Archive for the ‘Cholesterol’ Category

In the pages of lifestyle magazines, the cholesterol is often portrayed as a potential demon ruthlessly affecting the quality of your life. The rises in the cardio vascular diseases have made the people aware of the harmful effects of cholesterol. But not many people are aware of the fact that cholesterol can both be good and bad.

Good and Bad Cholesterol

Cholesterol and good! Yes of course; this soft, waxy substance found in the lipid fats in the bloodstream and in all your body’s cells is an essential part of a healthy body; it helps in manufacturing cell membranes and in the production of some types of hormones.

So when does this apparently helpful substance actually pose a threat to your health? When the level of the cholesterol is too high in the blood –a condition known as hypercholesterolemia — it becomes a risk factor for your heart health. A high level of cholesterol in your body is the precursor for the coronary heart disease that ultimately culminates into heart attack.

Types of cholesterol

Depending on the types of lipoprotein— special carriers that help cholesterols to be transported to and from the cells—the cholesterol can be of two major types:

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol

HDL

Now HDL cholesterol is regarded as the good variety, while the LDL acts as the chief villain. The HDL is good because it drives cholesterol away from the arteries and transport them back to the liver that helps it eliminate from the body. In a nutshell a high level of HDL cholesterol acts as a shield against heart attack. So be careful if you find HDL level in your blood is less than 40 mg/dL. (In case of women the amount is 50 mg/dL.

LDL

When the level of LDL cholesterol is too high in your blood, it ends in being accumulated in the walls of the arteries carrying blood to two important organs of heart and brain. The net result is clogging of those arteries by hard plaques made of cholesterol and other substances. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. When the plaque tends to block blood flow to your heart, the result is a heart attack. When the clog disrupts blood flow to the brain, a stroke is the final outcome.

Dealing with Cholesterol

A regular cholesterol checking will ensure that you never face these consequences. So go for a cholesterol check right away and if you happen to find the level of LDL cholesterol is 160 mg/dL or above, there are enough reason to raise alarm. Make sure that LDL cholesterol level in your blood never exceeds the mark of 100 mg/dL.

Cholesterol is produced in our own body. The additional source of cholesterol is the foods rich in both saturated fat and Trans fat. For a cholesterol free life, restrict your cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams per day.

Also shake off the sedentary lifestyle and make physical activity a compulsory part of your daily routine.

Try to give up smoking and cut back on alcohol consumption.

Most of the people fall prey of the harmful effects of the cholesterol because of their lack of awareness. But now that you know the basic facts about cholesterol, don’t let this menace mess up with your life. Take necessary precautions and enjoy your life to the fullest.

We know how importance lower cholesterol levels are. It can decrease our risk for heart disease,
stroke and heart attack. But can our cholesterol levels be too low? Since our bodies make
cholesterol it makes sense our body needs this chemical, but what happens if the body doesn’t
have the cholesterol it needs?

First, abnormally low cholesterol levels have been linked with anxiety, depression, suicide, and
violent behavior. An article published in the periodical Psychosomatic Medicine in May of 1999
makes a startling revelation. It refers to a study of healthy young women with total cholesterol
levels below 160 mg/dl. It reports these women were more likely to make high scores on tests
used to measure levels of depression and anxiety than those with normal cholesterol levels.

Medical data has also shown men with low cholesterol levels are 50-80 percent more likely to be
the victim of a homicide, suicide or fatal accident than those with normal cholesterol levels.
Researchers suspect there may be a link between low cholesterol levels and low serotonin level.
Serotonin is a “feel good” chemical found in the brain. People with low levels of serotonin are
those who have problems with depression and anxiety. So, these lower cholesterol levels can
cause depression.

Other studies into the effects of abnormally low cholesterol also show there may be some link
between low blood cholesterol and cancer. Researchers are finding the lower the blood
cholesterol level the higher the risk for cancer. Seemingly, the lower cholesterol levels may also
increase your risk for cancer.

Perhaps the most surprising result of all is that having abnormally low cholesterol can increase
your risk for a stroke. While it is generally reported to be the other way around, there are studies
that show abnormally low levels of cholesterol can cause more strokes than high cholesterol.
According to information in an article entitled The Cholesterol Myth posted on the website
Second Opinions states studies of the Japanese people have backed up the fact lower cholesterol
than normal may cause more strokes.

The Japanese were an ideal people for the stroke study because they have had a rapid change
over the past couple of decades in their eating habits. They have evolved from eating a low
cholesterol diet high in rice and vegetables to eating more high fat foods. While it seems the
Japanese who ate a higher fat diet would be more likely to have strokes, the number of strokes
has decreased among the Japanese as their dietary fat increased.

