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.

Tags: Arteries, Bad Cholesterol, Canned Goods, Healthy Diet, heart attack;, Heart Failure, High Cholesterol Levels, Lab Tests, Lifetime Disability, Lingo, Low Density Lipoprotein, Lowering Cholesterol, Medical Term, Middle Age, Processed Foods, Saturated Fats, Silent Killers, Streaks, Teen Age, Vitamins And Minerals, White Blood Cells, Younger Generation —

Studies have shown that the number of people who are obese or overweight has gone up through the years. This is attributed to the type of food being served in schools and fast food joints as well the lack of physical activity as the person grows older.

The problem goes farther because this means that many more Americans will suffer from high blood pressure, heart disease and strokes in the future. The good news is that this can be prevented before it is too late.

The natural way to lower the cholesterol will be by making some lifestyle changes and exercising regularly. This will help the individual lose weight, which is directly related to the cholesterol levels in the human body.

When people think of dieting, many think this means saying goodbye to some of lifes more juicer foods but it is not. The person will just have to limit the consumption and add new things that are healthier.

More often, this will require eating foods that are high in fiber and low in saturated fats. A few examples of these are artichokes, corn, fish, garlic, legumes, mushrooms, nut, olive oil, soy milk and whole grains.

The individual should not forget to have some fruits and vegetables as well since these are rich in sterols that are known to keep the cholesterol levels down. All of these products are affordable and can easily be purchased in the supermarket.

Aside from eating properly, the person must also take the necessary precautions when consuming liquids. This means drinking a glass of red wine moderately, reducing the consumption of beer, drinking fresh juices, non-fat milk and water.

Apple juice for example has been known to reduce cholesterol levels by up to 50% when taken regularly. Other fruits can also do the same so cutting this and putting it into a blender can do the trick or getting this in bottled form.

The next step to lowering the cholestesterol levels naturally is through exercise. This can be achieved in many ways such as brisk walking, jogging or running around the neighborhood. Learning a new sport and doing it regularly is another option.

Those who want to be looked after by a personal trainer can check out the gym since there are professionals that can create a program to achieve the persons desired results. This will be a combination of cardio-vascular exercises as well as weight lifting to burn the calories and lower the cholesterol levels.

There is another way to reduce the cholesterol levels but is only used as a last resort if these two do not work. The individual will be required to use medicine to make it happen. There are a lot of products out there and studies have shown this can drop the cholesterol levels by as much as 15% to 30%.

The person should be aware though that these drugs have certain side effects so it is best to consult a doctor first to make sure it is safe to use.

Cholesterol is something that is produced in the body and is also taken when food is eaten. The only way to make sure the levels in the blood doesnt exceed the limit is to have a checkup regularly and watch the food that is being cooked or served in the restaurant.

Tags: Apple Juice, Calories, Cholesterol Levels, Eating Habits, Food Joints, Foods That Are High In Fiber, Fresh Juices, Fruits And Vegetables, heart disease;, high blood pressure;, Lifestyle Changes, Losing Weight, Lowering Cholesterol, Milk And Water, Necessary Precautions, Physical Activity, Red Wine, Saturated Fats, Sterols, Type Of Food, Water Apple, Whole Grains, Wine Consumption —

The human body produces oils and other substances that circulate in the bloodstream. An example is insulin, which is secreted from the pancreas in response to the increase in the amount of sugar coming from the food that the person eats. The cells then absorb this, which gives the individual calories that are used as energy.

Another substance that the body produces naturally is cholesterol. This is also ingested in the food people eat. There are two types of cholesterol namely LDL and HDL.

LDL is better known as bad cholesterol. The reason why it is bad is because too much of this in the system may put the person at risk of suffering from either a heart attack or a stroke.

HDL in simple terms is good cholesterol because its job is to regulate the flow the bad one so this can be filtered out of the persons system. There must be a balanced between the two so the individual is healthy.

Whenever people get a blood test, the patient will see a breakdown of the LDL and HDL in the system. Though not that significant as the first two, doctors pay attention to two other figures namely the total cholesterol and the triglyceride level.

In order to be given a clean bill of health, the patient must stay within a certain range. Those who have less than 200mg/dl in total cholesterol are safe. The same goes for someone who has less than 150mg/dl in the triglycerides.

So what happens if the person goes beyond the limit? In simple terms, the individual is at risk of developing high blood pressure or a heart disease. The good news is that the person can still prevent such a thing from happening.

