How to Lower Cholesterol Levels

Word has spread about the bad consequences of a high cholesterol level. It's not just hoopla actually. Studies have presented that a high cholesterol number is immediately associated to a higher chance of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular disease. So to be fit, you should bring that number down. Just how do you lower cholesterol levels? In effect, there are plenty of options in how to lower cholesterol levels through lifestyle modifications and even intake of medicinal remedies in certain situations.

You are What You Eat

Sure, that statement is absolutely on target. Your diet is directly related to your total wellness, never mind what your granduncle told you on eating up bacon day-after-day and enduring to a full years by about 100. Our diets nowadays are merely not contributing to a healthy lifestyle, which is the reason why we have seen an increase in obesity cases besides an addition in health conditions like diabetes and heart diseases. There are many ways to discover how to lower cholesterol through and through good diet options. First and foremost, go for the fruits and veggies. Are you eating five a day? The Department of Agriculture in fact recommends five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily for optimal wellness.

Almost all of today's highly refined foods do not incorporate a lot of whole grains. When refined by the removal of the bran and germ, what remains is mostly carbohydrate and lacks most of the other nutrients. We consume lots of bread and cereal products, but nearly all of them are comprised of sugar and flour, which is definitely not how to lower cholesterol. A fine guideline is to get breads that have great deal of whole grains and seeds on them. In addition you would like to look for components and ingredients that show there are "whole grains" or "whole wheat" in what you are buying to make sure that you are taking in your healthiest staple food selections.

Get Started

Physical exercise is another way to lower your cholesterol, and every day exercise is the most beneficial by far. It's not as backbreaking to work aerobic action into your daytime activity as you might believe. Consider taking a walk during your breaK time at work instead of merely sitting on the couch or a cycle ride close to the neighbourhood after work. Why not add stair climbing to your fitness routine? You could climb several flights of stairs anywhere there are stairs - offices, homes, stores or mall. Physical exercise will give your heart a good workout, assist you to burn calories and help you keep a healthy weight, which is another key in how to lower cholesterol.

Get Healthy

Now you know how to lower cholesterol levels by making that lifestyle shift. Lifestyle changes can definitely help you in getting those cholesterol numbers down. Know that by embarking on today with the common life-style changes, you can start to lower your cholesterol and significantly improve your overall health. Today's environment can easily influence you to indulge in a toxic lifestyle. However you need to make a conscious effort to make that shift. It all begins with bringing good sense to your day-to-day habits.

The News About Fasting and Cholesterol

Many people go through the discomforts of fasting with belief that it can do their health some good. Fasting can be the total avoidance of food, or avoidance of solid food (intake only of water and fresh juices). People fast for a wide range of reasons - to lose weight, to remove toxins, to achieve better clarity, for spirituality, and so on. Whatever your reason is, there is a link between fasting and cholesterol that you may want to consider as well.

The Effect of Fasting on Cholesterol Levels

Fasting can lead to two possibilities in terms of cholesterol levels. It can either cause your cholesterol to increase or decrease. If fasting lowers down cholesterol levels, then it could be recommended by your doctor as a cholesterol-lowering regimen. However, if fasting increases levels then your doctor would say to avoid fasting. So does it possibly lower down cholesterol, or does it cause it to increase? The answer is... we don't know for sure yet. The jury is still out. The topic is being widely studied by researchers all over the world, with mixed results.

What Recent Studies Say

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital have recently found that fasting may cause certain enzymes to halt production of fats and cholesterol. In the study, they describe how the enzyme SIRT1 (a sirutin) can suppress the proteins called SREBPs, which in turn control the synthesis and handling of cholesterol and fats. According to them, the enzyme SIRT1 is considered master regulator of energy in the body and controls production and storage of fat and the usage of fat for energy.

This study then suggests that in response to fasting, there are signals that tell the body to burn fat. Improved understanding on the effect of fasting to cholesterol and fat levels can have significant implications on treatment and prevention of metabolic and heart diseases, as well as type 2 diabetes.

But does this study definitely confirm that fasting lowers down cholesterol levels? According to the proponents, this hypothesis is still subject to further confirmation through future studies.

Furthermore, there have been a few studies, which refute the suggested cholesterol lowering effect of fasting. In one study conducted at the Endocrinology Division at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Karolinska Institute in Sweden, it was found that acute starvation in non-obese healthy adults can increase LDL and serum cholesterol levels.

