Ways to Lower Cholesterol, Cholesterol Levels, Low Cholesterol Diets

Ways to Lower Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is found in all cells of the body. Cholesterol is also found in some of the foods you eat. Cholesterol is excreted from the liver in bile and reabsorbed from the intestines. Cholesterol is part of a healthy body, but too much of it in your blood can be a problem. LDL cholesterol is called "bad" cholesterol, because elevated levels of LDL cholesterol are associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease. HDL cholesterol is called the "good cholesterol" because HDL cholesterol particles prevent atherosclerosis by extracting cholesterol from the artery walls and disposing of them through the liver.

Reducing your cholesterol level decreases your chance for having a plaque burst and cause a heart attack. Lowering cholesterol may also slow down, reduce, or even stop plaque from building up. Lowering LDL cholesterol is currently the primary focus in preventing atherosclerosis and heart attacks.

With that said, its important to maintain a healthy cholesterol level..

There are a number of ways your doctor my recommend to you how to treat this condition, many which include modern medications. There are however several foods which you can begin to eat which significantly help to reduce you LDL cholesterol.

Eat legumes (beans) at least two to three times a week. I recommend bean soup, cold bean salad, hummus sandwiches, black bean dip, toasted soy beans as snacks. Soy protein is especially effective, so be sure to include plenty. Even soy milk, tofu and textured soy protein are good ingredients in you diet for lowering cholesterol.

A fiber rich breakfast such as oatmeal, whole grain muffins, fruit. with 5 grams or more of fiber per serving. Oat bran and rice bran have proven to be the most effective in this group.Choose whole grain breads, crackers, bagels, muffins, waffles, pancakes.

Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. One in the morning, one veggie (e.g. carrot sticks, tomato slices) and one fruit (e.g. orange sections, apple) in the afternoon, and one salad and one cooked vegetable in the evening.

Whole fruit(skin included), instead of juice. Juice is the fruit with all the fiber removed.

Eat garlic. Cooked or raw garlic both contain compounds that help lower your liver's production of cholesterol. This is a key ingredient in your diet to reduce cholesterol.

Other good foods include raw onion, salmon, olive oil, almonds, walnuts, Also, eat plenty of foods that contain the natural antioxidants, vitamins C and E in your diet to reduce cholesterol..

Maintaining a healthy diet rich in cholesterol reducing foods as described above can your key to reducing your risk of coronary disease.

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Lower Cholesterol Information: Guide to High Cholesterol and How It Affects Your Body

Guide to High Cholesterol and How It Affects Your Body

Cardiovascular or Heart disease is one of the leading causes of mortality in the world. According to the American Heart Association, an estimated 81 million American adults suffer from cardiovascular disease. Though there are many risk factors involved, one of the most major and prevalent risk factors is having high cholesterol. This is why the importance of lowering cholesterol in your body cannot be stressed. But first, let's talk about high cholesterol and how it affects your body.

High Cholesterol

What exactly is high cholesterolall Also known as hypercholesterolemia, it is basically the occurrence of high levels of cholesterol in the blood. There are many kinds of cholesterol, and these include the high density lipoproteins (HDL), also called "good cholesterol" and the low density lipoproteins (LDL), also called "bad cholesterol." HDL helps eliminate LDL or bad cholesterol from the blood, so a high amount of HDL decreases your risk for developing heart disease.

High levels of LDL, on the other hand, are associated with the formation of plaque, a thick deposit that forms in your arteries. This plaque eventually leads to atherosclerosis, the hardening of your arteries, which in turn results in the occurrence of heart disease. Eventually, this can also lead to the occurrence of angina, also known as chest pain, due to the blockage of oxygenated blood to the heart. If your artery becomes completely blocked and prevents the flow of oxygenated blood to part of your heart, this results in a myocardial infarction or a heart attack. More than 8 million Americans suffer from a heart attack each year, of which about 22% die from it.

