Posts Tagged ‘High Cholesterol’

High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol

Heart attack is the leading cause of death not only in the United States but in the entire world. It kills twice as many people than the 2nd leading cause of death, which is cancer. Heart disease is also known as the silent killer because it happens suddenly with no fair warning. More than 50% of people who die of cardiac causes have no history of heart disease because sudden cardiac death is the most common cardiac sign. According to the National Institute of health high blood pressure should be a priority concern of over 65 million Americans. That is over 1 in 3 Americans. This statistic is even higher if you’re African American. This statistic is also directly linked to the fact that 62% of Americans are overweight or obese. If you are overweight or obese you probably have high blood pressure or cholesterol and don’t even know it. High cholesterol oxidizes in your arteries and forms plaque, which blocks blood flow, which leads to a heart attack.

In addition to exercising on a regular basis and eating foods low in trans fats and cholesterol, there are many all natural ingredients you can take to lower cholesterol and high blood pressure. First you should know there is a three step process to lowering cholesterol and high blood pressure and there are all natural ingredients out there that are clinically proven to assist in all 3 of these steps, which can reduce the use of statins and drugs. Below is the 3 step process and its assisting all natural ingredients.

1) Prevent Cholesterol Absorption – It is common sense to eat less high fatty foods and eating fresh fruits and vegetables to reduce cholesterol absorption. Of course no matter what you do you will still eat food that has cholesterol therefore you should take Phytosterol to help your body to absorb much less cholesterol. Phytosterols are also called plant sterols, which are a group of steroid alcohol, photochemical naturally occurring in plants. They are white powders with mild, characteristic odor insoluble in water and soluble in alcohols. They have many applications as food additives and in medicine and cosmetics. Phytosterol have a very similar molecular structure as cholesterol therefore it mimics cholesterol in the digestive tract and blocks cholesterol from being absorbed. In this way your body absorbs less cholesterol therefore less cholesterol enters the bloodstream and the unabsorbed cholesterol passes through your body as waste. By lowering cholesterol absorption you help prevent the risk of heart attack.

2) Preventing Plaque Build Up – The second step to lowering cholesterol is to prevent it from oxidizing in the arteries and forming plaque since Plaque is what makes high cholesterol deadly. There are several all antioxidants, which are great for preventing LDL cholesterol from forming plaque. Grape Seed, Grape Skin, Bilberry Extract, Quercetin, and Gingko Baloba are all flavenoids found in certain grapes and berries which naturally prevent plaque formation, which lowers cholesterol levels. Gingko Baloba comes from a 4000 year old ancient plant which also helps to prevent blood platelet activity.

3) Break up Plaque Build Up – Of course after you reduce cholesterol absorption and reduce cholesterol oxidation which forms plaque, you’ll still have some plaque build up that needs to be broken up. Not only does plaque build up cause heart disease but it also causes damage to arteries. Omega 3 fish oil has many properties, but two of the most important properties in relation to heart health is that it breaks up plaque build up, helps your body absorb more phytosterols, helps increase HDL cholesterol levels, reduces tryglyceride levels, increases blood flow to the heart as well as the brain for better memory function and many other benefits not related to heart health.In addition to lowering cholesterol there are 4 all natural ingredients that help lower high blood pressureTripeptides – Tripeptides are derived from cutured milk and were discovered in the early 1900s by Japanese scientist. Nearly a century of research led to the patented process of isolating the tripeptides that help maintain healthy blood pressure. A potent therapeutic dose of these tripeptides has been shown to protect the artery wall.Passionflower – A creeping perennial vine, recognized for its natural stress relieving and relaxing abilities.Potassium – Potassium is an element critical to helping your body maintain the proper balance of potassium and sodium necessary for optimum heart and blood vessel health Pomegranate – Pomegranate is a powerful antioxidant, and has been shown to possess stress-relieving properties, A three year study found that pomegranate helps promote healthy blood flow.

