It is common knowledge that high cholesterol levels in the blood can cause a number of health problems, some of a very serious nature. It is in your own interest to reduce the level of blood cholesterol.

Cholesterol is not a single substance. It is the generic name for a family of similar substances that are produced in the body. The good cholesterol, abbreviated as HDL, is produced by the body for tissue growth and health. This level is maintained at a healthy level by the body. The bad cholesterol is a by product of body metabolism and must be evacuated or destroyed. This bad cholesterol is abbreviated LDL. You must help the body in maintaining the exact proper level of both these cholesterol components to remain naturally healthy.

There is a general perception that a high level of cholesterol is itself a disease. This is false. But yes, high levels of bad cholesterol increase the risk of some very serious, even life threatening, cardio-vascular diseases. Some of these diseases are: atherosclerosis (which hardens the arteries), heart arrhythmias, strokes, high blood pressure, and heart attacks. We’ll tell you how to control the level of cholesterol in your blood.

The first step is dietary vigilance. Reduce those foods that contain a dangerously high amount of cholesterol. Fatty foods and animal products are notorious for their cholesterol content. Such foods are oils, dairy produce, poultry produce, and meats. Reduce your intake of sodium and foods containing a lot of sodium because it is known to be responsible for aggravating the cholesterol level in the blood.

A sedentary lifestyle is equally bad news. Inactivity makes the circulatory system sluggish, and the evacuation of LDL is impaired. So the LDL accumulates to dangerous levels. The American Heart Association has advised a minimum of thirty minutes of exercise every day to keep heart disease at bay. You are free to do it in one spell or to spread it over two, three or more spells. Be regular in exercising. Thirty minutes every day means thirty minutes every day, come rain or shine! Maintain a comfortable exercise regimen. Don’t get carried away and strain yourself. Jogging, going for long walks, cycling, and swimming are favored exercises. Make exercise a part of your schedule. Be moderate, be comfortable, be sensible!

A secondary cause of high cholesterol is smoking. Smoking raises the level of cholesterol in the blood. Even second hand smoke is harmful in this respect. So, if you do have a high cholesterol level, reduce or stop smoking, and avoid those places where there is a lot of second hand smoke.

There is another factor which can cause high levels of bad cholesterol. The problem is that the body’s regulatory mechanism is not working properly. This is usually a genetic problem and it could be hereditary. The only way out of this situation is medication. Your doctor will do the needful.

The level of cholesterol in your blood can seriously affect your life and lifestyle! Before that happens, it is better that you consciously work your way to a better lifestyle. Watch your diet, exercise regularly, and stop smoking; these are simple ways to get on top of your high cholesterol condition. Medication is always there if the simple methods don’t work. Remember, high cholesterol can lead to life altering and even life threatening cardio-vascular conditions, such as strokes and heart attacks. Your general health goes down, and you can suffer from many other unrelated diseases. Therefore it is in your own best interest to get serious about controlling the level of cholesterol in your blood – for good!

Owning a cholesterol monitor can save you money by reducing trips to the physician for a cholesterol test. To learn more techniques to reduce cholesterol visit www.reduce-high-cholesterol.com.

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Meaning of triglycerides

Your system makes use of triglycerides for energy. It is a form of fat that the body forms from sweets, alcohol, and too many calories.

High triglycerides could amplify your chances of getting coronary diseases and may be a forewarning of metabolic syndrome. Even though a small measure can be good for your health.

Metabolic syndrome is a combination of high blood pressure, raised blood sugar, excess fat around your abdomen, low HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and increased triglycerides. Metabolic syndrome amplifies your chances for cardiac disease, diabetes, and stroke.

Causes of triglycerides

Elevated triglycerides are for the most part caused by certain conditions, such as:

* Overweight.

* Poorly managed diabetes.

* Hypothyroidism or non-active thyroid.

* Kidney disease.

* Regularly eating more calories than you burn.

* Increased consumption of alcohol.

A few medications may cause triglycerides to rise. They are:

* Beta-blockers.

* Birth control pills.

* Steroids.

* Tamoxifen.

* Estrogen.

* Diuretics.

In some cases, increased triglycerides also could be hereditary.