Causes of High Cholesterol

There are many things that can cause high cholesterol, and a bad or unhealthy diet is one of them. Eating a lot of food that contains high amounts of saturated fat can really make your cholesterol levels soar. Another cause of high cholesterol is being overweight and lack of exercise, as this leads to lower HDL levels and higher triglycerides, a type of fat that is stored in the body. Genes also play a factor, as the occurrence of high cholesterol can run in the family. Other determinations are age and gender, because as you grow older, the cholesterol level in your blood increases. Also, though women typically have a lower cholesterol level compared to men of similar age, after menopause occurs, their LDL levels tend to rise.

Lower Cholesterol Information

Having lower cholesterol is really important to prevent cardiovascular disease and keep healthy. High cholesterol can be prevented with the right lifestyle changes. Eating healthy foods, exercising regularly and maintaining a good weight are just a few things that one can do to prevent high cholesterol. Also, it is important to have regular health checkups and blood work done to determine your blood cholesterol level. If your total cholesterol reaches more than 200 mg/dl, the doctor may prescribe medications to lower it.

It is really important to control your blood cholesterol level while you're still healthy. Once problems occur, it is harder to control, and your risk for developing heart disease increases. It is good to be aware of things that you can do now, so that you can maintain lower cholesterol and have a healthier body overall.

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What are Normal Cholesterol Readings?

What are Normal Cholesterol Readings?

A simple blood test is all it takes to find out if you have a normal cholesterol reading or if you need to make some changes to get it under control. But just what is a normal reading and how do you know if your numbers are to highall There are two schools of thought when it comes to this; one based on the total blood cholesterol levels and the other on the ratio of good to bad cholesterol.

The good, or HDL (high density lipoproteins), is primarily responsible for removing the bad, or LDL (low density lipoproteins) from the blood stream and returning it to the liver where it is removed from the body as waste. High levels of LDL in the blood stream leads to plaque build up in the arteries. Plaque deposits can clog arteries which is a symptom of coronary artery disease. A total blockage can cause a heart attack. If a plaque deposit breaks free as a blood clot it can cause a stroke.

Total cholesterol readings are obtained by combining the total amount of both high density and low density lipoproteins. From this total your doctor can make an informed decision as to whether or not you need to take measures to bring this number down. Another number that your doctor will look at is total LDL cholesterol. This number is important because LDL's cause the damage that can lead to heart disease.

The breakdown range of total and LDL cholesterol numbers is as follows.

1. Normal Cholesterol Readings - A total level less than 200 mg/dl or LDL level less than 130 mg/dl is considered normal. People in this range have little risk of heart disease or stroke from cholesterol problems.

2. Borderline-High - A total level between 200-239 mg/dl or LDL level between 130-159 mg/dl is considered borderline-high. People who test in this range are recommended to make some lifestyle changes based around a healthy diet and exercise plan to reduce their levels to normal. People in this range usually do not need to be prescribed medications as simple lifestyle changes can usually bring about the desired results.

3. High Cholesterol Reading - Any test returning a total level above 240 mg/dl or LDL level above 160 mg/dl is considered high. People who test at this level must make some serious dietary changes along with starting an exercise program. They will also probably be given a prescription for a cholesterol lowering medication by their doctor.

For those who use the idea that the ratio between good and bad cholesterol is a good way to determine if levels are to high it works like this. Take the total cholesterol reading and divide it by the HDL level. This will give a ratio that if it's more than 4 then it is time to take steps to lower the overall and LDL cholesterol levels.

If you feel you may not have a normal cholesterol reading then make an appointment with your doctor. A simple blood test is all it takes to determine if it is something you need to be worried about.

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Simple Methods to Control Levels of Cholesterol

Simple Methods to Control Levels of Cholesterol

Controlling cholesterol levels is an essential as its high levels in the bloodstream increases the risk of development of coronary heart disease. If you too are suffering from higher levels of cholesterol in your blood, do the following to lower it.

Step one : Control Fat and Cholesterol intake in your diet

Controlling the amount of cholesterol and cholesterol that you consume is the first step towards lowering cholesterol levels in your blood stream. Instead of consuming butter and oils rich in saturated fatty acids opt for healthy, monosaturated oils such as olive oil and canola oil.

You should also try to refrain from food items that have a high cholesterol content such as eggs, margarine, butter, polyunsaturated oils and the like. Try to go in for a fibre rich diet by including whole cereals in your diet.

