Cholesterol Does NOT Need to be an Issue
How about these right… I think you’ll find the following nuggets of wisdom particularly insightful. Leave your comments below. Check out the second one in particular…
Diet changes improve older adults' cholesterol too
Conventional wisdom holds that people should follow a healthy diet and get regular exercise to help control their cholesterol and triglycerides, Read the rest of this entry
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If you have been to see a physician regarding your cholesterol levels, hopefully they have advised you to lower your high cholesterol through diet, if not and they have recommended you start taking statins, you may want to consider trying to lower your high cholesterol through diet first anyway before agreeing to take a lifetime prescription of these drugs. Don’t Read the rest of this entry
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Diet Cravings
Thirty years ago the majority of people were slim. If they wanted to lose weight, they made sure it was an at home weight lose. Today the majority of people are overweight. Chances are they are either on a diet, about to go on a diet or they have just finishes a diet. In thirty years, diets have gone from being almost ignored to being a way of Read the rest of this entry
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You need to know about cholesterol triglyceride because it is this cholesterol that will cause give you a variety of cardiovascular diseases. Triglycerides are part of the cholesterol picture that is not talked about very much and are extremely dangerous for your health. And, they come from the fat that you eat every day.
Cholesterol triglyceride is a lipid, which Read the rest of this entry
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Having said that, it needs to be understood that reducing cholesterol can be corrected through lifestyle choices. In other words, in most cases it can be controlled through what we eat. So the first step is to understand what consumable foods contribute to higher cholesterol and which ones do not. Then weigh that knowledge against possible consequences and the corresponding costs.
For example, let us look at protein. Protein is a source of energy that is critical for life. The problem comes from the fact that cholesterol is produced by the liver and is thus in all animals that have livers. If the source of our meat protein comes from animals that already have high cholesterol their meat will be high in cholesterol. Fortunately there are other sources of protein.
Plant protein seems the logical choice here. The affects of natural plant protein on reducing cholesterol is growing in popularity. However there are some side effects that have hindered that popularity such as allergies and other unpleasant bodily reactions. Another problem has been the overall efficiency of plant protein compared to animal protein.
Fortunately there are companies that are willing to develop products that meet those concerns without the harmful side effects that the drug companies are willing to pass on to the consumers. One such product is Nutribody Natural Protein. There high natural protein content with absolutely no cholesterol is a fine example of a product that can be invaluable to reducing cholesterol without sacrificing the need for protein by our bodies.
Combined with the low cost, products like Nutribody’s natural protein answer many, if not all, the concerns that are enveloping the connection between sources of protein and reducing cholesterol.
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For many years, the correlation between niacin and cholesterol has been linked together. Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid or vitamin B-3, is found in a lot of different types of foods and can actually breakdown bad cholesterol in the blood when consumed in high doses for an extended period of time. This has been confirmed through studies of people who have seen cholesterol levels dramatically decreased after taking niacin for sometime.
Unfortunately, our bodies are not really designed to take in excessive amounts of niacin and a lot of people who take niacin supplements suffer from mild to moderate side effects. Some of the most common side effects experienced are itching, flushing, gastrointestinal upset, hot flashes, palpitations and changes in blood glucose.
So, although niacin has proven to be effective in controlling blood cholesterol levels, with the nature of the side effects many experts insist that it should not be considered as a good alternative for appropriate diet and exercise to lower blood cholesterol levels.
Diet and Exercise is Really Better than Niacin
The relationship between niacin and cholesterol is worth knowing and taking advantage of but it is no substitute for a balanced diet and exercise. Simply stay away from greasy and fatty foods because they are not doing you any good at all. To really stay healthy you need to eat plenty of fresh fruits, whole grains and vegetables. Experts say we should eat at least five kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables every day to remain healthy and strong. Eating plenty of green leafy vegetables and those dark purple fruits with a minimal amount of niacin supplement should go a long way to lowering cholesterol naturally.
Along with eating right we should also start moving around a bit more. People who walk or go to the gym at least three times a week have been shown to have a lot less inclination towards diseases than those who spend too much time on the couch.
So remember that the tie between niacin and cholesterol is important and can be a good short term help. But it should not be looked at as a solve all solution. If used appropriately along with diet and exercise, the link between niacin and cholesterol can facilitate the reduction and control of blood cholesterol levels.
