Avoiding Cholesterol in Foods Won't Lower Your Cholesterol

If you avoid all foods that contain cholesterol, will your high cholesterol return to normal?

It's not that simple. Your blood cholesterol level is influenced far more by how many calories and how much saturated and partially hydrogenated fat you eat, than by how much cholesterol is in your food. Cholesterol is found only in foods from animals, such as meat, fish, chicken, dairy products and eggs. It is not found in plants. More than 80 percent of the cholesterol in your body is made by your liver. Less than 20 percent comes from the food that you eat. When you eat more cholesterol, your liver makes less.

Your liver makes cholesterol from saturated fats, which are found in most foods but are concentrated in meat, poultry and whole-milk dairy products. The saturated fat is broken down by your liver into acetone units. If you are not taking in too many calories, your liver uses the acetone units for energy, but if you are taking in more calories than your body needs, your liver uses these same acetone units to manufacture cholesterol. That explains why eating two eggs a day does not raise blood cholesterol levels in the average American. They are already taking in so much cholesterol from meat, fish and chicken and diary products, that when they take in more, they absorb less.

The average North American takes in 350 mg per day of cholesterol. If he takes in 26 mg per day, he absorbs 41 percent. When he takes in 188 mg cholesterol per day, he absorbs only 36 percent, and when he takes in 421 mg per day (the equivalent of two eggs), he absorbs only 25 percent. Some people absorb more than five times as much as other people at the same intake. So you lower blood cholesterol levels far more effectively by eating less food, less saturated fat and less partially hydrogenated fats than by avoiding foods that contain cholesterol.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

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Lower Cholesterol with Diet, Not Drugs

Low Cholesterol Foods and Lowering Your Cholesterol

Low Cholesterol foods - diet necessity or diet nonsense?

Low cholesterol foods are all the rage. Virtually every newspaper, magazine, even TV ads trumpet the latest "low-fat", "low-cholesterol" or "cholesterol lowering" yoghurt , spread or even chocolate! These low cholesterol foods must be good news, mustn't it? Well yes, of course.....if you buy the "cholesterol kills you" propaganda from the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Cholesterol is an essential component of thousands of body processes, not least the majority of hormones, especially the sex hormones. Without cholesterol, these body processes would not be able to take place properly and the body would fall into disprepair (otherwise known as disease). Consequently, low cholesterol foods and foods that lower cholesterol may actually have a detrimental effect on many body processes. Blindly using chemicals (because that is what is in these "foods") to lower cholesterol disregards the actual CAUSE of the problem (for an in-depth report, see cholesterol) which will almost invariably correct itself if the cause of high cholesterol is removed.

What are low cholesterol foods?

Some low cholesterol foods are simply foods that have had their cholesterol removed. Whilst totally unnatural, these are probably the least unhealthy low cholesterol foods. Other low cholesterol foods have had their healthy, natural fats replaced with unhealthy, unnatural and downright dangerous plastics known as hydrogenated vegetable oils, which are high in trans-fats. These are highly dangerous chemicals that are implicated in many fat-related diseases.

A third group of "low cholesterol foods" (or claimed "cholesterol lowering foods") have apeared in recent years which give similar cause for concern. Many manufacturers have recently released products that are not only low in cholesterol (which is, of course utterly irrelevant) but which act chemically in the body to reduce cholesterol levels still further.

This is not good news for a body that has raised its cholesterol levels - a perfectly natural and healthy thing for it to do - the body does not increase cholesterol levels for the fun of it - the cholesterol levels are tightly controlled by the liver and the amount of cholesterol in the blood is totally unrelated to the amount of cholesterol in the diet (see cholesterol). As a consequence low cholesterol foods are a complete nonsense and may do more harm than good.

Do yourself a favour, inf out more about cholesterol, what it is, what it does and avoid low cholesterol foods completely!