Your heart is the most important muscle in your body and your body can’t live without it. Start taking the right nutrients today and make heart disease beg for mercy. All of these ingredients are clinically proven and not based on folklore and home remedies. All of these ingredients are on the FDA approved ingredients list as well as being approved by the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP). For more information about these all natural ingredients as well as quality supplements and other ways to lower your High blood pressure and Cholesterol, call Toll Free 1-877-210-3216

If high cholesterol is so bad for us then why are low-fat, low cholesterol diets so difficult to stick to? After all we wouldnâ??t stick our hands into an open flame, yet from the various reports and statements of health experts, youâ??d think that eating cholesterol is just as dangerous. So why do our bodies â??betrayâ? us by constantly craving fats? The simple fact of the matter is that our body needs fat, and especially cholesterol, to function properly. Not only that, but our body actually makes cholesterol for a number of important bodily functions such as repair of damaged cell membranes, production of hormones, and digestion of fats.

So why the constant pushing of this or that natural remedy for high cholesterol? The fact is that high blood cholesterol, or hypercholesterolemia, can cause a number of heart diseases, and can lead to heart attack, or stroke. But even here there is more to it: in fact there is â??good cholesterolâ? and â??bad cholesterol.â? It is the ratio of these two types of cholesterol that is important.The Good: High – Density Lipoproteins (HDLâ??s)

As mentioned before, cholesterol is important for a number of metabolic functions, and especially for the repair of damaged cells. For this reason, it is important to have a constant level of cholesterol in our blood stream, so that it can be used wherever it is needed. HDLâ??s are responsible for removing cholesterol from the bloodstream and delivering it to the cells that need them. Thatâ??s good cholesterol!The Bad: Low – Density Lipoproteins (LDLâ??s)

If HDLâ??s are the â??removal trucksâ? of cholesterol, removing it from the blood, then low-density lipoproteins are the â??dumpsters.â? They are responsible for taking cholesterol from the places in our body it is made, and dumping it in our bloodstream. This is not necessarily bad; as already mentioned, we need cholesterol in our blood so that it is available whenever and wherever it is needed. But what if it isnâ??t needed? If the levels of LDLâ??s in our body are too high, and our demand for cholesterol for cell repair is low, then there is more cholesterol being dumped in our blood than being removed. This is what causes high cholesterol, and it is bad because excess cholesterol forms a kind of plaque upon the side walls of our arteries. This restricts the blood flow, leading to high blood pressure, which in turn leads on to heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Therefore, a natural remedy for high cholesterol should not seek to just lower cholesterol. A natural remedy for high cholesterol should aim to increase the number of HDLâ??s, good cholesterol, and lower the number of LDLâ??s, or bad cholesterol. Once this is grasped, the treatment of high cholesterol becomes a lot clearer – and hopefully your arteries will become clearer too.Trans-Fat

If LDLâ??s are bad, then trans-fat is just plain ugly. In 2004 bantransfat.com tried to sue McDonalds for using cooking oil that contained trans fat, or partially hydrogenated oils. Bantransfat.com lost because, after all, most people couldnâ??t see why trans fat is so much worse than other fats in our diet. Things have changed in the past two years however, and from January 2006 the FDA required all nutritional labels to list trans fat separately, and not as part of other fats. The reason is that studies have found that trans fat may be one of the main causes of heart attack and heart disease in the States. The American Heart Association advises Americans to eat as little of it as possible.

Trans fat is found in partially hydrogenated oil, which has a longer shelf life than ordinary oils. Foods that contain trans fat include fried chicken, cookies, French fries, and doughnuts, which is why many Americans can find them difficult to avoid. Most research concludes that we should avoid trans fat wherever possible, which is why the FDAâ??s ruling is so useful for those who want to eat a healthy diet.

Along with taking the right supplements for a healthy heart, it is recommended that we all avoid trans fat as part of a healthy balanced diet.

