Impact of a High Cholesterol Diet on Heart Health
November 19th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
High cholesterol diet has a great impact on heart problems. Heart problems are considered as one of the leading causes of mortality in the United States. Certain fats are believed to cause the development of atherosclerosis. Hydrogenation is a process during which oils change into trans-fat, which is specifically detrimental. The process changes chemical structuring of unsaturated fat and turns out to more solidified form. In turn, it heightens the total cholesterol level and LDL cholesterol level, while declining valuable HDL cholesterol level.
If you are using high cholesterol lowering diet, it is imperative to get rid of wrong types of fats and oils and substitute them with heart-friendly olive or vegetable oils. Unsaturated vegetable oils such as peanuts, flux, sunflower, canola, corn and safflower can be a preferable selection. Heart-friendly oils consist of mono-unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid which may decline the total cholesterol level and heighten the HDL level.
On the contrary, high cholesterol diet usually contains favorite foods such as junk foods including French fries or potato chips, crackers, corn chips and several other foods and unhealthy beverages. In fact, muffins, cookies and baked foods are tied up with incorrect type of fats.
Diet for Lowering High Cholesterol
Ideal Diet for lowering high cholesterol takes account of fatty fish as a minimum of twice per week. Different scientific studies recommend consumption of omega-3 fatty acids from plants and aquatic sources. These provide profit to people who are at risk for developing coronary complications. Fish comprises of lesser amount of saturated fat compared to meat products. Mackerel, salmon, trout and herring are high in two types of omega-3 fatty acids which include eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
On the other hand, tofu, walnuts, flaxseed and soybeans consist of alpha-linolenic acid. It converts into omega-3 fatty acid within the body, so this is a good selection if you are up to high cholesterol lowering diet. Researchers conclude that in Mediterranean civilization people had lower risk for developing cardiac problem. It is assumed that their diet contributed a lot for that. It was rich with whole grains, dried beans and peas, green vegetables, fresh fruits, fish and red wine.
People who are on diet for lowering high cholesterol level must drink plenty of water throughout the day. In fact, a minimum amount of 8-10liter is always recommended. The plenty supply of water helps in eliminating excessive cholesterol from the body. A regular intake of dhania or coriander mixed with water also helps in managing cholesterol level in the body. Additionally, it works as a good diuretic and enhances kidney function.
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Three Simple Steps Which Can Help To Lower Bad Cholesterol Naturally
November 18th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
High cholesterol levels, and additional when it refers to bad cholesterol is a grave health concern that unfortunately is affecting a bigger amount of people today than before. Part of the cause for this is that people nowadays are eating too many foods that contain excess of bad cholesterol. Thus, if you find that your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels are higher than suggested, you would need to look to lower bad cholesterol naturally before taking the drug based options.
A Good and Regular Diet
The first thing you need to do in order to lower bad cholesterol naturally is to maintain a regular diet in which you’ll need to eliminate or even completely avoid those foods that are loaded with too much of bad cholesterol. In fact, you need to start eating more of vegetables and fruits as well as more of whole grains that help reduce bad cholesterol levels than eat foods with high fat content or even fast foods.
Your diet should also contain more of soluble fiber which is generally found in beans, whole grains and even fruits and vegetables. In addition, to lower bad cholesterol naturally through your diet you also need to avoid eating animal foods because animal tissues are also loaded with cholesterol.
The second step you need to take with regard to lowering cholesterol naturally is to make sure that your lifestyle is such that it does not contribute to raising your bad cholesterol levels. A simple act such as exercising regularly can have a profound and positive impact on lowering bad cholesterol levels, and it also helps you to maintain superior body weight.
The third easy step that you should think about taking when it concerns lowering cholesterol naturally is to eat Chinese herbs which are known to provide excellent results when it comes to lowering bad cholesterol levels. Used properly, Chinese herbs can produce the required low bad cholesterol levels in a mild and safe as well as effective manner. However, results are only noticeable after a few months and so you need to be patient when using this option.
These simple steps can go a long way in helping you to lower bad cholesterol naturally and you’ll generally notice that they will make your liver work normally though in order to determine how much improvement has been achieved, you’ll need to take a cholesterol blood test. Of course, before taking these steps, you need to, in case you are taking other medications, check with your medical health practitioner, who will recommend the proper plan of action which may be different from the steps mentioned here.
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Why You Need to Discuss Heart Disease With Your Physician
November 18th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
When you learn how to discuss your concerns and questions with your physician, you are taking an important first step. You are not the only person who has problems communicating their concerns to the health care provider who performs your check-ups. But when it comes to heart disease no question should be left unanswered.
