Archive for the ‘Cholesterol’ Category

Heart Disease And How Lowering Cholesterol Levels Can Help You to Prevent or Get Rid Of  Many of the Cardiovascular Disease Symptoms

Before we start reading all about how lowering cholesterol levels can also have a positive impact on your heart health, you need to understand the basics of Cardiovascular disease.

The term “heart disease”, sometimes referred as a “cardiovascular disease” or “CVD”is used to describe a number of adverse conditions like coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, angina, hypertension and congestive heart failure.

Each of these “cardiovascular conditions” has its own attributes, conditions and effects. But they all are linked with the same or very similar risk factors. These risk factors are usually influenced by poor lifestyle choices. Let’s take a look at some cardiovascular disease facts first:

Cardiovascular Disease Facts:

FACT: CVD has been the number one killer in the U.S. since 1900.

FACT: CVD and stroke account for one out of every two deaths.

FACT: CVD kills more people then the next seven highest causes of death combined.

FACT: CVD does not discriminate: it affects both men and women of all races and all ages. Even young adults exhibits early cardiovascular disease symptoms.

An Early Heart Disease Symptoms – Here is what usually happens:

As people approach their late 30′s and early 40′s, they usually begin to feel their age is catching up with them. This is about the age when your metabolism changes. So like many people, you might find your weight increasing, energy level goes down and the “clothes are shrinking.”

Many people recognize these early CVD symptoms, and do something about it. Many people even do not know that these are the first signs of un-healthy lifestyle choices and therefore do nothing about it. Couple months or years later, they are dealing with the real cardiovascular disease symptoms. Those symptoms are hard to deal with – it might be too late.

But that is not your case. You are on this website and you know how to recognize the early symptoms, so CVD symptoms might never come for you.

Here is something funny about those who do nothing about their heart health:

People who live these potential harmful lifestyles are the same people, who spend a big part of their lives prperly maintaining their homes, cars, relationships, jobs and more. Yet, when it comes to their health – they do not put as much importance on it. Rather they wait until the CVD problems develop.

And now that you get some small idea about symptoms and prevention of CV, you can learn how lowering cholesterol levels can help you to manage your heart health as well. Here is one great article from WebMD, that actually talks about it:

How Does High Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease?

When there is too much cholesterol in your blood, it builds up in the walls of your arteries, causing a process called atherosclerosis, a form of heart disease. The arteries become narrowed and blood flow to the heart muscle is slowed down or blocked. The blood carries oxygen to the heart, and if enough blood and oxygen cannot reach your heart, you may suffer chest pain. If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by a blockage, the result is a heart attack.

There are two forms of cholesterol that most Americans are familiar with: Low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad” cholesterol) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL or “good” cholesterol.) These are the form in which cholesterol travels in the blood.

LDL is the main source of artery-clogging plaque. HDL actually works to clear cholesterol from the blood.

Triglycerides are another fat in our bloodstream. Research is now showing that a high levels of triglycerides may also be linked to heart disease.

What Are the Symptoms of High Cholesterol?

High cholesterol itself does not cause any symptoms; so many people are unaware that their cholesterol levels are too high. Therefore, it is important to find out what your cholesterol numbers are because lowering cholesterol levels that are too high lessens the risk for developing heart disease and reduces the chance of a heart attack or dying of heart disease, even if you already have it.

What Numbers Should I Look For?

Some recommend that everyone over the age of 20 should get their cholesterol levels measured at least once every 5 years. The test that is performed is a blood test called a lipoprotein profile. That includes:

• Total cholesterol level
• LDL (the “bad” cholesterol)
• HDL (the “good” cholesterol)
• Triglycerides

Here’s how to interpret your cholesterol numbers:

Total Cholesterol	Category
Less than 200	Desirable
200 – 239	Borderline High
240 and above	High

 

LDL Cholesterol	LDL-Cholesterol Category
Less than 100	Optimal
100 – 129	Near optimal/above optimal
130 – 159	Borderline high
160 – 189	High
190 and above	Very high

 

HDL*	HDL-Cholesterol Category
60 or more	Desirable – helps to lower risk of heart disease
Less than 40	Major risk factor — increases the risk for developing heart disease

*HDL (good) cholesterol protects against heart disease, so for HDL, higher numbers are better.

Triglycerides	HDL-Cholesterol Category
Less than 150	Normal (desirable) heart disease
150-199	Borderline high
200-499 >500	High Very high

Source: WebMD.com

I hope that after reading this article, you will be more proactive, working with your doctor to never go this far in terms of heart disease.

What Are The Main High Cholesterol Causes?

Discover Four Major High Cholesterol Causes And Learn How To Lower The Risks Associated With High Bad Cholesterol Levels

You’ve been told that high cholesterol levels are associated with the way you eat. More fat you eat, “the higher the cholesterol levels” are going to be. More eggs you eat, more cholesterol is going to stuck inside your arteries. Even though you should control your cholesterol intake in your diet, but diet is only one of many high cholesterol causes.

