Showing posts with label Tips for Lower Cholesterol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tips for Lower Cholesterol. Show all posts

Monday, December 15, 2008

Too Low Cholesterol Levels Can Cause Cancer

Too Low Cholesterol Levels Can Cause Cancer
By Expert Author: Joi Hernaez

Cholesterol is a combination of steroid and alcohol known as sterol. This sterol is a lipid found in the cell membranes of all body tissues and transported in the blood plasma.

The term "bad cholesterol" also known as LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) is thought to have harmful effects in the body. And the "good cholesterol" HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) thought to have good effects.

What does your cholesterol level means?

In order to determine your cholesterol level, a blood sample must be taken and analyze it for your total cholesterol level. Your total cholesterol level can tell if you have high risk of cardiovascular disease and other diseases. Your test report will show your cholesterol levels in milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). There are also some factors to consider like your age, family history, high blood pressure, smoking and alcohol intake.

Desirable Level: Less than 200 mg/dl:
The desirable cholesterol level is less than 200 mg/dl. If your LDL and HDL are at the desirable level, this means that have no risk factors for heart disease.

Average - High Risk: 200-239 mg/dl:
If your total cholesterol is between 200-239 mg/dl, your doctor will evaluate your LDL and HDL and also the triglycerides. Depending on your bad cholesterol levels and other risk factors, you may also need medication. Consult your doctor before taking any medicine and also ask your doctor how often you should check your cholesterol level.

High Risk: 240 mg/dl and above:
If you have a cholesterol level of 240 mg/dl and above, you typically have twofold risk of coronary heart disease compared to those people who have desirable level. You may have to change your lifestyle and you should coordinate with your doctor for the prevention and treatment of possible coronary disease.

Too high cholesterol levels
If you have high cholesterol levels, you have a greater chance of getting heart disease and having a heart attack. We all know that heart attack is the top 1 cause of death of adult men and women in the United States.
Too much cholesterol in the blood causes hardening of the arteries. Since blood carries oxygen to the heart, slowing that flow can cause chest pain, and a blockage to part of the heart will cause a heart attack.

Most people do not know that they have high cholesterol level because there are no symptoms for high cholesterol. Lowering your cholesterol will reduce your risk of heart disease but too low cholesterol levels can give you higher risk of cancer. So it's better to have cholesterol at the desirable level.

Too low cholesterol levels

If your cholesterol level got too low, you may have a risk of cancer. People who take statin drugs to lower their cholesterol may have a higher risk of cancer. This is according to a meta-analysis of over 41,000 patient records from statin trials. The analysis included records from patients taking statins such as Lipitor and Zocor, but did not include newer statins such as Crestor and Vytorin.

Past studies have found an increased risk of Parkinson's disease among people with extra-low cholesterol. Meanwhile, statin drugs may cause damage to the liver and muscles.

It is important that we know out cholesterol levels for the sake of our health. Have your cholesterol levels checked every five years or as your doctor recommends.
About the Author/Author Bio

This article is written by Joi Hernaez, an SEO specialist. Subscribe to natural health newsletter and check out her health blog if you are looking for information about herbal medicines.

Article Source: http://www.articlesphere.com/Article/Too-Low-Cholesterol-Levels-Can-Cause-Cancer/112928

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Best Ways To Lower Cholesterol Naturally

Best Ways To Lower Cholesterol Naturally
By Expert Author: Kathryn Whittaker

If you want to stay fit and healthy, you should keep an eye on your cholesterol intake. There are natural ways of lowering cholesterol if it is out of control. The first natural way is by taking your diet seriously. There are also dietary supplements that will help you lower your cholesterol. For diets high in saturated fats, eating more fiber rich foods may help decrease your cholesterol level.

This is a great place to start in getting your body healthy and in shape. The natural ways of lowering cholesterol are easy to maintain as long as you are patient and willing to follow a few rules.

Eat more vegetables and vegetable oils. Increase your intake of plant sterols in your body through yogurts, fortified margarines, salad dressings, cream cheese. This will also increase your phytostanols. Plant sterols are also available in supplement form. Although not hard to find, they can be a little pricey, but ultimately an easy, effective, and convenient natural way to lower cholesterol.

Lestrin is also a plant sterol available in supplements which is made available in pharmacies, stores, independent chemists and health food stores. People have claimed that garlic and nuts have no effect in lowering cholesterol, but there is also a percentage that proves they help reduce cholesterol in our body.

Low in saturated fats, nuts, especially walnuts are particularly helpful for reducing cholesterol more than expected. This may be a high-fat food, but it is rich in monosaturated and polyunsaturated fat. Scientists have shown that these supplements contain plant proteins which affect cholesterol levels.

Omega 3 fatty acids help lower your cholesterol easily. Fish oil supplements are suitable and effective to increase the good cholesterol especially stable fish oil. This does a better job than the ordinary fish oil we find in the market.

Red yeast rice is known to be the most effective way to fight LDL. This is considered the best dietary agent of it all. Red yeast rice is available in the form of cholestin which is a dietary supplement. In recent studies, it has been proven that cholestin has lowered cholesterol effectively as statins. This is so because cholestin contains an amount of natural statin which helps prevent the increase in cholesterol.

Fresh fish is the best delicacy for the summer season and the best thing is that it can help in lowering cholesterol magnificently.

If you are suffering from high cholesterol, you should first consult your primary care physician before making any changes in your diet.
About the Author/Author Bio

Kathryn Whittaker has an interest in Health related topics. To find out how you can lower high cholesterol please visit this Lowering Cholesterol site.

Article Source: http://www.articlesphere.com/Article/Best-Ways-To-Lower-Cholesterol-Naturally/20366