Sometimes people hope that the answers to their questions will come out in the process of being examined instead of asking them point blank. HMOs and the busy schedules of doctors with waiting rooms full of patients sometimes do not allow the doctor to spend as much time with each patient as they would like. Women particularly need to speak up, because even though they suffer half the deaths from heart disease, doctors hesitate to discuss this subject with them.
Questions that you should ask your doctor include what your blood pressure is recorded as and what is normal for you. You need to know what your blood cholesterol and glucose levels are and if they are considered normal. Find out from your physician what tests are recommended for your age group presently and in the years to come.
If medication has been prescribed, do not hesitate to ask if there are side effects, what the drug is supposed to do, and should you take other medication, even over the counter, with your prescribed medicine. Also find out if this is a long term medication or temporary. Tests to monitor the effect of the medication you are taking should be conducted at a later date if it is recommended by your doctor. The liver is one organ that most doctors consider testing when a patient is on certain medicines.
If you always get home and remember something that you forgot to ask the doctor, make a “need to know” list and take it with you on your next visit. Do not forget to bring with you the medications that you are presently on as well. If you have more than one health care provider, this is a must.
Add to your list any surgeries or relevant illness that you have had and been treated for in the past few years. This should be in your medical chart so that the doctor can be aware of anything that might cause a problem.
In conclusion, if you think that you may forget what you physician has told you, you can always write it down or record the appointment for later referral. Do not be afraid to check around for a second opinion if you are not comfortable with the treatment that your doctor recommends or if you do not feel that he or she listened to your worries or questions.
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What is Hypertension and What can You do About It?
November 17th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects many people in this country each year, and can increase the danger of other medical conditions like heart attack and stroke. Because hypertension is a potentially serious and even life threatening condition, it is important to comprehend what hypertension is and what you can do to reduce your risk of getting diagnosed with this condition. If you’re hit with a diagnosis of high blood pressure at some point in your future, you need to know what your treatment options are to get your blood pressure back under control.
What is Hypertension? Two Categories
There are two types of hypertension that can be diagnosed, and each will come with its own risk factors and treatment choices. It is important to comprehend what your hypertension is, so that you can find the ideal treatment plan for you. The first type is called primary hypertension, which occurs in approximately 90-95% of all hypertension cases. With primary, or essential, hypertension, the cause is usually not known and the condition will develop over a number of years.
The other type is called secondary hypertension, and this condition can usually be related to a preexisting condition. Kidney abnormalities and congenital heart defects are two of the common culprits in secondary hypertension. By understanding what hypertension is and what the various categories are, you’re on the road to determining the best treatment options for you. In the case of secondary hypertension, the treatment will often involve “fixing” or treating the underlying cause. In primary hypertension, treatment must be focused on lowering the blood pressure through medication and/or lifestyle changes.
What is Hypertension Treatment?
Once you comprehend what hypertension is and the type that you’re diagnosed with, it is time to move onto a treatment plan. Even if you are feeling totally healthy, it is important to bring the blood pressure down to reduce the danger of other medical conditions. Your physician might decide to put you on a medication that’ll help to manage your blood pressure numbers. There are several different types of blood pressure medicine available, so chances are excellent that you will find one that you tolerate well and that is effective for your condition. This medication will probably need to be taken for the rest of your life, since high blood pressure isn’t cured with medication, but merely managed.
Lifestyle changes involving diet, exercise, weight maintenance and quitting unhealthy habits are also a part of hypertension treatment. Your physician can make specific recommendations for you in terms of these changes and which ones might benefit you the ideal. By learning what hypertension is and the ideal ways to treat it, you will be on your way to lower blood pressure readings and a healthier cardiovascular system.
Someone suffering from hypertension will not have Ronnie Coleman biceps or look like Alain Ngalani. Don’t go on a high fat low carb diet and all should be a lot superior.
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Lipitor Cholesterol Medication
November 17th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
If you have been diagnosed with an unhealthy high cholesterol level you might want to ask your physician if Lipitor might be beneficial for you. Lipitor is considered to be a statin drug and has the effect of lowering LDL cholesterol, also known as bad cholesterol. Lipitor can help you avoid heart disease and helps to prevent hardening of the arteries which helps you to avoid strokes, heart attacks and also vascular diseases.
People who already have coronary heart disease or those who have type 2 diabetes use Lipitor to help reduce the possibility of having a heart attach or a stroke. For people who do not have a high cholesterol level some doctors recommend statin drugs such as Lipitor for precautionary reasons.
Lipitor as well as the other statin drugs are designed to block an enzyme found in your liver which your body uses to produce cholesterol. Since your body is producing a lower amount of cholesterol, the liver uses a higher amount from the blood and this causes a lower amount of cholesterol to be contained in your blood. Research has shown it has very little effect on the HDL cholesterol also known as good cholesterol.
