Top Foods to Increase HDL and Lower LDL Cholesterol Level

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.

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Lower Cholesterol Level

Lower Cholesterol Level - Some Effective Natural Techniques

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

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

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

Seven Benefits of Elevated Cholesterol Levels

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

How to Managing Healthy Cholesterol Numbers

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

Cholesterol and Exercise: Burn Your Cholesterol Down

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

How To Have Healthy Cholesterol Levels

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

About the Author:

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

HDL Cholesterol Level. LDL Cholesterol Level, Triglyceride level

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

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.