Cholesterol Guide

Avoiding Cholesterol in Foods Won't Lower Your Cholesterol

2009-04-23T06:17:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-23T06:08:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-02T04:23:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-25T23:25:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-19T23:40:00.000-07:00

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.

Cholesterol Lowering Foods - Our Guide To Cholesterol Lowering Foods

2009-03-17T03:57:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-09T05:27:00.000-07:00

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.

Cholesterol Lowering Supplement - Our Cholesterol Lowering Supplement Of Choice

2009-03-02T02:42:00.000-08:00

With none of the nasty side effects associated with prescription medications, the cholesterol lowering supplement used in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise program is a powerful tool. Some of these supplements will actually help you to extend your life by insuring against poor health. The science of herbals supplements is as old as mankind and the implications of this longevity are astounding.

Natural Ingredients vs. Man-Made Chemicals.

An important thing to remember about the cholesterol lowering supplement is that some of these substances contain man-made chemical ingredients. This could pose a problem, as these chemicals are not good for the body. They may be touted as the finest thing available but generally a few years down the road, it is discovered that these chemicals cause all sorts of health problems.

The best type of cholesterol lowering supplement is that which contains only natural ingredients. These ingredients, when used in specific combinations have been shown to produce better results than many statin drugs. Statin drugs are those which are generally prescribed as a first line for lowering cholesterol. As an added benefit, these natural ingredients are not associated with any of the side effects commonly associated with prescription drugs.

Greed vs. Good Health

Some of the natural ingredients that have been shown to lower cholesterol are extracts of sugar cane, soy, citrus families, and rice. When combined in one easy to take herbal cholesterol lowering supplement, the singular benefits of each of these substances is magnified. The expected outcome of this benefit magnification is realized in a healthier body and lower cholesterol. When combined with a healthy diet comprised of natural unprocessed foods and a healthy exercise program, cholesterol will cease to be a concern or a serious health issue.

A great place to start the search for these supplements would be with the fine herbals produced in New Zealand.

Modern medicine seems to be more concerned about making money than it is about helping people. The speed in which new prescription medications are released makes it quite doubtful that they go through all the testing phases correctly. Further, it has been found in some cases that doctors receive bonuses in the form of travel vouchers and other amenities for prescribing certain medications, making it doubly suspicious. Exploring all options could perhaps be the best course of action when concerned about personal health. Depending on doctors, sometimes, is like depending on the proverbial used car salesman, the information given may not be the whole truth. It might be just enough to make the sale.

How to Lower Cholesterol - Learn The Methods On How to Lower Cholesterol

2009-02-21T05:37:00.000-08:00

One question that seems to be on everyone’s lips in recent years is how to lower cholesterol? There are a variety of answers to that question. The answers depend on who is asked the question. If a pharmacist or even many doctors are asked that question they will almost always be guaranteed to answer the question with the name of one of the statin drugs that seem to be popular as of late. If you ask an herbalist how to lower cholesterol - they will almost always answer with some type of herbal remedy that are gaining popularity, since the side effects of statin drugs are becoming more widely known to the general public. If you ask a dietitian, they will answer with a list of diet changes that can be made.

If you ask an aerobics instructor there answer will involve an aerobics routine. All these answers may be right for different people. Statin drugs

Statin drugs may be the answer to some people in extreme cases where the immediate benefits may outweigh the long-term side effects. That decision would be up to the individual and their physician as it can be a difficult one. The side effects can often be extreme with the statin drugs so treatment with them should be a well informed decision. Personally, we advise people to steer away from these and look for more natural approaches.

Herbal remedies and Dietary changes

Herbal remedies and Dietary changes would be a good answer of how to lower cholesterol for most people. There are many herbal remedies available, many high quality natural herbal remedies can be easily found in the New Zealand area. Herbal remedies can help you safely lower your cholesterol naturally with no worries about side effects and can quite often have many other health benefits as well. Herbal remedies are also one of the easiest changes in life that can be made to promote better health and along with a healthy diet and regular exercise, may help to extend a persons life span.

There are many dietary changes that people can make to help lower their cholesterol, one of the biggest one is to lower the amount of saturated fat, cholesterol and Trans fats in the diet. Other changes would include adding some of the many foods that have been found to lower cholesterol and just plain following the food pyramid, with all the servings of fruits and vegetables and the smaller portions of meat. Exercise

Exercise can play an important role in how to lower cholesterol as it promotes good all around health as well as keeps excess body fat down, which has high cholesterol levels, and keeps the circulatory system working well to promote proper excretion of excess cholesterol. The best type of exercise found to promote good circulation is aerobics whether it is walking, swimming, bicycling or an actual aerobic workout.

Lowering Cholesterol Level Naturally - Our View On Lowering Cholesterol Naturally

2009-02-17T02:36:00.000-08:00

Standard prescription drugs used today to control the cholesterol level in your bloodstream are pretty recent compared to herbs and other natural products that have been around a lot longer.

These herbs and natural products are usually derived from plants, trees and other sources. But, remember that you really have to be careful about what chemicals are contained in those herbal drugs because most of these have not been regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Some herbal drugs, especially those manufactured in foreign countries have a certain statin drug inserted in the prescription but not listed in the ingredients section.

Because it might interfere with other medication or with your metabolism (if you have any specific problems) it is better if you consult at first your health care practitioner before you start any type of herbal drug. But still, there are many that actually list all the ingredients with the correct percentage and everything. Some natural-based products don’t use the statin drug at all so the risk of impotency, damaged livers, and muscle aches are at minimum. You need to choose a supplement that can confirm its ingredients that are stated on the label – This is known as a certificate of analysis which will confirm the ingredients and the potency of them. Stay away from companies that do not provide this.

As an alternative to treating high cholesterol are many natural products. This can actually turn out to be optimal for patients who combine diet and exercise in their cholesterol lowering plan. Cholesterol level is reduced by natural products simply by dissolving fat in your bloodstream.

Types of effective natural products

Through research, the following list of natural products has been noted to reduce cholesterol level. Many of these drugs are not considered legitimate cholesterol-lowering agents even though natural products are regulated by the FDA. Before beginning any of the above, consult with your health care practitioner.

B Vitamins – besides niacin, prevents the damage of the LDL through oxidation

Carnitine – decreases cholesterol levels by increasing HDL levels

Chromium – increases HDL levels, and reduces LDL levels

Coenzyme Q10 – reduces total cholesterol serum levels

Fiber – can be obtained through fiber supplements or through foods such as whole grains and vegetables. It prevents cholesterol absorption into the bloodstream by binding the cholesterol in the small intestine

Garlic – has many cholesterol-lowering properties

Grape Seed Extract – totally reduces cholesterol serum levels

Pantothine – decreases total cholesterol levels by increasing HDL levels

Red yeast rice – Natural product not regulated by FDA – dosage varies from pill to pill Vitamin C – slightly reduces cholesterol levels

Lower Cholesterol - Using Diet To Lower High Cholesterol

2009-02-14T00:04:00.000-08:00

If you want to lower high cholesterol levels, the first thing you should change is probably your diet. Diet is more likely to contribute to high cholesterol levels than any other factor. This increases your risk of developing heart diseases that can lead to hypertension and heart attack. So if you want to live a healthy life, where do you start?

Cross out these fats from your diet: LDL or low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, hydrogenated fats and most saturated fats. These fats can usually be found in the most popular meal of all: a large order of hamburger with cheese, French fries and milk shake. While very filling and satisfactory, these foods contain as much fat as 1/8 lb. of butter. Imagine chomping on THAT the next time you order a burger meal.

If you want a diet to help you lower high cholesterol by avoiding fats, try to keep your saturated fat intake to 10% of your total caloric intake. That is the ideal figure to maintain during the first stages of your goal to lower high cholesterol. Later on, you can go even further and keep your bad fat intake to just 7%.

Regular inclusion of fiber-rich foods in your diet can significantly lower high cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber found in natural, unprocessed grains, oats and fruits are great choices for meals and snacks. Soluble fiber is particularly effective in helping lower your blood cholesterol and reducing your body's rate of sugar absorption.