Further studies have shown there are two different types of strokes, those caused from clots and
those caused from hemorrhaging. While high cholesterol does increase your risk of clot type
strokes, research shows chances for a hemorrhagic stroke is increased by an abnormally low
cholesterol level.

As you can see, while it is dangerous for your cholesterol to be too high, it is also dangerous for
your levels to be too low. Research has shown that abnormally low cholesterol may be linked to
depression and anxiety as well as an increase in strokes. Lower cholesterol may not necessarily
be better.

The liver makes most of the cholesterol in the body, but dietary cholesterol plays an important role in controlling all the cholesterol levels in the body. The levels include the total cholesterol and the good and bad cholesterol. Good cholesterol, the HDL (high-density lipoproteins), protects the heart by helping to transport excess cholesterol from the arteries back to the liver for breakdown and disposal. On the other hand, the bad LDL (low-density lipoproteins) cholesterol builds up plaque that clogs the arteries and hinders normal blood flow. A low cholesterol diet should not only reduce the total cholesterol and LDL levels, it must also increase the HDL level at the same time.

Dietary Cholesterol

The main sources of dietary cholesterol are animal-derived foods rich in cholesterol and saturated fats, such as organ meats, egg yolk, butter and other full-cream dairy products. Trans fats (as those in deep-fried foods) and hydrogenated fats (as those in bakery items) are the other culprits. In a low cholesterol diet, you would replace saturated fats with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats such as oils of olive, canola, peanut, flaxseed, sunflower, and so on.

Fats to Avoid

As far as trans fats and hydrogenated fats are concerned, it is advisable to avoid them as far as possible, which means taking away French fries, crispies, cakes, cookies, pastries, and ice-creams from the low cholesterol diet menu.

Recommended Low Cholesterol Diet

Foods that should make an essential part of a low cholesterol diet must come from the following food groups:

• Cereals and grains: Whole-wheat bread, unpolished rice, and oats-based cereals are foods that are rich in fiber, which helps sweep away the bad LDL cholesterol from the blood. In a low cholesterol diet it is essential to replace white bread and other refined, polished grains with whole-grain varieties.
• Nuts and seeds: Nuts like almonds, peanuts, walnuts and seeds like flaxseeds are rich in antioxidants (such as vitamin E and selenium) and in good fats, called omega-3 fatty acids, which protect the heart by increasing the HDL level. Nuts and seeds are also a rich source of fiber. The best way to include flaxseeds in a low cholesterol diet is by grinding them and sprinkling over cereals and salads.
• Fish: Non vegetarians can choose to have a fatty cold-water fish such as salmon or tuna twice a week to get a rich supply of omega-3 fatty acids.
• Beans and legumes: Beans, legumes and lentils are rich sources of protein and fiber and are low in fat content. They make an ideal substitute for meats. Soy cheese (tofu) is another good meat substitute in a low cholesterol diet.
• Fiber-rich foods: Foods like oats, barley, psyllium, apples, pears, prunes, kidney beans and Brussels sprouts are rich in soluble fiber, which acts like a broom to sweep out the cholesterol from the arteries.
• Fruits and vegetables: Fresh fruits and vegetables are loaded with fiber, antioxidants, flavanoids and plant sterols, all of which help lower cholesterol and raise HDL level. Some 8-10 servings of fruits and vegetables should be included in the daily low cholesterol diet.
• Garlic, onion: Some people believe garlic regulates liver functioning and dissolve the cholesterol deposits in the arteries. Others swear that including just half a raw onion in the daily low cholesterol diet can lower LDL level and increase HDL level.

Following a low cholesterol diet, with regular exercise, and cutting out on meats, full-cream dairy products, deep-fried foods and bakery items, can go a long way in lowering total cholesterol. Similarly, it lowers LDL cholesterol levels while raising the HDL level.

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The need to lower cholesterol arises because the presence of excess cholesterol in blood serum can lead to a whole range of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. These diseases include high blood pressure, narrowing and hardening of arteries, heart disease, stroke, and paralysis.

These diseases spring up because the liver dumps excess cholesterol on the inner arterial walls. Later, these fatty deposits harden up to form a plaque, thus narrowing the arteries and obstructing blood flow to the heart and other organs. Other diseases can also result if the affected arteries normally supply blood to organs other than the heart and brain.

Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC)

The good news, however, is that it is possible to lower cholesterol simply by making some therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC) and following a healthy TLC diet. In fact, these measures are the first line of defense against hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol). If the TLC measures don’t reduce your cholesterol level enough, then your doctor could prescribe cholesterol-lowering drugs like statins.

The most important lifestyle changes you must make to lower your cholesterol are:

• Reduce excess body weight
• Exercise regularly
• Follow the TLC diet
• Quit smoking

Excess Body Weight

Excess body weight because of obesity not only increases the overall cholesterol level but also reduces the protective HDL (high-density lipoproteins) cholesterol, making the problem of high cholesterol worse. HDL is responsible for the transport of excess cholesterol from the tissues and arteries back to the liver for breakdown and disposal and therefore some people call it the good cholesterol.

Physical Exercise

Regular physical activity, especially aerobics, plays a twofold role in lowering cholesterol. First, it reduces obesity; second, it increases the HDL level. In other words, fat loss causes a drop in the total cholesterol, and your body does a better job of lowering your cholesterol because of the higher HDL level. A moderate-intensity aerobic activity like walking, cycling, dancing or swimming for 30-40 minutes, 5 days a week is an effective way to lower cholesterol.

Diet

Your diet plays a direct role in keeping your cholesterol levels. The richer the diet is in cholesterol, saturated fats and trans fats, the higher will be the cholesterol levels. While the liver makes most of the cholesterol in your body, cholesterol that comes from the foods you eat does play an important role.

In fact, for many people, a diet rich in soluble fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, when combined with regular exercise, can just as effectively lower cholesterol as do statin drugs. You would normally get these healthy nutrients from like oats, walnuts, almonds, fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, whole grains, cold-water fish, olive oil, peanut oil, and canola oil. On the other hand, this diet would exclude red meats, alcohol, fried foods, whole-cream dairy products, refined foods, and commercial bakery items.

Smoking and Cholesterol

Today, everyone knows smoking causes a whole range of deadly diseases affecting almost every organ of the body. Smoking is a major cause of cardiovascular diseases because of its role in hardening of the arteries and reducing HDL levels. So, quitting smoking will not only lower your cholesterol levels and raise the HDL level, it will also reduce the risk of getting other deadly diseases.

It is perhaps better to have several different avenues to lower cholesterol because high cholesterol could show up for different reasons in different people. So, you could, in addition, also resort to natural remedies like Guggul, Pantethine, Beta-Sitosterol, Policosanol, Curcumin, red yeast rice, and so on. You can get these supplements at health food stores at a lower price compared to prescription drugs.

Cholesterol is often referred categorized as either being good cholesterol or bad cholesterol. However, have you ever taken the time to find out why cholesterol is described this way and what the actual difference is between the two types?

Cholesterol – What is It?

Cholesterol is an important component in our body that is found in the blood stream and cells. The body needs cholesterol in order to properly function because it contributes to a wide variety of hormones and helps the body to produce cell membranes.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol is carried in the blood stream. HDL cholesterol is considered good because it protects our heart from strokes and other cardiovascular diseases. The optimal level of good cholesterol is about 40mg/dL.

On the other hand, bad cholesterol, also known as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is considered bad because if present in excessive quantities has a tendency to clog in the arteries which increases the chances of heat attacks or other heart related diseases. The optimal level of bad cholesterol is 200mg/dL or less. Higher amounts tend to increase the chance of heart problems.

Controlling Bad Cholesterol

There are a plethora of cholesterol drugs available and many natural remedies as well. However, it is strongly suggested that you approach any treatment using drugs with caution because many of the cholesterol drugs have serious side effects. Make sure your doctor thoroughly explains the potential side effects before you agree to start on a regiment that involves the taking of any drug.

You see, cholesterol is produced in the liver and one very important point to remember about statin drugs (i.e. drugs used to control cholesterol) is that they in essence, poison the liver so that it produces less cholesterol, which is why all advertisements that promote statin drugs mention that a liver test is required before getting started on statin drugs.

Hopefully, you have normal levels of both good and bad cholesterol and if you do you will clearly want to maintain that proper balance. Steps you can follow to keep your cholesterol in balance is the same as it is for overall optimal health: exercise and proper diet. Health eating includes consuming foods that are low in saturated and trans fat.

Get in the habit of reading food labels as they are required to provide the above mentioned data by law and therefore it’s much easier for you to choose food that is healthy and food that can lead to poor health and improper cholesterol levels.

Although the following food (i.e. egg yolks, poultry, meat, shellfish, butter and cheese) contains what has been determined as high levels of cholesterol it doesn’t mean that you need to totally avoid them. Simply eat them in moderation and you should be fine.