How to prevent increased levels of triglycerides:

It does not have to be difficult to decrease your level of triglycerides. Just pursue these five simple steps for improved health to bring down your triglycerides.

Increased triglyceride levels are symptomatic of having extra amounts of stored fats (which may be utilized to generate energy), so you have to go and workout more. You eliminate more calories when you are active and, as a result, you bring down your level of triglycerides.

It is not necessary for your workout to be strenuous either. Should you run errands within walking distance, you definitely must refrain from driving a car. Carrying out your everyday routines, for instance, household chores, will also torch calories and decrease overall triglyceride levels.

Frequently pick smart foods to eat because research has shown that the wrong food would raise levels of triglycerides. If you change from vegetable oil to canola oil, you could greatly improve the quality of your diet.

It is easier to keep track of your food intake if you prepare your meals, rather than going out. Eating foods that are high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids for example, salmon and flaxseed, will enable you to augment your overall health. If you want to bring down your triglycerides, it is important to put veggies and fresh fruits in your daily diet.

Consume lots of water in lieu of over eating. You have to drink eight to ten glasses of water daily to keep your stomach full in place of junk food.

Another way to reduce triglycerides is by loading up on vitamin B3. There are studies which show that niacin or vitamin B3 are very effective in helping lower your triglyceride levels. You can add Vitamin B3 in your daily diet by consuming meals that include mushrooms, eggs, nuts, milk and chicken.

Eat frequently and at the proper time. Nutritionists recommend that we eat several small meals spread throughout the day. You should not skip breakfast since you will end up too hungry and tend to over eat later on.

Listen to your body when it comes to your health. Your body would indicate to you when it is hungry and when you need to stop. Do your best to eat right, and do not judge yourself too harshly should you indulge in junk foods.

It is very important that you make intelligent choices about the food that you consume, and that you avoid eating sugary, processed or refined foods.

All of these are effective solutions to lower triglycerides. Since these are reasonable and easy to do, you definitely would not have any problems enhancing the health of your body.

Fitness Centers of Rochester NY, Rochester NY Athletic Club for Women and Weight Loss Centers of Rochester provide health and fitness services to its members.

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A huge amount of research show that, not only are fish oil benefits numerous, many of them are actually very extraordinary! It seems like new studies are being published all the time, as scientists and doctors learn even more about how and why it is so beneficial. The omega-3 fatty acids that are in fish oil are “good fats” that are necessary for optimal wellness. They are crucial for human health but our bodies can’t make them – you have to get them through diet. Here are some proven fish oil benefits that should persuade you to consume more oily, wild-caught fish and begin taking a highly refined fish oil supplement if you aren’t already!

Promotes Cardiovascular Wellness & Protects Against Heart Attack and Strokes

Fish oil continues to grow in scientific reputation as a significant promoter of heart health. According to the American Heart Association, fish oil is effective in reducing the occurrence of heart disease and helps to reduce risk factors like high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Clinical trials of heart attack survivors have found that daily fish oil supplements drastically minimize the risk of death, additional heart attacks and stroke. Omega-3s also reduce blood triglycerides, help correct abnormal heartbeats, and can help prevent and treat atherosclerosis by preventing the formation of plaque and blood clots, which typically clog arteries.

Minimizes Inflammation/Pain

Omega-3s have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. Lab trials suggest that diets rich in omega-3s (and low in the pro-inflammatory omega-6s) may help people with inflammatory conditions — anything ending with -itis!. Omega-3s have also been used to successfully treat back, neck and menstrual pain, helping study participants to reduce their consumption of NSAID medication.

Contributes to Healthy Joints and Reduces Arthritis

The omega-3s in fish oil reduce tenderness in joints, pain intensity and morning stiffness produced by rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, quite a few test tube studies have shown that omega-3s actually lessen the activity of enzymes that destroy cartilage. At least 13 published research trials have shown that omega-3 fatty acids are very effective at treating rheumatoid arthritis. Fish oil has helped those with RA to reduce their dependence on pain killers.