For men 50 years old and younger, the ideal daily amount of fiber intake is about 38 grams. This decreases to 31 grams for men 51 years and older. For women, it's 25 grams for those aged 50 and below and 21 grams for older women.

You don't have to follow an ultra-strict diet regimen that will make your life joyless and monotonous. All you have to do is to combine a reasonably active lifestyle with a good diet, something you will have to commit to for the rest of your life.

The main challenge you will have with foods that contribute to high cholesterol is that they are so easily accessed and consumed. That makes it more important for you to monitor your diet and ensure that it is ideal for lowering high cholesterol levels. Be informed and live a healthy life.

To discover the best foods to lower your cholesterol, visit http://www.diettolowercholesterol101.com

Does A Best Diet For High Cholesterol Exist And How You Diet To Control High Cholesterol, Revealed!

2009-02-11T03:56:00.000-08:00

Many cholesterol-conscious individuals tend to worry about that one best diet for high cholesterol. The questions that keep surfacing most often in health forums about cholesterol are, "Is there a best diet for high cholesterol?" or, "What is the best diet for maintaining low cholesterol?" The answer to those questions is a straightforward, "No!" There simply is just no one best diet to lower and control high cholesterol. Yes, figuring out how to lower cholesterol through diet is important, but - I believe that is going about it the wrong way. What they should be asking themselves instead is - if there is a diet to control high cholesterol that is best for them! And I’m here to tell you how to do just that.

Your choices in diet to help lower high cholesterol are one of the most important and safest ways to control high cholesterol. In fact, planning what to eat to lower your cholesterol should be one of your first priorities even before considering consuming any kind of cholesterol-lowering medication.

Doctors usually recommend aiming to lower your level of LDL cholesterol to less than 160mg/dl. Those with coronary heart disease should target a LDL cholesterol level of less than 130 mg/dl. That is - total cholesterol of 240mg/dl and 200 mg/dl respectively.

Diets to reduce high cholesterol revolve around low fat and high fiber

There is really only one vital key in any diet for lowering cholesterol … and that every diet plan you follow includes - low fat and high fiber. It really is as simple as that. Keeping your diet low in fat and high in fiber means:

Reducing your sugar intake: Everything you have probably heard about sugar is true. Cutting your intake of sugar is crucial to lowering cholesterol and triglycerides. An elevated triglyceride level significantly increases your risk of heart disease and studies have also shown that elevated triglyceride levels can portend the development of diabetes.
Keep your eye out for harmful trans-fats: Trans-fats are found in margarine, sauces, salad dressing and sugary snack foods.
Reduce your intake of animal fats, fried foods and chemically induced foods

And what about that fiber that you body so badly needs? You definitely cannot go wrong with fresh fruits and vegetables where fiber is concerned. Oats, rye, dried peas, yams, beans yogurt, and cultured foods are all great additions to your diet.

Here is a tip - if possible, consume soluble fiber. Soluble fiber is found - as already mentioned - in fruits and vegetables. But, another product soluble fiber is found in, is in one of the most effective grains that should be added to your diet to control high cholesterol …

Barley - a powerful choice in any cholesterol reducing diets

Barley has been used in traditional medicine by people thousands of years back. But, it is only recently that barley had been discovered to be highly effective in lowering cholesterol. As mentioned above, fibers are usually classified as either soluble or insoluble. And it is these water-soluble fibers like barley that have shown to reduce the risk of a cardiovascular event.

Like in oats, beta-glucan (a complex sugar) is also found in barley. Studies have shown that those who include a high intake of beta-glucan in their diets, are more successful in lowering their LDL cholesterol.

So, here is a short list of water-soluble fiber that should become part of your natural remedy for lowering cholesterol:

Apples
Grapes
Oranges
Peaches
Squash
Corn
Carrots
Nuts and seeds (psyllium seeds are best)
Peanuts
Lentils
Peas
Beans
Oats
And of course, barley.

Maintaining low cholesterol includes starches

‘Complex carbohydrates’ or natural starches are needed by your body to burn fat. It is wise to include starches in your diet to control high cholesterol. Natural starches are found in breads, potatoes, pasta and cereal. Being naturally low in fat and high in fiber (everything that a diet to lower high cholesterol needs), these foods should be added to your dietary list.

Bear in mind, it is what you pile on to these foods that adds to the fat. A rising cholesterol level is due to the consumption of fat. Don’t get me wrong. Fat is a great source of energy for your body. It also helps absorb certain types of vitamin and nutrients.

But for those who are using diets to lower cholesterol, they should attempt to keep their fat consumption between 25 and 35 percent of their calories. That is the secret to maintaining a perfect dietary plan – eat less fat than your body burns everyday.

Keep in mind that just as important as the amount of fat you consume, is the type. Stay away from saturated and trans fats. These are the types of fat that are true enemies of good cholesterol. Cut that saturated fat from your diet and you lower your cholesterol.

If you’re wondering about good fats, then these are monounsaturated fats, and omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fats. Fish contain polyunsaturated fats, which are the best kind. Little wonder that so many dieticians recommend fish in many dietary plans.

So, if you are serious about lowering and maintaining low cholesterol and fighting heart disease, pay attention to your diet. Make this your first step towards combating bad cholesterol.

To sum up, your diet to control high cholesterol should and preferably incorporate these foods:

A diet rich in natural starches, fiber and protein.
Keep your diet low in bad fats as well. Preferably, stay off bad fats completely. This combination gives you a diet rich in nutrients such as potassium, calcium and magnesium, which, aid in the lowering of blood pressure and can add years to your life. Think, more vegetables fruits and whole-grain foods such as oats, brown rice (instead of white rice) and whole-grain bread (instead of white bread). This combination also keeps your diet low in calories - which means - no extra pounds. Besides keeping you in good shape, this combination prevents any build-up of toxins in your intestines. You can get the necessary proteins from beans, eggs and fish. Protein aids in rebuilding your muscle cells and tissues. A diet involving this combination will not only form a natural source to reduce cholesterol, but will also improve your cardio-vascular system and prevent arthritis.
And remember, keep off deep-fried foods like French fries and if possible, keep off baked potatoes too. Replace white potatoes with yams and sweet potatoes.

Maybe, there is a best diet for high cholesterol after all!

This is just a snippet of what you will discover in The 60 Day Prescription Free Cholesterol Cure. To uncover more tips and ideas about how you can diet to control high cholesterol effectively, visit http://mineyourmind.blogspot.com/ now to get the details and your health back on track!

Now’s your chance to dramatically lower your cholesterol, lead a healthier life and look and feel better without emptying your wallet on prescription drugs. Cut your risk of dying from a heart attack by half with simple, alternative but effective measures you can start implementing today! Get all the information you need about lowering your cholesterol naturally with the The 60 Day Prescription Free Cholesterol Cure at, http://mineyourmind.blogspot.com/

Lower Cholesterol - Learn How To Lower Cholesterol

2009-02-02T05:50:00.000-08:00

Lower cholesterol is something most people strive for. The problem is most people do not have the proper facts and knowledge to do so without prescription drugs. Physicians are, in most cases, not thorough in explanations of a low cholesterol diet when they suggest the first step in lowering high cholesterol. The result is the cholesterol test doesn’t show much if any change after a patient has tried a low cholesterol diet. The fact is, in most cases a patient with the right knowledge would know what questions to ask the physician and what foods and exercise work to lower cholesterol.

High Saturated Fat Foods Substitutes

There are many foods that can be substituted for foods with high saturated fats while cooking favorite dishes. One of the best ways to lower your cholesterol intake is to substitute skim or 1% milk and milk products for whole or 2% milk and milk products. Many of the lower fat milk products have the same taste you are already used to. Changing from whole milk to skim milk may take more getting used to. A gradual change may be needed in that case, but once used to the taste of the lower fat milk, you’ll never want to change back. Substituting two egg whites to each whole egg called for in dishes or in baked goods is also an option.

