition to the well-known green tea ice cream (which is not really on any list of heart-healthy foods), it is possible to add anywhere from a pinch to a teaspoon of loose green tea to burgers, omelets, salads, smoothies, soups, sauces, oatmeal, and even burritos. The benefits of green tea start at about four cups a day, so start there!

About the Author:
Robert Rister is the author or co-author of nine books on natural health and has also written about the real story on Eggs and Cholesterol

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Rister

Lower Cholesterol Level

Eggs and Cholesterol

2008-11-27T08:42:00.001-08:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Eggs and Cholesterol
By Robert Rister

Before writing this article on eggs and cholesterol, I have a confession to make. I love eggs. From my head down to my legs. So to avoid bias, I'll present the evidence on eggs and cholesterol in terms of science, not preference, because I like hundreds of millions of people around the world eat eggs every day. And I have low cholesterol without taking statins.

The relationship between eggs and cholesterol is not what most people have been led to believe. Not only do eggs not always raise cholesterol, sometimes they lower it.

About one-third of the population is unusually sensitive to the cholesterol in egg yolks. Medical researchers at the University of Connecticut gave a population of men and women over the age of 50 either three eggs a day or an equivalent serving of cholesterol-free egg substitute. None of the participants in the trial was on any medication to lower cholesterol

Among the two-thirds of the participants in the trial who were not especially sensitive to the cholesterol in egg yolks, eating three eggs a day not only did not raise cholesterol, total cholesterol went down. In the majority of test participants, eating three eggs a day slightly lowered LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and slightly increased HDL cholesterol. Conversely, eating an equivalent amount of egg substitute caused slight increases in LDL, total cholesterol, and triglycerides, and a slight decrease in the beneficial HDL.

In the one-third of the participants the researchers labeled hyper-responders, the opposite occurred. For this smaller group, eating three eggs a day raised cholesterol, but in a heart-healthy way. LDL levels increased, but the additional LDL was the larger, less clogging variety of LDL. HDL levels also increased, and also were the larger, less dangerous particles. Moreover, eating eggs increased bloodstream concentrations of eye-protective lutein and zeaxanthin.

Eggs have a similarly unexpected effect on cholesterol levels in overweight men. One study found that when eggs are consumed with a high-carbohydrate meal, they seem to accelerate the release of sugars from the carbohydrate, but also to accelerate the release of insulin from the pancreas. The extra insulin "covers" the extra glucose released from digestion. The problem is, insulin stores fat as well as sugar, so eating eggs with carbohydrates seems to increase weight gain.

Another study found that eating eggs as part of a low-carbohydrate diet, on the other hand:

* Reduces body weight,
* Increases insulin sensitivity,
* Increases HDL-C cholesterol, the kind of "good" cholesterol that "catches" other cholesterol particles so the liver can remove them from circulation,
* Increases adiponectin, a hormone that fights atherosclerosis, and
* Reduces C-reactive protein, a marker of arterial inflammation,

also in tests conducted with overweight men.

A study of 9,734 men and women aged 25 to 74 at the Zeenat Qureshi Stroke Research Center of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey found that eating more than 1 egg a day does not significantly raise the risk of either heart attack or stroke.

Since 2000, even the American Heart Association has recognized that Cholesterol-rich foods that are relatively low in saturated fatty acid content (notably, egg yolks, and, to a lesser extent, shellfish) have a (small) effect on LDL. The effects of dietary cholesterol on plasma LDL levels appear to be greater at low versus high levels of cholesterol intake. In other words, for most people, if you consume more cholesterol, your body just uses it faster.

The exceptions to this rule seem to be male doctors and female nurses. The widely publicized Physicians Health Study reported in April 2008 that male doctors who ate more than one egg a day were more likely to suffer heart attack or stroke, especially if they were diabetic.

The study also found that doctors who ate the most eggs also were older and fatter. They ate less breakfast cereal but more vegetables. They were more likely to smoke and drink and less likely to get regular exercise. It is just possible that excessive consumption of eggs was only part of a pattern of excessive consumption of everything else in this group of 21,337 middle-aged male doctors-do you suppose?

For most of us, eggs are not heart-harmful, and if you avoid excess sugars, they are heart-healthy. If you do not have familial hypercholesterolemia or some other rare condition causing excessive cholesterol, regular consumption of eggs is likely to have a beneficial effect on your triglycerides, LDL-C, and HDL.

Robert Rister is the author or co-author of nine books on natural health and also The Latest Lies about Statins for High Cholesterol.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Rister

Lower Cholesterol Level

Seven Benefits of Elevated Cholesterol Levels

2008-11-20T04:26:00.000-08:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Seven Benefits of Elevated Cholesterol Levels

Elevated cholesterol levels are defined by members of the mainstream medical community as being any number over 200 mg/dl. High cholesterol levels would be any number over 240 mg/dl.

In the United States, we have been brainwashed into believing elevated cholesterol levels are harmful to your health. But consider the benefits cholesterol provides:

1. Cholesterol is essential to life. Every cell in your body requires cholesterol to maintain cell wall integrity.
2. Cholesterol is also the starting material from which your body makes vitamin D, hormones and bile acids for digestion.
3. Cholesterol helps the body fight infections and indeed they may be its most important benefit. Current research has suggested that heart disease and arteriosclerosis may be caused by infectious organisms, and higher levels of cholesterol protect the body from these inflammatory microorganisms.
4. Cholesterol acts as a protective substance against stroke and cancer.
5. Cholesterol is used by the body to repair injuries.
6. The brain uses cholesterol to build the synaptic connections between brain cells. In fact, the brain has special cells whose only job is to make cholesterol for the brain, since blood cholesterol can't get across the blood/brain barrier.
7. People with high cholesterol live the longest. There are multiple studies which support this fact. This is especially true for the elderly.

Cholesterol is so important to your body that it will make it if you don't eat enough. This self regulation makes it very difficult to use a low fat diet alone to lower your cholesterol. The less fat you eat, the more cholesterol your body makes.

Given all the evidence which confirms that cholesterol is protective and necessary for good health, I find it bizarre that the US government and most physicians work very hard to get people to lower their cholesterol levels as much as possible. The message that cholesterol is harmful is embedded deeply in the American psyche, and so the public doesn't question this misguided and harmful agenda.

But make no mistake, the drive to lower cholesterol is big business. Billions of dollars, thousands of jobs, and a multitude of agencies are involved in the overall goal of lowering American cholesterol levels. Huge amounts of money are spent to educate patients on the false benefits of a low fat, low cholesterol diet. Big pharmaceutical companies spend millions on developing and marketing drugs that lower cholesterol, often with injurious or lethal consequences.

For example, statin drugs, which cause serious nerve, muscle and kidney damage, are being prescribed in mind boggling numbers. Between 2000 and 2005, the total prescriptions for statin drugs nearly doubled, bringing the 2005 yearly total to 174 million.

And there are individual perks for physicians who participate in this cholesterol lowering business too. Pharmaceutical companies pay doctors huge amounts of money to "educate" other doctors about the benefits of drugs. In a story from New York Magazine, one doctor speaks of the addictiveness of the $750 he was paid each time he briefly mentioned a particular drug to colleagues during a lunch break.

That's a great deal of money and effort being spent on a goal that in the end, is extremely harmful to the patient.

And here's the real kicker: the cholesterol cut off level of 200 mg/dl wasn't set by doctors using scientific trials and medical results. In classic American political style, it was chosen by three men trying to get funding from Congress to continue cholesterol trials at the NHLBI. (National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute). They reasoned that cutoff of 200 mg/dl would provide the largest population for use in future studies.

So, as you can see, elevated cholesterol levels are actually a cause for celebration, not a dire health problem about which you should worry. If you have elevated cholesterol levels, and have been targeted for statin drug use, please spend some time researching the alternative facts on cholesterol and statins. You may save your own life in the long run.

About the Author
Ellen Davis researches nutrition and health issues and shares that information with other health conscious consumers. You can find more alternative information about nutrition and health at her website Healthy Eating Politics. The URL is http://www.healthy-eating-politics.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ellen_L._Davis

Lower Cholesterol Level

The Dangers of Low Cholesterol

2008-11-15T21:04:00.000-08:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

The Dangers of Low Cholesterol

In today's society, cholesterol is considered a villain. Everyone "knows" that high cholesterol "causes" heart disease. TV ads warn us that "diet and exercise may not be enough," and drugs are increasingly prescribed to reduce cholesterol levels.
You may think you know what the problem of cholesterol is all about, but before you jump on the anti-cholesterol bandwagon, consider these studies:

* A 3 year study on 11,500 patients showed that low cholesterol resulted in increased lung cancer, increase in other cancers, higher risk of cardiac death, erectile dysfunction and infertility, and a loss of memory and mental focus. (European Heart Journal 1997, 18, 52-59)

* A Swedish researcher discovered that individuals with low cholesterol suffer from frequent and severe infections, while individuals with high cholesterol had a lower mortality than the average population. (Uffe Ravnskov, MD, PhD, independent researcher Magle Stora Kyrkogata 9, S-223250 Lund, Sweden)

* A 30 years follow-up on one of the original studies linking cholesterol and heart disease showed no correlation between high cholesterol and mortality, but did show a correlation between low cholesterol and mortality. Death rates from coronary heart disease increased 14% for every 1 mg/dl drop in total cholesterol per year (Anderson KM. Cholesterol and Mortality, 30 years of Follow-up from the Framingham study. JAMA 1987 Apr 24;257(16):2176-80)

* A paper in the Journal of Cardiac Failure on an analysis of 1,134 patients with heart disease showed that low cholesterol was associated with worse outcomes in heart failure patients and impaired survival rates. It also showed that elevated cholesterol was not associated with hypertension, diabetes or coronary heart disease.