Increases Mental Focus & Long-Term Cognitive Functioning

Did you know that omega-3s, particularly DHA, are incredibly prevalent in the brain? They’re important for optimal cognitive (mental memorization and performance) and behavioral functioning, as well as proper growth and development. Studies show that omega-3s may help in maintaining proper cognitive functioning and possibly in preventing or delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. We also now know that it’s very important that pregnant women get enough DHA, because it’s required by the developing fetus — during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, the fetus’ brain grows at a rate of 250,000 new neurons each minute! Children are also aided by omega-3 intake, as myriad studies show that omega-3s increase learning, focus, reading and vocabulary skills. Countless studies have also shown benefits in treating ADD.

Contributes to Positive Mood & Emotional Well-being

In countries where fish is a significant part of the diet, nationwide rates of depression are lower. So, it’s not surprising that studies have discovered that fish oil supplements can reduce the symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder and psychosis. Several clinical trials have found that participants that took fish oil with their prescribed anti-depressants had a greater improvement in symptoms than those who only took antidepressants, with patients experiencing a stabilization effect and less mood swings. Research has also demonstrated that, when prisoners were given omega three fatty acids, there was a drastic reduction in violent behavior. Omega-3s also appear to lower the risk of postpartum depression.

Promotes Eye Health

Evidence shows that people with a greater fish oil intake appear to have a lower risk of Dry-Eye Syndrome and developing macular degeneration. Preliminary studies also show that omega-3 supplementation aids in lessening dry eye symptoms, may help to slow macular degeneration for people already experiencing it and improves ocular health in general.

Pregnancy, Infancy Brain/Eye Development & Less Incidence of Childhood Disorders

DHA makes up 15-20% of the cerebral cortex and about 30-60% of the retina, so it’s absolutely necessary for normal development of the fetus and baby. Prenatal DHA availability also seems to decrease the chances of childhood allergies and have an effect on motor skill quality, cognitive development and hyperactivity/behavior later in the life of the child. Omega-3s also help to lower the chances of low birth weight and premature birth.

Promotes Increased Fat Metabolism and Weight Loss

According to the National Institute of Health, omega-3s trigger “I’m full” signals to the brain and aid in inhibiting hunger signals. Research has also shown that fish oil improves the efficacy of exercise in reducing body fat. Study participants who were alloted fish oil as part of their diet showed greater weight loss as contrasted with those who didn’t consume fish oil. Exercise along with fish oil had a positive effect on the body shape and body composition of the participants.

Reduces Chance of Breast, Prostate & Colorectal Cancer

Though additional research in this area is desperately needed, we now know that the omega 3’s found in fish oil aid in the prevention and treatment of prostate, testicular, breast and ovarian cancers. Early trials imply that taking fish oil everyday can help inhibit the progression of colon cancer in those with early stages of the disease and may possibly have the capacity to induce apoptosis (cell death) in cancerous cells.

Much more can be written with regards to the many fish oil benefits. And, as the science community and doctors continue to examine omega-3s, you can be certain that fish oil will keep making news as the best source of these essential fatty acids that are so vital to our bodies. Even if you’re already in great physical condition, a quality fish oil supplement is the fastest, safest way to achieve and maintain optimal health!

Brittany M. Wallace is a health and nutrition expert who has been studying the benefits of omega-3 for nearly 10 years. You can learn all about the benefits of omega 3 fish oil by visiting her site.

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Tags: prevent heart disease, heart disease, cause of heart disease

So much is said and talked about bad cholesterol that it is bad and not necessary for the body, but the fact is you do need bad cholesterol. The bad cholesterol is also named as HDL cholesterol and the good cholesterol by LDL cholesterol, these two types of cholesterol are very essential for our body to create hormones, bile salts and vitamin D.

On the contrary bad cholesterol causes a lot of health problems. LDL Cholesterol dumps the cholesterol in the artery walls which in turn creates plaque. The arteries get blocked and narrowed by plaque and as a result of this the blood flow gets blocked which is very bad for their heart.

What Raises Cholesterol?

There are a lot of confusing terms being thrown around when it comes to cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol is one of those terms. You might think that all dietary cholesterol is bad, but in fact dietary cholesterol does not raise blood cholesterol as much as you might think. The two bad guys here are trans fatty acids and saturated fats.

