High cholesterol levels are slowly killing off the population. The increasing prevalence and risk of hypertension and heart disease in Americans are ringing the alarm bells in the country’s health sector. Health officials are desperately trying to find ways to combat the rise and make people aware of the eating lifestyle and exercise lifestyle that they are imbibing.

The truth about cholesterol

Although cholesterol is mainly the culprit in the increase in high blood pressure in the body, not all cholesterol that we take in is essentially bad. In fact, small amounts of cholesterol is being used by the body in the production of bile salts and in the transformation of Vitamin D. Cholesterol also plays a role in the balancing of hormones especially in women.

There are two kinds of cholesterol, the good and the bad as the lay people will like to clal them. The bad cholesterol or the LDL is the kind that is often found in saturated fats and trans fatty acids. These are taken into the body through foods that are pre-packed and prepared such as potato chips, canned goods, etc.
LDL cholesterol adheres to the walls of the arteries. High levels of LDL can form plaques in the arterial walls that may eventually cause clogging in the passageway of the blood. This slows down the blood flow, which in turn makes it hard for the heart to pump. This scenario describes the initial stages of hypertension and coronary heart problems.

What to eat

The good cholesterol HDL on the other hand lower the levels of LDL in the body by helping transport the LDL to the liver where it is excreted. HDL cholesterol can be found in fishes as well as in nuts.

Other foods that can lower the cholesterol levels are fruits and vegetables. These foods do not contain that much cholesterol so whatever you have, you will not be adding to its levels.

Another great thing about veggies and fruits is the fact that they are great sources of fibers that the body also need to combat the increase in LDL cholesterol. Berries, fruits that are citrus and carrots are just some of the fruits that you can count on.

Another food that can dramatically reduce the levels of cholesterol in the body is the soya. Fiber-rich food, soya as well as almonds and plant sterols figure in a landmark study conducted by University of Toronto that reduced the cholesterol levels of the participants by as much as 20 percent. Eating oats, olive oil and barley are also great ways to lower LDL.

Another great source of cholesterol are foods that are really oily. To lower one’s LDL, one must consciously avoid foods that are deep-fried. If you have to eat fried foods, make sure that the oil that you use is made out of vegetable.

Never use butter as this is rich in saturated fats. Instead, use margarine as a substitute. Try to also steam, braise, boil or bake your food. You will find that they are tastier and healthier.

Not just the food

There are many factors that contribute to the rise of cholesterol levels in the body. In addition to one’s eating lifestyle, there is the age, the gender, the family history and of course the amount of physical activity that the person does.

Exercise is fairly important in keeping LDL cholesterol at bay. What is more, it strengthens the body’s resistance as well as improves blood circulation.

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Many women think that weight loss for men is easier than it is for women. And maybe that is true, men do have more lean muscle mass on average then women. Lean muscle mass is the thing that can keep the metabolism burning hot which will help burn up those calories, but that is really only part of the picture.

You see, men have to deal with slowing metabolism as they age just like women do. In many cases it is caused by the same factors, loss of lean muscle mass. It doesn’t matter that they are male, weight loss for men will be just as challenging if they have less lean muscle mass.

The good news is that if you are really motivated, and you have the right information, there is a lot you can do to reverse this trend and stay in good shape throughout your life.

Here are some points to consider, they may just help a little:

1. Of course, the first thing you need to do before you start to workout, especially if you are over 40, is to go to your doctor and get a thorough physical. The last thing you want to have happen is to find you have some heart related issues after you start working out.

2. Get a plan, better yet, get a personal trainer. The more detailed you are in your workout routine, the more likely you will stick with it. Keeping a workout journal can be an excellent idea, especially when you are first starting.

And, as I said above, having a personal trainer teach you a good workout routine as well as the proper form to use during all the exercises will help you get the most out of each and every workout.

It may just keep you honest too. You will be less likely to slough off if your trainer is there ready to kick you in the butt.

3. Lose the notion of eating “3 squares a day”. That is not the best way to keep your body fueled throughout the day. Keeping your bodies furnace burning hot all day long is the best way to keep those unwanted love handles at bay. And the best way to keep that furnace burning hot all day long is to feed it.

Cut back on the carbs, get out of thinking that beef is a major food group and get in touch with the idea that fish is good for you.

Eat more fruits and vegetables and cut back on the beer and other alcohol. Hey, there has to be some sacrifices if you want to look great!

No matter what your age or current fitness level, weight loss for men can be accomplished and it doesn’t even have to be miserable. Just by making some simple changes to your daily routine you may be able to get back in much better shape. You can look better and feel better so it is worth the small sacrifices.