This finding has been consistent with findings performed decades ago which agree that starvation leads to reduction of cholesterol synthesis in the liver, which drives the increase of cholesterol concentration in the blood to make up for the reduced levels of liver cholesterol.

So what is the real score? The link between fasting and cholesterol seems to have been established. However, studies conducted on this subject have not received unanimous findings. Besides, there are still a few more important factors to consider with fasting diets, secondary only to its effect on cholesterol. For instance, the question as to whether fasting is really healthy for weight loss and detoxification still remains, and should merit more attention.

Be careful with fasting. If you have high cholesterol, be sure to consult your doctor before trying any fasting or unusual diets.

Meanwhile, if you are looking for a safe, healthy, highly researched way to help support your heart health, you should consider taking a capsule of pure concentrated fish oil every day so you get your omega 3 fatty acids. Many doctors recommend this simple step as part of a heart-healthy diet.

Cholesterol Levels and Ratios - Are Cholesterol Numbers Confusing You?

Cholesterol levels are being tested all over the world in order to determine risk factors for heart disease, yet many people are confused by their cholesterol numbers and how they are expressed. Part of this confusion may stem from the fact that literature originating in the United States gives cholesterol levels in units that are different from those used in Canada, Europe, and a good portion of the rest of the developed world. So when you are looking for information to help you understand your test results, on the internet and elsewhere, you might not understand the numbers that are reported in the American literature because they might look quite different from the cholesterol numbers on your lab report.

The United States reports cholesterol levels in mg/dL (milligrams per decilitre) of blood. The rest of the world is using the measurement called mmol (or millimoles per litre). Without going back to basic chemistry from high school, let's just say that they are different measurements. So is it any wonder that these two ways of expressing your cholesterol numbers are so different?

Here is how the two different systems of measurement stack up for desirable cholesterol numbers.

As expressed in the system of measurement used in the United States

• Total cholesterol = less than 200 mg/dL


• LDL = less than 100-129 mg/dL (below 100 is best)


• HDL = more than 40 mg/dL (greater than 60 is considered protective against heart disease)

However, as expressed in the SI units (International System of Measurement) that most of the world is using the numbers are stated differently. (You can remember which letters refer to the good and the bad stuff by remembering it this way...H stands for healthy and L stands for lousy.)

• Total cholesterol = less than 5.2 mmol/L


• LDL = in the range of than 2.6 - 3.3 mmol/L (less than 2.6 is best)


• HDL = in the range of more than 1 to 1.5 mmol/L (higher is better) mmol/L

Can you see the difference in how the cholesterol numbers are expressed? The difference of course is in the units that are being measured. Think of it like metric and imperial measures. Your weight in pounds might be a three digit number but in kilograms it could be a two digit number. Same weight different measurements.

Understanding the Cholesterol Ratio

When used to determine if you have cholesterol risk factors for heart disease it is not the specific levels that are analyzed but rather the ratio of HDL in your total lipid profile. This number is called the cholesterol ratio and it gives an indication of how much of your total cholesterol is the "good" stuff.

The reason this is important is because the HDL is so beneficial, if it is present is sufficient quantities it has a protective effect and the LDL in your system cannot do as much damage. So even if your LDL is higher than the desired levels, if the HDL is high as well and the ratio comes within the desired range then the risk of heart disease is less.

The goal is to keep the cholesterol ratio below 5:1; the optimum ratio is 3.5. The cholesterol ratio comes in at the same number no matter which system of measurement is used. The cholesterol ratio is obtained by dividing the total cholesterol number by the value given for the HDL. For example, if a you have a total cholesterol of 240 mg/dL and an HDL of 60 mg/dL, the ratio is 4. Using the SI system of measurement if the total cholesterol is 7.20 mmol/L and the HDL is 1.8 mmol/L the ratio is still 4.

You can see how this is a better way of understanding the cholesterol risk factors for heart disease and expressing it this way can prevent confusion that might result from not being familiar with the units that are used. This information is also helpful for understanding why the strategies recommended for cholesterol imbalances work. Some of the best strategies are the ones that raise the HDL levels. In particular, exercise has been found to be one of the best ways to improve the cholesterol ratio because it raises HDL levels. By contrast smoking has been found to lower HDL levels so no exercise and smoking is a recipe for low HDL levels, a poor cholesterol ratio, and a higher risk for heart disease.