Buying choice cut meats with less fat is also a great way to cut down on LDL “bad” cholesterol in the diet. Cooking meals with more poultry and fish instead of red meats also helps considerably. Processed meats should be avoided as much as possible, if chosen for a meal they should be the low-fat variety and boiled before baked when possible to cook out more of the fat.

Try using extra virgin olive oil when possible instead of other oils as extra virgin olive oil actually helps in lowering LDL cholesterol levels and boosting HDL ”good” cholesterol. For example, eggs fried with extra virgin olive oil have a very delicious taste to them. Lower cholesterol doesn’t have to be a life long chore, once you get used to the changes made in your everyday life, you won’t even think about it.

Herbal and Natural Remedies

Quite often herbal and natural remedies can be implemented to help lower cholesterol. There are numerous options on the market. Herbal and natural remedies have become very popular world wide to help with a variety of health related problems, high cholesterol being one of the top health related problems addressed by herbal and natural remedies. New Zealand alone has many varieties of natural remedies for high cholesterol. It is always best to consult with your physician before stopping or starting any cholesterol treatment plan, as he or she may know something you don’t.

Cholesterol Lowering Diet - Learn About a Cholesterol Lowering Diet for Optimal Health

2009-01-30T22:46:00.000-08:00

A cholesterol lowering diet is usually one of the first steps physicians take to lower LDL cholesterol, which is the “bad” cholesterol. The other steps include regular exercise and weight loss. In a 1998 study, 103 male and female patients of diverse ages and ethnic backgrounds found that for every 1 percent drop in saturated fat, their was a 1 percent lowering of LDL in the patients. It is suggested that at least a six-month program of reduced dietary saturated fat and cholesterol, along with physical activity and weight control should be the primary treatment before resorting to drug therapy. In some cases the cholesterol lowering diet doesn’t lower the LDL cholesterol sufficiently, possibly due to genetically predisposal to high blood cholesterol, and then physicians tend to lean toward prescription drugs.

Statin Drugs and Their Side Effects

It has been stated that approximately 9 million Americans are on some type of drug therapy for high cholesterol. One of the most prescribed types of drugs is the statin drugs. The statin prescriptions quite often have a slew of side effects that can be worse than the high LDL itself. The statin drugs can block the manufacture of important nutrients like CoQ10, which has been determined to benefit heart health. Other side effects may include debilitating muscle pain, liver problems, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headaches and a skin rash. Aching muscles are extremely common among the statin drug users and can be a sign that body tissues are breaking down and can lead to kidney failure.

Natural Products without Side Effects

The statin drugs tend to get prescribed more than they need to be and quite often in larger doses than necessary. Another option that could be implemented along with a cholesterol lowering diet would be one of the natural products that are on the market. The natural products can help lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol, which is the “good” cholesterol without all the side effects. These natural products may help lower LDL cholesterol and possibly replace statin drugs that have been previously prescribed with the support of the prescribing physician.

Thinking about High Cholesterol

A cholesterol lowering diet would be beneficial to most people, even those who have no history of high cholesterol, as it is difficult to live in today’s fast paced society with all the fast food, which is the leading cause of high cholesterol, without developing high cholesterol at some point in life. Researching the options available for treating high cholesterol before seeking the advice of a physician may help one steer away from the problem of cholesterol lowering drugs being prescribed more than necessary.

Lowering Cholesterol - Our Guide For Lowering Cholesterol

2009-01-27T00:14:00.000-08:00

Lowering cholesterol is easier for some people than others. There are a few known factors to this problem. Many experts deduce that genetics is one of the major causes to it being harder for some people to lower their cholesterol on their own without prescription drugs. Another factor may be simply lack of whole hearted effort and/or willingness in following the suggested diet and exercise routine to lower cholesterol naturally. Another reason is lack of knowledge. Many times research is not done thoroughly before starting a regimen worthy of lowering cholesterol. One of the main misconceptions when trying to lower cholesterol levels is that simply avoiding fatty foods that have cholesterol listed on their labels is enough to do the trick.

Thoroughness

While it is not possible to change the genetics that may make it harder to lower cholesterol, it is possible to be thorough in the effort to reduce LDL cholesterol, “bad” cholesterol, levels. Lowering cholesterol requires the knowledge of what foods need to be avoided and what foods need to be added to the diet. Lowering cholesterol in the diet takes more than just reading labels. Even if LDL cholesterol is avoided, tests may not come back with satisfactory results as it is equally important to raise HDL cholesterol, “good” cholesterol, and to have physical activity maintained or added to everyday life. Addition to Cholesterol Lowering Diet

There are products that can help with lowering levels of LDL cholesterol when a cholesterol lowering diet does not work well enough. Physicians tend to lean toward prescription drug therapy when diet and exercise does not lower the levels significantly. The downfall of these drugs is, as with most prescriptions, that the side affects that can range from mere annoyance to serious health issues. Some of these side effects may include: diarrhea, constipation, severe muscle cramps with possible muscle and tissue damage that can lead to heart failure, and nausea. Another viable option may be one of the natural products that are on the market.

The natural products do not have the side effects of drug therapy. Many of those products may even have benefits for other health issues as well. As with any other health related issue it is always best to discuss the treatment plan with a physician as there could be many different factors involved in high cholesterol treatment.

Benefits of Regular Exercise

No matter which method of lowering cholesterol is chosen, experts agree that results are more impressive when regular exercise is added to the equation. Regular exercise helps keep the blood flowing well, which in turn helps the body move cholesterol to the liver for excretion once the cholesterol has served its purpose helping to build cell walls and produce hormones such as estrogen and testosterone.

Natural Ways To Lower Cholesterol - 5 Natural Treatment Tips To Lower Cholesterol Quickly

2009-01-13T02:25:00.000-08:00

How long does it take to lower cholesterol? That is a question that seems to plague almost anyone who suffers from high cholesterol. If you’re suffering from high cholesterol, lowering your cholesterol level can never be fast enough; whether you're seeking a natural way to lower cholesterol or via some other alternative treatment. According to an article by CNN in November 2006, “more than 70 million Americans live everyday with some form of heart disease." And the number is expected to rise steadily over the next 10 years.

Heart disease is America’s number one killer and probably, the number one killer in the industrialized world. The myth being perpetuated that cholesterol is never high before the age 40 is exactly that – a myth. Don’t believe a word of it.

The facts necessitate a quick guide to lowering your cholesterol quickly – preferably opting for a natural and alternative treatment for high cholesterol.

But first … for some good news. Cholesterol … contrary to popular belief … is not the cause of heart disease. The inflammation of arteries does that. Heart attacks occur in people with normal cholesterol levels. That’s right. There's a lot of misinformation being passed around that cholesterol is bad - that cholesterol is the cause of heart disease. That's so far from the truth. In fact, your body needs cholesterol to stay healthy. Your body uses cholesterol to produce hormones, vitamin D and bile acids to digest fat. And the truth of the matter is - your body requires only a small amount of cholesterol in the blood to meet these needs.

So why should you worry about lowering your cholesterol levels and maintaining it preferably at less than 200mg./dl.? Because failure in doing so can lead to the inflammation of your arteries ... and that is when cardiovascular events like heart attacks will occur. It's only when you have too much cholesterol in your bloodstream (referred to as hypercholesterolemia) that problems start to arise. And this is where you need to pay attention. Because a high cholesterol level ... let's say … north of 250, can and will lead to problems such as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis clogs arteries including your coronary arteries (arteries that feed the heart) and if left unchecked overtime, will lead to heart disease like angina and heart attack.

This is why you need to lower your cholesterol level and why it's so important to keep those levels in check. Statins such as Zocor and Lipitor may be powerful, cholesterol-lowering drugs and helps to some extent, but ... whether you believe it or not ... these can cause more damage (liver toxicity is a common side effect) than good to your body in the long run. You don't need these ill-effects creeping into your life just as you're about to kick back and enjoy your retirement.

Don't get me wrong ... I'm all for taking prescriptions drugs under doctor's orders if no other alternatives are made available. I'm sure you'll agree with that.

