Cholesterol: What You Should Know
Cholesterol, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. Our bodies need this steroid for the health of our cell membranes, as well as for the synthesis of steroidal hormones, bile acids and some vitamins as well.
The cholesterol or, more accurately, lipoproteins in our blood can be divided into two broad categories, LDL and HDL. In lay terms, we now refer to these as bad cholesterol and good cholesterol respectively. When having blood cholesterol checked, it is important to know not just the overall amount of cholesterol, but also the ratio between the two types.
An excess of LDL, or bad cholesterol, has been shown to have a correlation to the formations of atherosclerosis plaques. And these plaques are responsible for potentially life-threatening medical issues such as strokes and heart attacks.
Large amounts of HDL, or good cholesterol, on the other hand is thought to show good health. That is because this type of lipoprotein is believed to actually help remove cholesterol by bringing it back to the liver for excretion or to other cells which synthesize hormones.
What is difficult about testing for cholesterol is that there is still no hard and fast rule about what levels are unhealthful. This can vary from person to person. In fact, there are a small number of researchers who actually doubt that high levels of cholesterol lead to atherosclerosis. These are, however, in the minority.
Although one rarely hears about it in comparison, it is possible to have too low cholesterol levels, known as h y p o c h o l e s t e r o l e m i a. Many studies have not been done on this, but there have been some possible links found with diseases such as cancer, cerebral hemorrhage and depression.
Even though there is no set normal level of cholesterol, it is still smart to have regular testing done every five years. If the results are cause for concern, or there are other risk factors for heart disease present such as smoking, cholesterol should be tested more often.
The most important measurement is the ratio of LDL to HDL in the blood. High levels of LDL with low levels of HDL are believed to be unhealthy. High levels of HDL with low levels of LDL are thought to be ideal.
Factors that can affect the levels of LDL in the blood include heredity and diet. Treatment can include dietary changes, exercise, and losing weight. If these measures are not sufficient, then a cholesterol lowering medication may be prescribed.
By lowering the LDL, it is believed that you can not only reduce or stop new plaques from forming but also reduce the ones that have already formed, widen the arteries and prevent plaques from rupturing. All of which will have the affect of decreasing risk of heart attack and stroke.
Cholesterol: Is It The Real Culprit?
Why do the scientific researchers constantly refer to cholesterol as fat in the bloodstream that can be considered either “bad” or “good”? Cholesterol is a peculiar molecule that is three dimensional. Its special shape keeps it from dissolving in water. It is the substance that makes cells waterproof in all living creatures.
People have been told that HDL is good cholesterol and LDL is bad cholesterol. In reality neither HDL nor LDL are cholesterol. They are lipoproteins and the initials stand for high density or low density. The lipoproteins are like little submarines that submerge themselves in the blood. They are different from cholesterol in that they are quite soluble, and it is their job to transport cholesterol within the body.
The formation of hormones begins in the liver. In order for this to take place, the HDL transports cholesterol from the tissue and the interior artery walls and takes it to the liver. It’s up to the LDL to take cholesterol out of the liver and transport it to the cells that need it in the tissue and inside the arteries. HDL and LDL basically deal with the transportation of cholesterol to and from the liver.
It appears that when more cholesterol is transported from the liver (LDL) to the cells compared to the amount transported to the liver (HDL), that it can be considered a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, angina and heart attack. If it is a risk factor, does that mean that it is the cause of these illnesses? Doctors know that different things cause an imbalance in the direction the cholesterol is transported.
For example, doctors know that when a person is too heavy, the amount of cholesterol is higher. That means that more cholesterol is being taken away from the liver, and less is being taken from the body to the liver. What made the cholesterol go up? Simply the direction the lipoproteins were transporting the cholesterol. When the LDL increased, the HDL went down causing the ratio of the two, to become imbalanced. Why did the cholesterol go up? Could it be because of the weight gain, or was it because the HDL went down?
It is a known fact that consumption of alcohol and smoking makes the LDL go up. Anytime the LDL rises, it produces an unhealthy HDL/LDL ratio. This ratio can become favorable again if the person stops drinking alcohol and quits smoking. In view of this, does the elimination of natural foods, like butter, actually cause the LDL to go down?
Can anyone really determine by this information that high cholesterol is the cause of angina, stroke, heart disease and heart attack? Could it be that a poor lifestyle which includes drinking, smoking, little or no exercise and being overweight is more likely the cause of these diseases than the direction the cholesterol is being transported in the body? People who know the truth about cholesterol believe that the high cholesterol diagnosis is just a money making myth.
Source:http://www.chelationtherapyonline.com/articles/p72.htm
How To Control Your Cholesterol Naturally
Cholesterol is a fat that circulates in the blood stream. Good cholesterol or HDL is a type of building material for the cells, the raw material to make sex hormones and it forms the hormones that get involved when the body reacts to stress. High cholesterol made up of bad cholesterol or LDL can build up and clog the arteries, causing heart attacks or strokes. Because of this, it is important for you to learn how to control your cholesterol naturally.