Step two : Make appropriate changes in your way of life 

Give up an unhealthy lifestyle and opt for healthier habits. For instance, if you are the ons who gorge on junk food and keep on around all day, you must give up this habit for good. Instead of junk food, go in for healthy foods like fruit and fruit. Also, you need to be physically more active and partake of some form of exercise. Play, run or simply go for cycling. Exercising increases your metabolism and lets you ward off calories quicker.

Step 3: Switch to cholesterol lowering medication if lifestyle changes do not help

If lifestyle changes do not help you lower cholesterol or the level of LDL or triglycerides in your blood stream is too high, you need to look for cholesterol lowering medications. Cholesterol lowering medications can be divided into various categories depending upon which component of cholesterol you want to work on - Cholesterol, LDL cholesterol or Triglycerides.

In order to lower LDL cholesterol medicines like Statins and Vitamin B ( niacin ) can be consumed. A note of caution though! Don't over-consume Vitamin B. It may lead to some major side-effects. Follow the doctor's instructions on its consumption pattern. Similarly, take care while taking other cholesterol-lowering medications. They too might have some side-effects.

Step 4: Raise the Intake of HDL Cholesterol

This type of cholesterol helps reduce harmful cholesterol in the body. It is a necessary component for the body and is also known as good cholesterol. The correct level of this cholesterol in the body is 60 mg/dL (1.55 mmol/L). If it falls below this level, the condition is unsafe.

If your HDL Cholesterol level has fallen below the above stated level below it is regarded perilous for the help of foods such as monosaturated oils (olive oil), foods rich in Vitamin B, and by limited consumption of alcohol. However, do not over-indulge in consuming Vitamin B. This can cause serious side-effects.

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Secrets To The Best Diets For High Cholesterol

Secrets To The Best Diets For High Cholesterol

The best diet for high cholesterol levels will actually have more benefits than just simply lowering cholesterol levels. You will begin to clear your arteries that are partially blocked that will eventually cause a heart attack or a stroke. In one out of three cases, the first symptom of heart disease is death. This is why eating healthy foods is so important because most people have grown accustomed to eating whatever they feel like eating. A majority of people who are trying to lower their cholesterol levels will say that they do not have much knowledge about nutrition and have no idea what to do. By changing what you eat and modifying your diet, you can actually stop your arteries from narrowing and even reverse the process. Eating healthy is not just for those with high cholesterol, but should be practiced by everyone of all ages. Here are a few things to think about when trying to find diets for high cholesterol levels.

Don't forget to eat healthy proteins

Eat different proteins and don't just focus on one source. Avoid eating too much and always eat proteins in moderation. Balance your fish and animal intake and also include lots of leafy green vegetables as a source of protein. For example, spinach and asparagus are great sources of high quality protein. Also, try substituting soy protein instead of animal protein. Omega-3 fatty acids are also proven to help reduce heart diseases. Fish is a great source of the best proteins that you can consume.

Eat lots more vegetables

Not only do these foods provide you with the essential vitamins and nutrients needed to live, but you will be able to fight off heart diseases. You will be getting a good dose of dietary fiber as this also helps lower down cholesterol levels. Fruits are beneficial, too, but be careful to not eat more than 3 servings of fruit a day. Fruit contains a sugar called fructose and causes your body to release insulin, which ultimately raises your cholesterol. Make sure that you have a good amount of fresh vegetables every day.

Eat constantly and consistently

This is one of the best way to eat because you will rarely ever feel hungry. This a great way to eat the right foods and also lose weight. Most diets for high cholesterol levels will have you eating about 6 small meals a day and you should focus on mixing the types of foods that you eat. Eat balanced meals and look to not eat too much during any of the meals. You will be able to control your blood sugars and regulate your metabolism better.

In order to lower your cholesterol, you will also have to also become more active. Avoid living a sedentary lifestyle and focus on eating these foods. Say goodbye to junk food and make sure that you fill up your fridge with healthy and nutritious foods. Diets for high cholesterol levels are very tasty and not very difficult to maintain. You will just have to focus on being consistent and motivated. With just a little patience and motivation you will be able to fully lower your cholesterol levels and, at the same time, live a healthier and more active life.

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