But I’m about to show you 5 tips you can go about lowering your unhealthy cholesterol levels without drugs right now – and fast!

Here’s how to lower your cholesterol the natural way:

Consume more “healthy" fats

You must have heard of monounsaturated fats. Usually found in some types of nuts like almonds and walnuts, olive oils, canola oils and avocados. These “healthy" fats lower “bad" cholesterol (LDLs – Low-Density Lipoproteins) but at the same time, help maintain the “good" cholesterol (HDLs – High-Density Lipoproteins).

Your doctor can vouch for the fact that consuming monounsaturated fat instead of saturated fat can lower your cholesterol levels quite drastically. You would have probably come across health advice about lowering cholesterol such as, “Replace whole milk with skim milk," “Cut down on that refined sugar," or “Dump butter for margarine." Most of that information is true except for dumping butter for margarine. Margarine increases the bad cholesterol and even worse, lowers the good cholesterol – almost tripling the risk of a coronary heart disease.

Don’t believe the TV ads and stay away from margarine. Dr. Allan Spreen calls margarine, “plastic butter." And he has a point. Why? Because being hydrogenated, margarine is in fact one molecule away from actually being plastic – no kidding! To put it mildly, you’re actually about one molecule away from eating Tupperware. You’re more than welcome to carry out a simple test to prove this. All you have to do is leave a container of butter and a container of margarine out for a while and watch. It will only be a matter of time when you see flies hovering your container of butter - avoiding the margarine altogether. If it's not good enough for flies, you know you're in trouble!

Lower your intake of “bad" fat

Lowering cholesterol without drugs begins with this very important step – simply limit your consumption of saturated fat. Saturated fat is said to stimulate your liver to produce LDLs – or bad cholesterol that would simply clog up your arteries. According to Dr William Castelli, co-author of Good Fat, Bad Fat, he recommended that a smart diet to help lower cholesterol would take into consideration the amount of “bad" fat consumed per day – ideally being 20 grams a day. And that’s just for those who are healthy.

A good idea would be to simply check your food labels when grocery shopping to get a sense of how much fat grams will be going into your body at any given day. Make this a habit because a simple precautionary measure like this can mean a lot to your long-term health.

Also, take note of trans-fatty acids. The name probably already gives it away – it is another bad fat. Trans-fatty acids are chemically processed and will not only raise your total cholesterol levels but can also lower your HDLs. These acids are usually found in deep-fried fast foods, biscuits, shortenings and packaged pastries. They’re not usually indicated on food labels so be extra prudent about your food choices.

Get a blood test

You will want to get a blood test if you find yourself gaining weight, losing hair, feeling depressed, feeling more tired than usual, more sensitive to cold than usual and sudden stiffening of your joints. These could be symptoms of an underactive thyroid – medically termed as hypothyroidism. Diagnosing this condition with a blood test could nip the problem in the bud and save you from a rising cholesterol level.

While you’re at it, ask your doctor to check your homocysteine level as well. Recent studies are pointing towards homocysteine as a better predictor of cardiovascular events. And there is a connection between hypothyroidism, homocysteine and heart disease. If you have an underactive thyroid, this prevents the absorption of B vitamins – causing homocysteine levels to shoot up. The result is a 300 percent risk of a heart attack.

A good homocysteine level is under 8. Anything above that and your doctor should be able to prescribe you some supplements. These supplements would usually center around vitamins B2, B6, B12 and folate.

Can I have my eggs back?

Yes, you definitely can. According to the British Nutrition Foundation's Nutrition Bulletin, dietary cholesterol in eggs "has no clinically significant impact" on heart disease. In fact, eggs are such a rich source of nutrients that avoiding them could cause more damage than good to your health.

I mentioned homocysteine. Well, according to a study from Harvard Medical School, choline may be effective in managing homocysteine. And where is choline found? You guessed it. Eggs. In fact the best source of choline is egg yolks. But if you’re someone with elevated cholesterol or heart disease, you should check with your doctor about the number of eggs you can consume per week. Such cases are usually limited to two eggs per week.

Stop smoking and get moving!

Those are two obvious actions to take to keep your body in good working order. If you’re overweight, you can be sure that your HDL readings will be low. Shed the weight and watch your HDLs rise. It’s quite difficult to raise HDLs by dieting alone. You will need the combination of regular exercising and watching what you eat. Exercising helps in lowering your triglycerides (a blood fat linked to heart disease) as well. If you are serious about lowering your cholesterol levels, pay attention to triglycerides. Because apart from clogging up your coronary arteries, high triglycerides can lead to kidney disease and pancreatitis.

There is not much to be said about smoking that has not been said already. It’s just bad. Smoking depresses HDLs considerably. It is a cause of heart and blood-vessel disease and basically causes irreversible damage to your overall health. There are no two ways about it. Smoking kills.

Here is a rough checklist to monitor your cholesterol levels and as always, consult with your doctor.

LDLs

Keep it less than 130mg./dl. Anything above 160mg./dl. is high.

HDLS

The higher the better. 35mg./dl. or less increases the risk of heart-disease.

Triglycerides

Keep it less than 150mg./dl. Anything above 200mg./dl. is high.

Total cholesterol

This is the combined measure of all blood cholesterols. Keep this less than 200mg./dl. Anything above 240mg./dl. is high.

This is just a snippet of what you will discover in The 60 Day Prescription Free Cholesterol Cure. To learn more natural ways to lowering cholesterol, visit http://mineyourmind.blogspot.com now to get the details and your health back on track!

HDL Cholesterol Helps You Combat LDL Cholesterol

2008-11-04T01:45:00.000-08:00

Most of the folks often end up presuming that cholesterol is a negative component of body and probably it has got no constructive role to play in over all functioning of the body. If you happen to be one with this presumption better acquaint yourself with more information on cholesterol.

I am sure, once you go through this article, you would no longer think that cholesterol is only a menace for the body.

Cholesterol is a popular name of two important Lipoproteins of the body that serve vital purposes of hormonal functions, nerve protection and cell formation. These Lipoproteins are popularly known as HDL and LDL. LDL happens to be bad cholesterol as its excess deposition results in various complications. But HDL has all positives associated with it and is thus termed as good cholesterol. HDL happens to be an essential content of our body and performs various vital functions.

Most important function that HDL performs is curbing LDL menace by bringing LDL back to liver from arteries. By performing this task HDL greatly contributes in checking plaque formation and in turn helps prevent coronary artery diseases. With high level of HDL you have little chances of falling prey to strokes. With an addition of one mg per dL of HDL you are likely to reduce around five percent risk of stroke.

So you must try to gain high level of HDL cholesterol. At least you should try to maintain recommended level of HDL that is forty mg per dL. A little higher level of HDL could do well for the body but its level must not exceed sixty mg per dL. Usually greater part of total cholesterol is contributed by bad cholesterol so doctors often recommend to raise the level of HDL by consuming HDL rich food in order to prevent a surge in LDL or bad cholesterol. HDL cholesterol rises once you give up consuming high cholesterol diet and opt for low cholesterol food instead. Dietary ways of increasing HDL also includes a good number of herbal supplements. For example Niacin and chromium are of great help in increasing HDL level. You can opt for it's consumption to raise HDL.

So folks! Gear up to combat bad cholesterol or LDL by undergoing lifestyle changes to bring a surge in level of HDL or good cholesterol and enjoy a healthy life-- free of cardiovascular maladies.

To get more information on cholesterol, cholestrol diets and cholestrol exercises visit www.urcholesterol.com

Cholesterol - How to Cut Out High Cholesterol Food

2008-10-30T02:55:00.000-07:00

It is vital to decrease cholesterol in your diet if you are diagnosed with high cholesterol. The optimal way to get at that excess of cholesterol is certainly, to check out your high cholesterol food consumption, and then change it to reduce the amount of those foods in your diet.

Of course, you should replace them with healthier alternatives and even contemplate combining your diet changes with medication that can help the processing of those foods in your system. You can transform the way your entire system works with a few changes in your diet and by adding some healthy medication from your doctor.

