In spite of eating healthy and regular exercise, because of my gene pool I have high cholesterol and have to take medication to keep it in check. And believe me, I tried most of the natural remedies, but I finally had to take the prescription route (a road I personally prefer less travelled). I did have adverse reactions to natural statins like red yeast rice, as did another friend of mine, so BE CAREFUL AND CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR AND/OR NUTRITIONIST!!
So… thank you to my sources, and I hope their insights and recommendations will help you take down your cholesterol from LOUSY levels (LDL) to HAPPY levels (HDL). Exercise your take it down muscles and start reading!
Blessings,
Coach Linda Bush
HDL cholesterol, or good ("HAPPY") cholesterol, takes excess cholesterol to the liver, where it's passed from the body. High levels of HDL seem to protect against heart attack, and low levels indicate a greater risk of heart attack and, possibly, stroke.
LDL cholesterol, or bad ("LOUSY") cholesterol, rather than carrying excess cholesterol to your liver, simply deposits it in the blood, leading it to build up in your arteries. High levels mean an increased risk of heart disease, while lower levels reflect a lower risk.
When you have high cholesterol, you may develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels. Eventually, these deposits make it difficult for enough blood to flow through your arteries. Your heart may not get as much oxygen-rich blood as it needs, which increases the risk of a heart attack. Decreased blood flow to your brain can cause a stroke.
High cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) can be inherited, but is often preventable and treatable. A healthy diet, regular exercise and sometimes medication can go a long way toward reducing high cholesterol.
Unfortunately, part of your risk of high cholesterol is out of your control. Some types of the condition run in the family, and your balance of HDL and LDL can strongly depend on your age and sex. For example, young men tend to have lower levels of HDL than women. Both sexes see higher levels of LDL as they age. Young women have lower levels of LDL, but after age 55, they see higher levels of LDL than men. You're more likely to have high cholesterol that can lead to heart disease if you have any of these risk factors:
Smoking. Cigarette smoking damages the walls of your blood vessels, making them likely to accumulate fatty deposits. Smoking may also lower your level of HDL, or "good," cholesterol.
Obesity. Having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater puts you at risk of high cholesterol.
Poor diet. Foods that are high in cholesterol, such as red meat and full-fat dairy products, will increase your total cholesterol. Eating saturated fat, found in animal products, and trans fats, found in some commercially baked cookies and crackers also can raise your cholesterol level.
Lack of exercise. Exercise helps boost your body's HDL "good" cholesterol while lowering your LDL "bad" cholesterol. Not getting enough exercise puts you at risk of high cholesterol.
High blood pressure. Increased pressure on your artery walls damages your arteries, which can speed the accumulation of fatty deposits.
Diabetes. High blood sugar contributes to higher LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol. High blood sugar also damages the lining of your arteries. Family history of heart disease. If a parent or sibling developed heart disease before age 55, high cholesterol levels place you at a greater than average risk of developing heart disease.
High cholesterol can cause atherosclerosis, a dangerous accumulation of cholesterol and other deposits on the walls of your arteries. These deposits — called plaques — can reduce blood flow through your arteries, which can cause complications, such as:Chest pain. If the arteries that supply your heart with blood (coronary arteries) are affected, you may have chest pain (angina) and other symptoms of coronary artery disease.
Heart attack. If plaques tear or rupture, a blood clot may form at the plaque-rupture site — blocking the flow of blood or breaking free and plugging an artery downstream. If blood flow to part of your heart stops, you'll have a heart attack.
Stroke. Similar to a heart attack, if blood flow to part of your brain is blocked by a blood clot, a stroke occurs.
So what can be done to lower your bad cholesterol? Here are some recommendations:
Lose extra pounds. Excess weight contributes to high cholesterol. Losing even 5 to 10 pounds can help lower total cholesterol levels. Start by taking an honest look at your eating habits and daily routine. Consider your challenges to weight loss — and ways to overcome them. Set long-term, sustainable goals.
Eat heart-healthy foods. What you eat has a direct impact on your cholesterol level. In fact, a diet rich in fiber and other cholesterol-lowering foods may help lower cholesterol as much as statin medication for some people.
Choose healthier fats. Saturated fat and trans fat raise your total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Get no more than 10 percent of your daily calories from saturated fat. Monounsaturated fat — found in olive, peanut and canola oils — is a healthier option. Almonds and walnuts are other sources of healthy fat.
Eliminate trans fats. Trans fats, which are often found in margarines and commercially baked cookies, crackers and snack cakes, are particularly bad for your cholesterol levels. Not only do trans fats increase your total LDL ("bad") cholesterol, but they also lower your HDL ("good") cholesterol. You may have noticed more food labels now market their products as "trans fat-free." But don't rely only on this label. In the United States, if a food contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat a serving, it can be marked trans fat-free. It may not seem like much, but if you eat a lot of foods with a small amount of trans fat, it can add up quickly. Instead, read the ingredients list. If a food contains partially hydrogenated oil, that's a trans fat, and you should look for an alternative.