(Horwich TB. Et.al. Low Serum Total Cholesterol is Associated with Marked Increase in Mortality in Advanced Heart Failure. J Card. Fail. 2002 Aug;8(4):216-214)

High cholesterol is a "disease" that was created by the pharmaceutical industry in order to sell more cholesterol-lowering drugs, i.e., statins. These drugs have a high profit margin, so the lab ranges for cholesterol have been altered over the last 7-10 years so that more people will show up as having "high" cholesterol and be persuaded to take medications.

Normal (i.e., non-pathological) cholesterol ranges should be 175 to 275, with people with Blood Type O running at the higher end of this spectrum because of the way their body utilizes protein. Since, these are the pathological ranges, levels above or below these values mean the body is seriously imbalanced and probably diseased.

However, for optimal health, one should be in the middle third of this range. So healthy cholesterol should be between 208 and 242. Oddly enough people with these perfectly normal and healthy cholesterol ranges are being encouraged to take drugs to reduce their cholesterol to unhealthy low levels.

So, before you take statin drugs to reduce your cholesterol, do a little research on the dangers of low cholesterol. There are other ways of protecting yourself from heart disease that are much more effective.

About the Author
Steven Horne, RH(AHG) is a professional member and immediate past president of the American Herbalists Guild. He is passionate about spreading the word about how effective herbal medicine can be. You can learn more about his straight-forward healing philosophy at http://www.healityourself.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Horne

Lower Cholesterol Level

Powerful List of Foods That Help to Lower Cholesterol

2008-11-09T04:15:00.000-08:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Powerful List of Foods That Help to Lower Cholesterol
By Freddy Goldstein

Before listing the foods that help to lower cholesterol we must define what cholesterol is. Cholesterol is a fat like substance that is manufactured by the human body and also eaten in the consumption of animal products. Cholesterol is used to form cell membranes and process hormones and Vitamin D. High cholesterol levels contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. Both a low cholesterol level and a high cholesterol level is dangerous for human beings. Too much of the wrong type of cholesterol (HDL) in the human body is closely linked with heart disease, hypertension and cardiovascular health.

Cholesterol is a steroid alcohol found in animal fats and oils, bile, blood, brain tissue, milk, egg yolk, myelin sheaths of nerve fibers, liver, kidneys and adrenal glands. It is a necessary component of all cell surface and intracellular membranes and a constituent of myelin in nervous tissue; it is a precursor of bile acids and steroid hormones, and it occurs in the most common type of gallstone, in atheroma of the arteries, in various cysts, and in carcinomatous tissue. Most of the body's cholesterol is synthesized, but some is obtained in the diet.

The preoccupation in human medicine with the relationship between cholesterol and the development of atheromatous plaques in the coronary arteries is not reflected in veterinary medicine. The importance of cholesterol to the veterinarian is limited to the measurement of blood cholesterol levels as an indicator of liver disease or thyroid activity.

List of foods that help to lower cholesterol

1. Apples

2. Pumpkin & Pumpkin seeds

3. Salmon and other oily fish such as mackerel.

4. Soy products

5. Walnuts

6. Almonds

7. Avocado

8. Bison, venison and other lean meats.

9. Cholesterol lowering margarines

10. Collard Greens

11. Dark Chocolate

12. Beans & Legumes

13. Egg plant

14. Green Tea

15. Olives

16. Onions

17. Shitake Mushroom

18. Tomato

19. Fresh berries, particularly Blueberries

20. Brown Rice

21. Cinnamon

22. Cranberries

23. Garlic

24. Grapes

25. Oats

Many people advise the daily consumption of apple cider vinegar as being a powerful aid in reducing the levels of cholesterol and helping to maintain a healthy heart. This will also help to keep the arteries clear of plaque.

The latest scientific research said get the delicious recipes that incorporated that cholesterol lowering food.

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) and heart attack. Methods for increasing good cholesterol or lowering bad cholesterol levels include cholesterol reducing drugs such as statins, fibrates, and nicotinic acid and bile acid resins.

Apart from the cholesterol lowering food there are many cholesterol reducing drugs such as:Cholesterol-reducing drugs are medications that lower the levels of fats (lipids) in the blood, including cholesterol and triglycerides. High levels of these fats in the bloodstream increase the risk of coronary artery disease (atherosclerosis), heart attack, stroke and other heart-related conditions. Therefore, cholesterol reducers and other antilipemic medications are often prescribed for people with high cholesterol levels (hypercholesterolemia) or other elevated lipid levels (e.g., high triglycerides).

There are five main categories of cholesterol reducers: statins, bile acid resins, nicotinic acid, fibrates and ezetimibe. Most are available only by prescription, while nicotinic acid, a form of vitamin B3 (niacin), is available over-the-counter. However, niacin should only be taken under the care of a physician to monitor any side effects that could arise, such as severe upset stomach (nausea) and flushing.

So, the big question is this! If you can lower your cholesterol levels by eating the great food a listed above, and if you can supplement this by taking cholesterol reducing natural products, why would you inflict pharmaceutical drugs upon your system? People do, but I will never understand them!

Would you like to lower your cholesterol level naturally with other potentially life enhancing benefits? How to Get Rid of Plaque and Lower Your Cholesterol Level Naturally.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Freddy_Goldstein

Lower Cholesterol Level

Omega 3's - How Much to Lower Cholesterol?

2008-11-06T03:56:00.000-08:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Omega 3's - How Much to Lower Cholesterol?
By Lisa Nelson

Increasing the amount of omega-3 fats in our diet and decreasing the amount of omega-6 is beneficial in reducing your risk for heart disease. Most American's consume a high omega-6 diet, with omega 3 being a common deficiency. Omega 3 deficiencies and the imbalance between omega 3 and omega 6 intakes have been linked with serious conditions, including heart attacks. Successfully maintaining a ratio of 4:1 to 1:1 omega 6 to omega 3 will help lower cholesterol levels and control high blood pressure.

How much omega 3 do you need to add?

This is under debate and more research is being done. Right now the range experts recommend is from 500-2000 mg/day. Here are the current American Heart Association (AHA) recommendations.

The AHA recommends that individuals without heart disease eat a variety of fish twice a week, use heart healthy oils (flaxseed, canola, soybean oils), and consume flaxseed and walnuts.

For individuals with heart disease, the AHA recommends 1 g of EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) + DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) daily, preferably from fatty fish.

The AHA recommends 2 to 4 g of EPA + DHA daily, under physician's care only, for individuals that need to lower triglycerides. High doses, > 3 grams/day, can result in excessive bleeding. (Do not self medicate! Talk to your MD before supplementing greater than 2 grams.)

Omega 3 Content of Different Foods

Wild Salmon, 4 oz. 1700 mg (DHA 700 mg, EPA 400 mg)

Tuna canned in water, 4 oz. 300 mg (DHA 200 mg, EPA 50 mg)

Cod, 4 oz. 600 mg (DHA 160 mg, EPA 50 mg)

Flaxseed, 1 Tbsp. 1000 mg (ALA - alpha-linolenic acid - 1000 mg)

Soybeans, dried, cooked ½ cup 500 mg (DHA/EPA 250 mg, ALA 250 mg)

Walnuts, 1 oz. 2570 mg (ALA 2570 mg)

Pecans, 1 oz. 280 mg (ALA 280 mg)

Wheat germ, ¼ cup 210 mg (ALA 210 mg)

Canola oil, 1 Tbsp 1300 mg (ALA 1300 mg)

Olive oil, 1 Tbsp 100 mg (ALA 100 mg)

There's a reason I included details on amounts of DHA, EPA, and ALA for each omega 3 source. Right now, DHA and EPA have a greater link with lower cholesterol levels, lower triglycerides, and higher HDL levels than ALA. The body is able to convert ALA to EPA and DHA, but the conversion rate is low; therefore, it is best to include high DHA and EPA sources in your eating plan.

My recommendation:

As a preventive measure and to promote lower cholesterol and blood pressure control, I recommend eating fish twice a week, select a supplement that will provide you at least 1000 mg of omega 3 fatty acids daily (choose a good source of DHA and EPA), and use ground flaxseed when appropriate in your meal preparation.

Now, to receive regular heart health and weight loss tips from dietitian Lisa Nelson, go to http://www.enutritionservices.com/f/The_Heart_of_Health.html and subscribe to The Heart of Health today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Nelson

Lower Cholesterol Level

Red Yeast Rice - Lowering Cholesterol Naturally

2008-11-05T05:52:00.000-08:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Red Yeast Rice - Lowering Cholesterol Naturally

For those who have been advised to lower their cholesterol, but are concerned about the serious side effects associated with taking statin drugs (e.g. liver dysfunction, muscle atrophy, memory loss, etc.), clinically proven natural alternatives are available. The Chinese condiment Red Yeast Rice, for example, was judged by the Physician's Desk Reference On Nutritional Supplements to "significantly reduce total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and total triglyceride concentrations, compared to a placebo." Considering the fact that the PDR is the authoritative text in the medical field on supplements, and it is written by doctors for doctors, it is disappointing that few doctors are recommending Red Yeast Rice to manage hypercholesterolemia in their patients. After all, Red Yeast Rice contains the same cholesterol lowering HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (lovastatin) as the drug Mevacor. And yet, even at doses six times lower, Red Yeast Rice out performed the pharmaceutical isolated lovastatin, showing a wider range of benefits and incomparably higher safety margin.

Despite these findings and in defiance of both common sense and the rights of consumers to control their health, both the FDA and the manufacturer of lovastatin lobbied the courts to outlaw the sale of Red Yeast Rice, arguing that its efficacy qualified it as a drug, requiring FDA and medical regulation. In 1999, the Federal District Court in Utah ruled against the FDA, stating that Red Yeast Rice was not a drug but a dietary supplement. More recently the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on July 24, 2000 that Red Yeast Rice is subject to the regulation of the U.S. FDA. At present the future of Red Yeast Rice is uncertain, but what all this legal debate reveals is the rather profound collusion that exists between the private interests and the FDA. If something works great and is safer than expensive drugs, why should it be kept from the public?

