LowerHighCholesterol.Net

Steven A Johnson asked:


There are many factors and steps you can take to maintain a healthy cholesterol level. The importance of maintaining a healthy cholesterol level are simple, it can greatly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, in other words, protecting the heart that keeps us alive.

Let’s discuss cholesterol and what it means to us. Cholesterol is a fatty wax like substance that goes through our bloodstream. It requires a water soluble protein transport carrier from the liver to all the necessary parts of our bodies, and then returning to the liver for breaking down and elimination. Combined protein and cholesterol, known as lipoproteins, can be HDL (high-density) or LDL (low-density).

HDL is referred to as “good cholesterol”. This type is responsible for returning extra cholesterol not being used to the liver, ready for the breakdown process. This cholesterol type is good only because it enables the excess to be disposed of.

LDL works in a different way. LDL is responsible for transporting cholesterol to all the necessary organs and tissues in our body from the liver.

So what does all this mean to my cardiovascular system? LDL is the problem type of cholesterol when there is more than needed and HDL cannot remove it from our blood vessels and arteries. When the excess amount of cholesterol cannot be removed, it builds up into a plaque-like substance and it starts to clog the artery walls. When this happens, this leaves a lot of room for diseases. With our arteries clogged, there is no possible way we are giving the correct transport of blood to all of our essential organs.

Without a clean blood flow, there is a chance the arteries will become clogged which results in higher blood pressure and can drastically affect our health. With clogged arteries, we are open up to diseases such as cardiovascular disease, a heart attack, strokes and paralysis.

Now that we know the dangers of high cholesterol, how do we lower it to prevent diseases? A correct diet and regular exercise is an excellent place to start.

A proper diet is the first step to lowering or even preventing high cholesterol. There are foods that we eat everyday that are good for us, but some of the foods we love most can cause the most damaging.

Leafy green vegetables are a good source of nutrients to fight off diseases and to maintain a healthy protein level.

Such greens are broccoli, spinach and green beans. Lettuce is also good, although there are not nearly enough nutrients in just lettuce alone. One factor I want to mention when eating your vegetables is to chew your food well. In order to get the most out of our greens, we need to chew them really well, extracting the natural nutrients.

Switching to healthier cooking oils is another step towards lowering your cholesterol. Olive oil and walnut oil are the best cooking oils you can use.

Some other essential foods we can eat to help with cardiovascular disease are baked or grilled fish, fruits and berries and nuts; including walnuts, pecans and peanuts.

Avoiding certain types of food is another way to help lower cholesterol. Red meats and dairy products that have not been reduced of fat may be the first thing to take out of our diet. Although there is protein in these foods, too much of a good thing can be too much.

Adding whole grains to your diet has been known for years to help reduce high cholesterol. The benefits of whole grain are that it is a soluble fiber that will lower LDL (the bad one) and raise the good type of cholesterol, HDL. Oat bran and other whole grain foods are not the only source to

get a good amount of fiber into our bodies to lower LDL. Other sources of fiber include barley, beans and green peas.

Although there is almost no substitute to a proper diet, there are some excellent supplements on the market today that have proven results to lowering cholesterol.

Supplements, as in vitamins and minerals, can really help with cholesterol. Not everyone has the time or dedication to reduce cholesterol with a proper diet. When choosing a supplement, here are some of the ingredients to look for in a quality product targeted to lowering cholesterol.

One of the most known supplements is in the form of fish oils, called Omega-3 fatty acids. This is a stand alone supplement, yet it is in most of the cholesterol lowering supplements out there.

Vitamin B-6 and B-12 are also great supplements. Another proven B vitamin, Niacin, also reduces LDL and raises HDL. If you plan on taking this, take as directed as too much can cause damage to the liver.

Vitamin E is a simple vitamin that will not cause damage in excess. In some cases, just a little extra vitamin E can reduce cholesterol levels.

If you feel you might have high cholesterol, please consult your doctor for tests and before taking a supplement specifically for lowering cholesterol.



