Cholesterol is one of the major substances that cause heart attacks, high blood cholesterol levels, and weight problems. Despite its bad guy image, this waxy, fat-like substances made in the body by the persons own liver serves a number of vital functions unknown to many.

Basically, there are two types of cholesterol: the Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) and the High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL). The former refers to the bad type of cholesterol that is known to clog the persons blood vessels, thus, increasing the risk for a heart attack or a heart disease. Studies show that a diet that is high in saturated fat is a main dietary cause of a raised LDL cholesterol level. The latter, on the other hand, is the good type of cholesterol that helps clear LDL cholesterol out of the blood stream, thus, reducing the risk for any heart illness. Researches have shown that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables along with average levels of omega-3 from fish oil greatly helps raise HDL cholesterol levels.

Although diet is the major reason for having high cholesterol levels, experts agree that factors such as genetics, lack of exercise or regular physical activity, obesity, unhealthy lifestyle such as excessive drinking and smoking, hormones, and varying high and low cholesterol levels can trigger the sudden increase of cholesterol levels in the body.

GETTING STARTED

Indeed, cholesterol is a growing problem in the health of many people in the world. Experts say that people over 20 years of age should be more concerned about their cholesterol levels; thus, they should start doing everything they can to lower LDL cholesterol. Although it is quite hard to stick to the needed requirements and regiments to combat the growing problem, experts say that it can be controlled with the proper diet to lower cholesterol.

Studies show that a good diet to lower cholesterol can reduce a persons risk for heart diseases while getting rid of bad fats because this diet to emphasizes on eating heart-healthy foods. But, aside from using the proper and proven low cholesterol diets available today, the most important thing is that knowing and taking in the right foods and effective cholesterol formulas to assist in lowering cholesterol levels.

Experts say that a diet to lower cholesterol includes good foods like grainsespecially whole grain products and cerealsfish rich in omega3 such as salmon and tune, a variety of fruits and leafy vegetables, nuts, juices, and the like. Here are other effective means of lowering cholesterol level through diet:

1. Make sure that you visit your attending physician first before trying out any low cholesterol diets so he/she could administer the proper examinations and access your general health status.

2. You can lower your cholesterol levels by replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat in meat, chicken, and whole milk products.

3. Refrain from eating refined carbohydrates contained by bakery products, pastas, and sugary or sugar-added foods.

4. When eating out, makes sure that you ask the waiter to make serving substitutions like steamed or boiled food preparations. If possible, also pick lean meat, fish, or skinless chicken that is broiled, baked, grilled, steamed, or poached instead of being fried and ask for lots of vegetable side dishes and fresh fruit desserts.

5. Cutting down on eggs, margarine, or butter out of your daily diet.

6. Use natural-based oils such as vegetable, corn, and olive oils when cooking instead of the usual cooking oil.

7. Load up on a lot of garlic when youre preparing dishes because it contains substances that help lower HDL cholesterol.

8. Take in high quality daily vitamin mineral supplements like Vitamin E to improve blood circulation, and Vitamin C and vitamin B3 to lower your high cholesterol levels.

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Today, more and more people suffer from high cholesterol and obesity due to improper food intake, unbalanced diet, and unhealthy lifestyle. Whatever the reasons behind the certain condition such as having high blood cholesterol level, the first treatment any physician will recommend is a low cholesterol diet.

A Guide to Low Cholesterol and Cholesterol Diets

As defined, cholesterol is a complex alcohol constituent of all animals fats and oils. It is a sterol that is related to other sterols and is contained in many foods such as dairy products and meat fats. Other sources of cholesterol include eggs, poultry, fish, and shellfish.

Studies show that that people with high levels of cholesterol are more likely to develop heart attacks more specifically, atherosclerosis which is a disease involving blockage of certain arteries compared to those with lower levels.

Diet is indeed very significant in treating high blood cholesterol level. If you would want to lower your cholesterol levels, try eating foods that are less high-fat foodespecially those high in saturated fat while replacing part of the saturated fat in your diet with unsaturated fat. You should also eat less high-cholesterol foods.

Aside from veering away in eating high-fat foods, you should also learn how to choose foods that are high in complex carbohydrates like starches and fibers. By lowering your carbohydrate intake, you can also reduce your weight especially if you are overweight.

Although the basics of low cholesterol diet may seem easy to follow, more people who have high cholesterol are having a hard time sticking to a specific low cholesterol diet.

But, if the person is really determined to lower his/her cholesterol levels, a low cholesterol diet can be easy to follow given the wide variety of foods available. In fact, more and more food manufacturers come up with foods that have low cholesterol content so if you are out shopping grocery items, take the time off to look at the labels. Here are additional tips to make a low cholesterol diet successful:

1. Load on lots of fruits and vegetables because these are low in calories, cholesterol, and fat.

2. Lower your intake of saturated fatsor the foods that contain theseto lower the possibility of developing heart diseases.

3. Take note of trans-fatty elements that are usually found in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils like margarines and shortenings because they increases blood cholesterol levels the way saturated fat does.

4. Consume foods that use whole grain foods instead of those that contain white flour.

5. Compared regular, full-fat dairy products, opt for low fat or skimmed ones. These are not only good for your cholesterol level but also for your weight as well.