Part 2: The Lower the Cholesterol The Higher The Profits

If you watch prime time television these days - even just on occasion - it is nearly impossible to miss the barrage of commercials trying to get you, and the rest of adult America, to sign up for the newest cholesterol lowering medication on the market. These advertisements would have us believe that if we care about our health, and those we love, we should keep our cholesterol low with drugs. The problem is that statins, like many of the drugs being marketed so aggressively to the public these days have dangerous, even fatal side effects.

No longer the exception, side effects and fatalities from drugs have hit astronomical levels. According to the one of the most respected and widely read medical journals in the world - The Journal of American Medicine (JAMA) - approximately 108,000 Americans die each year from the "non-error negative side effects of drugs." Throughout the entirety of our involvement in Vietnam, 53,000 Americans died. People flooded the streets in protest. The entire nation stood divided. History is still reeling from the sense of horror and disgust the senseless violence of the war brought before popular consciousness. And yet if the the JAMA statistics are accurate, annual fatalities from prescribed medication today are occurring at a rate 14 times higher than those occurring during the Vietnam war. What may be even more disturbing than the statistics themselves, is the fact that there is little, if any open and meaningful discussion occurring about them. When it comes to lowering cholesterol, plenty of sound research exists that calls into question the very concept of high cholesterol causing cardiovascular disease. Low cholesterol levels, in fact, have been shown to increase the risk of stroke and cancer.

Cholesterol, after all, is something our bodies have been equipped to produce plenty of. It is essential for the production of all the steroid hormones and Vitamin D, for maintaining the fluidity of cell membranes, and for transporting and distributing throughout the body fat soluble nutrients like vitamin E, carotenoids, and coenzyme Q10. CoQ10 is a co-factor for energy production in the mitochondria of every cell of our bodies. Since heart muscle has the most mitochondria of any muscle cell in the body (5000 mitochondria per heart muscle cell versus 50 for skeletal muscle), when levels of coq10 drop, the heart is one of the first organs effected. Why then, if statin drugs are known to cause a drop in coenzyme q10, are they being used to prevent heart disease? Unfortunately, because the drug companies are making a killing - both literally and figuratively - selling these drugs, they have every reason to distort or disregard information that contradicts their "lipid hypothesis" of heart disease. The mercurial relationship between drug companies and the "experts" who decide what strategies should be used by Americans to prevent heart disease, was made public by a consumer group recently. The following excerpt from an Associated Press article dated July 17th, 2004, addresses this relationship poignantly:

"Most of the heart disease experts who urged more people to take cholesterol-lowering drugs this week have made money from the companies selling those medicines."

The article went on to say that the new guidelines these experts drafted would add 7 million more Americans to the 36 million already encouraged to take the pills to lower cholesterol. Whether or not you choose to lower your cholesterol, or investigate in greater depth the validity of doing so, be advised that safe and natural methods of doing so exist.

To learn more about the benefits of Red Yeast Rice, visit: http://www.patienthealthyself.info/red_yeast_rice.html

Sayer Ji is a philosopher of nutrition and nutrition educator. He founded http://www.patienthealthyself.info this year in order to provide the public strictly scientific information on the therapeutic effects of herbs, foods, spices and vitamins. Without freedom of information, there can be no health freedom.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sayer_Ji

Lower Cholesterol Level

22 Sure Ways to Lower Your Cholesterol Levels Naturally

2008-10-25T21:09:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

22 Sure Ways to Lower Your Cholesterol Levels Naturally

If you are seeking to discover how to lower your cholesterol levels naturally, you have come to the right place! In this informative guide, you will learn that there are many alternative treatments for cholesterol. These treatments will allow you to break away from traditional prescription medications and enjoy the relief of the symptoms and side effects that you experience when you take those types of medications. Even if you do not currently have complications when it comes to cholesterol levels, you can still follow the steps listed in this guide on how to lower your cholesterol levels naturally.

The first thing that you should do when you are trying to get your cholesterol levels to a moderate and "normal" level is to consider how much you weigh. If you are overweight for your Body Mass Index, or "BMI", you may want to consider shedding a few pounds. There are many ways that you can shed those pounds that are proving to be a burden. You can adjust the diet that you indulge in, eliminating certain foods like those that are fried, and content a large amount of fat, and increasing foods that are considered to be healthy for your body. These foods include those that are in the groups of fruits, vegetables, and even beans!

Consuming various types of vegetables and an appropriate amount of fruits, you are allowing the body to get the minerals, vitamins, and other important nutrients that is necessary for promoting good health. When purchasing these types of food products, it is important to select those that were cultivated in a natural way. This is often referred to as "organic". If you want to be healthy, this is the best way to go. Foods that are not cultivated in a natural way often contain traces of toxins such as the pesticides and herbicides that were used when the food products were growing. These toxins can actually increase the level of cholesterol that you have in your body and also lead to other complications related to the health.

Do you enjoy eating meats like chicken and even turkey? If so, that is great! However, if you are working to lower the cholesterol levels in the body, you should be sure that you discard of the fat that is often on these types of meat items. You should also pay close attention to the way that you cook the meats. You should always avoid frying the food that you prepare - especially when that food is a type of meat. There are many different creative ways that you can cook your meats without having to fry it. You can elect to roast them, poach, and also grill them. In addition to this, you may desire to either broil the meats or bake the meats that you will consume. Remember to avoid meats that contain a high level of saturated fat.

The next method that you can use in order to ensure that the cholesterol levels in the body are reduced is to purchase and ingest one multivitamin daily. These types of vitamins result in a healthy boost to the overall immune system and allow the cells, organs, nerves, and other components of the body to get the nutrition that they need. These vitamins are the basis of a healthy body. If you desire to be healthy, and reduce cholesterol that you currently have, taking a multivitamin that contains all essential nutrients can help you do just that! Before starting a multivitamin, be sure to confirm that you can take it with a medical professional. You want to be sure that it is safe for you to take these in conjunction with any other medications that you can take. In addition to this, you want to be certain that if you have certain health conditions that the vitamins are safe for you to consume.

Do you drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes? If so, you should try to eliminate these products from your lifestyle. Recent studies have concluded that these two products actually result in cholesterol levels being increased. Many do not realize it, but the heart is an organ that suffers more than the lungs when individuals smoke cigarettes. By smoking, you are greatly enhancing the possibility that cholesterol may become elevated, and that you may have a heart attack or stroke. It may be difficult to eliminate these items from your lifestyle, but it seems as if it is a sound choice and one that you will not regret. If you need assistance with the cessation of smoking and drinking, be sure to talk to a doctor about any and all support that is available to you.

Do you exercise regularly? If so, you can skip this section. However, if you do not exercise regularly, it is important to ensure that you integrate a physical fitness program into your life. By having a regularly scheduled exercise program each week, you will be able to effectively combat all that "bad" cholesterol in the body, and increase all the "good" cholesterol in the body. There are many different types of exercises that you can indulge in. These include that of walking, going for a swim, taking an aerobics class, and more! It has been found that one of the most popular forms of exercise among patients of high cholesterol is training that involves the use of weights - even the small three pounders! Put this idea to work, and see what comes of it. It is likely that you will be quite pleased with the ending of your cholesterol complication.

Having high cholesterol can be a real burden. It can burden you in the since that it takes the body and subjects it to more complicated health problems all the way around. If you are seeking out ways to naturally treat the effects of high cholesterol, the items mentioned here should prove to be extremely helpful. Learn how to lower your cholesterol levels naturally by applying some of the techniques that are used throughout this guide.

About the Author
Gaetane Ross is a Certified Natural Health Consultant who has spent over 4 years focusing on Nutrition and Health. She also specializes in Alternative Medicine, Spiritual Healing and Healthy Lifestyle. Gaetane's mission is to positively transform the lives of everyone she meets by providing advice on Healthy Living.

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Lower Cholesterol Level

Top 10 Natural Foods to Lower Cholesterol Safely and Naturally

2008-10-14T06:35:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Top 10 Natural Foods to Lower Cholesterol Safely and Naturally
by Robin Reichert

The cholesterol in blood comes from two main sources: the foods we eat and what we manufacture. Cholesterol levels that are too high or too low in the blood can be a very dangerous factor, often leading to a heart attack or a stroke. There are many people who take statin drugs to reduce their cholesterol. However, there are many natural foods that you can eat to help lower cholesterol safely and naturally without the use of dangerous statin drugs. You may notice a substantial improvement in your cholesterol level once you begin consuming these whole foods on a daily basis.

Here is a list of the top 10 natural foods to help maintain a healthy cholesterol level in the body.

1. Oat bran and brown rice bran are the best foods for reducing cholesterol. They are rich in soluble fiber, thereby lowers cholesterol levels by binding fats and heavy metals.

2. Blueberries (organic) alone may help lower cholesterol as effectively as statin drugs! Berries, in general, help prevent oxidation of bad cholesterol and they are super abundant in antioxidants.

3. Fish is a good source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids, which has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. Omega 3 fatty acids also help to lower triglyceride levels.

4. Garlic contains allicin and can have a powerful antioxidant effect. Lowers cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

5. Apples contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. Apple's two kinds of fiber are useful for reducing cholesterol levels and for decreasing your risk of hardening of the arteries, stroke, and heart attack. Apple's insoluble fiber works to remove LDL from the body, while apple's fiber pectin reduces the amount of LDL cholesterol made in the liver.

6. Nuts are abundant in fiber, phytonutrients and antioxidants such as vitamin E and selenium. Nuts also contain plant sterols and the healthy fats (mono-and polyunsaturated).