Lower Cholesterol Level

Vistas asked:


begun exercising daily. Eats 2 fruits a day which includes an apple, has 6 servings of veggies, soya products with all meals, oats at breakfast, whole grain breads, lean meat mostly chicken and has reduced saturated/ hydrogenated containing foods to twice a week in controled quantity. I am also giving him Canola spread on his bread and cook his food in Olive/ Canola oils.
Will this help lower his cholesterol. His weight is perfect for his height and age.

The Biggest Loser

ohbladeebladaa asked:


My cholesterol level is 250, I’ve taken Lovastatin Lipitor, but they make my muscles ache so bad I can’t stand it.

Vitamin K

John Moore asked:


Ways To Keep It Low

These days we hear a lot of warnings about cholesterol, but the funny thing is, cholesterol isn’t all bad. Your body produces it naturally and it performs some pretty vital jobs - helping to build new cells, as well as produce hormones and insulate nerves. Only when you’ve got too much do you have a problem.

Unfortunately, there’s a lot of confusion surrounding this substance because it’s made up of both good and bad cholesterol, and is known as HDL and LDL. So which is the good guy, and which is the bad guy ? HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is the good guy (higher the better), and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is the bad guy - the artery-clogging little devil.

Every Day Ways Of Keeping Your Cholesterol Low :-

Watch your weight.

The more overweight you are, the more cholesterol your body produces. So if your weight is up, this is one more reason to bring it down, but do so with a healthy diet.

Cut Out The Fat.

You’d be wise to cut back on such sources of saturated fat as meat, butter, cheese and hydrogenated oil. Whenever possible, replace these items with fish, poultry, low-fat dairy products and polyunsaturated oils.

Switch To Olive Oil.

Olive oil contains monounsaturates which is said to help lower cholesterol levels if added to your food on a daily basis. Two or Three table spoons full a day should be sufficient

Go Easy On The Eggs

Don’t feel you have cut them out entirely, if you want to play safe then limit your eggs to about three a week, or use egg whites only.

Be Full Of Beans

Nutritious and inexpensive, beans and other pulses contain a water-soluble fibre called pectin that helps clear cholesterol out of the body.

Eat More Fruit

Fruit also gets it’s cholesterol lowering punch from pectin, so by eating lots of fresh fruit you will help to lower your cholesterol levels.

Have Your Oats

Oat bran also helps to lower cholesterol in a similar fashion to pectin rich fruit. In fact it was a high oat bran diet that helped me to reduce my cholesterol level. I used it on cereals, and mixed it into meals that I ate. It looks a bit like sawdust, but it’s really effective.

Other Foods That Are Recommended.

Carrots can lower cholesterol. Carrots by way of their pectin content the same as fruit. Two carrots a day should be enough to help when combined with other foods which have been recommended. Eat them raw if possible.

Take Garlic

Eat raw garlic. As well as reducing your circle of friends, it will reduce harmful blood fats. If you don’t fancy eating raw garlic, then use the liquid garlic extract which can be bought in capsule form. These can be purchased at your local supermarket or health food store.

Don’t Smoke

Studies have shown that heavy smokers have a higher cholesterol than non smokers, so here’s another reason to give up. You’ll also save yourself a bundle of cash as well ! - In smoking trials which were carried out in Sweden, smokers tended to suffer from low levels of the beneficial HDL cholesterol.

Medication - Drugs

There’s now plenty of drugs on the market for lowering cholesterol levels. But, as with all drugs there’s always side effects to take into account, so try the natural methods first. Only use drugs as a last resort.

When I found out my own cholesterol levels were high, I managed to get my levels back to normal by using the methods mentioned in this article. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading it.

Author John Moore - Please use my link http://www.information-city-online.com/

Chemotherapy

Darlene Nicholson asked:


Understanding the effects of a high cholesterol diet is a bit tricky. The effects of a high cholesterol diet on high blood cholesterol are not completely understood and there are so many variables that the information can be very confusing. Let’s look at what cholesterol is, what high cholesterol means, what the effects are of a high cholesterol diet and finally, some super foods that can help you lower your high cholesterol.