Diets high in saturated fats are the main the cause of a high cholesterol food diet, therefore taking a look at the content in your diet of saturated fat is a great place to start. Consuming foods high in cholesterol also helps boost the level of cholesterol in your diet, obviously, but it is the saturated fats that in fact the most harmful in the way of high cholesterol food. It may sound puzzling at first, but with some consideration of the foods we eat which are high in saturated fats, it will become clear what the connection is. A cautious dietary change to lower the levels of both food types is advantageous.

Some of the most popular forms of high cholesterol food look innocent at first, but a closer examination of their content actually exposes a deplorable level of cholesterol. A single boiled egg, for instance, has about 225mg of cholesterol in it. Butter, cheddar cheese, ice cream, and cream cheese are all elevated in cholesterol, too.

While demoralizing to read, these are the facts. Other foods high in cholesterol include lamb and beef or steak; proteins add up to more cholesterol for your body. Taking a close look at the quantity of these food types in your diet can be a good class in controlling your food intake.

Staying away from high cholesterol food is one part of the struggle. The other part is adding more foods that are low in cholesterol. These include grains, vegetables, fruit, seeds, nuts, and polyunsaturated oils. A cautious incorporation of more of those foods and less of the high cholesterol food ones will help lower your overall levels and will help cut down on the treacherous saturated fats as well.

Want to know about normal cholesterol level and cholesterol lowering drugs? Visit medopedia.com.

Avoiding Cholesterol in Foods Won't Lower Your Cholesterol

2008-10-20T04:10:00.000-07:00

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

Free weekly newsletter on fitness, health and nutrition

Lower Cholesterol with Diet, Not Drugs

Low Cholesterol Foods and Lowering Your Cholesterol

2008-10-13T05:28:00.000-07:00

Low Cholesterol foods - diet necessity or diet nonsense?

What are low cholesterol foods?

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

Cholesterol: A Quick Guide to Good and Bad Cholesterol

2008-07-22T23:26:00.000-07:00

Cholesterol is a fatty, waxy substance which is absolutely essential to the function of the body and all of its cells. It enables the body to function properly by keeping cell membranes intact. When there is too much cholesterol in the body it can cause clogged arteries. If not diagnosed and treated, clogged arteries can put you at risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

How does it all work? Cholesterol is manufactured in the liver.There are two kinds of cholesterol: High Density Lipoproteins (HDL), also known as the "good cholesterol" and Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL), also known as the "bad cholesterol". Lipoproteins are the vehicle by which the cholesterol is transported through the body. HDL is considered "good" because it transports the cholesterol back to the liver where it is removed. This is why it is desirable to have a high level of HDL in the blood. HDL is made up mostly of protein with just a little fat.

LDL, on the other hand, is made up mostly of fat and can cause the arteries to become clogged. It does this by depositing a thick substance called "plaque" along the walls of the arteries, thereby narrowing them and preventing the flow of blood and oxygen. This process is called atherosclerosis. If not enough oxygen reaches the heart you may experience pain. This pain is known as angina and is usually felt in the chest area and/or in the left arm and shoulder.

Cholesterol levels in the blood are influenced by both diet and heredity. Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a very common inherited disorder. People who suffer from FH have a tendency to develop atherosclerosis and heart attacks at a young age. Some people have high cholesterol as a result of their diet and can control it by making dietary changes. In extreme cases doctors prescribe Statin drugs, which lower LDL, but which also come along with a myriad of unpleasant side effects.

There are many different foods in your daily diet that can help reduce LDL and raise HDL levels. By increasing your awareness of what these foods are and incorporating them into your daily diet you can both ward off unhealthy levels of cholesterol and also help treat high cholesterol. For example, soluble fiber reduces the amount of LDL in the blood. This is present in oatmeal, legumes, apples, pears, carrots, sweet potatoes and other foods. Omega 3 oils have been found to lower LDL while raising HDL. Omega 3 oils are present in fish like salmon, halibut and tuna. Flax is also a rich source of Omega 3.

There are also foods that dieticians recommend that you avoid in order to lower cholesterol levels. Foods such as trans fats (all hydrogenated fats). These fats are present in all commercially baked goods. Margarine is a definite no-no. Saturated fats are controversial. Most doctors recommend avoiding them but there has been research that shows that saturated fats do not cause elevated cholesterol, so the jury is still "out" on saturated fats. Blueberries and walnuts are both heart healthy foods that have been found to lower cholesterol too. Exercising regularly can increase HDL numbers and is therefore recommended. Of course, exercise is recommended for just about every ailment under the sun and is essential to one's well being.

The bottom line is that it is important for everyone to perform bloodtests at a regular interval to determine if they suffer from high cholesterol. As mentioned above, cholesterol can often be regulated by diet and exercise. Knowledge is power!! Go out and perform that simple blood test!

Lynn Ruder is a health researcher with a wealth of knowledge on many health related topics. Visit her blog at http://www.lowercholesterol.blogspot.com to learn more about cholesterol.

Cholesterol: A Quick Guide to Good and Bad Cholesterol

2008-07-04T22:37:00.000-07:00

Lynn Ruder is a health researcher with a wealth of knowledge on many health related topics. Visit her blog at http://www.lowercholesterol.blogspot.com to learn more about cholesterol.

A Cholesterol Chart: What Numbers Reveal About Good And Bad Cholesterol

2008-06-29T22:50:00.000-07:00

A cholesterol chart can be a big help when trying to get an idea of where your blood cholesterol levels should fall. This can be a valuable tool, helping to fix this information in your mind.

It may be helpful to attach a normal cholesterol level chart to the wall so that you can become better acquainted with relevant numbers, especially if you are attempting to achieve healthful blood levels.

A cholesterol chart can spell out what you need to be aware of in simple terms, showing target ranges for cholesterol levels. Your doctor may give you one or you may be able to locate one online.

What levels would a normal cholesterol level chart show? Where should you be?

Total Cholesterol 200 or lower
Low Density Cholesterol 130 or lower
(High Density Cholesterol 50 or higher)
Triglycerides 150 or lower

What other numbers would a cholesterol chart reveal? What about “borderline high” or “high risk” blood cholesterol levels?

Borderline High
Total Cholesterol 200-240
Low Density Cholesterol 130-160
(High Density Cholesterol 50-35)
Triglycerides 150-500

High Risk
Total Cholesterol 240 or higher
Low Density Cholesterol 240 or higher
(High Density Cholesterol 35 or lower)
Triglycerides 500 or higher

When looking at a normal cholesterol level chart, how do you make sense of the numbers? It helps to have an understanding about the different kinds of cholesterol.

You may be wondering, for example, why HDL levels should be higher. Most people associate high levels with high cholesterol. HDL is the exception. It is actually beneficial, carrying LDL cholesterol away from the blood and helping in processes that lead to its elimination.

LDL, on the other hand, contributes to deposits in the arteries, causing narrowing and hardening, obstructing blood flow, and precipitating coronary problems.

Triglycerides are derived from fats eaten in foods or made in the body. Unused calories are converted to triglycerides and then transported to fat cells to be stored. Excess triglycerides can spell trouble and are linked to coronary artery disease for some people.

It could be said that the numbers in a cholesterol chart are a window on cardiovascular health.

Keeping a normal cholesterol level chart close by can help you to get a handle on cholesterol ranges and can be a reminder of where levels should be.

If you are wondering what can help your blood cholesterol levels, adopting healthful habits can make a difference. “Stop smoking,” “reduce stress,” and “get active” are all good maxims.

Changing the way you eat also is a heart-friendly measure.
Avoid trans-fats
Avoid saturated fats
Cut down on salt

Almonds, walnuts, and blueberries are thought to be particularly beneficial. Oat bran, avocadoes, oranges, apples, pears and grapes, beans and soybeans, flax seeds, garlic, mushrooms, fatty fish, and oils such as olive, canola, flaxseed, and sesame should become regular menu items.