7. Beans are high in soluble fiber; lowers the bad cholesterol and raises the good cholesterol. Other foods high in soluble fiber include lentils, peas, and ground flaxseeds.

8. Foods with Plant Sterols (or stanols) are powerful phytosterols found in plant membranes that may block cholesterol absorption. Sterols are found naturally in several kinds of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, cereals, legumes, and vegetable oils.

9. Olive oil has been known to reduce LDLs, raise HDLs, and is rich in antioxidants.

10. Soy protein -studies show that a total daily intake of 25 grams of soy protein significantly lowers LDL cholesterol levels. Soy has a high amount of polyunsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Soy products are also a great replacement for animal products.

Last but not least, it's important to keep in mind that cholesterol is found only in animal products, not plant foods. Therefore, eating fewer animal foods and more plant foods will lower the blood cholesterol. If you already have high cholesterol, temporarily changing to a vegetarian diet with fish and non-fat dairy products, such as yogurt may help lower your levels quickly.

For more natural health and wellness information, please go to Robin's Wellness Resource Center at http://www.wellness-bee.com

About the Author

Robin Reichert is a natural health writer, AFPA Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant, and is currently a graduate student of natural health at Clayton College. Lifelong learning and educating others about natural health is her passion.

Lower Cholesterol Level

18 Proven Natural Solutions For High Cholesterol

2008-10-08T06:17:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents

18 Proven Natural Solutions For High Cholesterol
by Robin Reichert

There are millions of people that are currently struggling with high cholesterol. Many are taking prescription statin drugs, while others are choosing to take a more proactive stance by tackling the problem head on through fundamental lifestyle changes. There is no question that increasing physical activity and improving diet are the most important steps to take when cholesterol is high. In addition to those two things, I am going to provide you with 18 proven natural solutions for high cholesterol that will surely give you a jump start to help you reach your cholesterol goals without having to surrender to dangerous statin drugs.

Natural Solutions for High Cholesterol

Coenzyme Q10, also known as ubiquinone, is a powerful antioxidant and plays a fundamental role in the mitochondria, the parts of the cell that produce energy from food. CoQ10 improves circulation and is highly beneficial for those with hypertension, high cholesterol, heart disease, and many more.

Chromium Picolinate's most important function is to help control the amount of sugar in the blood. Insulin plays an integral role in this process by managing the movement of glucose out of the blood and into cells. Chromium lowers total cholesterol levels and improves HDL-to-LDL levels.

Apple pectin lowers cholesterol by binding fats and heavy metals.

Spirulina is an extremely nutrient rich blue-green algae. This superfood is abundant in B vitamins, calcium, beta-carotene, potassium, zinc, gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), magnesium, protein, and much more. Spirulina is highly effective for lowering cholesterol levels by decreasing oxidation that is most harmful to LDL cholesterol.

Essential fatty acids thin the blood and lowers LDL levels. You can take EFA's in supplement form and can be found online or in any natural store.

Garlic and Vitamin E improve circulation; lowers cholesterol and blood pressure levels; and is great for overall heart health.

Cayenne, Hawthorn Berries, and Goldenseal are especially useful for lowering cholesterol.

B6, B12, and Folic Acid helps to lower damaging homocysteine levels. When the body's stores of B6 (pyridoxine), folic acid and B12 are depleted, homocysteine can rise to abnormal levels and lead to a much greater risk of heart attack.

Niacin (B3), guggul, artichoke leaf, fiber, and red yeast rice are also excellent natural solutions for those with high cholesterol. Red yeast rice is a supplement thought to work like the popular "statin" drugs, so it should be taken alongside CoQ10.

Ultimately, the best natural solution for those with high cholesterol is to make positive lifestyle changes. Get regular physical activity, maintain a healthy weight, eat low cholesterol foods, quit smoking, drink alcohol in moderation (if at all), manage stress, consume plenty of fiber, and drink plenty of fresh organic juices.

For more natural health and wellness information, please go to Robin's Wellness Resource Center at http://www.wellness-bee.com

About the Author

Robin Reichert is a natural health writer, an AFPA Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant, and is currently a graduate student of natural health at Clayton College. Lifelong learning and educating others about natural health is her passion.

Lower Cholesterol Level

How Niacin Lowers Cholesterol

2008-09-24T21:29:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

How Niacin Lowers Cholesterol

It has been known for years that increased levels of niacin in the blood stream is a very effective way of reducing cholesterol levels without the need of additional drugs. Numerous medical and university studies have shown that niacin lowers overall cholesterol levels.

These studies show that niacin reduces the bad cholesterol (LDL) by 10-20%, reduces triglycerides (fat in the blood) by 20-50% and raises the good cholesterol (HDL) by 15 to 35%.

Niacin accomplishes these changes naturally in the following ways:

1) It reduces the breakdown of fat from fat cells which is the source of raw material used by the liver to create excess triglyceriedes.
2) It inhibits the liver from converting sugar to triglycerides.
3) It inhibits the liver from creating the building blocks of the bad cholesterol (VLDL) and thus as a result the bad cholesterol drops naturally.
4) Virtually every study done on niacin has shown it to increase good cholesterol and which then picks up the excess bad cholesterol in your blood and takes it back to your liver for disposal. The higher the good cholesterol, the less bad cholesterol you'll have in your blood.

In a study called the "Coronary Drug Project" which ran for 6 years and included 3908 patients to study the effects of niacin besides lowering both triglycerides and cholesterol levels there were other astonishing results:

The study found that the use of niacin led to a 14% reduction in non fatal heart attack, a 26% reduction in damage to blood vessels in the brain (stroke or blockage) and a 47% reduction in the need for coronary artery bypass surgery.

Unfortunately, the use of niacin to bring down cholesterol levels never became popular due to the high amounts of niacin needed, which created side effects due to "niacin flush". (Niacin cannot be confused with niacinaide or nictoinamide which does not cause flushing and does not lower cholesterol levels).

About the Author

Chris Daino is the Founder of McVitamins - How to Survive a Fast Food Lifestyle. Concerned with the amount of degenerative diseases and other illnesses that occur due to nutritional deficiencies caused by faulty diet, she created mcvitamins.com in 1999. http://www.mcvitamins.com She continually researches information and nutritional supplements to help solve these problems. McVitamins is growing and now has suggested products that can be o

Lower Cholesterol Level

Omega 3's - How Much to Lower Cholesterol?

2008-08-12T03:33:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Omega 3's - How Much to Lower Cholesterol?

Lower Cholesterol Level

5 Sure Fire Tips to Reduce Cholesterol

2008-08-05T02:55:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

5 Sure Fire Tips to Reduce Cholesterol

It's unbelievable how little effort doctors put into showing their patients natural ways to lower cholesterol. My doctor gave me a brochure and suggested I change my diet. But no one ever mentioned how easy and straight forward it is to make the changes needed to improve my cholesterol levels.

Most individuals can do this without taking medication at all. Why put synthetic chemicals in your body, when foods and food based supplements can reduce cholesterol without the side effects.

Tip # 1-Lose weight

I know what you are thinking. "That's easier said than done." I agree, but if you follow tips #2 through #5, you will lose weight and it won't be as difficult as you think. Many medical studies have proven that cholesterol levels decrease as weight is lost. Personally, my average cholesterol came down over 20% when I lost 30 pounds.

Most of us need a structured diet plan in order to be successful. I recommend a diet that is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, and includes a large variety of vegetables.

Tip # 2-Increase your fiber intake

You can find dozens of foods and supplements on the internet that are said to reduce cholesterol. They range from red rice yeast to gugullipid to soy. But the most effective natural ways to lower cholesterol are the tried and true. It has long been known that soluble fiber lowers cholesterol. There is no question about it. The American Heart Association recommends adding both soluble and insoluble fiber to your diet. Some of the best sources of soluble fiber are oat and rice bran, fruits, and green vegetables. Nutritional supplements that include flax and psyllium also have a proven positive effect on cholesterol.

Tip #3-Cut back on saturated fats

In western cultures, the major sources of saturated fats are red meat and deep fried foods. For individuals who want to reduce cholesterol, it is recommended to limit red meat consumption to one meal each week and avoid deep fried foods like fried chicken completely.

Snacks such as potato and tortilla chips are also very high in saturated fats, but by substituting baked varieties it is possible to cut back on the saturated fats. Baked tortilla chips and salsa makes a very satisfying snack.

Tip #4-Exercise

Yes, everyone knows they should be getting more exercise, but few follow through with it. If you are serious about using natural ways to reduce cholesterol, this should be part of your plan. I recommend increasing your exercise little by little. Park further away when shopping so you have to walk across the parking lot. Walk up stairs instead of taking the elevator.

Having said this, the truth is that you will need to work up to regular aerobic exercise before it will help reduce cholesterol. Twenty to thirty minutes, 3 or 4 days a week of moderate exercise is what it will take.

Tip #5-Nutritional Supplements

While cholesterol can be lowered with only dietary changes and exercise, you will find that one of the best natural ways to lower cholesterol is with nutritional supplements. In fact, unless you are able to dedicate several hours each week to exercise, you will receive more benefit to reduce cholesterol levels from nutritional supplements than from exercise. Just don't make it a reason not to exercise.

Now it's time to start putting these natural ways to lower cholesterol to work. You will be amazed to see how quickly you reduce cholesterol. At the same time you will begin to feel better and have more energy.

Van Crawford is the research editor of http://www.lowering-cholesterol-resources.com

For more information on effective ways to lose weight and lower cholesterol without medication visit http://www.lowering-cholesterol-resources.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Van_Crawford

Lower Cholesterol Level

Eggs - Cholesterol Time Bomb, Or Nature's Wonder?

2008-07-31T03:18:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Present:

Eggs - Cholesterol Time Bomb, Or Nature's Wonder?