Contrary to popular belief, the liver creates most cholesterol and only a small percentage is acquired through food. However, the more saturated fat a person eats, the more cholesterol his or her body makes.
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that forms a part of each cell in your body. A persons body needs cholesterol for daily functions, such as making hormones, producing healthy cell walls and making vitamin D. It also produces bile acids that help in digestion.
Although this waxy substance helps your body in a number of ways, excess production of cholesterol can also be risky to your body and to your heart. When this happens, the extra cholesterol spills out and circulates into your bloodstream. Be aware that excessive levels of cholesterol in a persons blood can causes clogging of blood vessels, while elevating the risk of stroke and heart disease.
Food Based Cholesterol
Cholesterol comes from animal-based foods like dairy products, eggs and meat. The two types of cholesterol are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). LDL is the bad cholesterol that usually cause the clogging of blood vessels, while HDL is the good cholesterol that is responsible for clearing LDL out of your bloodstream, reducing the risks of heart disease.
The Connection Between Fat and Cholesterol
Saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are the three types of fats found in food. Each type of dietary fat affects a persons blood cholesterol in different ways.
Saturated fats are those found in lamb, pork, beef and other red meat products. Excessive saturated fats in the body can be dangerous to your health because the more saturated fats you eat, the more cholesterol your body produces, which eventually will end up in your bloodstream. Consuming too much saturated fat in the diet is the main cause of excess cholesterol levels in the blood.
Monounsaturated fats are those found in plant oils, such as canola, peanut and olive. Polyunsaturated fats, such as omega-3 fatty acid, can help to slow down blood clot formation and fight heart disease. They are found in fishes and plant oils, such as soybean, corn, safflower and sunflower.
Eating any fat will contribute to weight gain, but in lowering blood cholesterol, substituting saturated fats with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats will help get rid of newly formed cholesterol in the body. For this reason, people with elevated levels of blood cholesterol need to improve their eating habits to ensure that the right kind of fat enters their bodies.
Bad Cholesterol Can Cause Death Later In Life
In our junk food society we are on the brink of complete disaster because of unhealthy eating. More children today are considered obese and this is a direct result of the eating habits taught to them at an early age. Bad cholesterol rates are rising among the youth of today. We are even seeing cases of coronary heart disease in people in their early 30’s. This must be because the foods we are eating today have high levels of LDL cholesterol and saturated fat.
There are two things you should do to prevent the build up of bad cholesterol in your body: Change your diet, and exercise daily.
So what types of food are good for lowering cholesterol levels in the blood? Foods high in antioxidants and fiber are the types of foods you should be looking for. These include fruit and vegetables, whole grains and similar things. Stay away from foods that are considered fatty. Remember to eat mono- and polyunsaturated fats if you eat fat at all. Most fast food restaurants cook their meals using an alarming amount of oil. Yes I know, it does taste great, but so do bananas, grapes and pears. Maybe next time you having a craving for a nice juicy hamburger, why not go down to the local farmer’s market instead and pick out a new exotic fruit that you have never tried before. You might be surprised!
To find out if you have a excessive level of bad cholesterol in your blood, you should make an appointment with your doctor to be tested. It only takes a couple of minutes and you never know, it might save your life!
As a nation, if we are ever going to get out of our fast food, sugar loving mindset, we need to start with our children. Some schools today who are putting in place new healthier menus in their cafeterias. Is there more that could be done though? Children learn from watching adults, so starting to develop good eating habits will be good for you and your children.
Perhaps the ideal place to start is with the parents and guardians who need to set the example for their kids. There are any number of families out there who practically live off French fries and hamburgers. If those families could reduce the number of times they visit a fast food restaurant by one time in a week, then we will go a long way to reduce the rapidly escalating rate of bad cholesterol in the people of our country.

Fundamental rules:

Two types of foods have to be well known: the saturated fat and the foods rich in cholesterol . The saturated fat is your principal enemy. They relate to primarily animal fat (solid at ambient temperature) with an exclusion with the fish fat. But the sea food has a huge level of cholesterol. Sea food is good for a diet but not for people affected by the cholesterol. What a paradox!

The practice:

Used fats are vegetables and are useful for cooking or accompanying foods (olive oil, grape pips oil, vegetable margarine).

The dairy products which you consume without restriction will be always with a very low fat level. The regular milk contains animal fats. Therefore, you only can consume skimmed milk. And the light cheeses have to be consumed with moderation.

Bread, pasta, rice, fruits and vegetables can be consumed without moderation.

White meats (with an exception with the pork) and fishes are the best friends.

A place of choice is reserved with the apple rich in pectin whose regular consumption cause a drop in cholesterol.

It is the same with the red wine. With moderated consumption (two daily glasses), it contributes to the reduction of the cholesterol.

Certain modes of cooking must be privileged (will be discussed in a future article).

A diet with your doctor must be checked and monitored, especially in the beginning. We advice you to meet your doctor at least once a month.

These regular visits have two essential goals. First of all, you have to control your results.