Therefore the best way to tackle the cholesterol problem is to cut down the levels of LDL or bad cholesterol. The most effective way the world over is the diet. You will have to make certain dietary changes in your daily routine. More to the point, as you cut down on food that are bad for cholesterol such as eggs, meat, and seafood, you can also fill up yourself with food that are LDL cholesterol friendly.

Packaged food contains a lot of trans fatty acids such as Microwave popcorn, hard stick margarine french fries which are normally served in the fast food outlets. By eliminating these foods you can cut down your consumption of trans fatty acids which contribute to bad cholesterol in your system.

How good are good fats

You can increase the amount of good cholesterol in your body while reducing the bad cholesterol. This is because the presence of good cholesterol in your body means that excess cholesterol will be taken back to the liver to be excreted out of your body. This means you want plenty of good cholesterol as high levels of good cholesterol means a reduced risk of heart disease.

Lifestyle changes such as eating foods rich in soluble fiber and monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats will help to increase good cholesterol levels.

One can also do a lot of physical activities to bring a reduction in the cholesterol levels. It is also good to limit the intake of alcohol to two glasses a day in case of men and one glass in case of women.

Getting to know more cholesterol information is vital for improving your food habits. Maintaining a healthy cholesterol level is a necessity to have happy life.

Tags: obesity and heart disease, heart disease symptom, heart disease prevention

It is believed that atherosclerosis is partly caused by high cholesterol. Atherosclerosis is commonly known as hardening of the arteries, which a danger sign for increasing risk of catastrophic diseases like stroke or heart attack. So, keeping your cholesterol levels under control is of paramount importance. There are several effective ways to lower cholesterol naturally including easy diet changes, stress reduction and natural cholesterol lowering supplements.

As far as diet adjustments go, there are several different approaches that have proven to be effective. A low fat diet is often recommended to lower cholesterol although research does not necessarily support this method.

While the low fat diet is not supported by research to be the only diet that can protect against heart disease, Dr. Dean Ornish is well known for his approach, which involves combining a low fat, vegetarian diet with stress reduction and increasing physical exercise. Don’t worry if you’re not thrilled with the idea of becoming a vegetarian. Other doctors advocate a much different dietary strategy. For example, Dr. Barry Sears developed a healthy non-vegetarian diet called the Zone Diet that is often considered to be one of many variations of the so-called “low carb diet.”

A balanced ratio of carbohydrates, fat and protein is emphasized by Dr. Sears in the Zone Diet. Sr. Sears’ diet has been described as “eating the way our grandparents ate.” Many people report success in losing weight with a low carb approach, without having to count calories or going hungry. Along with healthy weight loss, many different health conditions have seen improvement, including reducing high cholesterol.

Cholesterol lowering vitamins are another tactic that works well with diet changes. Concerning dietary supplements, it pays to go with quality rather than basing your decision on cost alone. There’s a lot of variation in the quality of supplements on the market, and it’s common to see exaggerated claims without providing research to back them up.

Some important and effective nutrients to look for in natural cholesterol lowering supplements include, green tea extract, tumeric, policosanol, guggulipid, theaflavins and beta sitosterol. Among these nutrients, policosanol and guggulipid can be considered the most important.

There are many products currently on the market claiming to use policosanol, but many in fact are using an incomplete form of policosanol called octacosanol. Octacosanol will NOT give the positive results outlined in the clinical trials. The cholesterol lowering results apply ONLY to the genuine policosanol extracted from sugar cane wax which is produced in Cuba.

So do your “due diligence” before choosing a nutritional supplement to help lower cholesterol. Make sure it contains genuine policosanol and that it has been tested for micro biological contamination in a GMP approved laboratory. Also try to verify that it meets the standards set by the U.S. and/or the British Pharmacopoeia. This way, you can be sure of the purity and the effectiveness of the supplements you buy.

Making simple diet changes and using quality cholesterol lowering vitamins is an effective strategy to reduce cholesterol naturally. Other tactics that work well with this approach include stress reduction and exercise. All of the above have been proven effective and can help you avoid the notorius side effects and potential dangers of cholesterol medication. Be sure to consult your health care provider for guidance and to have any questions you may have answered.

About the author: Max Wardlow writes about quality health supplements. Visit his website today to find out more about how to lower bad cholesterol.

Tags: congestive heart disease, ischemic heart disease, woman and heart disease