With a single egg nearly reaching the recommended daily limit of dietary cholesterol, including them in the diet will cause your cholesterol level to skyrocket. Right? According to modern research, it appears that is not the case. The latest research seems to indicate that consuming eggs produces little, if any, risk of raising cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol in the diet does not necessarily produce high cholesterol levels in the blood. Unhealthy fats raise cholesterol levels in the blood. Cholesterol in the diet is actually necessary for many bodily functions. If we don't get cholesterol in our diet, the liver will be forced to produce it.

Eggs have a high nutritional value, and contain all 9 essential amino acids needed to make a complete protein. In fact, eggs set the standard by which all other protein sources are rated. One large egg contains about 6 grams of protein, only 70 to 80 calories, and is low in fat.

Eggs contain lecithin, which helps break down cholesterol; methionine, which aids in preventing buildup of fats in the arteries; and manganese which helps the body metabolize fats. Including eggs in the diet is believed to help lower the risk of breast cancer, cataracts, and macular degeneration.

Free range eggs tend to be lower in cholesterol and higher in some vitamins than commercially produced eggs, depending on the quality of feed (junk in, junk out). Free range eggs also tend to be higher in healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

To avoid salmonella, cook eggs thoroughly. Also, eating raw egg whites interferes with the body's absorption of biotin. Raw eggs should never be eaten by children, pregnant women, the elderly, or anyone in ill health.

Disclaimer: This article is for entertainment purposes only, and is not intended for use as diagnosis or treatment of a health problem or as a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional.

Charles Browne is an ezine author promoting nutritional healing, and disease prevention. He is also co-author of the web comic The Adventures of Deaf Duck.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charles_Browne

Lower Cholesterol Level

How to Managing Healthy Cholesterol Numbers

2008-07-26T23:47:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Present:

How to Managing Healthy Cholesterol Numbers

Your body requires cholesterol for many different purposes. It is needed in order to digest fats, create cellular walls and manufacture hormones, as well as other things vital to your bodies health.

While cholesterol can be a good thing for your body high cholesterol numbers can be harmful. A constant overload in cholesterol is known to cause high blood pressure and all the ailments that come with it like heart disease. This is where eating low cholesterol diets will really help to avoid unhealthy problems such as those above.

Basically, a good diet in this situation involves keeping a close eye on your intake of foods that contain cholesterol and saturated fats. Pay close attention to your food groups. Our main source of cholesterol is from things like red meat, egg yolk, as well as dairy products like cheese and whole milk.

While it's a smart idea to reduce your consumption of high-cholesterol foods like this you don't necessarily need to cut them out completely since cholesterol still provides many benefits to your body.

A low cholesterol diet should also be complimented with a healthy and consistent dose of exercise. You can keep it to something easy, like a daily walk. If you have a pool in your backyard, use it for exercise. The local gym will also give you plenty of different ways to increase your heart rate safely.

Get your necessary vitamins from fruit and vegetables. Don't ever fry your foods. This only increases the cholesterol content. Opt instead to reduce cholesterol with alternative cooking methods such as grilling or roasting. If a recipe calls for cooking oil, opt for a healthier low fat oil that is commonly available at your local market.

As you can see there are plenty of simple ways to achieve and maintain normal cholesterol levels, should you find you have measured highly on a test. Help yourself first with a healthy diet and exercise but seek the advice of your physician should the problem become more serious.

Article source: http://www.authorpalace.com

About the Author:

Achieving and maintaining normal cholesterol levels (http://loweringcholesterolhelp.com/normal-cholesterol-level) is easier than you think. Visit the links to find out more regarding low cholesterol diets and how to improve your health.

Lower Cholesterol Level

How to Free Yourself from Man Made Supplements & become Cholesterol Free

2008-07-23T13:32:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Present:

How to Free Yourself from Man Made Supplements & become Cholesterol Free

Terrible side-effects often are associated with supplements when lowering your Cholesterol. It is important to note, that not all supplements inline with a proper lifestyle (exercise & diet) produce those nasty side-effects. When it comes to making a choice in the type of supplements, there are really only two to select from, man made or natural.

Supplements that are Man Made

One example of man made supplements are Statin drugs. In the medical field, Statin drugs are rather famous for being effective in lowering cholesterol, yet just like any other man made drug, the usage of them can cause some undesired side-effects. One of the side-effect associated with Statin drugs usage is muscle ache. If this arises it is advised that you inform your doctor immediately.

Other more serious concerns one might have is that when taking Statin drugs you may get some kidney dysfunction. It has been advised that when someone is using Statin as a drug for Cholesterol, they should also take Co-Enzyme Q10 to replenish the enzyme that is being destroyed by the Statin drug.

Use Natural supplements to reduce Cholesterol!

Yes, you can lower cholesterol by using natural supplements. These are easily found in many different markets without any of the undesirable side-effects. One of the most effective cholesterol lowering natural supplement today is called Policosanol, a pure extract of sugar cane wax. It has been well documented that Policosanol will increase the levels of HDL (good) cholesterol while reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol naturally with no side-effects. It also has been said that Policosanol has been proven to outperform the many man-made supplements of the market by a huge margin.

Green tea extracts have similar properties as those contained in Policosanol, as does Beta Sitosterol. Beta Sitosterol, which is found in soybeans and corn oil is believed to also have anti-cancer and immune boosting properties too! Guggulipid extract, which comes from an ancient herb in India, is also one the many natural solutions to high cholesterol problems. Used in India to treat a variety of sicknesses, it has also proved to be exceptionally effective in helping to reduce cholesterol levels. Just like Policosanol, Guggulipid extracts have proved to perform better than most man made medications available on the market today.

Article source: http://www.authorpalace.com

About the Author:

When it comes to your health research all of your options. Before you buy anything online, make sure you check our free report on 'The Cholesterol Solution', (http://www.cholesterolfree.org) and our resource center for gettingCholesterol Free

Lower Cholesterol Level

Cholesterol and Exercise: Burn Your Cholesterol Down

2008-07-19T22:25:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Present:

Cholesterol and Exercise: Burn Your Cholesterol Down

Your doctor just told you that you have high cholesterol and you need to change your lifestyle to bring it down. Your schedule is already packed with work, kids, extracurricular activities and more. How do you fit a new diet and an exercise plan into your jam-packed day? It may seem daunting, but it's actually pretty easy to do.

Most people are not too excited about the thought of an exercise regime. However, the amount and duration required is actually quite small. A total of one and a half hours walking at a good pace, on a weekly basis, is all this is required. You can start with a slow walk and slowly build up to a moderate speed over time. If you break that down to three days a week at a half hour per day, you will be well on the road to improved circulation, and a cholesterol reduction.

Your exercise program of 3 workout sessions a week will begin to show results almost immediately. Your will feel better, breathe deeper and start to wake up your body. You will want to walk more and more and use your feet instead of the car for short local excursions. Your stress level will decrease, you generally will be happier and your body will enjoy the workout. It's a win win all around.

You may notice that other family members are willing to join you on your walks. Also, the family dog will be more than willing to drop what they are doing and rush out the door when you are leaving. Your whole family can enjoy the benefits of more endurance, less stress, fresh air, and muscle toning.

You will notice small increases in stamina, muscle size and breathing for the first while. This shows that the system is working and just needs to be increased for greater results. You will also feel great and have a better outlook on life in general. To achieve even greater improvements is actually quite simple. Just do more of the same and try to stay active as much as possible. Dig out those old roller blades, bicycles, ice skates and any other relics around the home which will get you moving. Sign up for clubs where group action is fun, fulfilling and at the same time healthy.

About the Author

Leon Deanbury has available ldl cholesterol articles at www.ldlHeartdisease.com. Read this articles for excellent diet and exercise systems for eliminating bad cholesterol in your life.

Lower Cholesterol Level

Lower Your Cholesterol With Just Four Foods

2008-07-12T17:46:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Presents:

Lower Your Cholesterol With Just Four Foods

High cholesterol is bad news because it can lead to heart disease and cause strokes. It is now clear from the latest statistics that more and more younger people are on these cholesterol lowering drugs and that is yet another sign that the obesity epidemic is raging.

The rapid increase in the figures for the 20 - 44 age group - 70% in the last five years- is causing alarm. These drugs are normally associated with senior citizens so this increase could mean that the younger generation are taking their health more seriously or that there is an alarming increase in cholesterol levels. Experts agree that the latter option is the most likely scenario.

The most effective and widely tested cholesterol drugs are called the statins, which block the formation of cholesterol in the liver and increase the production of the receptors on liver cells that clean the bad cholesterol from the blood. If you are worried about the side effects of statins, you may want to consider lowering your cholesterol levels a more natural way and that is through a healthy diet. Here are my four top foods which will definitely lower your cholesterol without having to take any drugs.

Top of the list are tomatoes. They contain a very valuable substance called lycopene which acts to stop the oxidation of LDL which is the bad cholesterol. Once this oxidation occurs, it starts to form plaque in the arteries and that is dangerous. There have been studies on this and they have confirmed that lycopene is a valuable ally in the fight against high cholesterol.

My second one is fish, preferably baked or grilled rather than fried in oil. Look out for high fat fish such as wild salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, trout, etc. These are great sources of omega -3. Lots of studies done on the Eskimos who eat a lot of fish and they have a much lower rate of heart disease and blood pressure problems. Flaxseed and canola oil are also good sources of Omega -3

My third one is soy because it contains fibre and lots of vitamins and minerals. Recently the American Heart Association stated that the effects of soy on blood pressure and on triglycerides was actually minimal. But it is a great source of low-fat protein and that is why I eat or drink it all the time.

Researchers have shown that if you consume about 200 calories of nuts a day (let us say you are 1,200 a day), then this can in some cases reduce your cholesterol levels by about 12%. That is not bad - just by adding a very important food to your diet. That is why nuts are in my top four - any nuts will do- walnuts, almonds and cashews. Nuts are a great source of healthy fats not to mention some valuable minerals and trace nutrients as well.