Other plant-derived compounds can protect hearth health and cardiovascular functioning. These have been clinically tested for their effectiveness.

Policosanol (derived from beeswax) is an exciting, widely researched substance that inhibits hepatic cholesterol synthesis. It can lower LDL and raise HDL, assisting you to reach desired numbers such as seen on a standard cholesterol chart. D-limonene, a compound in orange peel oil, also reduces cholesterol.

Other studies have shown a correlation between vitamin E and lower rates of ischemic heart disease. Selenium has been discovered to be preventative, in relation to atherosclerosis and stroke. Beta-sitosterol is used for treating hypercholesterolemia and coronary heart disease.

Taking a natural supplement offers additional insurance against coronary problems and can help to bring cholesterol into desired ranges such as those seen on a normal cholesterol level chart.

Consult with your doctor and a nutritionist, make lifestyle changes, change what you eat, and become familiar with relevant numbers on your cholesterol chart. With these common sense approaches, you can reduce risk factors.

Athlyn Green is an avid health enthusiast with an interest in natural remedies for treatment of health disorders. She has contributed to Normal Cholesterol Level Chart, a section of http://www.healthy-cholesterol-guide.com dedicated to natural treatments for high cholesterol and heart disease prevention.

Foods To Lower Cholesterol - Types Of Food To Eat For High Cholesterol, Revealed

2008-06-23T23:26:00.000-07:00

If you have been asking yourself about what type of foods to lower cholesterol levels should you consume on a daily basis, I can only assume that you are taking your health very seriously. So here is the good news. There is no need to travel to the jungles of Borneo to seek out a certain, exotic food to eat for high cholesterol. Every list of foods that help to lower cholesterol can be found at your local mart.

Cholesterol reducing diets does not mean liquid diets. You can be assured that there are actually numerous choices of food to eat for high cholesterol. But it is helpful to remember that a daily consumption of cholesterol is usually recommended at or below 100 milligrams per day.

Quite obviously, it is a cumbersome task to keep track of the amount of cholesterol consumed per day, so, here is a handy tip - cholesterol is found in products of animal origin. Knowing this, you can roughly gauge the type of foods that lower your cholesterol (Nutritionists recommend writing down and keeping track of your daily intake of calories, cholesterol, etc.).

Foods to lower cholesterol – Meat, Rice, Vegetables and Potatoes

As alluded to earlier, going on a cholesterol reducing diet does not mean starving yourself of the good stuff. Take meat for example. Though cholesterol is found in products of animal origin, this does not mean you have to become a vegetarian. You can reduce cholesterol levels simply by removing the fats from meat, throwing in a couple of vegetables and stir-fry them.

“But, isn’t oil bad for my cholesterol,” you ask? Not vegetable oils like, canola, safflower and olive oils. But, a better alternative would be cooking sprays. You can save on fats and calories with such sprays. It would be a good idea to use cooking sprays instead of oils and they do come in a variety of flavors as well.

Rice and potatoes go great with that meat and vegetable dish but why don’t you substitute white rice for brown rice? Brown rice contains more nutrients. And try yams or sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes for better nutritional value as well. While you are at it, keep an eye out on your portion size. If you really want your food to help lower cholesterol, then monitor your intake of food per serving. You can be guilty of eating too much of the right foods.

Keep consumption of red meat like beef, to about once a week. Make it a habit to eat more fish, or even shellfish. You would have probably heard that shellfish is high in cholesterol but in fact, shellfish are far less rich in cholesterol and contains less fat than red meat. Chicken makes for a good addition to foods that reduce cholesterol too (just remove the skin and fats).

When you are removing saturated fat from your diet, you are not just lowering your bad cholesterol, but you are also reducing your risk of getting diabetes, digestive disorders and even certain kinds of cancer.

Foods to lower cholesterol – Soup

So many folks underestimate the power of soup when it comes to health. Soup should really be added to the list of foods that help to lower cholesterol. It is a great example of moderating your food portions as soup is usually taken with a spoon (unless you are from certain parts of Asia where drinking soup from a bowl is a sign of respect). Minestrone soup is a good way to go. Be creative with what you add to it. You can make soup a main meal by taking it with wholegrain bread.

And when it comes to vegetables, there is no shortage of variety. Nutritionists usually recommend eating vegetables of a different variety as often as possible to extract the best possible nutritional value from them. So, look up on all the different kinds of vegetables available and add them to your list of foods. If you are ever stuck on what kind of food to eat to lower cholesterol, you will never go wrong with vegetables.

Foods to lower cholesterol – Sandwiches and Salads

Who can resist a tuna or chicken sandwich? Almost everybody loves a good sandwich and it is another fantastic addition to - food to eat for high cholesterol. What will make a good sandwich even better for health is to lay that tuna or chicken in whole grain bread. Replace regular mayonnaise with low-fat mayonnaise. Sandwiches are ideal for a low-fat meal and it is so quick and easy to make. Do not overlook its simplicity. You can create a great-tasting cholesterol reducing sandwich in as little as five minutes for all the nutritional value you can get for a day.

Salads are another fantastic addition to your diet, but you should keep in mind that regular dressing and croutons are high in fat and calories. Go for the low-fat options to reap the benefits of a salad dish. Again, add a variety of vegetables with chicken or fish. Like soups, salads can be made into a main dish.

Food to eat for high cholesterol – Fibrous Food

Here is something else to think about – recent studies have shown that we need to consume at least 35 grams of fiber a day to reduce the risk of suffering from heart disease. This proves you need to consume fiber found in certain types of foods - to reduce bad cholesterol. There are so many benefits you reap from a fiber-rich diet that it is impossible to list all of them here. But, know that grabbing an apple instead of a bag of chips is a very wise choice for someone trying to eat to lower cholesterol!

How you can get more fiber into your day

Start your day off with whole-grain cereal topped with bananas, raisins and berries.
Fit more vegetables into your main meals as mentioned earlier. But to gain more fiber out of vegetables, try eating them raw, microwave or steaming vegetables instead of frying them.
Instead of juicing fruits, eat them as they are with the skin on where possible. You are extracting every bit of fiber from fruits this way. Snack on fruits instead of the usual chemically laden products. This is a great way to curb your appetite and lose weight at the same time because fiber-rich foods, such as fruits are more filling than other types of food.
Throw in beans where you can - like into soups, salads and stews.

A powerful natural source to reduce cholesterol - Garlic

Such a common spice but yet one of the most powerful natural medicines for lowering cholesterol could already be lying about in your kitchen. Studies have been proven to show that garlic has the properties to ease the damaging effects of cholesterol on your artery walls, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, stop the growth of cancer cells, fight infections and prevent heart attacks. Add to that, garlic has been proven to stop the heart from aging.

Garlic is such a powerful source of medication for lowering cholesterol and maintaining a healthy heart that it would be silly not to include this common yet wonderful spice to your daily diet. Work garlic into soups, pastas, stews whole-wheat French bread, vegetables, etc. Sometimes the most common types of food are the best types of cure.

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Now’s your chance to dramatically lower your cholesterol, lead a healthier life and look and feel better without emptying your wallet on prescription drugs. Cut your risk of dying from a heart attack by half with simple, alternative but effective measures you can start implementing today! Get all the information you need about lowering your high cholesterol naturally with the The 60 Day Prescription Free Cholesterol Cure at, http://mineyourmind.blogspot.com/

Cholesterol - Lower Bad Cholesterol With The Right Diet

2008-06-17T23:46:00.000-07:00

Unless you've been living in a cave for the past 10 years, you've probably heard of bad cholesterol. As featured in many books, magazines, diet commercials and TV shows, bad cholesterol has been implicated as the leading cause of many heart-related illnesses. The best way to make sure bad cholesterol does not enter your system is to start with your diet.

1. Limit your intake of saturated fat

Use low-fat or non-fat milk and milk products including cheese and yogurt. They are great substitutes for other dairy products that contain bad cholesterol. Skim milk, for example, is a better choice than whole milk while low-fat yogurt is better than regular whipped cream.

