Low Cholesterol Diet

Adopting a low cholesterol diet can be simple with just a small guidance which can be offered by this article. Blood cholesterol can be a fairly complicated issue and in most cases, people prefer using natural means to lower its levels like a low cholesterol diet. We know that heart disease risk increases when LDL levels are high, especially above 200. There are a few things that people basically agree on when it comes to ways to decrease these numbers. Some useful information is listed below.

High cholesterol causes

High cholesterol can be genetic and this should be one of the things that you should know. People’s livers process cholesterol different from other people, so it is normal for some people to be more sensitive to fast increases in cholesterol levels. Also, conditions such as hypothyroidism and diabetes can exacerbate high cholesterol levels. Diseases we are genetically predisposed to can be influenced by diet. When it comes to this subject, more and more experts agree by the day.

Cholesterol and obesity go hand in hand. To consume a healthy, low cholesterol diet is very important to individuals that have high levels of cholesterol. Individuals can reduce their cholesterol levels through the help of a low fat diet such as a vegetarian diet or a Pritikin diet.

What is a low cholesterol diet?

Well, first of all it might be useful to know what cholesterol is. Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is produced by the liver, but is also present in many foods we eat such as animal products. Your body can be led to producing more cholesterol than is necessary by eating too many foods that are high in saturated fats such as palm oil and eating too many animal based foods. In order to be healthy, everyone needs some cholesterol in his or her body. However, when those cholesterol levels become too high, it can become problematic.

Excess amounts of LDL or low-density lipoprotein ends up as plaque on artery walls. LDL carries cholesterol from the liver to the rest of the body. The risk of heart disease is increased by the formation of plaque. HDL carries the cholesterol away from the arteries. This substance is also known as high density lipoprotein or “good” cholesterol. Next to these two abbreviations, you will see numbers when you have a lipid profile done. When you have this lipid profile done, the results are good if the LDL level is lower than 200 and the HDL levels are higher than 45.

Cholesterol and our Body

Cholesterol is not the one that imposes threat for our health. It is bad cholesterol we should avoid. They are usually common among adults because they are related to ailments like diabetes, heart failure, and hypertension. And these ailments are quiet common with adults rather than our younger generation. So if we're talking about lowering cholesterol, it means stopping the growth of bad cholesterol in our body.

Two kinds of cholesterol are present in our body. One of this is bad cholesterol. This type of cholesterol is a low-density lipoprotein and is harmful because it can cause atheroma. A condition where our arteries clog, atheroma can cause fat streaks in our arteries or plaque them. If we don't pay attention to them, our body accumulates lots of macrophage white blood cells. This could happen to a child even before turning the age of 10. Actually, the early signs of this could start at the age before 5 years. And while we grow up, this could slowly collect in our veins. Mostly, the real symptoms appear after a more dangerous ailment like heart attack or stroke. And in this case, it is already too late for the patient to recover. The effects of this may not cause fatality to patients but it can cause long term disability.

It is surprising to know when you go to a lab test, and find out your cholesterol level. Your cholesterol level will not reflect in what you see in your body. You may look healthy and yet have a very high cholesterol level in your body. This build-up of cholesterol in our body is caused by small intakes of cholesterol everyday that compiled for years as we grow up.

It's not really puzzling on how bad cholesterol builds up in our body. It's in the food we eat everyday that contains high levels of fats. If you're fond of eating foods packed in canned goods, better check for the labels if it contains high levels of cholesterol through the fat value it has. This is not just the point to ponder when you want to be cautious of cholesterol in your body.

Cholesterol is not created right away from the diet we eat. It undergoes through a process and metabolizes first in our body. It is not mainly composed of only our diet alone. There are other contributing factors that make it as a whole cholesterol. But you must take into account that there is also good cholesterol present in this universe which helps in the body's function like producing bile and regulation of vitamins that are fat soluble, like Vitamin K, D, E, and A.

Cholesterol has also an effect on the production of body hormones in our body. After it is consumed in our body, it produces excess lipids in our liver and gall bladder in the form of crystal particles. The reason it becomes a bad cholesterol, is it is not water soluble, meaning it just circulates over and over in our body and converts to bad cholesterol (low density lipoproteins). For people with healthy metabolism, bad cholesterol is less likely to happen because the fats don't accumulate well in the body. Bad cholesterol is the ones that comes in small sizes and get trapped in our veins and clogs. The good ones are those that come in large quantities.

Lowering cholesterol means avoiding those that are composed of animal meats and fats, specifically pork and beef. It is not in the genes or a hereditary factor. It maybe easy to put this in mind but it takes discipline to avoid these foods when being served.

Andy Rhodes is the author of The-Lower-Cholesterol-101.com, a site where you can learn what experts say on how you can lower your cholesterol by selecting cholesterol-free foods. Find how to lower your cholesterol through your diet. Andy's contact information can be found at andy@lower-cholesterol-101.com

Lower Your Cholesterol For A Healthier Life

By: Dawn Robertshaw

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that the body needs to function normally. Your body uses cholesterol to produce certain hormones and make vitamin D. It also produces bile acids that digest fat. But your body only needs a small amount of cholesterol to perform these functions. Too much cholesterol in your bloodstream will start to adhere to the artery walls and form blockages. These blockages are the cause of heart attacks and strokes.