These top foods I have outlined are just a few of those mentioned in the Mediterranean Diet which has been the at the centre of attention for a long time now. Studies show that people living in the Mediterranean basin actually have a lower rate of cholesterol and heart disease than many other nations. It has nothing to do with the sun - it is what they eat !
About the Author

Worried about cholesterol drugs? Try The Mediterranean Diet Visit The Wellness Bible (http://www.thewellnessbible.blogspot.com/) for up to date news and views on Health and Fitness.

Lower Cholesterol Level

How To Have Healthy Cholesterol Levels

2008-07-11T01:56:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level Present:

How To Have Healthy Cholesterol Levels

A healthy cholesterol level is important as it is known that high cholesterol levels will lead to thickening of the artery walls. This in turn can lead to high blood pressure and various other conditions that can affect the heart. Indeed, a large build up of plaque on the inner walls of the arteries is liable to cause strokes as plaque breaks off and causes clots and blockages in the bloodstream. A healthy cholesterol level is said to be anything below 200 milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood. Of course you can't find this out by having a proper blood test but once you know that this figure is higher than 200 then it is time to start doing something about it. This article will give you some ideas on ways to have a healthy cholesterol level.

It is easy to get a healthy cholesterol level. Probably the most important thing you will need to be successful is a strong desire to change and the strength of character to stay on the right track without resorting to old habits.

First of all, you need to modify your eating habits. This is probably the main reason why you have a high cholesterol reading to begin with. Look to downsize the amount of fat that you eat. Supersize the fresh fruit and vegetables. Even the fast food outlets are promoting fresher food now so that says something. But more than just going fresh also look at how you cook your food. Use unsaturated oils like olive and canola rather than saturated varieties. Try using different cooking methods to frying or deep frying food. Try grilling meat or fish. Try boiling or baking other foods stuffs. Avoid processed foods as much as possible, especially those that use trans fats as preservatives. Eat more soluble fiber and foods with plant sterols in them. Reduce your intake of full fat dairy products. If you are fond of dairy goods then go to the low fat alternatives.

Start getting regular exercise or increase the amount you are already getting. Consult your doctor before starting or increasing your exercise for a check up beforehand. Exercise can help you burn off calories and prevent weight gain. It can also strengthen the heart, and cardiovascular system and improve blood circulation. Try to get more exercise by doing things that are necessary rather than going to a gym. Try walking after lunch. Or walk to the commuter rail station rather than take the car. Take the stairs rather than the elevator in the office. Get more active, period. Think up creative ways rather than watching television. Do salsa dancing classes. Ride a bike to work.

Don't smoke and if you are currently smoking then make plans to give up. Not withstanding all the horrible pictures that you find on cigarette packets these days, it is also bad for your cholesterol level. Smoking decreases the production of HDL cholesterol that help to excrete or lower cholesterol levels in the body.

Stress is thought to increase cholesterol levels because it causes hormones to be released in the body that alter how the body metabolizes food and uses energy reserves. This has been shown to increase cholesterol in clinical test cases. This is made even worse if the person is experiencing chronic or long term stress. Try to limit your exposure to stress or find ways to relieve it.

Following all or some of these steps will have a positive affect on reducing cholesterol and giving you a healthy cholesterol level provided you stick at it. They are not a once off fix but a lifestyle change. Once you start seeing them in this context then your task to reduce cholesterol will become easier.

Article source: http://www.authorpalace.com

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Find out how to reduce cholesterol (http://www.lowcholesteroldieting.com/Reduce_Cholesterol.html) with foods low in cholesterol at www.lowcholesteroldieting.com

Lower Cholesterol Level

How to Lower Cholesterol Level- High Cholesterol Problem in Children

2008-07-06T05:38:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level present:

How to Lower Cholesterol Level- High Cholesterol Problem in Children

The fact today is that we are seeing a rising cases of children with high cholesterol or heart diseases. Many of these children falls into the high risk group of having high cholesterol and we are seeing more of these in their earlier age then before experienced. Health care givers, in general, do not check for children's cholesterol regularly.

Cholesterol build up in the arteries can lead to either heart attack, stroke or both, depending on where the arteries are in the body. The American Heart Association states that there is research finding to support cholesterol buildup starts in early childhood.

Childhood is in most physicians' minds, the perfect time to intervene with lifestyle changes that will provide a lifetime of healthier habits leading to healthy lives.

Children with a family history of high cholesterol and heart disease and overweight themselves are most at risk.

The scientific position of American Heart Association is "elevated cholesterol levels early in life may play a role in the development of adult atherosclerosis and that lowering levels in children and adolescents may be beneficial"

Children absorb their dietary cholesterol from food such as poultry, red meat, egg yolks, seafood and full cream dairy products like milk, cheese and ice cream

The following are some factors that come into play for kids with cholesterol problem:

- Diet that contains high level of saturated fats like baked goods and packaged snacks products.

A family history of high bad cholesterol to good cholesterol ratio.

- If they are overweight by medical standard and are have a sedentary life style.

- Children or teens who smokes, have high blood pressure or type 1 diabetes.

Should you have a child that is active, has a healthy diet that doesn't consist of eating an abundance of baked goods or snack items, and does not have a parental history of risky cholesterol levels and is not overweight; than you have little to worry about regarding cholesterol levels and early heart disease.

Children 2 years of age and older who have known risk factors for being at risk for cholesterol or heart disease contributing factors should be screened for cholesterol blood levels. These include :

Has at least one parent with a total cholesterol blood level of 240 mg/dL or higher

Has a parent or grandparent who has heart disease before 55.

- If there is any family history that is "unknown"

The child is overweight or is clinically obese

A simple blood test will tell your child's cholesterol level. At age 2-9, the acceptable level are less 170mg/dL. 170-199 mg/dL are considered borderline and high level are those that are above 200 mg/dL.

Article source: http://www.authorpalace.com

About the Author:

I wrote a book on how I've lower my high cholesterol level from 301 to normal in 60 days.. This is done without any medications. The book is "How to Lower Cholesterol Naturally". You can visit my site at How to Lower Cholesterol Naturally. http://www.how-to-lower-cholesterol.com/

Lower Cholesterol Level

Can Garlic lower your cholesterol level?

2008-06-25T14:49:00.000-07:00

Lower Cholesterol Level

For many many years, garlic had a good reputation in dealing with heart. Garlic also has been part of the herbal medicines that dealing with all kind of conditions. Garlic and its effects to lower cholesterol level have been associated one another.

Garlic has been suggested by modern medical science to be one of the reasons to lower cholesterol level. It is proven that Garlic is an anti-oxidant. Which mean Garlic can help prevent the LDL Cholesterol (read: bad cholesterol) to oxidized, therefore it will reduced the abilities of the bad cholesterol to build up a clog in the arteries.

A lots of scientific researches have been conducted in the recent years to test how lower cholesterol level can be done by including garlic in everyday diet. The researchers involved comparation between groups of people take garlic supplements to a group of people take placebo. However the researches can not come with a conclusive result.

In some of the researches, a reduction is shown in total cholesterol level and in LDL Cholesterol level for those who take garlic. However in other medical researches also shown the cholesterol level difference between those who take garlic and those who take placebo were not really significant.

Even, a research published in 2007 have tested two garlic supplements which are Garlicin and Kyolic, and raw garlic as well. The result of the research stated that: "None of the forms of garlic used in this study, including raw garlic, when given at an approximate dose of a 4-g clove per day, 6 d/wk for 6 months, had statistically or clinically significant effects on LDL-C or other plasma lipid concentrations in adults with moderate hypercholesterolemia."

So Can Garlic lower your cholesterol level now?

While some researches can really show how effective garlic can be used to lower bad cholesterol level, still the overall result is inconclusive. In the 2007 research that had put a serious doubt over garlic reputation in lowering the cholesterol level. Therefore it is really not wise to put a definite conclusion that garlic is good to lowering the cholesterol level.

However, how can we explain those researches that really can show how garlic can lower the cholesterol level? Can we just say that they are using a flawed methodology? Well, let's just say that those researches had some validity background, how come the result were so different and how can we explain the different?

There is a possibility that the effectiveness of garlic in lowering the cholesterol level depends on some other factors which are still unknown. Since these factors are still unknown, it is difficulty to design a research that can eliminate those factors.

Another thing that's also possible is that garlic's effectiveness in lowering the cholesterol level only applies to a specific group of people in the population.

Therefore if you're concerned about your high cholesterol level, it is not advisable to turn to garlic straight away as an alternative medication to lower your cholesterol level. What always advisable is that you seek advice from your doctor. If your doctor approved it then you can start to take garlic supplement.

Lower Cholesterol Level

Lower Cholesterol Level with Whole-Grain Oat

2008-06-12T14:06:00.000-07:00

If you are at risk of having a heart disease, you can reduce your chances of having one by having a diet that is rich in whole-grain oats, as whole-grain oats can help you lower your high cholesterol level.

It is has been so many times that oats touted as a heart healthy diet. However , the study to back up the claims that oats can reduce heart disease by lowering the cholesterol level only being conducted in the last two years.

The result of the study reflecting direct effects that by eating oatmeal can reduce the risk of having a heart attack or any kind of death related heart disease. More to that, the researchers also found that oatmeal food have an effects to lowering the high cholesterol level.

So if your diet is rich in whole-grain oat products and oatmeal, you will experience a lower in both of your total cholesterol level and your LDL Cholesterol level (read: Bad cholesterol).

The high total cholesterol level and the high LDL Cholesterol level are the main risk factors for one to have a heart disease.

Even thought, the researchers are showing a positive result, still the researchers say that the result should be taken with warnings. And the reasons are because most of the research were being funded by the companies which sell whole-grain product, and also the researches were conducted in a small scale and only been conducted in a short period of time (approximately less than eight weeks).