2. Base your meals on fiber found in whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Whole-grain breads, pastries, oatmeal and oat bran provide the right bulk to help you get rid of unnecessary fats and lower your bad cholesterol levels. They also help you lose weight. You can also keep bad cholesterol levels down by eating regular servings of fruits and vegetables. As little as 1 to 2g servings of fiber-rich foods daily can help lower your bad cholesterol by at least 1%.

3. Keep animal fat intake low

Good sources of animal protein include fish, chicken, turkey and lean cuts of red meat. These foods can be included in your diet and help lower your bad cholesterol, provided that you keep to the recommended serving amount. However, you can substitute the animal protein found in your diet using soy protein found in soy and soy products. As little as 25g of soy protein has been shown to lower bad cholesterol when used as part of your diet.

4. When cookies go bad

Another type of bad cholesterol you need to monitor in your diet is hydrogenated fat, often found in common foods as trans-fat. Trans-fat are known to disrupt metabolism and are toxic to the body. These include foods such as cookies, pastries, crackers and almost all processed foods. Also unsafe are foods that include white flour, MSG (monosodiumglutamate), aspartame and sodium nitrate, often found in food as additives.

To learn more diet tips to lower your cholesterol, visit http://www.diettolowercholesterol101.com

What Causes High Blood Cholesterol? - Tips on Lowering Cholesterol

2008-06-09T03:36:00.000-07:00

What cause high blood cholesterol? There are many factors causes high blood cholesterol levels, some of these factors are within your control, some are not and people lifestyle affect cholesterol levels too.

What causes high blood cholesterol? The following factors are the most important cause’s high blood cholesterol.

• Heredity plays a role in high cholesterol. Your genes can influence your LDL by affecting how fast it is made and removed from your blood. There is one particular form of inherited high cholesterol that will often lead to early heart disease. It is called familial “hypercholesterolemia” which means that very high cholesterol levels run in the family and can play a role in 1 of 500 people.

• Weight is a factor in determining your LDL. If you are overweight and have a high LDL level, try to losing those pounds may help you to lower it. And also losing weight helps to lower triglycerides and raise your HDL.

• What you eat. Eating too much saturated fat and cholesterol is the main reason for high levels of cholesterol because your body makes more cholesterol, and raising your blood cholesterol levels. You can reduce your cholesterol level by cutting down on the amount of saturated fat (animal fat and dairy products) and cholesterol you eat.

• Age and sex should be considered as well. Women, before menopause, usually have total cholesterol levels that are lower than men, because they get a natural boost in their HDL cholesterol from their hormones. But after Menopause can cause an increase in LDL and a decrease in HDL. After the age of 50 women often have higher total cholesterol levels than men of the same age.

• Stress may contribute to raise blood cholesterol level. When people are under stress, they may do something that can affect their behavior such as smoking, alcohol, or eat fatty foods to console themselves.

• Exercise regularly can increase HDL ‘good’ cholesterol and decrease LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol.

There are some factors that can cause high blood cholesterol levels. Now you understand how high cholesterol can be serious problem to your health that can lead to heart attack and stroke, so Lower your cholesterol is important for key to prevent this problem. Read more : Lowering Cholesterol Naturally

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Lower Your Cholesterol Naturally - Cholesterol Through The Mouth

2008-06-06T23:45:00.000-07:00

If you have high cholesterol, you should educate yourself about the natural options that are available to you, to help lower your cholesterol, before diving head first into taking prescription medications…which are generally loaded with side effects, some of which can be dangerous and even fatal.

There are various options available to you, to help lower your cholesterol naturally and reduce or eliminate your risk of heart disease. You just need to arm yourself with the right information.

You probably know by now that cholesterol is made in the liver and your liver makes ALL the cholesterol that your body needs! Yes, you heard right...your liver makes ALL the cholesterol that your body needs!

With that being said, the major way that you get high cholesterol, is through the mouth! Because your liver makes ALL the cholesterol that your body needs, excess cholesterol must come through your mouth, from the foods you eat.

Lowering your cholesterol is as simple as making some changes to certain habits that you’ve formed. The first place to start is by looking at the kinds of foods you eat. Let’s face it, if we were a bit more careful with what we ate, we most likely wouldn’t have high cholesterol levels.

In saying that, the following statement would be true…”you’re as healthy as what you eat”.

And isn’t it amazing that something so simple could cure a major world health problem?

You see, food and what you eat should be the foundation of any healthy lifestyle. Food was meant to be enjoyed, and there are hundreds of delicious foods that are low in fat and cholesterol. The availability of low-fat and non-fat foods in supermarkets makes your “health journey” more enjoyable.

By changing your diet, you can reduce several of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Most important among these is lowering your LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol levels. By making some changes and improving what you eat, you can reduce your risk of heart attack by around 20% to 30%. That’s right…20% to 30%!

There are many benefits, apart from just lowering your cholesterol, that can be enjoyed by improving your diet…these include:

• Lowering high blood pressure
• Reducing body fat
• Improving your blood sugar count
• Reducing the risk of a blood clot
• etc

Following is a brief outline of some steps that you can take to improve your diet and help to lower your cholesterol:

Reduce The Total Calories Generally, the more you weigh over and above your ideal weight, the greater your risk of heart disease.

Please note that you should never attempt to lose weight irrationally by following a fad diet. Instead do it slowly and progressively…this will help to form new habits and makes it easier to follow

Simply cut down on foods that are rich in fat and cut down on your alcohol intake

Reduce Saturated Fats Saturated fats have the most influential effect on raising LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. By just cutting out butter and using low-fat diary products you can shave 20% off your saturated fat intake.

Junk foods and fast foods generally have a high percentage of saturated fats, so stay away from them. Diary foods and eggs also generally have high saturated fat content. Please note: be really careful when using coconut or palm kernel oils as these have more saturated fat than lard!

Reduce Sugar Intake Generally about 20% of calories, in a typical diet, come from sugar. “Empty” calories from sugar; take up space in your diet, restricting the intake of more nutritious foods, which can provide protein, vitamins and minerals

Increase Fiber Soluble fiber has been known to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol; without reducing HDL (good) cholesterol. Eat more fruits and vegetables, oat and corn bran and dried peas and beans. Around 40 grams per day can help to reduce cholesterol by 10%

Increase Fish Fish oil has been shown to markedly lower triglyceride levels. Studies have also shown a direct link between eating fish and fewer heart attacks. Try to eat fish at least 2 to 3 times a week

There you have it, some simple guidelines to lowering your cholesterol and greatly improving your health. Sounds simple, yes…but to really make a change you have to focus on changing some habits and the best way to do that is to do it in small progressive steps.

Start now by taking some time out to reflect upon:

• The wrong kinds of foods that you have been buying

• What you will add and what will you eliminate from your shopping list from today and onwards

• The wrong kinds of snacks that you’ve been eating

• What you can substitute that will help you in your efforts

Also be very mindful when eating out (and I’m not just talking about fancy restaurants), because this is where most people fail when it comes to healthy eating!

Wishing you the very best in your endeavors

Ramzi Abboud
Lower-Cholesterol-Naturally-Fast

Ramzi Abboud is a recognized authority on the subject of lowering cholesterol. His website, http://www.lower-cholesterol-naturally-fast.com provides a wealth of information on every thing you’ll ever need to know about lowering cholesterol, including information on over 40 natural supplements that can help to melt away your high cholesterol levels

Lower Cholesterol - Can Your Low Cholesterol Level Be Bad?

2008-05-30T04:49:00.000-07:00

We know how importance lower cholesterol levels are. It can decrease our risk for heart disease, stroke and heart attack. But can our cholesterol levels be too low? Since our bodies make cholesterol it makes sense our body needs this chemical, but what happens if the body doesn't have the cholesterol it needs?

First, abnormally low cholesterol levels have been linked with anxiety, depression, suicide, and violent behavior. An article published in the periodical Psychosomatic Medicine in May of 1999 makes a startling revelation. It refers to a study of healthy young women with total cholesterol levels below 160 mg/dl. It reports these women were more likely to make high scores on tests used to measure levels of depression and anxiety than those with normal cholesterol levels.

