Before discussing the best treatment for high cholesterol, you need to understand why it is so important to keep your cholesterol levels in check.

For starters, high cholesterol is a huge risk factor for coronary artery disease, the most renowned form of heart disease, which affects at least 14 million people in the US alone.

And if that was not bad enough, did you know that every 20 seconds, some unfortunate person in the US will have a heart attack, and every 34 seconds, some unfortunate person will succumb to heart disease?

This is the reality of what this deadly disease can do, but you can give yourself every protection through using the best treatment for high cholesterol and putting preventative measures in place.

Here’s the thing, first and foremost, any treatment for high cholesterol must target ALL the components of cholesterol, which includes LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL cholesterol.

So that immediately rules out prescription cholesterol medications like statins, as they focus solely on LDL and have little to no impact on HDL or triglycerides.

So what can you use instead?

Well you need to use a quality cholesterol supplement, with purely natural ingredients, that is geared towards lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides as well as raising HDL.

How do you know which supplement is the best treatment for high cholesterol?

Simple. The ingredients determine that. Certain ingredients, when combined together, in a single supplement, can achieve ALL of the following:

• decrease LDL cholesterol
• reduce triglycerides
• raise HDL cholesterol
• stop the absorption of cholesterol
• dissolve gall stones (which are made up of cholesterol)
• prevent the absorption of cholesterol from food

Now if you combine a supplement like that with preventative measures such as regular exercise, not smoking, not drinking alcohol excessively, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating a well-balanced, heart healthy diet, then you are onto a sure-fire winner!

A heart healthy diet should be rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes and fish. But foods that are high in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol should be avoided or at the very least, limited.

Another issue with cholesterol levels is that a quick search on the internet of “average cholesterol level” will yield results that show 200mg/dl is the average. Average, in this case, is cause for concern. If your level is above 150mg/dl what are some things you can do to bring it down to a healthy level?

• Eat less or no meat/dairy: According to GoVeg.com the cholesterol level of the average American vegetarian is 161mg/dl, while the average American vegan’s cholesterol level is 133mg/dl.

• Exercise:Dr. Dean Ornish’s program for stopping and reversing heart disease includes a minimum of 30min of walking a day, 5 days a week. If you are thinking that your schedule is too busy for 30min a day, you should start thinking about what your schedule is going to look like if you have to start seeing doctors regularly or if you end up in the hospital with a heart attack or stroke.

• Relax: According to a study published in Health Psychology by the American Psychological Association, the greater the reaction people had to stress during this test, the higher the levels were at the time of follow up, 3yrs later. Try reading or listening to How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie, this is a great book that has helped a number of people, including myself, reduce the stresses of every day life. Many people also recommend meditation to reduce stress and your 30min walk could also prove beneficial. Use it to “decompress” or “wind down” after a long day, or to help you prepare for your day before work.

If you don’t already know your cholesterol level, talk to your doctor and get it tested. It’s a simple blood test and worth a check. If your cholesterol level is above 150mg/dl, try the recommendations from above, or seek out a nutritionist or dietitian for additional help.

Does nicotine clog arteries, too? One of the not so known effects of nicotine is that it releases fat in the bloodstream which may then stick to the arterial walls if there is damage to the interior lining of the arterial walls, and it is very likely that there is already injury inside the walls of the arteries, more so if the person is a chain smoker. Anyhow, fats sticking to the arterial walls are not a pretty sight. They can be very dangerous, too, when they, along with cholesterol and calcium, form plaque that hardens and narrows the arterial walls, eventually clogging the arterial walls. When this happens, blood flow is cut off and oxygen which is being carried by the blood cannot anymore be transmitted to the arteries. If there is not enough oxygen supplying the coronary arteries, for instance, the person may experience an intense pain on the chest which can involve the neck and the arms, too. If blood flow to the carotid arteries is impeded, the individual may complain of dizziness, numbness on the face, speech, vision and hearing problems, and difficulty comprehending. If it is the peripheral artery that’s involved, leg pain that gets worse with walking is a usual experience.

Knowing the dangers of smoking should make you stop and think of quitting the habit altogether. But since nicotine is very addictive, the resolve to stop smoking may be easier said than done. Still, it’s not impossible, really. There are only a couple of things you need to get started – your commitment and family support. Vow to stop smoking and let everybody know that you desire to stop smoking. You’ll be surprised that it does get easier every single day. Once you have made the affirmation that you will stop smoking, make sure to empty your house with everything that reminds you of smoking. Remove your ashtrays, for one thing, as looking at them may rekindle your interest in smoking. Dispose your cigarette cases, too, your unopened cigarette boxes that you have on stock, and anything else that is the least bit related to cigarette smoking. Then start living a healthier life. Stopping smoking immediately and making wise choices when it comes to food and activity may add years to your life.