The study was being published by Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews. In the study, the researchers reviewed ten researches about the effects to adults when they eat whole-grain foods. Eight of the researches are dealing with around 914 adults who are at risk of having a heart attack and whole-grain oats.

When the researchers summaries the result of the research, they found that the level of total cholesterol level and the LDL Cholesterol level in the people who eat whole-grain oats are lower compared to the people who ate refined grain foods. In average, the reduction for total cholesterol level was approximately 7.7mg/dL while the average of reduction fot LDL Cholesterol level was approximately 7 mg/dL.

Because of these result the researchers confident to say that there's a strong connection on eat whole-grain oats with lower cholesterol level, and can suggest the health care professionals to recommended whole-grain oats to be included in lower cholesterol level program.

However, the researchers also say that more adequately powered and a well design researches are still needed to be done as it is needed to evaluate the effects of consumption of whole-grain oats for long term period.

But in its website, the American Heart Association said that the fiber found in unrefined whole-grain foods can help lower your cholesterol level which is important in preventing heart disease and strokes, therefore, the American Heart Association had already recommend that whole-grain oats to be a heart healthy diet.

How walnut can lower your cholesterol level

2008-05-31T19:38:00.000-07:00

Walnut tree often being viewed for its beauty. However, the true beauty of walnut trees is actually lies in its fruits; Walnut. there is no doubt that Walnut can add delicious flavor to your meal, but along with that, walnut have quiet a lot of health benefits.

Well, how can Walnut help us to lower our cholesterol level? There are couples ways Walnut can lower our cholesterol level.

Omega-3. Walnuts are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which unfortunately that our body do not produce this type of fat. Walnut concentration of omega-3 is appoximately 90.8%. Omega-3 is effective in improving the ratio of HDL cholesterol (read: good cholesterol) and more to that Omega-3s can also reduce the LDL Cholesterol (read: Bad Cholesterol) capability to clogged the arteries.

Monounsaturated Fat. Walnuts are a great source of monounsaturated fats too. Approximately 15% of fats in Walnuts is monounsaturated fat.
Polyphenolic compounds. Walnuts are have polyphenolic compounds like ellagic and gallic acid, and they produce antioxidant activity that enough to cause free-radical damage to LDL cholesterol.

Now that we know how Walnut can lower our cholesterol level, a practical tip to include Walnut into our daily diet would be to have a handful of walnuts for at least 4 times a week.

Lower High Cholesterol Level with Green Tea

2008-05-21T14:32:00.000-07:00

There are many reasons why people drink green tea. Some people for enjoyment, others for health. There are many health benefit from drinking green tea, as of for cholesterol, Green tea can lower high cholesterol level.

People who drink green tea on regular basis have much lower cholesterol levels than people who don't drink green tea at all.

How drinking green tea can lower cholesterol level?

· Green tea polyphenols can actually prevent the absorption of cholesterol and make cholesterol excreted from the body.

· Green tea has very effective antioxidants called epicatechins. This antioxidant is responsible in lowering bad cholesterol by almost half.

Now that we know the benefit of drinking green tea, therefore it is advisable that we add a nice warm cup of green tea in our daily diet in order to lower our cholesterol level.

Olive Oil and Cholesterol

2008-05-14T06:21:00.000-07:00

Cholesterol is substance that cannot soluble in the water. It attachés itself to proteins and the two formed lipoproteins. Three types of Lipoproteins are formed:

1. Low Density Lipoproteins also known as LDL Cholesterol (read: Bad Cholesterol because they can stick in the arteries walls and make it clogged)

2. High Density Lipoproteins also known as HDL Cholesterol (read: Good Cholesterol because they free the artery from clogged)

3. Very Low Density Lipoproteins also known as VLDL Cholesterol

The levels of these cholesterols produced by the liver are affected by the types and how much of fat that we take in our diet every day.

It takes approximately 6 to 12 hours after we ate fatty meals, that the liver extracting the fat from the blood and transform them into LDL, VLDL and HDL cholesterol.

There are three types of fat that we eat: saturated, poly-unsaturated and mono-unsaturated.

1. Saturated fats

Primarily come from animal meats. They are considered as the greatest damage to our health as they make the liver to increase the production of Bad Cholesterol that can lead to clogged artery

2. Poly-unsaturated

Primarily come from grains, nuts vegetables and seeds. They can lower the bad Cholesterol which is good; unfortunately they also lower the Good Cholesterol which is not good.

3. Monounsaturated fats

They are can be found in varying amounts in all fats. They can lower the bad Cholesterol which is good; on the other hand it also increases the good Cholesterol which is better.

Therefore, the best oil to lower our cholesterol level that we should include in our diet, should has structure with a lot of monounsaturated oil with little or no saturated and polyunsaturated at all. And we can only find that structure in olive oil.

In olive oil we will find:

· Saturated fat averaging about 10 to 15%

· Polyunsaturated fats averaging about 8 to 9%

· Monounsaturated fat averaging about 75% to 80%.

The good news is that in olive oil, both the saturated fat and the polyunsaturated fat are the lowest among other oil, while the monounsaturated is the highest among any other oil.

More to that, Extra Virgin Olive Oil contains approximately 40 antioxidant phytochemicals. These Antioxidants have the important part in reducing the capacity of Bad Cholesterol to oxidated (clogged arteries formation).

Therefore, it is advisable in our diet to lower our cholesterol level that we include olive oil for at least two tablespoons every day.

High Cholesterol Foods - What to Eat and What Not to Eat

2008-05-08T06:07:00.000-07:00

There's only two ways our body can have cholesterol. The first one is through our own production of cholesterol, which is produced by the liver. The cholesterol level produced by the liver is not the same in every people.

The second one is from the foods that we eat. Just like the cholesterol that’s produced by the liver, the cholesterol level that we get from the food that we eat is different for each person.

Certain level of cholesterol is needed by our bodies to live, however our cholesterol production from the liver can meet that demand without any problem. This makes all the cholesterol that we get from the food will be the excessive cholesterol that can endanger our health. Therefore to keep a lower cholesterol level and live a healthy life it is important to know what to eat and what not to eat.

There are a lot of foods that contain cholesterol and there are a lot of food that don't have the cholesterol. Mostly the food from animals; like beef, chickens, meat, they are contain cholesterol, while food process from plants; like veggies or fruit, they do not have cholesterol.

Not all the food that contains cholesterol is bad for the health. Some food; like the egg yolk is contain a very high in cholesterol, however egg yolk is the HDL cholesterol (read: good cholesterol) therefore egg yolk is good for you heart.

However, fried food like fried chickens or French fries usually contain a high level of LDL cholesterol (read: bad cholesterol) which are bad for you heart.

Therefore, to lower our high cholesterol level, it is advisable that we should reduce or even avoid meat, fat and dairy product in our diet. And we should increase fruits, vegetables and grain in our diet. Another thing, it’s better not to eat deep fried food, as well as fried food as they contain a high cholesterol level.

Q&A Cholesterol - High Cholesterol Level in younger Age

2008-04-15T17:23:00.000-07:00

Q: I am still young do I have to be worried about my cholesterol level?

A: Although it is not common for the younger people to have a high cholesterol level, for the most people, it's their lifestyle when they were young (such as eating lots of junk food, smoking etc) that help contribute to have cholesterol problems when they are older. It's better to adapt a healthy lifestyle and make it a habit when we were young therefore it will be easier to lower the cholesterol level when we were old.

There's a condition for young person to have a high cholesterol level which is called Familial Hypercholesterolemia, which is a condition where the liver produce cholesterol more than normal.

Q&A: Cholesterol - Stop The Medications

2008-04-08T06:24:00.000-07:00

Q: I've reach my recommended cholesterol level, can I stop my medications?

A: The reason your doctor give you the cholesterol medication is to keep your cholesterol level under control, and while doing so you can change your lifestyle (like more physical exercise, change your diets etc) to lower your cholesterol level. For a better result the medication is needed to be taken on a daily basis. It is better to consult your doctor first to know if that ok to stop the cholesterol medication or just to lower the dose.

Q&A: Cholesterol - Physical Exercise

2008-04-07T04:24:00.000-07:00

Q: If I exercise a lot and in good form do I have to be worried about my cholesterol level?

A: Even tough it is true that the physical exercise is the best way to increase the levels of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) in the blood and in the same time maintaining a healthy body weight and improving the total fitness of your heart, however exercising does not guarantee that the levels of you blood cholesterol will be acceptable. There are many other factors that will affect your levels of the blood cholesterol, such as your lifestyle, you diet, smoking, your genetic, your age and gender. The only way to ease your mind about cholesterol would be to see your doctor and have a blood test.

Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Disease

2008-04-06T04:26:00.000-07:00

The function of human’s heart is to pump the blood through the body’s circulatory system. The walls of the heart have their own blood vessels.

There are two types of blood vessels: Arteries are the blood vessels that deliver the oxygen and nutrients (include cholesterol). Veins are the blood vessels that carry waste and carbon dioxide away.

A healthy artery is the one which carries the blood containing oxygen and nutrients smoothly like a freeway.

When one has too much cholesterol in their blood steam, the excess cholesterol will start to form a fatty deposit within the arteries wall. This fatty deposit is called Plague. If one does not lower their cholesterol level then this plague will still built up within the arteries wall. If this plaque still continue to build up then the flow of the blood will become slower as blood has trouble flowing through the plaque.

Chest pain can happen when the plaque block a lot of the blood flow, this disease called Angina

If the blockage make the blood cannot deliver the oxygen to the heart, a heart attack can occur.

If the blockage occurs to the blood vessels that go to the brain a stroke can result a stroke.

How I can prevent cardiovascular disease?