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Drugs or Fish Oil?
Keeping the LDL cholesterol low should be your primary concern to reduce your risk of heart disease. As a rule of thumb if your LDL cholesterol level is above 100 mg/dl it is time to start looking for a way to reduce that level. Of course this can be accomplished with synthetic drugs developed for this specific purpose but along with these drugs come the potential of side effects that may not be better than not taking the medicine at all. Whether these drugs are for you or not should only come with serious consultation with your doctor.
However, there are alternatives to these synthetic drugs. History and testing have shown that fish oil and LDL cholesterol interact in such a way that the LDL cholesterol is facilitated in acting like HDL to move the excess cholesterol back to the liver for processing. Fish oil is high in Omega 3 fatty acids. These three fatty acids, ALA, EPA and DHA are able to bond with the LDL cholesterol in such a way as to diminish the chances of it creating plaque in the blood vessels. The net result is that the combination of the fish oil and LDL cholesterol achieves the same results as the synthetic drugs but without the potentially harmful side effects.
Best Source of Fish Oil
The book seems to still be open on what the best source is for the Omega 3 fatty acids. Some say you should eat fish that is high in Omega 3 such as salmon, tuna or mackerel at least three times a week. Others say that a good capsule processed by a reputable manufacturer is the way to go. The debate will probably go on for sometime but it isn’t about fish oil and LDL cholesterol but rather about how to take the fish oil.
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Simply put cholesterol is a combination of a fat known as a lipid and a product known as sterol which is formed by combining steroids and alcohol. This combining is done in the liver so we can say that most of our cholesterol is made by the liver. If the liver is functioning properly then our cholesterol should be ok except that additional cholesterol can and is ingested from the foods that we eat. Obviously, if cholesterol is produced by the liver and we eat food that comes from sources that have livers there will be cholesterol involved, i.e. animals. Vegetables and other plant foods don’t have livers thus there is no cholesterol in them.
Lipoprotein: LDL vs. HDL
There are two main types of lipoproteins in the body. Lipoproteins are the substance that helps to dissolve the excess fatty cholesterol in the blood. This excess is the result of the liver producing excessive amounts of cholesterol primarily triggered by saturated fats and trans fats. The two types are low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). In general LDL is not good and HDL is good.
It is the HDL that has the ability to carry the excess cholesterol back to the liver where it can be excreted. The LDL, on the other hand, will tend to cling to the walls of the arteries creating a plaque which over time will cause a narrowing of the arteries and increasing the risk of circulatory problems. It is not critical to understand how this all works as much as it is to have a basic understanding that it is better to have high HDL cholesterol and low LDL cholesterol for good health.
The general rule of thumb is that for a healthy body the LDL cholesterol level should be below 100 mg/dl. Probably the best way to increase HDL and lower LDL is through exercise combined with either totally eliminating or at least drastically reducing the intake of saturated and trans fats.
Finally it is always advisable to have your cholesterol levels checked by a qualified health specialist and to follow that person’s advice on any necessary changes you need to make with regards to your cholesterol.
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If your cholesterol is indeed out of balance and your doctor puts you some type of regiment to bring it back into balance it usually means more trips to the doctor to be checked. However, there are ways to check your cholesterol between visits to know how you are progressing. Or if you are not under the care of a health specialist to determine if you should be.
An Electronic Cholesterol Tester is More Accurate than Litmus Testing
Much the same way that blood glucose monitors work cholesterol testers require taking a drop of blood on a test strip that is put into the meter which will then give you a number that shows what your total cholesterol level is. When home testing we must understand that cholesterol levels do not change quickly and to test more than once a week is not necessary.
Where to Find a Good Electronic Cholesterol Tester
With numerous options available today in terms of makes and models it is not difficult to find a good electronic cholesterol tester. Accutrend and Kernel International Corporation are a couple of the better known manufacturers of cholesterol testers both with a good selection to meet most people’s budget and needs.
Please keep in mind that an electronic cholesterol tester will fairly accurately tell you what your total cholesterol level is. Although much better than litmus testing it won’t distinguish between HDL and LDL cholesterol. To get these numbers will indeed require a visit to the doctor and is not to be a replacement by the care of a good health care specialist.
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