To understand a high cholesterol diet, first you need to know more about cholesterol. Only foods that are derived from animal sources (including animal fat or lard) contain cholesterol. Cholesterol is synthesized in the body. It is used in cell membrane structure and also in the synthesis of steroidal hormones and Vitamin D. It does have some use; however, as it travels in blood through arteries attached to lipoproteins such as HDL and LDL, some of it sticks to the walls of the artery creating the condition known as atherosclerosis, a.k.a. clogged arteries. The higher the total blood cholesterol, specifically the LDL, the higher the incidence of cholesterol depositing on artery walls.

High blood cholesterol levels in individuals have been shown to increase cardiovascular disease rates. Total cholesterol in an individual should be less than 200 mg/dL. The total cholesterol is made up of LDL (low-density lipoproteins), HDL (high-density lipoproteins) and triglycerides. LDL, a.k.a. bad cholesterol, should be less than 100 mg/dL. HDL, a.k.a. good cholesterol, should be greater than 40 mg/dL and trigylcerides should be less than 150 mg/dL. If any of your cholesterol levels are outside these numbers, you’ve likely heard that you should avoid a high cholesterol diet, but why?

A high cholesterol diet is by name alone, high in cholesterol; however, studies are unsure as to whether or not dietary cholesterol is really the root cause of increased blood cholesterol levels. More importantly is the saturated fat intake that often occurs with a high cholesterol diet. High amounts of saturated fat have been shown to increase blood cholesterol levels in individuals. Food high in saturated fats are fatty meats and products produced using oils high in saturated fat such as potato chips, deep fried cuisine, and baked goods to name a few.

To muddy the waters a bit more, science isn’t clear on why one person can eat a high cholesterol, high fat diet and not have high cholesterol(they may, however have other health issues), and another person will end up with high cholesterol on the same or even a better diet. The bottom line here is that a large part of high blood cholesterol can be contributed to genetics. Some people with high blood cholesterol respond well to environmental changes like diet and exercise therapy while others need medication to control their high cholesterol.

There are some super foods that scientists are finding out may help reduce blood cholesterol. Some of these super foods can even be used to replace foods in a high cholesterol diet.

Oats in oatmeal and oat bran contain soluble fiber. A daily amount of 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber has been proven to lower LDL levels around five percent. Overall, the daily recommendation for dietary fiber is 25 grams. The remaining amount of fiber intake for the day beyond soluble fiber is 15-20 grams of insoluble fiber found in whole grains and other roughage such as celery. The best benefits from fiber are seen when both soluble and insoluble fiber are present in the diet.

Fish such as salmon, trout and sardines have high amounts of omega 3 fatty acids which not only lower LDL but raise the good cholesterol, HDL. Fish can easily replace the protein found in a high cholesterol diet.

Some nuts such as almonds, pistachios and pecans contain fiber, phytonutrients and Vitamin E. These nutrients have been shown to be beneficial in reducing cholesterol. Eat them in small quantities, though, because nuts are high in calories. Replace some of the protein in a high cholesterol diet with this super food.

Though the cholesterol in a high cholesterol diet may not be the culprit, the saturated fat almost always accompanies the cholesterol. So, ultimately, for optimum health, a high cholesterol diet should be avoided.



Vitamin K

song.bird150 asked:


My 3 year old daughter was diagnosed with a cholesterol level of 202 recently. She doesn’t eat too many sweets but does not like fruits and veggies either. She does like whole wheat breads and pasta and dairy products. Oatmeal, farina and Cheerios aresome of her favorite foods, but she also loves mac n’ cheese. She is a very active little girl who gets plenty of exercise, sleep and water. What should I do to supplement her diet and lower her cholesterol. I feel very concerned about this.

The Biggest Loser

Jimmy Cox asked:


High cholesterol is one of the leading causes of heart disease and heart attacks in the world today. Millions of people are afflicted with high cholesterol whether it is because of heredity or diet.

Cholesterol is the fatty molecule that is produced by the liver and dispersed throughout the body through the bloodstream. It is a natural part of cell strength. In normal amounts, cholesterol can assist the body in many different ways. It is when cholesterol reaches unhealthy levels that it becomes a health risk.

High cholesterol is a serious health risk for millions of people around the world. Whether the high cholesterol is due to heredity or diet, there are ways to lower cholesterol to a level that is not a risk to your health.