B Adamson
Natural Health Information Centre
Cholesterol
Natural Health

This article may reprinted in full with proper attributes to the author

Diet Lower Cholesterol Search - Our Diet Lower Cholesterol Search Guide

To begin your diet lower cholesterol search, you must find all the foods low in cholesterol and the foods that help lower cholesterol. As a part of this diet, herbal supplements should be taken as well. Not just any herbal supplements, but those which only contain natural ingredients. Among all the available herbal supplements, finding supplements from such pristine places as New Zealand where they use only the finest natural ingredients would perhaps be the best choice.

Butter vs. Margarine

It is also important to remember when conducting you diet lower cholesterol search to not substitute margarine for butter. Any diet that recommends this should not be considered. Margarine contains higher concentrations of trans fats which have been determined to be detrimental to good cardiovascular health. So much so in fact that they are now being banned in restaurants in major cities. Either one of these foods should be used as sparingly as possible.

Diet with Variety.

A good diet should also not be mainly comprised of any one type of food. A diet should be well rounded and contain many different foods so as to remain interesting. A diet that calls for eating only rice cakes would get extremely boring and would be doomed to fail. The more variety that can be included in the diet the better. Your body will thank you and your taste buds will thank you as well.

Diet + Exercise = Lower Cholesterol and Better Health.

A diet lower cholesterol search should also be conducted with some type of aerobic exercise in mind. Aerobic exercise combined with a sensible diet will not only help to shed extra pounds, but it will also further help the body metabolize the over-abundance of cholesterol. Herbal supplements will help in this realm as well. Herbal supplements will help the body to metabolize substances more efficiently and will give the body the ability to release greater amounts of energy.

Herbal Supplements vs. Prescription Meds.

Prescription medications are notorious for their side effects. Among personal favorites are migraine medication that may cause headaches or heartburn pills that may cause intestinal bleeding. Even with side effects like these, medications are virtually pushed on people at an alarming rate. Herbal supplements containing only natural ingredients can help you extend your life without counterproductive side effects. It is important to research possible herbals to make sure that they contain only natural ingredients. A good place to start the search would be with products from New Zealand.

Len Gibb is a webmaster who focuses on a wide array of niche health topics. His latest website - Natural Cholesterol Supplement focuses on cholesterol as a whole, and in partcular, a natural product we personally use with excellent health results known as - Cholest-Natural

Best Cholesterol Lowering Diet – Advice For The Best Cholesterol Lowering Diet

You cannot really talk about a certain cholesterol lowering diet to be the best. It depends very much on the metabolism of the patient but also on the response to certain treatments. For some, a simple diet combined with some daily exercise will do the trick, while for others, besides the daily exercise and the diet, some natural supplement or cholesterol lowering medication should be taken. The American Heart Association recommends a step-wise approach to lowering cholesterol levels.

The Step 1 Diet

The Step 1 Diet is the diet for you if you have high blood cholesterol and never tried other dietary approaches. The basic changes in your diet should look like this:

-the total fat intake should not be more than 30 percent of the total number of calories

-saturated fat intake should be less than 10 percent of calories

-8-10 percent should be the maximum intake of polyunsaturated fat

-The rest of the total fat intake should be made up by monounsaturated fat (like olive and canola oil)

-300 milligrams daily should be the maximum of cholesterol intake, and also the sodium level should be kept at a maximum of 2400 milligrams daily

The Step 2 Diet

If the Step 1 Diet has not shown the wanted improvement in lowering your cholesterol level, or you have heart disease you should try a more aggressive diet like the Step 2 Diet. It has mostly all the dietary conditions as the Step 1 Diet but it is more strict when it comes to the saturated fat and cholesterol intake:

-7 percent of calories should be the maximum saturated fat intake

-Cholesterol intake should be kept under 200 milligrams daily

-Calorie intake should be just enough to maintain a healthy body weight (you can talk to a nutritionist about this certain thing)

Low-Fat Diets

Patients who do not respond to the Step 1 Diet and the Step 2 Diet and do not want to take cholesterol-lowering drugs are recommended to try some very-low-fat diets. Practically, these diets eliminate eating most of the meats, added fats and dairy products and they usually contain about 28 to 26 percent of calories from fat.