Cholesterol is found in every cell of the body and is essential for the maintenance of good health. Low cholesterol levels have been associated with poor health so the goal is not to eliminate or reduce cholesterol entirely but to obtain the desirable levels of each type so that the protective benefits of the HDL can work for you in maintaining good health.

So don't get mixed up when trying to understand your cholesterol levels. No matter what way the numbers are expressed the message is the same. You want to have enough of the good stuff and not so much of the bad stuff in order to reduce your risk factors for heart disease.

Healthy Low Cholesterol Food List

Every successful diet starts with coming up with an individual low cholesterol food list. Everyone should pattern the food list to cater not only to the food limitations but also to his tastes and wants. This way, he would also enjoy his food and not feel totally deprived despite the restrictions. Dieters who enjoy their food are more likely to stick with it resulting to successful diets.

Your low cholesterol food list could serve different diet purposes. If you want to lose weight, foods that contain low cholesterol naturally helps the body shed excess pounds. Taking in the minimum caloric requirement will force the body to use up stored fat. A low cholesterol diet can also prevent Type 2 diabetes. One of the basic causes of diabetes is obesity and fibrous foods are natural fat sweepers that will facilitate weight loss. Here are some tips to help you come up with the best low cholesterol diet;

1. Know your diet purpose - Do you simply want to lose weight or do you need to? Casual dieters can include a few "sinful" choices like red meat, seafood and milk. When taken occasionally, these high cholesterol foods can also be healthy. These can be accommodated during cheat days and can eliminate the feeling of deprivation; anyway you can always burn it out in exercises. For strict dieters, like for cases of borderline diabetes, your low cholesterol food list should contain nothing but healthy foods.

2. Pattern it to your lifestyle - Do you have time to cook? Can you pack a lunch and eat it too? Do you exercise regularly? Are you sporty? Active people can accommodate more sinful foods to their diet. Not only that they burn the calories, they need it too. If you are somebody who hasn't the time to cook and sit down to eat, steamed fish might not be a very viable choice. Learn good alternatives.

3. Individual tastes - If you have a sweet tooth, you can opt for an oat cookie snack instead of salty nuts. Can't get away from meat? Then stop planning a meatless diet, unless your doctor prohibits meat. You can eat one sumptuous meaty meal a week, just favor lean meat.

4. Food preparation - Another natural way on how to control cholesterol is in knowing how to prepare them. Stay away from frying, rich sauces and decadence. There is a big difference in cholesterol content between a fried chicken and steamed chicken. If you have to have a sauce, go for the reds rather than the whites. Red are tomato based while the whites are cream based. Foods are always best when eaten fresh or raw.

Dieting could be an imposition, but if we know how to control cholesterol intake early on, we can avoid forced diets and deprivation of our comfort foods. Learning how to love the tastes of good and healthy foods might not come instantaneous, but once we acquired the taste, you'll come to appreciate their individual tastes, and the way that they are affording you many entries in your low cholesterol food list and to eat ice cream, steak and fries, once in a while.

Sample Diet To Lower Cholesterol - What To Eat

A sample diet to lower cholesterol is important to determine how your body will respond to various cholesterol-lowering techniques suggested by experts. Basically, a sample diet to lower cholesterol involves avoiding certain foods while increasing the intake of others. Combining these techniques can lead to significant decreases in blood cholesterol levels, even reaching up to 20%.

1. Breakfast

A good breakfast for your sample diet to lower cholesterol should include oatmeal or oat bran and fruits. You can alternate it with cereal and low-fat milk or whole grain products, such as wheat bread. If you use butter or margarine, you may want to replace it with sterol-fortified margarine, instead. For the drinks, you can take sterol-fortified juices, skim milk or water. Vitamin supplement may also be taken in the morning.

2, Lunch

Your lunch for a sample diet to lower cholesterol should include the fatty fish, such as tuna, mackerel or salmon, which is broiled, steamed or grilled. It can be alternated with lean meat, with fat less than 10%, or skinned poultry. These must be prepared with minimal cooking oil, such as canola oil. You may opt to combine them with rice or whole grain bread, and vegetables. Fresh or canned fruits, or low-fat yogurt, may be taken for dessert.

3. Snacks

Health snacks that you can include in your sample diet to lower cholesterol include unsalted nuts, such as walnuts and almonds, and seeds, such as sunflower seed. Soy products, such as soy burger, are also healthy alternatives for regular snacks.