Take the time to learn a few of the basics about what constitutes both good cholesterol and bad cholesterol levels, monitor your food intake, get a reasonable amount of exercise (i.e. walking is great) and you’ll be well on your way to overall health and optimum cholesterol levels.

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Have high cholesterol? Wondering what to do about it? Even with all of the attention given to cholesterol now a days, many people are still wondering exactly what cholesterol is and, most of all, how it affects their bodies. Cholesterol is a waxy lipid (a fat) that naturally circulates in the blood. It is an important part of many body functions, including digestion, the manufacturing of vitamin D and the making of sex hormones. It is found in every cell of the body as part of the cell’s wall. However, like anything else, cholesterol levels that are too high are a danger signal. How high is too high? Total cholesterol levels should be less than 200, with total cholesterol being a combination of LDL (bad) cholesterol and HDL (good) cholesterol.

Excess cholesterol poses many significant dangers, especially to heart health. As the blood levels increase, the extra cholesterol builds up on the walls of the arteries, clogging them. Often, this will lead to a stroke or a heart attack, as the blood backs up behind the blockage and clots there. Warning signs of high cholesterol include chest pain, a family history of high cholesterol, a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, smoking and a diet high in saturated fats. If any of these risk factors are present, especially in combination, a visit to the physician to determine cholesterol levels is recommended.

One of the best interventions for high cholesterol is adopting a diet to lower cholesterol. Just about any diet (e.g. Atkins, Weight Watchers diets…) can be adapted to function as a diet to lower high cholesterol. The secret lies in ensuring that the diet includes the following things: low-fat foods, high-fiber foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, reduced salt and sugar, legumes and nuts. Try to avoid processed meats, whole milk products, eggs, fatty meats, bakery goods and fried foods or enjoy them in moderation. Eating foods like oatmeal, oat bran, artichokes, baked fish, whole-grain products and unsaturated oils will benefit both heart health and cholesterol levels.

Switching to a diet to lower high cholesterol does not have to mean the end of the world. Simple substitutes for less desirable foods are readily available in any supermarket. Purchasing fat-free milk, low-fat cheeses and butter substitutes instead of whole milk products is a huge step. Lean cuts of meat, baked fish, fresh fruits, soy products, beans and peas, green vegetables, nuts and seeds all fortify the diet to lower cholesterol, giving the heart one of the best types of protection. Simple changes in cooking techniques can also make a huge difference. Drain grease when cooking, regulate portion sizes, bake or broil foods instead of frying them, use vegetable oil when cooking, trim off fats and avoid adding extra salt or sugar.

In addition to diet modifications, there are many other ways to help lower cholesterol. A balanced aerobic exercise routine has unbelievable benefits, including weight loss and better circulation. Walking, running and swimming are all good forms of exercise and burn excess calories at the same time. Quitting smoking is also another excellent way to improve the health of blood vessels and decrease the risk of stroke. Medications, such as Lipitor, to lower high cholesterol are used as a last resort. Usually a diet to lower high cholesterol combined with exercise will do the trick. So, take the first step to heart health now and go have a cholesterol level done. It just may be the best thing you’ve done for your body in a long time. And who knows, there may still be time to work on prevention, starting with a diet to lower cholesterol levels.

High cholesterol level is probably one of the widely spread complication among Americans. Almost forty to fifty percent Americans have their LDL level higher than the normal. In order to bring down the level, medications are quite frequently in use. But these medications are only sought when dietary measures and exercises are unable to regulate high level of bad cholesterol. Most of the widely prevalent cholesterol medications are likely to result in certain side effects. That’s why great research and development is on in America to come up with effective anti cholesterol medications with least or no side effect.

Although with more side effects or less side effects, old groups of cholesterol medication are widely accepted. However diabetic folks must take these medications with extreme care. They must seek their doctor’s opinion before consuming these medicines.

Folks taking medicines must keep track of their blood cholesterol level so that they may not get indulged in over usage of drugs. These cholesterol lowering drugs work in divergent ways however their purpose remains the same.

Various medications could be listed as follows-

Statin medications
Statin is probably most sought after cholesterol medication. It is very active bad cholesterol reducing agent. Medicines of this group could lower bad cholesterol even up to sixty percent. It enhances liver’s capacity to eliminate LDL or bad cholesterol from blood by increasing level of HDL or good cholesterol. However its usage may result in intestinal and certain other side effects. Simvastatin, Pravachol, Lovastatin and Lipitor are some of the medicines of this group.