There are four simple ways to do it and this must be done gradually before something bad really happens to the individual.

The first is to change the diet. This means eating less of those that are high in saturated fats such as red meat and dairy products. This should be changed for fish, fruits, nuts, oatmeal and vegetables.

Studies have shown that those who eat oatmeal regularly are able to reduce the LDL and trigylecerides level in just 2 weeks. Imagine what could happen if this is done even after just a month?

The second is exercise. The body has stored fat after how many years of not engaging in any physical activity. Changing the eating habits can only go so far and sweating it out will increase the metabolic rate thus helping reduce the patients cholesterol levels.

The third, which doesnt happen often, is for the individual to take supplements to aid in the reduction of cholesterol. Examples of these are bible acid resins, ezetimibe, fibric acid, niacin and statins.

These are available in different brands and studies have proven this can lower the cholesterol from 15% to 30% when this is taken in regularly.

Should exercise and dieting not work, the patient must remember that the intake of these drugs has certain side effects. The doctor should explain this before even prescribing this so the individual can choose from the wide range of drugs that can be used to lower ones cholesterol.

Prevention is the best way to combat any disease. A regular checkup at the doctors office will surely save money instead of being confined in the hospital.

Tags: Atkins, Bad Cholesterol, Bill Of Health, Blood Test, Bloodstream, Calories, Cholesterol Ldl, dairy products;, Eating Habits, Fruits And Vegetables, Good Cholesterol, Hdl Ldl, Healthy Diet, heart attack;, heart disease;, high blood pressure;, Human Body, Lowering Cholesterol, Oatmeal, Pancreas, Red Meat, Saturated Fats, Triglyceride Level, Triglycerides, Two Doctors —

There is a saying that goes. “We are what we eat.” This is so true as the food being consumed may affect the cholesterol levels inside the persons system. This makes this makes the person prone to high blood pressure or heart disease through age, which could leave the patient, paralyzed or dead.

The only thing to do before it is too late is to make some changes in the individual’s diet. While many of the good stuff that people love to eat have high concentrations of LDL better known as bad cholesterol, this can all change by consuming those that have HDL or good cholesterol. Here are a few examples.

A good way to start a healthy diet is to have a breakfast. Instead of eating bread, the individual can consume oatmeal instead. Studies have shown this can lower the cholesterol in the body by more than 20% after just two weeks of use. This figure can go down some more if this becomes a habit before going to work.

It is tough to just have oatmeal in the morning. Sometimes, the individual can have a fruit. An example could be an apple.

Studies have shown that people who eat at least 2 full apples a day or drink 12 ounces of apple juice are able to reduce the chances of heart diseases by 50%. This can be purchased at the supermarket and eaten during anytime of the day such as dessert after a light meal or as a snack.

During lunch or dinner, the person must have some vegetables in the meal. Those who order can have fish or poultry instead of eating red meat. Such dishes are not high in saturated fats, which are healthier.

Those who love to cook at home can try mixing some healthy things ingredients in the meal. One example is garlic that has natural properties that can declog the arteries and again lower the odds of succumbing to heart disease.

Having a can of pork and beans is also good for the diet. This is because it contains soluble fibers that can combat the bad cholesterol in the person’s body. There are not that many people who will do this but those who are able to eat even a half an onion daily will be able to increase the HDL and lower the LDL.

People are often told that fats are not good for the diet. This isnt entirely true because this comes in many forms. There are fats that are healthy such as unsaturated ones and omega 3 fatty acids.

Monosaturated and Polysaturated ones are also effective since these are usually found in cooking oils. This means food preparation also plays a big factor in reducing lowering ones cholesterol levels.

The individual should read the label at the supermarket and read the ingredients to find out if this is healthy for cooking.

Being a bit overweight or noticing a lot of bulges in the body is one way of knowing that the person is potentially at risk for succumbing to disease to high levels of cholesterol in the system.

If the individual is unable to make a proper dietary plan, a specialist can help make one so all the person has to do is follow it.

Tags: Apple Juice, Apples, Arteries, Bad Cholesterol, Cholesterol, Cholesterol Levels, Eating Habits, Fruits And Vegetables, Good Cholesterol, Good Stuff, Hdl Cholesterol, Healthy Diet, heart disease;, Heart Diseases, high blood pressure;, Lower Cholesterol, Oatmeal, Pork And Beans, Poultry, Red Meat, Saturated Fats, Soluble Fibers —