Benefits from Using Lipitor for Cholesterol Problems
The manufacturer of Lipitor claims that taking Lipitor for cholesterol problems can reduce your bad cholesterol level by 39% to 60% and can reduce your level of triglycerides which is a fat located in your blood by 19% to 37%. They also claim that using Lipitor can increase your HDL also known as good cholesterol by up to 9%.
Pregnant women or women who might become pregnant should not use Lipitor. If you become pregnant while you are using Lipitor immediately stop using Lipitor and consult your physician. Women who are breast feeding their baby should not be taking Lipitor. People who are allergic to Lipitor or people diagnosed with liver problems should not take Lipitor.
Possible Side Effects Caused by Lipitor.
The manufacture of Lipitor has claimed that a small number of people have experienced serious side effects from taking Lipitor. The manufacture lists possible unwanted side effects from using Lipitor to reduce cholesterol such as serious problems with your muscles that can create problems for your kidneys and in some cases kidney failure.
Using Lipitor to reduce cholesterol can also cause problems for your liver. Some people have reported experiencing nausea, stomach pain, muscle weakness; dark colored urine, feeling fatigued and some people have experienced the white of their eyes and their skin turning yellow.
The manufacture of Lipitor lists the most frequent side effects of using Lipitor to lower cholesterol as headaches, diarrhea, gas, upset stomachs as well as stomach pain, rashes, constipation and pain in the muscles and joints.
The manufacture states that Lipitor has been approved by the FDA to lower the risk of having a heart attack, a stroke and having certain types of heart surgery, if a person has several common risks factors for heart disease. If you have high cholesterol you might want to ask your physician if using Lipitor to reduce cholesterol might be beneficial for you.
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Understanding Cholesterol Level
November 16th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
In the human body, cholesterol is produced by our liver. It is a fatty and waxy substance which is required to protect nerves, construct cell tissues and make certain hormones. Cholesterol is very important to our health, although excess amount of cholesterol level brings negative impact to our overall system. If you go to check your cholesterol level, it is estimated in milligram per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). While determining whether you are at high risk with your cholesterol level, the doctor may take into account other factors such as family history, age, sex, high blood pressure, and smoking habits. During the diagnosis, a complete lipoprotein profile will reveal the details regarding total blood cholesterol level, HDL (good) cholesterol level, LDL (bad) cholesterol level, and triglyceride level.
Total Blood Cholesterol Level
If your HDL, LDL and triglyceride level are within the desirable limit and you have your total blood cholesterol level less than 200mg/dL, this means you are at low risk for developing coronary heart diseases. If you are diagnosed between 200-239mg/dL for your total cholesterol level, you are at borderline-high risk condition. At this time, doctors will thoroughly examine the LDL, HDL and triglyceride level and ratio. It may happen that your LDL can be balanced by the HDL count. If you have your total cholesterol level of 240mg/dL or more, you are at higher risk for developing coronary heart disease twice more likely than people having cholesterol at their desirable level.
HDL (good) Cholesterol Level
HDL is good and higher level of HDL is better for health. Men having HDL less than 40mg/dL and women 50mg/dL are at risk for developing heart disease. HDL level more than 60mg/dL offers safeguard against developing cardiac complications. On average, men and women have HDL of 40-50mg/dL and 50-60mg/dL respectively. Smoking and obesity may result in low level of HDL. In order to increase and maintain a perfect HDL level, one should strictly avoid tobacco smoking, must maintain healthy diet and practice exercise on regular basis. If someone has higher triglyceride level, he typically has a lower level of HDL and consequently is at higher risk for heart attack and stroke.
LDL (bad) Cholesterol Level
If you have a lower LDL level, that means you have at lower risk for developing heart problems. Typically less than 100mg/dL implies an optimal level of LDL while 190mg/dL may pose a serious threat on health. While determining appropriate treatment plan for someone having higher level of LDL, doctors first take into account the other risk factors as well. It greatly varies person to person. If a healthy level of LDL is applicable to you; that does not mean it will be suitable in a same way for your neighbor. So it is highly recommended adhere the treatment plan as suggested by your doctor so that it can work for you in the best suitable fashion.
Triglyceride Level
Triglyceride is a kind of fat that is produced within our system. Typically people with higher triglyceride level have a higher level of total cholesterol in addition to high LDL and low HDL. Normally, your triglyceride level should fall below 150mg/dL. If you are having your triglyceride level higher than 500mg/dL, you are certainly at risk. The risk factors identified for developing higher triglyceride level are obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and high carbohydrate diet. Additionally, genetic disorders may pose a threat.
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