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Cholesterol is a very familiar medical term almost to anyone, particularly the middle age group. It is a common thing the word will never be a part of teen-age lingo. The main reason is, most of the dreaded ailments accompanying “high cholesterol” levels are associated with hypertension, heart failure, diabetes and other long term and acquired conditions, which does not could also happen to younger generation as juvenile complications. To make it clear, when the majority is talking about lowering cholesterol, it is all about alleviating the further progress of bad cholesterol.

There are two kinds of cholesterol accumulating or present in the human body. Bad cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein is harmful because it can cause atheroma. Atheroma is considered to be the plaque of the arteries, commonly referred to as fat streaks. If not watched carefully, accumulation of ‘macrophage white blood cells’ can happen to a child even before the age of 10.

The early symptoms may start as early as 5 years old, while the child grows up and the condition is accumulating quietly in the veins. Most of the time, the exact symptoms are only given prognosis after the onset of heart attack or stroke, which is already too late for the patient. The attack of silent killers may not cause death but chances are it can lead to lifetime disability.

It is debilitating to imagine how high levels of bad cholesterol can cause serious consequences to the body. When most people may appear healthy all the time, cholesterols can only be checked through lab tests. Sometimes it surprises people to find out how high their cholesterol build-up has soared for the past years.

There is no mystery behind the strengthening of bad cholesterol other than high consumption of saturated fats in the diet. In the advent of labels or guides in processed foods like canned goods and other packed products in the groceries, it is easy to see the amount of cholesterol a food has. This is just a small matter on how to grasp the essence of being cholesterol conscious.

The major way to lower down cholesterol levels in the body is to understand how it metabolizes in the body. Cholesterol doe not actually come from diet alone. It is a whole process within where diet is just one of the contributing factor. Good cholesterol aids in the body’s biochemical functioning like producing bile, regulating of vitamins that are fat soluble such as A, K, D, and E.

It also has impact on the synthesis of the body hormone. After cholesterol has been utilized in the body, it excretes as excess lipids in the liver and gall bladder as crystal particles. Because cholesterol is not water soluble, it circulates over and over and gets converted to bad cholesterol (low density lipoproteins). For normal individuals with healthy metabolism, bad cholesterol is minimal and comes in as large quantities. The harmful ones are those that come in many number of small sizes trapped in the veins as accumulated clogs.

When it comes to lowering high cholesterol, basically there is nothing to ponder about genetic weaknesses, the key is watching over food intake. Cholesterol is highly present in animal meats and fats, especially pork and beef. It is easy to watch fatty foods with all the precautions available today. But it takes discipline to live a life with less cholesterol consumption.

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When it comes to weight loss drugs and teens it may be a case of picking the lesser of two evils. As parents we are never thrilled to give our kids any type of medication unless absolutely necessary. Many of us are concerned about any possible long term side effects. Weight loss drugs are no different.

As parents we don’t take the idea of weight loss drugs and teens lightly. But, if your teenager is obese and you need something that will help them start along a healthier path, isn’t it worth it?

I’m not a doctor and only your doctor can provide you with bona fide medical advice, but as a parent I would balance the pros and cons and proceed with the advice of my doctor.

For example, if my child was only mildly overweight, say between 20 -50 lbs. I would probably encourage them to lose weight in a more natural way. I would tell them how to eat better and encourage them to get more exercise.

Actually, that is exactly what I did when my child needed to lose weight. I worked out with him (though he only wanted to go when there was no one at the gym so we went to workout at midnight!).

But it was good for him to see his mom working out too. And though he would never admit it, I think he really appreciated the motivation and the fact that I was willing to go with him.

If your teen is hundreds of pounds overweight, though, you may need something a little more drastic. Weight loss takes time and anyone who tries to tell you different is lying (or trying to sell you something or both). Since it takes time it can seem overwhelming and it may make your teen reluctant to even start.

Any short term solution that can help them start to see results more quickly may be necessary to help your teen succeed in their weight loss goals.

It’s important for the success of your teen getting in shape that they approach this process with realistic expectations and time frames.

It will only discourage them if they think they will have a certain result in a certain time frame and they don’t achieve that goal.

But, seeing even small results may help them stay motivated and encourage them to keep going. And that is where supplements may be able to come in.

Some supplements that can help your teen kick start their weight loss and allow them to see some results fairly quickly (even if it is just water weight) might still be enough to keep them motivated and moving forward.

So, if you want to help your teen get in better shape, either try to do it yourself by encouraging more exercise and better eating habits, or talk to you doctor about some sort of supplements.

Weight loss drugs and teens may not be an ideal combination but in some cases it may just be the lesser or two evils.

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