Long-term, these diets can be very hard to follow. Because of their high carbohydrate content, these very-low-fat diets could raise blood triglyceride which raises the question if such drastic reductions in fat intake are necessary. Combining dietary approaches with stress reductions and exercise, and the Omish Program is an example of a very-low-fat diet program.

Jean Helmet is a content editor who focuses on a wide array of niche health topics. Her latest website - Natural Cholesterol Supplement focuses on cholesterol as a whole, and in partcular, a natural product our editors personally use with excellent health results known as - Cholest-Natural

Lower Bad Cholesterol - Discover How To Lower Bad Cholesterol

Cholesterol is absolutely necessary for the human body to function properly. That being said, it is important to note that cholesterol is commonly broken into two main categories. These categories are LDL (low density lipoprotein) and HDL (high density lipoprotein). These categories are bad cholesterol and good cholesterol respectively. It is possible to raise good cholesterol and to lower bad cholesterol.

The Daily Diet.

A good place to start when trying to lower bad cholesterol is with the daily diet. The daily diet should consist of high fiber and low fat. This type of diet alone will help to lower bad cholesterol. Special consideration should be given to hydrogenated oils. These oils commonly found in foods such as margarine have been determined to contain higher concentrations of trans fats. Trans fats have been found to be detrimental to the cardiovascular system in general, and have also been linked to actually lowering the good cholesterol found in the blood stream.

Exercise.

Some form of aerobic exercise should be integrated into daily life. Aerobic exercise will help to strengthen the cardiovascular system and also to help the body to rid itself of bad cholesterol by raising the metabolism. This does not mean that everyone should run out and get a membership at the local gym and take aerobics classes. Taking a walk everyday for twenty to thirty minutes is a huge step in the right direction. Take a walk with the whole family and reap the benefits of quality time spent with the ones you love. Another way to help lower bad cholesterol would be the use of herbal supplements.

Herbal Supplements.

In some cases, the use of herbal supplements alone has been responsible for lowering cholesterol more effectively then commonly prescribed statin drugs. The study of herbal medicine is thousands of years old. An added benefit of herbal supplements is they do not have the nasty side effects commonly associated with prescription medications.

When searching for the right herbal supplement, it is important to remember that these supplements are not regulated, so labels may not list all the ingredients properly. Some of these may actually contain man made chemicals. It is best to use only supplements that contain only high quality natural ingredients, such as those produced by the pristine country of New Zealand. These supplements contain only high quality natural ingredients and have the proven results and benefits associated with modern science and no nasty side effects.

Len Gibb is a webmaster who focuses on a wide array of niche health topics. His latest website - Natural Cholesterol Supplement focuses on cholesterol as a whole, and in partcular, a natural product we personally use with excellent health results known as - Cholest-Natural

Cholesterol Lowering Foods - Our Guide To Cholesterol Lowering Foods

Knowing about cholesterol lowering foods is one of the most important factors in keeping cholesterol levels within a healthy range and to help lower already high cholesterol levels. There has been much research done to decide which the best cholesterol lowering foods are. There has also been a lot of research done to decide which foods raise the LDL “bad” cholesterol levels.

Raising HDL Cholesterol

Fruits and vegetables are some of the best cholesterol lowering foods as they help raise HDL “good” cholesterol, which in turns helps the body excrete unneeded LDL cholesterol. Oatmeal and oat bran are also extremely good at lowering LDL cholesterol, as they contain soluble fiber which lowers the absorption of LDL cholesterol in the intestines which allows the body to excrete it.

There are also other foods that contain soluble fiber such as kidney beans, sprouts, apples, pears, barley and prunes. Almonds and walnuts are also useful in the arsenal while lowering cholesterol. They reduce blood cholesterol and contain polyunsaturated fatty acids which help keep blood vessels healthy. Nuts are very high in calories so it is best to eat them in place of high calorie, high cholesterol foods.