The most important way to lower cholesterol is to modify your diet. This includes limiting consumption of red meat, milk and cheese, along with other dairy products. These foods are high in cholesterol and can increase your risk of a heart attack.

Changing your diet does not mean that you have to sacrifice taste. There are many foods that are low in unsaturated fat, which is needed to maintain a low cholesterol level. Fruits and vegetables, along with fish, can help you lead a long and healthy life. Studies have shown that cultures that consume these foods as part of their daily diet have significantly lower levels of cholesterol and longer life spans.

The next step is to incorporate an exercise routine into your everyday life. This will also assist in lowering your cholesterol.

Lifestyle changes can be difficult to adjust to and a positive attitude is a necessity. Having a positive attitude will aid you sticking to the lifestyle changes you have committed to.

When you join a fitness center, you are usually assigned a personal trainer that will design a routine specifically for your needs. Most fitness centers have nutritionists that can help you set up a menu plan to assist in lowering your cholesterol.

For those who cannot control their cholesterol through diet and exercise alone, there are prescription drugs on the market today that lower cholesterol considerably. The medications can only be given once your doctor has done tests that show high cholesterol.

For those who are hesitant about taking more medications then they already are, there are herbal remedies that have had tremendous results. Research has shown that Flaxseed and niacin have proven to lower cholesterol. Red rice extract has also shown that it has cholesterol lowering properties. However, it is crucial that you consult your doctor before taking any type of medication for lowering cholesterol because there are some herbal remedies that may counter act prescription medications you are taking.

When you decide to take step to lower your cholesterol, you are not only doing it for yourself, but for your loved ones. By taking the necessary steps to lower your cholesterol, you are giving yourself the chance to be around for all of the special memories.



Chemotherapy

NONAME asked:


how does exercising help me lower my cholesterol levels?

Chemotherapy

Jam asked:


If you want to lower your cholesterol levels, following an ideal diet may be able to help you a lot. It has been known for a long time now that the food a person eats or is accustomed to eating daily can have a direct relation in the body’s cholesterol levels.

And it is important for people to lower their cholesterol levels because cholesterol has been associated with the development of coronary heart disease. The higher the level of blood cholesterol levels in an individual, the more likely it is that he will be developing heart disease later on. Aside from that high cholesterol levels can also put a person at risk of suffering from a stroke or a heart attack.

Aside from using drugs to lower cholesterol levels, following a low cholesterol diet is the next best thing to keep your cholesterol levels down. Eating more vegetables, soy products and other low cholesterol foods can be just as effective at reducing blood cholesterol as medication. A study has been able to show that a vegetarian diet can lower cholesterol by as much as one-third in just a month.

The best cholesterol-lowering diet that you can follow usually includes a hearty serving of vegetables such as broccoli and red peppers. Soymilk and soy sausages, oat bran cereal and bread as well as plenty of fruits and nuts make up a complete low cholesterol diet. Soy protein, nuts, and fiber rich food such as oats and barley can effectively cut cholesterol levels by up to seven percent.

A low cholesterol diet also requires you to minimize your intake of saturated fat by seven percent and other fat substances by 25-35 percent. It has been discovered that the best diet for avoiding coronary heart disease includes consuming non-hydrogenated (unprocessed) fats rather than the hydrogenated variety. Increased consumption of omega-3 fats from fish, fish oil or plant sources such as flaxseeds is the suggested fat intake in a low cholesterol diet. With a low cholesterol diet, one should also limit daily sodium intake somewhere in the level of 2400 milligrams daily.

A typical day on the low cholesterol diet would include a hearty breakfast of soymilk, oat bran cereal with chopped fruit and almonds, oatmeal bread, vegetable-based margarine and jam. A typical low cholesterol lunch would comprise of soy cold cuts, oat bran bread, bean soup and a dessert of fruit. For dinner, stir-fry vegetables, tofu, fruit and almonds would be the usual low cholesterol diet fare. Following this type of low cholesterol diet religiously for long periods, it is possible for one’s cholesterol level to drop by as much as 29 percent in just a month.



South Beach Diet

.skjceuafrepiuahfpoefhpieuaf asked:


When we have food in system is cholesterol higher than the fasting level??

Vitamin K