Niacin medications
It is also known as Nicotinic acid medicines. Medicines of this group too serve the same purpose. Along with LDL cholesterol it also affects Triglyceride. These vitamin B3 drugs could be even found in natural food products. It also helps in widening blood vessels. Its consumption often results in headache and itching.

Bile Acid sequestrants
These absorbers in intestine help prevent cholesterol from getting into blood circulation for that they get adhered with bile and excess cholesterol comes out through stool. It is an effective cholesterol reducing agent. Colestipol and Cholestyramine are two acids in use to serve the purpose.

Derivatives of fibric acids
It reduces total cholesterol count. It also increases level of good cholesterol. This medicine is particularly meant for lowering Triglyceride. Gemfibrozil and Fenofibrate are two popular medicines of this group. These medicines may give way to certain digestive disorders.

Cholesterol absorption inhibitors
These are relatively new drugs. These facilitates intestinal absorption of Low density cholesterol thus help in preventing excessive deposition of blood cholesterol. Ezetimibe is one of the drugs of this group that is being used frequently.

These are widely prevalent medication groups. None of these medicines come as over the counter drugs. Some new cholesterol drugs have also come on the block. Recently Pennsylvania University has come up with a drug called Torcetrapib that serves the purpose of cholesterol reduction well and inventors also boast off that the medication is free of side effects. ACAT or Acyl co A or Cholesterol acyltransferase is another new drug that is said to be equally efficient to serve the same purpose with probably no side effects.

Let’s hope for many more side effect free medications to curb this menace of bad cholesterol.

Cholesterol slowly but silently works on us from the inside out. I am talking about the bad cholesterol. Think about this. The only way that bad cholesterol enters our body we have to put it in. Take your time with this now. Don’t race through this article.

Every disease that has anything to do with bad cholesterol is preventable. Each disease is within your power to avoid.

You are what you eat. If you did not eat you would not grow. If you did not eat you would die. You are what you eat. How else did you get as big as you are?

Your life depends on what you do and do not know about cholesterol. That is why we are going to have a fun quiz.

Pull out your pencil and pad. We are going to do a quick quiz on cholesterol. Do not look at the bottom of the article yet. Keep your eyes up on this section. Okay you may begin.

1. The National Institutes of Health said that we should protect ourselves by keeping a

close check on which cholesterol item A, B, C, or D?

A. Total

B. LDL

C. HDL

D. None of These

2. They say that exercise can help you lower LDL cholesterol. What do you think?

A. True

B. False

3. Cholesterol is definitely found in only one of these foods. If you know all there is to

know about cholesterol which one is it?

A. Oranges

B. Tuna

C. Broccoli

D. Peanuts

4. In order for exercise to be beneficial we must exercise at least 30 minutes a day all at

once.

A. True

B. False

5. This is the hard question. Whenever plaque is found inside the arteries it is mainly

made up of LDL cholesterol? Is that true or false?

A. True

B. False

Bonus.

Everyone loves a bonus question. I refuse to disappoint you. Here goes.

Go back up to question #1 and answer this. When considering cholesterol what do the initials in B. and C. stand for?

Are you ready for the answers? Here goes!

1. The National Institutes of Health said that we should protect ourselves by keeping a

close check on which cholesterol item A, B, C, or D?

The correct answer is (B).

The National Institutes of Health said that we should watch the bad cholesterol. You should always know this figure. What is your LDL cholesterol as you read this?

2. They say that exercise can help you lower LDL cholesterol. What do you think?

The correct answer is (A).

Exercise does help lower LDL cholesterol (bad). Losing weight also helps lower LDL cholesterol.

How are you doing so far? Two for Two? Great! Carry on.

3. Cholesterol is definitely found in only one of these foods. If you know all there is to

know about cholesterol which one is it?

The correct answer is (Tuna). Give yourself a pat on the back. Your batting average will put you in the record books. If a food comes from a plant, chances are it does not contain cholesterol.

Seeds, nuts, grains, vegetables and fruits are great for your high cholesterol. Animal products and animal by products all contain cholesterol.

4. In order for exercise to be beneficial we must exercise at least 30 minutes a day all at

once.

The correct answer is (false). You can break your aerobic activity down to 10 to 15 minute workouts. You do not have to get your exercise all at once.

5. This is the hard question. Whenever plaque is found inside the arteries it is mainly made up of LDL cholesterol? Is that true or false?

The correct answer is (A). If plaque is found inside the arteries it is mainly made up of LDL cholesterol.

How did you do with the questions? The object of this fun cholesterol quiz is to test your knowledge about the silent killer LDL cholesterol. Information on the bonus question is found below.