6. Choose lean meats like turkey and chicken meats instead of red meat because it is closely-associated with decreasing cholesterol levels.

7. Use olive and canola oils when cooking instead of using cooking oils because these are lower in monounsaturated fats that help lower cholesterol levels.

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Life is constantly providing us with new experiences and resources even when we are reduced to immobility. And without stressing too much on the adage health is wealth, it is very important to live by the rules of healthy living.

It is known to many that proper diet, regular exercise, and utmost discipline are the basic ingredients in achieving balanced and healthy living. But more often than not, people who are either obese of morbidly obese do not adhere to these guiding principles on how to achieve those weight loss goals and often experience severe results.

ALL ABOUT LOW FAT DIETS

Through the years, statistics continues to show that 95 percent of people who try traditional diets fail. These studies also show that improper dieting have caused miserable suffering to those have tried it because they underwent drastic food restriction and deprivation. Aside from the depression caused by failed diet and failure of short-term weight loss goal, these people have also developed chronic illnesses.

One of major reasons why people become obese is that they have high blood cholesterol levels due to fat intake. If you want to achieve your desired weight, make sure that you familiarize yourself first with fats. Basically, there are two major types of dietary fatthe saturated and unsaturated fat. Saturated fats may lead to the increase of cholesterol in the blood while eating unsaturated fats or oils can help decrease cholesterol levels. Fats are also categorized as low fat which has 20 to 30 percent of calories derived from fats and very low fat that has 0 to 19 percent of calories from fats.

Experts say that fat has more than twice the calories as the same amount of protein or carbohydrate this is why a good low fat diet can be helpful in the reduction of weight gain and lowering blood cholesterol as well. Over the years, health authorities and experts agree low fat diets are the best because these enable people to control over weight through lowered fat consumption.

The most typical low fat diets include the Ornish Diet, the Pritikin Diet, Hip and Thigh Diet, Scarsdale Diet, F-Plan Again Diet, Mayo Clinic Plan, Rice Diet, Weight Watchers Diet, Jenny Craig Diet, The 3-Hour Diet, and Anne Collins Diet Program that offer different low fat diets.

Here are some ways to eat less fat:

1. Try eating fewer fried foods. Instead of eating fried foods, opt for grilled, boiled, baked, poached, steamed or dry roasted foods.

2. Stop adding butter, lard, and margarine to food while preparing and cooking. Also, spare yourself from spreads.

3. Cut down on visible fat from meat.

4. Eat less fatty meat products like sausages, burgers, meat pies, and pasties.

5. Consume semi-skimmed or skimmed milk instead of drinking whole milk.

6. Try eating low-fat or reduced-fat varieties of cheeses.

7. Eat lesser high-fat foods like crisps, chocolates, cakes, pastry products, biscuits, and pizzas.

8. Drink low-fat or natural yogurts or creams.

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Gastric bypass surgeries are the most common bariatric surgical procedures performed, nowadays. Bariatric surgical procedures is the term used to refer to weight-loss surgeries. There are more and more people who are choosing to have the procedure to avoid the risks brought by morbid obesity.

There are numerous benefits by getting a gastric bypass surgery. Those who have undergone the surgery were expected to lose about 50 to 60% of their weight. Most of the patients would say that they reached the lowest point of their weight two years after their surgery.

In addition to weight loss, gastric bypass surgery could also resolve health issues associated to obesity. They could improve or lessen the risk of Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, sleep apnea, asthma, arthritis, joint pain, and even heart disease and cancer.

Those who have undergone gastric bypass surgical procedures are also exposed to risks and complications just like in any other surgery. When considering getting this kind of weight-loss procedure, it is not only the benefits that you would have to know but also its risks and dangers.

Pulmonary Embolism is a condition where blood clots developing in the legs which can get carried off to the lungs. There are techniques which can be performed to prevent this kind of condition to happen like using surgical compression stockings.

Peritonitis is also another condition when stomach fluid leaks into the abdominal cavity or where the intestine is connected. There is a need to immediately seal the leak before it becomes a serious condition.

Ulcers can develop among patients, 5 to 15 percent of the time.

It could also result to hernia or incision hernia which is a weakness in the incision. It would often require surgical repair.

There are situations when the stomach moves too fast for the small intestine. This is often referred to as the dumping syndrome. It is often accompanied with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, and sweating.

Vitamin and mineral deficiency are also possible complications of the surgery like anemia and vitamin D deficiency.

It could also cause problems in the kidney like kidney stones.

Gallstones could also be a result of this operation.

Stomach ulcers could also develop but this could be managed by the usual treatments used for ulcers.

Women who went through the procedure are recommended to avoid pregnancy for at least two years after the surgery. Pregnant women are required to take nutritional supplements like vitamins and minerals to get the proper nutrients for her and the baby.

Gastric bypass surgeries are not recommended for everybody. It is often recommended to those who have a BMI of 40 or those who weigh more than a hundred pounds. Everybody who would be undergoing the procedure would have to take a mental exam, for those who eat due to emotional problems are likely to fail in losing weight.

Gastric bypass surgeries have 2% of fatalities, one percent due to complications and the other one percent would brought by the failure of the patients to follow the dietary restrictions following the surgery. Before undergoing the procedure, it is important to understand these consequences and be prepared to change our lifestyle.

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