In fact, there are two major high cholesterol causes that you can not do anything about it. I am talking about:

1. Age related high cholesterol causes.
2. Heritage related high cholesterol cause.

If you have high cholesterol written in your DNA from your parents or great-grand parents, you will be more likely to have “stubborn high cholesterol levels”.  What I mean by the word stubborn? Well, you will be more prone to high LDL cholesterol and should watch many others aspects of your lifestyle like – diet, exercise and nutritional supplementation program. So lets talk about those high cholesterol causes little bit more.

Causes of High Cholesterol – It’s in your heritage

High Cholesterol Causes

Obviously you can not do much about this one. You feel like you eat well, exercise and have fairly healthy lifestyle; suddenly you are in a shock when your doctor still measures high LDL cholesterol levels in your blood.

How it can be? I do not eat bad food! I exercise! What can be wrong???

Well, nothing is wrong with you. You just get something from your parents that you did not want. Family genes play big roles in many human functions. For example heart disease can be inherited. Skills or talents can be inherited. Therefore nothing is wrong with you.

Basically if you know that your parents have high cholesterol levels, chances are you going to walk in their shoes as well. Do some research and find out about cholesterol and the connection with your family. If they had any successful cholesterol treatment, the odds are that treatment can be successful for you as well.

Talk to your doctor about your family history of high cholesterol and he might suggest you the best possible solution for you.

Causes of High Cholesterol – Your Age And Gender Has Something To Do With It!

Usually high cholesterol levels are increasing with your age. Many people starting in their forties could experience high cholesterol levels in their blood test.  I believe it can be possible with more sedentary lifestyle, more eating without burning calories. That is why you can see even your people with high cholesterol.

When you are younger then 30 and have cholesterol problems, I would examine your lifestyle choices. That could be the most possible way in this young age to have high cholesterol. So change your diet, exercise more often and relax!

Also there are reports that women approaching menopause have increased their cholesterol levels. Your hormones are changing and you should be able to regulate them with the help of nutritional supplements or healthy eating habits. Preferably both.

It all comes to trying to experiment and do some changes in your lifestyle. Some changes will help you and some won’t. Once you know what is working for you, go ahead and start implementing them.

That was some insight to those high cholesterol causes you can not do anything about. But what are the other two you can actually play with?

Causes of High Cholesterol – What’s In Your Belly?

You have guessed it. High levels of cholesterol can appear when your belly grows like a pumpkin. It’s not a secret that many Americans are overweight. Many are obese and that alone causes more then just a high cholesterol. Everything is at stake. Your heart health, your liver, kidneys, lungs and many more organs suffer when you carry the extra weight all day long for many years.

With your busy schedules, taking care of your kids, business and some extra activities you are conditioned by mass media to grab a quick meal in a fast food place. I think it’s convenient, but not in a long run. That when you start to feel the bad side effects of media promoted fast food restaurants. And there are plenty of great food choices even if you are on the go.

I have written couple pages already about low cholesterol diets and low cholesterol recipes. Just visit lowering cholesterol recipes and see yourself.

And even if you grab couple of baby carrots, some almonds and low fat cheese sticks, you will be on your way to a lower cholesterol and healthier, more energetic you.

Causes of High Cholesterol – You Are What You Eat!

Dr. Linus Pauling once stated:

“You are what you eat!” Have heard of it? Of course you did. And I am here in your face to tell you that he was right.

You have to realize that like with the computer, the human body reacts the same – garbage in, garbage out. When you want to prepare meals low in cholesterol follow these simple guidelines. Try to avoid as much as saturated fats as possible. Substitute your oils for unsaturated vegetable oils. I prefer to use low fat cooking spray oils.

Eat more fiber, and whole wheat products. If you are meat lower, always go for skinless chicken breasts, skinless turkey breasts all kinds of fish or even nice lean beef. Try to limit your red meats to 3 times a week maximum.

And always eat fresh raw fruit and vegetables. You will get more energy without increasing your belly size.

Regular exercise is a must for anybody, not just someone on a weight loss diet. All it takes 20 minutes of walk tree times a week and you will notice the great healthy benefits. You see, you do not need to become another Arnold Schwarzenegger to be in great health.

And last tip for today is relax!

You can relax with meditation, listening great music, doing yoga or anything that calms you down and you enjoy. When you meditate early in the morning and before you go to sleep, you will notice more about yourself. When you know yourself, you are the master of your life!

So now if you understand what are the high cholesterol causes and know how to actually fight against the odds by eating well, exercise and having a great relaxation, you have no more excuses to improve your overall health and wellness.

== Try Cholest Natural => Cholesterol Management Supplement ==