Limit your dietary cholesterol. Aim for no more than 300 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol a day — or less than 200 mg if you have heart disease. The most concentrated sources of cholesterol include organ meats, egg yolks and whole milk products. Use lean cuts of meat, egg substitutes and skim milk instead.
Select whole grains. Various nutrients found in whole grains promote heart health. Choose whole-grain breads, whole-wheat pasta, whole-wheat flour and brown rice. Oatmeal and oat bran are other good choices.
Stock up on fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are rich in dietary fiber, which can help lower cholesterol. Snack on seasonal fruits. Experiment with vegetable-based casseroles, soups and stir-fries.
Eat heart-healthy fish. Some types of fish — such as cod, tuna and halibut — have less total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol than do meat and poultry. Salmon, mackerel and herring are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help promote heart health.
Drink alcohol only in moderation. Moderate use of alcohol may increase your levels of HDL cholesterol — but the benefits aren't strong enough to recommend alcohol for anyone who doesn't drink already. If you choose to drink, do so in moderation. This means no more than one drink a day for women and one to two drinks a day for men.
Exercise regularly. Regular exercise can help improve your cholesterol levels. With your doctor's OK, work up to 30 to 60 minutes of exercise a day. Take a brisk daily walk. Ride your bike. Swim laps. To maintain your motivation, keep it fun. Find an exercise buddy or join an exercise group. And, you don't need to get all 30 to 60 minutes in one exercise session. If you can squeeze in three to six 10-minute intervals of exercise, you'll still get some cholesterol-lowering benefits.
Don't smoke. If you smoke, stop. Quitting can improve your HDL cholesterol level. And the benefits don't end there. Just 20 minutes after quitting, your blood pressure decreases. Within 24 hours, your risk of a heart attack decreases. Within one year, your risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker's. Within 15 years, your risk of heart disease is similar to that of someone who's never smoked.
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
Few natural products have been proven to reduce cholesterol, but some might be helpful. With your doctor's OK, consider these cholesterol-lowering supplements and products:
Garlic: According to some studies, garlic may decrease blood levels of total cholesterol by a few percentage points. Other studies, however, suggest that it may not be as beneficial as once thought. It may also have significant side effects and/or interaction with certain medications. Garlic may prolong bleeding and blood clotting time, so garlic and garlic supplements should not be taken prior to surgery or with blood-thinning drugs such as Coumadin.
Increased consumption of dietary fiber, soy foods, omega-3 fatty acids, and plant compounds similar to cholesterol (plant stanols and sterols) can significantly reduce LDL cholesterol, or bad cholesterol.
Fiber: Only plant foods (vegetables, fruits, legumes, unrefined grains) contain dietary fiber. The soluble fiber found in foods such as oat bran, barley, psyllium seeds, flax seed meal, apples, artichokes, citrus fruits, lentils and beans are particularly effective in lowering cholesterol.
Soybeans: Substituting soybeans or soy protein for other proteins has been shown to prevent coronary heart disease by lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Soy protein is present in tofu, tempeh, soy milk, soy yogurt, edamame, soy nuts, and many other food products made from soybeans.
Phytosterols: Phytosterols (plant sterol and stanol esters) are compounds found in small amounts in foods such as whole grains as well as in many vegetables, fruits, and vegetable oils. They decrease LDL cholesterol, mostly by interfering with the intestinal absorption of cholesterol. Phytosterols can be found in spreads (like the cholesterol-lowering margarines Benecol, Promise, Smart Balance, and Take Control), dressings for salads, and dietary supplements. Additional phytosterol-fortified foods include Minute Maid Heart Wise orange juice, Nature Valley Healthy Heart chewy granola bars, CocoVia chocolates, Rice Dream Heartwise rice drink, and Lifetime low-fat cheese.
Omega-3 fatty acids: Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids may also help lower cholesterol. Omega-3 fatty acids decrease the rate at which the liver produces LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. They have an anti-inflammatory effect in the body, decrease the growth of plaque in the arteries, and aid in thinning blood. Aim for at least two servings of fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, tuna, and sardines per week. Other dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids include flax seed and walnuts. Supplement sources include fish oil capsules, flaxseed and flax seed oil. If you are considering taking omega-3 fatty acids, first discuss with your health care provider if omega-3 fatty acid supplements are right for you, especially if you are currently taking blood-thinning medication.
Dietary fiber, soybeans, and phytosterols decrease cholesterol levels by different mechanisms. Therefore, it is not surprising that the combined dietary intake of these foods and other plant substances, along with a low intake of saturated fats, is more effective at reducing cholesterol levels than each individual substance alone.