It is important that you keep your cholesterol at a healthy level. While high cholesterol can be hereditary, a lot of our cholesterol problems come from the food we eat and lack of exercise.

The best way to lower your cholesterol is to lose weight. Being overweight interrupts the bodys metabolism causing the body to hang onto too much fat. Following a low fat, low cholesterol diet and getting more exercise will help you lose weight and lower your cholesterol.

Here is a guide on what foods to eat and what foods to limit:

Food you should eat:-

* 5 servings per day of a variety of fruits and vegetables.
* 6 servings per day of whole grain breads, rice and pasta. Oatmeal is especially beneficial.
* 2 to 4 servings of fat free or low fat milk products.
* 6 ounces of lean meats or skinless poultry per day.
* Beans and peas.
* Nuts and seeds in limited amounts.
* Unsaturated vegetable oils. But limit the amount of margarine and spreads made from them.

Foods to Limit:-

* Whole milk, creams and ice cream.
* Butter, egg yolks and cheese.
* Untrimmed fatty meats and organ meats.
* Processed meats such as Bologna, hot dogs, salami and sausage.
* Bakery goods made with saturated fats and egg yolks.
* Coconut oils, palm oils and palm kernal oil which are saturated fats.
* Solid fats such as shortening, partially hydrogenated margarine and lard.
* Fried foods.

Lowering cholesterol does not mean that you cut out all the fats. You just exchange them. The above guidelines should help you determine how to do this.

There is a lot of focus on cutting back on the fats in the food we eat but did you know that there are beverages that can help lower cholesterol? Studies have shown that green tea has a lot of powerful antioxidants that help lower cholesterol and can even lower blood pressure.

Orange juice contains folic acids that help lower homocysteine levels in the body. High homocysteine levels can cause cholesterol to change into oxidized low density lipoprotein which can damage the arteries. It can also make blood clot easier and increase the risk of blockages.

Grape juice is loaded with certain antioxidants that help prevent red blood cells from clumping together to form clots.

Research has proven that having 1 to 3 ounces of wine a day can lower your risk of heart attack. But do not drink it if you have an alcohol dependency problem or high blood pressure.

Keeping your cholesterol at a healthy level takes some effort on your part. Lose weight, exercise, quit smoking and eat healthily. This may seem like a lot to some but you only have one heart. It is your responsibility to take good care of it.

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Keep Your Cholesterol low

Everybody knows that cholesterol has much to do with heart disease. Dangers of high cholesterol is not what you have to worry much if you know what cholesterol is and how it affects you.

1. Cholesterol And Heart Disease

Your blood cholesterol is a major factor in the risk of suffering from heart disease. In fact, the higher your cholesterol level, the greater the chances you have of getting a heart attack. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among men and women in the United States. Every year more than a million Americans suffer heart attacks, and half of that number die from heart disease.

2. How Does Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease?

When your body has too much cholesterol, it builds up in the walls of your arteries. This causes your arteries to harden. Your arteries, as a result of this, narrow down or get blocked. This reduces the flow of blood through your body. Oxygen is carried throughout your body by blood. If an inadequate supply of oxygen to your heart occurs because of reduced blood flow, you may experience chest pains. And if the blood supply is completely cut off, the result is a heart attack.

Unfortunately, high blood cholesterol has no symptoms. So it is hard to gauge the status of your arteries. Whether or not you suffer from heart disease, lowering your cholesterol is important to maintain good health.

3. What Affects Cholesterol Levels?

I. Diet

- Oils, Eggs, Margarine and Butter
- Saturated fat
- Fatty foods

II. Weight

Being overweight is also a factor for heart disease. There is a correlation between weight and cholesterol levels. Following that, losing weight can help lower cholesterol levels.

III. Physical Activity

If you are not physically active and have a sedementary lifestyle, you have a greater risk for heart disease. Regular exercise can help lower cholesterol level, and has many untold physical benefits. Consult a doctor about a training regimen that suits you. Overexertion is equally bad for the health.

IV. Age and Gender

Cholesterol levels rise as men and women get older. Before menopause, women have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age. After menopause these levels have been observed to rise.

V. Heredity

High cholesterol levels are sometimes inherited from your ancestors. If your family has a history of heart disease you may want to consult a doctor regarding possible preventive medicine.

4. Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC)

You can lower your cholesterol through the help of TLC. It is a set of activities that can help lower your LDL (the bad part of cholesterol). The main parts of TLC are:

I. Diet

- Eat low-fat, low-cholesterol meals
- Eat fruits, vegetables and high-fiber grains
- High fiber foods are very effective at 'sweeping' away cholesterol

II. Weight Management

- Don't be overweight
- Consult a chart to see the recommended weight value for your height, gender, and age
- Scan your body to determine its fat percentage. Healthy bodies will contain fat!

III. Physical Activity

- Exercise for 30 minutes per day
- Always consult a medical professional regarding this regimen
- Health is wealth

Article Source: http://www.abcarticledirectory.com/