Diet plays an important part in controlling cholesterol. Hydrogenated fats is the largest contributor of LDL in the body. It is found in all commercial baked goods, junk foods and fried foods. A good diet should be low in LDL and high in good protein, vegetables and fruits.
Exercise helps to lower the LDL and raise the HDL levels in the blood. Any kind of regular exercise that makes your heart beat fast and makes you sweat will work. You should exercise 30 to 45 minutes a day, six days a week.
Decrease stress in your life. Studies have shown that stress caused from major life changes such as a divorce, the death of a loved one or a close friend, a terrible accident or a horrible experience can cause the cholesterol levels in your body to rise considerably. Learn and practice relaxation techniques to combat stress.
There are various kinds of supplements that help lower LDL and maintain good cholesterol levels. Studies have shown that hawthorn lowers the bad cholesterol, while at the same time cleaning the plaque that has built up, reducing the blood pressure and increasing the blood flow to the heart.
Red yeast rice is an herbal supplement that can cause LDL levels in the blood to drop up to 40 percent. It works very similar to the cholesterol controlling statin drugs. It can cause heartburn, dizziness and gastrointestinal gas. This supplement should be used together with CoEnzyme Q10.
Take Vitamin C every morning at breakfast. It increases the removal of cholesterol from the blood through the bile. The Vitamin C also causes bowel movements that ultimately get rid of the bile. Eating oat bran with fruits such as pears, apples, oranges and prunes can aid the Vitamin C in getting rid of the cholesterol.
Niacin actually helps to raise and control the HDL levels in the blood. It, also, regulates the triglycerides in the body. You may need the help of a health professional to find the proper amount of niacin you need to take.
High cholesterol can be a serious disease in your body. It’s effects can leave you paralyzed or even take your life. Learning how to control your cholesterol naturally is the best place to begin.
control cholesterol
What Is Considered Normal Cholesterol?
What is considered a normal cholesterol level actually changes depending on the population tested? There is no general normal level as the normal level is calculated by testing many healthy individuals and then calculating an average. Your yearly cholesterol test can be included in this calculation.
Over the years the normal level of cholesterol has slowly been increasing in the United States. Therefore doctors have come up with what is considered a healthy level of cholesterol rather than normal. Currently the normal cholesterol level would mean that many are at risk for heart disease.
LDL cholesterol is the bad type of cholesterol and if you have levels higher than 100mg/dL then you have high cholesterol. It is recommended that you have a cholesterol level of 70mg/dL and less. If you need to lower your cholesterol level then your first step is to make lifestyle changes.
Factors that need to be changed include not being physically active, obese, low HDL levels, metabolic syndrome and high triglycerides in the blood. You want to try to reduce these factors which in turn will lower your risk of developing heart disease.
If you cannot lower your cholesterol through lifestyle changes then there is medication available that can help to lower your cholesterol. While you are lowering your LDL cholesterol you should also try to increase your levels of HDL cholesterol as this is good cholesterol. There are other compounds like nicotinic acid that can lower the triglycerides in the blood and increase HDL.
You can lower your cholesterol at any age and if you are elderly then it is just as important for you to lower your cholesterol as when you are younger. It can be tricky to if you are elderly as cholesterol medication can cause problems with your liver and kidneys as well as other types of medication. There are many lifestyle changes that can also be used for the elderly.
There are many factors that will create a high risk cholesterol patient. If high cholesterol runs in the family, you have hypertension, are overweight and smoke then you are at high risk for developing high cholesterol and heart disease. If you have more than two of these factors then you are high risk individuals.
Heart disease is linked to low levels of HDL cholesterol and high levels of LDL cholesterol and you should try to reverse these levels as much as possible. You can do something about your cholesterol and to be healthy you should start immediately.
Basics of Cholesterol Numbers
Understand the meaning of cholesterol numbers will benefit you in many ways. People above 20 years old are recommended to undergo the cholesterol level test(lipoprotein profile) at least once in every five years. This test includes taking blood sample from the patient in order to find out his cholesterol numbers. The lipoprotein profile includes the following: LDL or bad cholesterol, HDL or good cholesterol, Triglycerides or the fats from foods, and the Total Cholesterol which is composed of the other 3 profiles.
Cholesterol Ratios
Cholesterol as most of us know is a fatty molecule that is produced by the liver. Often though as a bad thing, cholesterol plays an important role in the overall health and body function. It is essential in the production of hormones, vitamin D and bile acid. Cholesterol is carried in the blood stream in packages called lipoprotein.
LDL Cholesterol
LDL cholesterol is a kind of lipoprotein that also acts as cholesterol carrier in the blood. The LDL cholesterol has the tendency to build up on the walls of the blood vessels suppressing flow of blood over time. Eventually the hardening of the arteries will result in a heart attack or stroke.
HDL Cholesterol
Some studies have identified low HDL cholesterol level as a risk factor for heart disease itself. This means that even if the total blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels are normal, a low HDL cholesterol level will still be a risk factor for coronary artery disease. Normal HDL level is 40 mg/dL for men and 50 mg/dL for women.
