Healthy Tips to Lower Cholesterol
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6 Tasty Low Fat Soup Recipes For Cholesterol PatientsAmong low cholesterol recipes, soups that are low in fat happen to be very popular. Folks with high cholesterol love to have these soups as they are really tasty. These soup recipes provide a balanced and fat free food and could be of great...
Looking for Foods to Avoid High Cholesterol?
Question: What kind of foods should you eat if you are trying to avoid high cholesterol levels? Answer: To understand what foods are good and bad for you, it can be good to have an advanced knowledge of exactly what cholesterol is. Cholesterol...
Lower Cholesterol Naturally With Diet And Exercise
Lower cholesterol levels are something everyone needs to be concerned with. For some people it is easier to do than for others. It may be necessary at least for a short time to take prescription medication to get your cholesterol under control....
Cholesterol and Your Body
What is cholesterol? Cholesterol is a solid, waxy substance produced by all animals as part of their normal metabolism. While cholesterol is not itself a fat, it is always found with fats in animal derived foods. Technically cholesterol is classed as a "lipid", a group of fat and fat-like substances that are insoluble in water but soluble in fat solvents. Studies have shown that 60-70% of all blood cholesterol is produced by the liver, not from pre-formed cholesterol in foods.
The liver manufactures two main carrier molecules, LDL and HDL, which bind with cholesterol. LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) carries cholesterol to all the tissues in the body. It may be used for various metabolic functions, such as repair of cell membranes and hormone production. LDL-bound cholesterol tends to stick to damaged artery linings, where it may accumulate, later plugging up arteries and blocking blood flow. Hence LDL cholesterol is known as the "bad" cholesterol.
HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) carries cholesterol back to the liver from tissues throughout the body. The liver may convert HDL cholesterol to bile salts which are dumped into the intestine. There, they may be excreted from the body, if the diet is high in fiber. The body rids itself of excess cholesterol by the excretion of cholesterol in the form of fiber-bound, used bile salts. In this case, HDL cholesterol is known as the "good" cholesterol.
Current research shows that total blood cholesterol levels should ideally measure under 200mg and definitely under 250mg. Certain lifestyle measures can be helpful in
lowering total and LDL cholesterol, while raising HDL cholesterol:
a) regular aerobic exercise - jogging, brisk walking, swimming, etc.
b) routine of stress reduction techniques - meditation, prayer or laughter
c) reduction of dietary fats and simple sugars from your diet
d) no smoking and minimal alcohol intake
e) high fiber diet - whole grains, beans lentils, peas and fresh vegetables
f) using olive oil as the main cooking oil
g) eating a lot of fish that is rich in fatty acids - sardines, salmon or cod
h) avoiding animal foods fried in oil and reduced intake of hydrogenated vegetable oils, shortenings and margarines
Some additional tips on different ways that fibers, vitamins, minerals and fatty acids may improve the body's cholesterol balance include:
a) lowering food cholesterol absorption by including pectin, alfalfa seeds, guar gum, oat and rice bran in your diet
b) decreasing reabsorption of bile salts from the intestine by including calcium, beta sitosterol, guar gum and psyllium husks in your diet
c) reducing total blood cholesterol levels by using all the fiber foods mentioned above, GTF chromium, copper, calcium and vitamins C and E (these also raise the HDL levels)
d) lowering LDL cholesterol levels with oat bran, guar gum, copper niacin (B-3) and vitamin C.
By implementing the above lifestyle suggestions and diet practices, you can take preventive measures in lowering your LDL cholesterol.
Written By: Pamela Nathan
Putting children on cholesterol drug draws ire - Herald Tribune
Published Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 4:30 a.m. Last updated Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 3:54 a.m. Cholesterol drugs for 8-year-olds? This aggressive new recommendation for warding off heart disease in some children stirred a furious debate among ...
Fish Oil and Red Yeast Rice Studied for Lowering Blood Cholesterol - Forbes
ROCHESTER, Minn., July 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A great deal of scientific evidence shows that cholesterol-reducing medications known as statins can help prevent coronary artery disease. Although the safety of these medications has been well ...
Docs debate pills to check child obesity - Hindustan Times
Children as young as two should be screened for bad cholesterol if they are overweight or have a parent or close family member with heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, or premature heart disease (diagnosed ...
U.S. Preventive Medicine Applauds Leading Health Organizations for ... - Forbes
DALLAS, July 8 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Preventive Medicine, (www.USPreventiveMedicine.com) the leader in disease prevention, today applauded the Centers for Disease Control for its campaign to make the United States a healthier nation. The company also ...
Cholesterol Drugs Recommended For Children As Young As 8 - Redorbit.com
A respected doctors group is recommending for the first time that children as young as 8 years old be given drugs to ward off heart problems and fight cholesterol. The guidelines, given by the American Academy of Pediatrics, are the strongest ever ...