Foods to Avoid

There are many foods that need to be avoided in order to allow the cholesterol lowering foods to do their job. Fried foods are a big one to avoid, also cheese and whole milk as they are some of the highest cholesterol content foods. Coconut oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter in foods should also be avoided as they act like saturated fats.

Keep Away the Extra Pounds

Increased body weight contributes to high cholesterol as the body contains more saturated fat along with the excess body fat. An important factor in reducing cholesterol is to reduce high calorie food such as sugar and alcohol. They provide few nutrients but many calories. Therefore, they contribute to high cholesterol by increasing body weight. Exercise is also an important part of losing weight and/or keeping off the extra weight. Studies have shown that aerobic exercise is most functional in less time. Walking and bike riding is on the top of the list in those studies.

Herbal Supplements

Herbal supplements can play an important role in lowering cholesterol without the use of prescription drugs. Herbal supplements do not have the side effects that prescription drugs have and in most cases also have other health benefits as well. One of the main ingredients in the herbal supplements is Omega-3 fatty acids found in foods such as fish, flaxseed, walnuts, canola oil and soybean oil. Omega-3 fatty acids work by lowering triglycerides which are a good portion of the fats in the blood stream. It is important you look for supplements that have been carefully prepared and have used pharmaceutical grade compliance. This ensures you are getting a fresh quality supplement that contains only the most natural ingredients available.

Len Gibb is a webmaster who focuses on a wide array of niche health topics. His latest website - Natural Cholesterol Supplement focuses on cholesterol as a whole, and in particular, a natural product we personally use with excellent health results known as - Cholest-Natural

Diet to Lower Cholesterol - Learn about A Diet to Lower Cholesterol

A diet to lower cholesterol is one of the most important things to become familiar with in todays fast paced world. Starting at approximatly 20 years of age, a cholesterol smart diet becomes important to help stop future health problems related to high cholesterol. With all the rushing around, grabbing a quick meal on the run that is most likely filled with cholesterol has become the way of life. The refined and processed foods in the fast food industry is one of the biggest causes of high cholesterol. The fast food is full of hydrogenated fats and oils as well as trans fats, all of which highten the levels of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol.

Misconception

The biggest misconception people have in trying a diet to lower cholesterol is to completely cut the fat and cholesterol out of their diet. This can be dangerous as cholesterol is used by the body to build mambranes, manufacture bile, produce hormones and vitamin D. The important thing to remember when starting a diet to lower cholesterol is that the body needs HDL cholesterol, otherwise known as “good” cholesterol.

Vitamin, Mineral and Herbal Supplements

Natural cholesterol lowering nutrients are important in lowering cholesterol levels without lowering the HDL cholesterol. One example of these are a good daily vitamin and mineral supplement with vitamin E which helps to improve circulation, vitamin C, and vitamin B3 - these will help to lower high LDL cholesterol levels. There are also products on the market to help lower LDL and highten HDL that could play an important role in lowering LDL if there is already a build up in the body. It is best to research cholesterol facts thoroughly, as there are many misconceptions that could possibly be harmful rather than helpful.

A Few Changes

A diet to lower cholesterol does not necessarily have to be extremely time consuming. A few simple changes in snacks as well as main meals can be very beneficial to keep LDL cholesterol down and HDL cholesterol up.

The more foods eaten that are derived from plants the better, as those foods can lower LDL. Eating fruits and vegetables instead of chips or candy for a quick snack would help in lowering LDL cholesterol, not only because fruits and vegetables don’t have LDL cholesterol but because they help the body properly process the cholesterol it already has. A diet to lower cholesterol should have HDL cholesterol in abundance, as HDL cholesterol takes excess cholesterol away and carries it back to the liver so the liver can dispose of it. HDL cholesterol can also remove some of the cholesterol that is already attached to the artery walls, which then allows it to be disposed of.

Len Gibb is a webmaster who focuses on a wide array of niche health topics. His latest website - Natural Cholesterol Supplement focuses on cholesterol as a whole, and in partcular, a natural product we personally use with excellent health results known as - Cholest-Natural