2008-04-05T01:01:00.000-07:00

As the general rule, the lower your cholesterol level, the lower possibility you’re going to have a cardiovascular disease. Couple of things you could do to prevent cardiovascular disease would be:

Quit Smoking as smoking can put your risk of heart attack or stroke double
Avoid Saturated Fat in your diet. As saturated fat put more cholesterol into your blood vessel
Include lots and lots of fruit, fish and vegetables in your diet
Control your blood pressure
Maintain a healthy Weight and do not be Overweight
Stay active. Exercise for at least 30 minutes everyday.

However there are things that out of your control that can increase your possibility to have cardiovascular disease that you should be put into some consideration for example:

Genetic Factor - if one or both of your parents, or your brothers and sisters have had cardiovascular disease history
Age – The older you are, the risk of developing cardiovascular disease is greater.
Gender - men are much more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than women. However when women reach menopause, women's risk of having cardiovascular disease will be the same as men.

Cardiovascular Disease Explained

2008-04-04T04:23:00.000-07:00

The effect people will have to their health when they do not lower their cholesterol level would be Cardiovascular disease.

The medical term Cardiovascular disease or also known as CVD is a term used to describes various diseases that effect the heart and blood vessels. The most commonly affected blood vessels are the one that go to the eyes, legs, kidneys, heart or brain. However, as the matter of the fact, any blood vessels in the body can be affected.

Some most common of the cardiovascular disease which cholesterol related are as the following;

• Heart Attack - it happens when the flow of the blood to the heart is interrupted or it is blocked

• Stroke - it happens when the flow of the blood to the brain is interrupted or it is blocked

• Angina (Chest pain) - it happens when the blood vessels to the muscle of the heart become narrow and the heart receives less oxygen than it needs

• Atherosclerosis - it happens when a block of the cholesterol and other fats accumulates within the wall of an artery (a type of blood vessel)

Familial Hypercholesterolemia Explained

2008-03-23T16:48:00.000-07:00

FAMILIAL HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA

Familial Hypercholesterolemia is a condition where you have a disorder inherited from your parents that cause you have a high cholesterol level, therefore it increases you chance of having the heart attack in early ages. Usually a man can get heart attack when they are 40 to 55 years old and 50 to 65 years old for woman. but if you got Familial Hypercholesterolemia, you can get heart attack even when you are still in your mid twenties.

CAUSES OF FAMILIAL HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA

Receptor). You got two genes that making the LDL Receptor, and they were being inherited from your parents, one from your father and the other one from your mother. If one of the genes you inherited is not working properly or in worst case it is not working at all, which mean that it cannot dissolves cholesterol as much as it should be, then the amount of excess cholesterol stored in the bloodstream will be increased at lot more than normal as well. This will resulting that your have a lot of chances to get a heart attack in an early age.

HOW YOU GOT INHERITED

If your father or your mother inherits Familial Hypercholesterolemia, there is a 50 percent chance that you are going to inherit Familial Hypercholesterolemia too, then you should be checked by your doctor as early as since your two years old. However if your cholesterol level is normal at birth then you will never develop Familial Hypercholesterolemia in your life and you will never pass it to your children either.

High Cholesterol Level

2008-03-21T19:40:00.000-07:00

Cholesterol is needed by our body to produce vitamin D, to produce many hormones and to digest fat. However we don't need too much cholesterol in our bloodstream in order to make those production function normally.

The problem with high cholesterol arise went we have too many unused cholesterol in our bloodstream. The excess cholesterol will be left unused in the blood vessel and will be contributed to the narrowing and blocking the bloodstream.

CAUSE OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL

>	Family History
	Your chances of having high cholesterol increase if you have a family history of high cholesterol. The most common type of this high cholesterol is called Familial hypercholesterolemia.
>	Overweight
	If you are overweight or you eat too much fat, it will certainly increase your cholesterol level. One irony of life is that the more tastier the food, the more likely it contain more fat.
>	Age and Gender
	When we are still a baby, our blood vessel is like a highway for the bloodstream to flow. As we grow older, our cholesterol level is increasing depending on our lifestyle.
	Women before menopause, will tend to have a lower cholesterol level than men with the same age. However women after menopause, will tend to have higher cholesterol level than men.
>	Mental Stress
	In some cases, when you stress mentally, your chance to have a high cholesterol level increase. This is due to the stress affecting habits, that stress people will likely to eat fatty foods.

HIGH CHOLESTEROL SYMPTOM

It would have been nice to know the high cholesterol symptom, so that you will know when your cholesterol level is start increasing for too much. Unfortunately there is no symptom at all that can alert you in any state. The only prevention step that you need to take is to have a blood test.

HDL Cholesterol Level. LDL Cholesterol Level, Triglyceride level

2008-03-20T13:21:00.000-07:00

HDL Cholesterol Level

HDL Cholesterol is the good cholesterol, so the higher the HDL cholesterol level the better. If your HDL Cholesterol level is below 40mg/dl (for men) or below 50mg/dl (for women), then you are in the risk of having a heart attack. In average the HDL cholesterol level should be around 40-50mg/dl (for men) or 50-60 mg/dl (for women). If your HDL cholesterol level is above 60mg/dl, you have some protection against heart attack.

LDL Cholesterol Level

LDL Cholesterol is the bad cholesterol, so the lower the LDL cholesterol level the better. Generally, LDL Cholesterol level devided into these category:

LDL Cholesterol Level
Less than 100 mg/dL	Healthy Cholesterol Level
100 to 129 mg/dL	Normal Cholesterol Level
130 to 159 mg/dL	Borderline Cholesterol Level
160 to 189 mg/dL	High Cholesterol Level
190 mg/dL and above	Very High Cholesterol Level

However, the real risk of heart attack or stroke also depend on your other risks. A healthy LDL cholesterol level for you might not be healthy for anyone else.

Triglyceride level

Triglyceride is basically a form of fat since it has a very low density protein. if you have a high level of total cholesterol level, high LDL cholesterol level and low HDL cholesterol level, it will be a certainty that you have a high level of triglyceride level as well.

Triglyceride level
less than 150 mg/dL	Healthy Triglyceride Level
150–199 mg/dL	Borderline Triglyceride Level
200–499 mg/dL	High Triglyceride Level
500 mg/dL and above	Very High Triglyceride Level

Cholesterol Level

2008-03-09T14:10:00.000-07:00

CHOLESTEROL LEVEL

What is a good cholesterol Level ? How do you know if your cholesterol level is a normal cholesterol level, a healthy cholesterol level or even a high cholesterol level.

Your cholesterol level is shown in millimoles per liter of blood (mmol/L) in the world standard or in milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL) in the US standard.

The only way to know your cholesterol level is by having a blood test.

NORMAL CHOLESTEROL LEVEL

You are considered to have a healthy cholesterol level if you have a total blood cholesterol level below 200mg/dl or 5 mmol/L, in condition that your LDL cholesterol level, HDL cholesterol level and triglyceride level also at healthy level, and you don't have other risks (eg. smoking or have a family history of heart disease or diabetes).

However if you do smoke and have family history of heart disease, the Joint British Societies (a group of the main UK expert societies involved in cardiovascular disease) recommend the good cholesterol level is to have the total cholesterol to be less than 4.0mmol/L

BORDERLINE HIGH CHOLESTEROL LEVEL

You are in borderline high cholesterol level if you have a total blood cholesterol level between 200 - 239 mg/dL (5 - 6.21 mmol/L). if your cholesterol level is in this category, does not mean that you in the risk of heart attack. it is possible to be in this category with your LDL cholesterol level desirable and your HDL cholesterol level high.

What is important if you are in this category is that you need to work with your doctor to evaluate the LDL cholesterol level, HDL cholesterol level and triglyceride level, monitoring them and create a prevention and treatment plan that works for you (eg, lifestyle changing, dietary, or medication), to bring the level to normal cholesterol level.

HIGH CHOLESTEROL LEVEL

If you have your cholesterol level of 240 mg/dl (6.21 mmol/L) or more, you are in the high cholesterol level category which also can put you into twice the risk of getting heart attack than those of people who have their cholesterol level normal.

You must act fast in this category, stop smoking, change to a healthy dietary, exercise at least 30 min a day, and the most important things is to work closely together with your doctor to create a prevention and treatment plan that works best and fast for you.

Cholesterol, LDL Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol & Triglycerides

2008-03-08T14:46:00.000-08:00

CHOLESTEROL

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that can be found in your bloodstream and in all your body cells. Around 75 percent of blood cholesterol is produce by your liver and other cells in your body. The rest 25 percent blood cholesterol is produced by the food that you eats.

LDL CHOLESTEROL

Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDLs) or LDL Cholesterol is called Low-Density because it has low amount protein and a lot of fat in its molecule. LDs molecule take cholesterol to where it is needed in the body. Excess LDs that are not used by the body can build up fatty deposits in blood vessels, leading to heart disease. This is why LDLs are known as 'Bad Cholesterol'.

HDL CHOLESTEROL

High-Density Lipoproteins (HDLs) or HDL Cholesterol is called High-Density because it has a high amount protein and low amount of fat in its molecule. HDs molecule take excessive colesterol in your bloodstream to your liver where it is broken down so the body can get rid of it. That is why HDLs are known as 'Good Cholesterol'.

TRIGLYCERIDES

Tryglycerides are carried in your blood as Very Low-Density Lipoprotein (VLDL). it's called Very Low Density because most of its molecule contain of Fat almost none of protein. A high tryglyceride level increase the risk of heart disease, although not as much as high cholesterol

TYPES OF FATS

Fat is eaten in three main forms:

* Saturated Fats - Usually from animal product such as dairy products, meats, eggs, poultry, butter and also some oils
* Polyunsaturated Fats - e.g. in some margarines and vegetable oils, some nuts and fish oils
* Monounsaturated Fats - Usually from plants, including some nuts and avocado

Saturated Fats tend to increase you blood cholesterol level. Some unsaturated fats lower the cholesterol level if they are used to replace saturated fats.