Medical data has also shown men with low cholesterol levels are 50-80 percent more likely to be the victim of a homicide, suicide or fatal accident than those with normal cholesterol levels. Researchers suspect there may be a link between low cholesterol levels and low serotonin level. Serotonin is a "feel good" chemical found in the brain. People with low levels of serotonin are those who have problems with depression and anxiety. So, these lower cholesterol levels can cause depression.

Other studies into the effects of abnormally low cholesterol also show there may be some link between low blood cholesterol and cancer. Researchers are finding the lower the blood cholesterol level the higher the risk for cancer. Seemingly, the lower cholesterol levels may also increase your risk for cancer.

Perhaps the most surprising result of all is that having abnormally low cholesterol can increase your risk for a stroke. While it is generally reported to be the other way around, there are studies that show abnormally low levels of cholesterol can cause more strokes than high cholesterol. According to information in an article entitled The Cholesterol Myth posted on the website Second Opinions states studies of the Japanese people have backed up the fact lower cholesterol than normal may cause more strokes.

The Japanese were an ideal people for the stroke study because they have had a rapid change over the past couple of decades in their eating habits. They have evolved from eating a low cholesterol diet high in rice and vegetables to eating more high fat foods. While it seems the Japanese who ate a higher fat diet would be more likely to have strokes, the number of strokes has decreased among the Japanese as their dietary fat increased.

Further studies have shown there are two different types of strokes, those caused from clots and those caused from hemorrhaging. While high cholesterol does increase your risk of clot type strokes, research shows chances for a hemorrhagic stroke is increased by an abnormally low cholesterol level.

As you can see, while it is dangerous for your cholesterol to be too high, it is also dangerous for your levels to be too low. Research has shown that abnormally low cholesterol may be linked to depression and anxiety as well as an increase in strokes. Lower cholesterol may not necessarily be better.

Get the latest in lower cholesterol know how from the only true source at http://www.lowercholesterollog.com Check out our lower cholesterol pages.

Cholesterol, An Insight: Good Cholesterol and Bad Cholesterol

2008-05-27T04:39:00.000-07:00

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is an important part of cell membranes and is important to the structure and function of all of your body's cells. Liver makes about 80% of the cholesterol for your body. Animal products are the source for the rest of the 20% of cholesterol of the body.

First let get familiar with some widely used scientific terms. Cholesterol can either be good or cholesterol or bad cholesterol depending upon its usage and effects. Now, cholesterol is transferred in the body along with a protein. This cholesterol-protein package is called Lipoprotein. Good cholesterol is basically high-density lipoprotein(HDL) cholesterol which cleans up low density lipoprotein (LDL) from blood vessels. LDL is referred to as bad cholesterol as it combines with other substances to form plaques in blood vessels which are responsible for blockage in the blood vessels.

High amount of Cholesterol in your blood vessels shoots up your risk of cardiovascular disease. When the level of this waxy, fatty substance and triglycerides(blood fat) increases considerable, you get more likely to develop plaques in your blood vessels which furthers narrows the arteries slowly and gradually. Hence you are at larger risk to various heart-related diseases.

Do's And Dont's

. Go in for fibrous foods such as salads, fruits, soya milk, oats, soya flour etc

. Eat Omega-3 fatty acids mainly in fish such as salmon, mackerel etc

. Choose best fats for yourself such as olive oil.

. Don't take too much of flour, rice , lard, nuts etc

. Also avoid animal products like red meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products, butter, cheese etc

. Avoid oils like coconut, palm or any other tropical oils.

. Keep date with your gym or exercise schedule and do visit a doctor for perfect guidance.

About the Author

Jasdeep : for http://weightloss-health.com/ your complete and most comprehensive family guide on Health.

Also get free tips and tricks on weight loss and a chance to go through other informative articles targetting various health issues at http://weightloss-health.com/Articles.htm

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Understanding Cholesterol - What is Cholesterol and Why Do You Want Lower Cholesterol?

2008-05-25T22:47:00.000-07:00

There is quite a bit of confusion about cholesterol. What is HDL? What is LDL? Which one is bad for you to have too much of?

In order to understand why it is essential to lower your cholesterol, it is required that you first have a handle on what cholesterol is.

Cholesterol is a fatlike waxy substance and is created by the liver. Even though cholesterol has a purpose and is actually vital to overall health and body function, having too much cholesterol in the body can have seriously destructive effects.

Cholesterol forms every cell within the body. When the cholesterol level is correct, cholesterol plays a positive life-giving part in many functions of the body. When cholesterol is at a healthy level it works to build and mend cells, creates hormones such as estrogen and testosterone, and produces bile acids which have demonstrated the ability to assist in the digestion of fat.

When you have too much cholesterol in the body, the levels build up and bring about damage by blocking your arteries. This can put you at serious risk for heart disease and stroke. In truth the key cause of heart attacks and strokes is clogged arteries due to overly high levels of cholesterol.

When you consume foods high in saturated fat such as dairy, meat and eggs your cholesterol levels rise. However, when you eat foods such as fruits, vegetables, and grains you can sustain better health as they do not elevate unhealthy cholesterol.

High cholesterol is avoidable! With a nutritious diet, the adult American population with high cholesterol can get back their good health and lessen their risk of disease.

High cholesterol is a condition can be managed effectively! It is suggested that you see your doctor on a regular basis to keep an observant watch on your cholesterol levels. You truly can apply healthy ways to manage your cholesterol levels.

To get more information about lowering your cholesterol, go to

how can I lower my cholesterol

http://cholesterol-and-your-health.com

Lower Your Cholesterol Level - The Difference Between Good Cholesterol And Bad Cholesterol

2008-05-22T04:55:00.001-07:00

We all nowadays know the importance of trying to reduce cholesterol and many of us actively take steps to achieve a lower cholesterol level in our blood. I am frequently asked the question: "what is the difference between good cholesterol and bad cholesterol?"

So what is hdl cholesterol? (the good cholesterol) and what is ldl cholesterol? (the bad cholesterol). Read on and find out.

Cholesterol circulates in our blood attached to a protein called a lipoprotein. There are two basic types of lipoprotein. High density lipoprotein (HDL) or low density lipoprotein (LDL).

HDL is usually labelled as "good cholesterol" because the molecule is mostly protein and does not carry a high quantity of free fat along with it.

LDL on the other hand is a molecule that only has a small amount of protein and for the most part is made of of freely available and very easily disolved cholesterol fat. LDL is often referred to as "bad cholesterol."

If you have a lot of good cholesterol or HDL in your system then your heart will be quite well protected from the effects of fat. If you have a lot of LDL - or bad cholesterol - then you will be at greater risk of heart attack or stroke. This information has now been shown to be correct in countless medical studies throughout the world.

If you are having a cholesterol check or cholesterol blood test then your doctor will look at your blood test result and check the level of the Total Cholesterol count. He or she will then examine the count for the level of the good cholesterol or HDL. The ratio of the total cholesterol divided by the HDL level is thought to be a reflection of the "true cholesterol level" in your blood and as such is a good predictor of future heart attack or stroke problems.

For example - a total cholesterol count of 6.0 and an HDL count of 1.5 will give a ratio of 4.0. This is a healthy level and will usually indicate good cardiovascular health. A total count of 6.0 and an HDL count of 0.5 will give a ratio of 12.0: very bad news indeed from the point of view of stroke and heart attack risk.

(Note - these are UK values for typical results - US values will be different but the ratios will be the same: the UK and the US use different units to measure cholesterol levels.)

If you have a high cholesterol then get focused and take steps to change your lifestyle now. If you don't know what your cholesterol level is then make plans to speak to your doctor about whether you need it checked or not.

Dr Gordon Cameron is a doctor based in Edinburgh, Scotland. He has a special interest in blood pressure treatment. You can discover how to lower high blood pressure and about the problems of low blood pressure treatment by visiting Dr Cameron's websites.

He has also written about using acupuncture for high blood pressure.