You must make sure that the objectives to reach were obtained. With the control of your weight, you have to use all the time the same balance and if possible at the same time. You have to make a blood test at the end of two, four and six months.

Secondly, you will be better informed. You can put to your doctor all the questions which will not fail to be binding on you and and thus to make preciser certain particular points in connection with your personality.

In the event of insufficient results the doctor will ask you to fill a book or a notebook on which you will note each day the exact composition of all your meals. By reading this document, your doctor will be able to correct the large or small errors which you sometimes have done unconsciously.

Lightened butter and margarine:

The regular butter is very rich in cholesterol (250mg for 100 grams). In comparison, a fish contains ten times less cholesterol. Also lightened butters with 41% fat initially appeared and at present with only 25% fat. Thus, that contains four times less animal fat and cholesterol.

The margarine consists of a homogeneous mixture (blending) of fat and water. One calls that an emulsion. It is clear that the margarine’s manufactured from animal fat are contra-indicated in your diet. Their only interest is their attractive price. The vegetable margarine is much healthier, easy to spread out on a piece of bread but there are more expensive.

A little revolution:

The recent arrival on the market in margarine’s enriched with vegetable sterols represents a considerable progress in the field of fight against cholesterol. Indeed, these sterols are supposed to reduce the rate of bad cholesterol, cholesterol LDL. The manufacturers announces a fall from 10 to 15% of the cholesterol LDL for a daily consumption of 20 grams of the product for one month within the framework of a well followed diet.

More info about how you can end up with your cholesterol will be presented in the next articles with these subjects: fishes and sea foods, meats and fat materials, is the wine your enemy, 3 lists (good fats and the bad fats, false friends of the cholesterol’s and the black list of the foods very rich in cholesterol), best modes of cooking, An enemy not to be underestimated: sugar, ten rules to follow, test your future level of cholesterol with a list of questions, the eight sauces accompanying the meats and fishes, medicine against cholesterol is not the ransom of glory, the sport: an essential complement with your sport), Breakfast, One week of menus, Desserts and Receipt of Christmas eve.

Although it is by no means the only major risk factor, elevated serum (blood) cholesterol is clearly associated with a high risk of heart disease. As a result, you need to take measures right now to keep your cholesterol levels low – under 200 mg/dl is recommended. The question is, now to treat your high cholesterol to keep it as low as possible, while making sure that this natural problem is naturally treated? This requires the assistance of some serious dietary and nutrition related high cholesterol treatment. For this you need the support of natural high cholesterol advice from health care practitioners and natural treatment specialists.

Remember that your heart health is natural and a low cholesterol level, however, is not a guarantee of good heart health, as some people with low levels do suffer heart attacks. Before you start to think your natural high cholesterol(www.mitamins.com/disease/High-Cholesterol.html) is a direct link to heart attacks, try to think about all the other factors that come into play and work on a natural high cholesterol treatment strategy to avoid as far as possible a negative health outcome.

High cholesterol treatment(www.mitamins.com/disease/High-Cholesterol.html)

Medical laboratories now subdivide total cholesterol measurement into several components, including LDL (”bad”) cholesterol, which is directly linked to heart disease, and HDL (”good”) cholesterol, which is protective. Despite the links between saturated fat intake and serum cholesterol levels, not every person responds to appropriate dietary changes with a drop in cholesterol. People who significantly reduce intake of animal fats for several months but do not see significant a reduction in cholesterol levels should discuss other approaches to lowering cholesterol with a doctor.

Natural high cholesterol reduction

One of the best natural high cholesterol treatments(www.mitamins.com/disease/High-Cholesterol.html) is eating fish. Natural high cholesterol treatment like this has been reported to increase HDL cholesterol and is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease in most, but not all, studies. Fish contains very little saturated fat, and fish oil contains EPA and DHA, omega-3 fatty acids that appear to protect against heart disease.

Natural high cholesterol treatment

One thing to consider when treating high cholesterol is the negative impact of eating too much meat. A factor of modern living, the eating of large amounts of meat has a serious effect on your high cholesterol capacity. Vegetarians have lower cholesterol and less heart disease than meat eaters, in part because they avoid animal fat. Indeed vegans have the lowest cholesterol levels. Switching from a standard diet to a vegan diet, along with other lifestyle changes, has been reported to reverse heart disease in controlled research.