4. Dinner

Dinner for a sample diet to lower cholesterol should be somewhat similar to lunch. You can start off with a low-calorie salad combined with a low-fat dressing. You can then alternate between fish, lean meat and skinned poultry. Experts recommend at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

This is an overview of what a sample diet to lower cholesterol should contain. Knowing the principle behind the diet is the most important thing. This enables you to alter your diet and give variety to it.

The Cholesterol Diet

The body needs cholesterol in order to build cell walls, digest dietary fats, produce hormones, and other important processes. Unfortunately, too much can give anyone high blood pressure and heart disease.

This means the individual has to be careful about the kind of food being taken in that has this chemical. One way will be to reduce eating items that are high in saturated fat such as those found in dairy products, poultry, egg yolks and red meat.

Another will be avoiding the kind of food being offered in fast food joints. The ingredients and oil used in the cooking have also been known to contain high levels of cholesterol that are not safe for the body.

The ideal way to maintain a low cholesterol diet is to eat products that are fat free like those made in dairy products. The person should also consume lean meat, fish, skinless poultry and whole grain foods.

The individual should also not forget to get some vitamins and nutrients from fresh fruits and green vegetables. These are better when combined with large quantities of monostaturates and olive oil.

The way to cook these products is also important. Instead of frying, the best way to reduce the cholesterol is to grill or roast the meat, boil or steam those vegetables or fish. The cooking time will surely be much slower than before so another way will be to use the microwave.

If ever the person needs to use cooking oil, it is best to use low fat oils that are available at the supermarket.

Another thing the individual should avoid is consuming products such as beer, wine and soda. It is okay to have a drink on occasion but living a healthier lifestyle will be achieved by only taking water and fresh juice from fruits.

A low cholesterol diet should also be combined with some form of exercise. This can be as simple as going for a morning stroll, jogging or running. The person can also hit the water if there is a pool nearby but if not, there is surely a gym so one can sweat it out.

The one in control of the person's well being is no other than that individual. This means it is matter of choice what food or drinks to buy in the grocery which is also the same when ordering a meal in the restaurant.

Recipes to Lower Cholesterol - Low Cholesterol Diet Plan

Engaging in a low cholesterol diet plan is not as hard as it looks. All you need to do is come up with a simple meal plan that cuts down on the cholesterol you eat on a daily basis. Finding recipes to lower cholesterol can be as easy as looking up health cookbooks and visiting web sites.

You can also develop your own recipes with the help of food nutritionists and doctors. Low cholesterol diets shave down on fats and sodium on by either substituting fatty ingredients with healthier options or introduce techniques to reduce cholesterol per serving.

Any recipe that aims to lower cholesterol must do either or both of two things. First, the ingredients of the recipes must be low on saturated fats and sodium. Saturated fats are the basic building blocks for Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) while sodium can increase blood pressure.

LDL is a type cholesterol found in fatty meats and other rich fatty foods. It can cause cardiovascular diseases and arterial blockages. Second, a recipe may incorporate a healthy dose of High-density lipoproteins (HDL) in your body. HDL can counteract the level of LDL in your blood. HDL is commonly found in grains and fishes.

Choosing the right ingredients

Substituting the fatty and salty ingredients in recipes makes a huge difference in the amount of cholesterol you put in to your body. For example, you can substitute red meat with chicken or turkey meat for your meal. White meats have less cholesterol than red meats.

Recipes which use white meat are a far healthier choice than recipes which require large serving of red meats, pork loins and meat offals. In selecting seafoods, choosing tuna over shrimp and lobster can cut your cholesterol intake drastically. Fishes like tuna are also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which are the precursors of HDL.

When choosing bread to make a sandwich, you can also substitute white bread for whole grain bread. Whole grain bread does not only contain lower levels of LDL, they are rich in HDL which is good for the body. Likewise, you can substitute salt for in your condiments for other non-sodium based herbs.

Preparation

Choosing how to cook your food is as important as choosing your ingredients. As far as preparation is concerned, you shouldn't add more fat in the processing of your food than you need to. Recipes to lower cholesterol typically favor steaming and boiling over frying. Frying incorporates more cholesterol into your food. When you do decide to fry, use oils which are low on LDL and trans-fat. Canola oil is one example of a healthier alternative to frying than oil from animal fats.