Researchers at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania found that men who drank 3 cups of cranberry juice daily raised their HDL (the good kind) cholesterol levels by 10 percent, which in turn lowered their risk of heart disease by 40 percent. Plant compounds called polyphenols are believed to be responsible for the effect. (Note: Cranberry juice often comes diluted, so make sure the label says that it contains at least 27 percent cranberry juice.)
Eating just one grapefruit each day can lower your total cholesterol and LDL levels by 8 and 11 percent, respectively, lowering your risk of heart disease. It will also provide you with more than 150% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin C.
Avoid Trans Fats. Avoid partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated vegetable oils. These man-made oils are sources of trans fatty acids known to increase LDL cholesterol. They lower heart-protecting HDL (good) cholesterol and increase the inflammatory response in the body. You can now find trans fats listed on the Nutrition Facts panel of packaged foods. Minimize consumption of trans fatty acid-containing food. If diet and regular exercise isn't effective at reducing your cholesterol levels, talk to your doctor about taking cholesterol-lowering medications.
Vitamin B3, also called niacin, is used to lower cholesterol. Specifically, it appears to lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol.
Well-designed studies have found that niacin lowers LDL cholesterol by approximately 10%, lowers triglycerides by 25%, and raises "good" HDL cholesterol by 15% to 30%. Niacin also appears to significantly lower levels for another risk factor for atherosclerosis, lipoprotein A.
Niacin is available in prescription form and as a dietary supplement. The American Heart Association cautions patients to only use the prescription form of niacin. Because of side effects, niacin should not be used to lower cholesterol unless under the supervision of a qualified health practitioner.
Niacin can increase the effect of high blood pressure medication or cause nausea, indigestion, gas, diarrhea, gout, and worsen peptic ulcers, or trigger gout, liver inflammation, and high blood sugar. The most common side effect of high-dose niacin is skin flushing or hot flashes, which is caused by widening of blood vessels. Most people only notice this when they initially start taking niacin. The flushing may be lessened by taking niacin with meals.
Although high doses of niacin showed promise in combination with drugs to lower cholesterol (called "statins"), there are concerns that combining them could result in a potentially fatal condition called rhabdomyolysis. They shouldn't be combined unless under the close supervision of a physician.
Artichoke Leaf: There is some research suggesting that artichoke leaf extract (Cynara scolymnus) may help to lower cholesterol. Artichoke leaf extract may work by limiting the synthesis of cholesterol in the body. Artichokes also contain a compound called cynarin, believed to increase bile production in the liver and speed the flow of bile from the gallbladder, both of which may increase cholesterol excretion. A double-blind, placebo-controlled German study found that 1,800 mg of artichoke extract per day for six weeks significantly lowered total cholesterol by 18.5% compared to 8.6% in the placebo group and lowered LDL cholesterol by 22.9% compared with 6% in the placebo group. The ratio of LDL to HDL decreased by 20% in the artichoke group compared with 7% in the placebo group. There were no adverse effects associated with artichoke use.
A meta-analysis looked at randomized controlled trials for artichoke extract for high cholesterol. Two trials involving a total of 167 people met the quality criteria. One trial found artichoke significantly reduced total cholesterol after 42 days of treatment. The other study found artichoke significantly reduced total cholesterol in a subgroup of patients with total cholesterol levels of more than 230 mg/dl. Adverse events were mild, transient and infrequent. Larger clinical trials over longer periods are needed.
Soluble fiber appears to reduce LDL cholesterol by reducing cholesterol absorption in the intestines. Soluble fiber binds with cholesterol so that it is excreted. Soluble fiber can be found as a dietary supplement, such as psyllium powder, or in foods such as:
* Oats, barley, rye
* Legumes (peas, beans)
* Some fruits such as apples, prunes, and berries
* Some vegetables, such as carrots, brussel sprouts, broccoli, yams
Five to 10 grams a day of soluble fiber has been found to decrease LDL cholesterol by approximately 5%.
The FDA allows soluble fiber products to indicate on the label that they are "heart-healthy".
Plant stanols and sterols (such as beta-sitosterol and sitostanol) are naturally-occurring substances found in certain plants. Stanols are also found as dietary supplements or are added to margarine, orange juice, and dressings.
Research suggests that plant stanols and sterols may help to lower cholesterol. They are similar in structure to cholesterol and may help block the absorption of cholesterol from the intestines.
Studies have found that stanols significantly reduced total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, but had no significant effect on HDL cholesterol or triglycerides.
Stanols and sterols appear to enhance the effects of other methods to lower cholesterol. In studies, people taking the statin drugs to lower cholesterol had an additional improvement in their cholesterol levels with stanols/sterols.
SOURCES:
http://eatthis.menshealth.com/content/etnt-guide-high-cholesterol?article=2&page=1
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/arteriosclerosis-atherosclerosis/DS00525
http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/guide/high_cholesterol_alternative-therapies?page=2
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