There are lots of ways you can decrease bad cholesterol levels in your body without using chemically-formulated medications. Surely, these work very effectively, but taking these drugs often come with risks. Chemically-formulated cholesterol-reducing drugs can affect your kidneys and liver, two of the most important organs of the body. If you can go natural all the way, that would be very ideal.

There are many natural ways you can get rid of the excess bad cholesterol.

• One of these is to change the way you live your life. It’s a fact that nowadays, jobs call for sitting at the desk for the rest of the day. Having an inactive life will lead to a variety of health complications as well. The body needs activities and exercises. That is why in order to keep healthy and fit you need to work out regularly. You need not go to the gym, because by merely taking a brisk walk every day, you could burn of calories.
• The second way to reduce bad cholesterol in the body is to have a healthy diet. Choosing healthier foods will do great wonders for your body. There are actually several natural cholesterol reducers that you should incorporate into your diet.

Fruits and vegetables should be staples in your house. The importance and value of these foods have been greatly stressed as they provide the body with lots of benefits. They are packed with potent antioxidants and soluble fiber which aids in normalizing the cholesterol levels of the body.

Nuts, legumes, seeds and several vegetable oils are known by some people to be fatty and oily, that’s why they avoid these food items. But what they don’t know is that these are good sources of phytosterols and unsaturated fatty acids which help to decrease the LDL levels of the body.

Omega 3 fatty acids found in fish and seafood are good for the heart and likewise, assist in lowering down the levels of bad cholesterol on the body.

CHD is caused by atherosclerosis, in which cholesterol-filled atheromas or plaques form in the lining of the coronary arteries that supply nutrients and oxygen to the heart muscle. The atheroma process is believed to be initiated by inflammatory reactions in the artery wall in response to damage, mediated by inflammatory eicosanoids formed from the omega-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid.

Fish oil

EPA from fish oil is converted to pro- and anti-inflammatory eicosanoids in cell membranes, mainly prostaglandin I3 & E3, 3-series thromboxanes and 5-series leukotrienes. Prostaglandin I3 is strongly anti-inflammatory and the inflammatory eicosanoids produced from EPA are relatively weak, providing an overall anti-inflammatory effect.

Omega 3 fatty acids help prevent atherogenesis and thrombosis by reducing platelet aggregation and thromboxane production, inhibiting clotting, dilating blood vessels and reducing blood pressure. They also inhibit fatty acid and triglyceride synthesis and VLDL secretion in the liver, reducing serum triglyceride levels. Patients with cardiac arrhythmias given fish oil had a decrease in arrhythmias, serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, plasma free fatty acids and thromboxane B2 and HDL cholesterol increased. A systematic review of studies on fish or fish oil and cardiovascular disease concluded that intake significantly reduced all-cause mortality, cardiac and sudden death and possibly stroke.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

CoQ10 is an important antioxidant coenzyme naturally found in the body that transfers electrons in the electron transport chain in the mitochondria of cells, a vital step in energy production for all cells and especially the heart and muscles. It helps scavenge damaging free radicals and can regenerate the body’s main fat-soluble antioxidant vitamin E. Statin drugs have been found to reduce CoQ10 levels with adverse effects on mitochondrial and heart function. Supplemental CoQ10 is advised for patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia, heart failure and those over 65 years of age on statin therapy.

Supplemental CoQ10 has been shown to improve cardiovascular function. Patients with cardiovascular disease on CoQ10 had reduced chest pain, fatigue, breathlessness and palpitations and less need for medication.Myocardial infarction patients taking CoQ10 had significantly fewer cardiac events, heart attacks and cardiac deaths at twelve-month follow-up.A systematic review of high blood pressure trials found that, overall, CoQ10 lowered systolic blood pressure by 16mm Hg and diastolic by 10mm Hg. Patients with cardiomyopathy taking CoQ10 had improvements in ejection fraction and cardiac output. In a study of congestive heart failure patients given CoQ10 in addition to conventional treatment, 38% fewer patients required hospitalisation for their heart condition and there was a 60% reduction in episodes of pulmonary oedema.

Folic acid & vitamin B12

Homocysteine is formed in the body as a toxic intermediate of methionine metabolism. A deficiency of folic acid and vitamin B12 can impair homocysteine metabolism and lead to an elevated blood concentration, which is a potent, independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Supplemental folic acid and vitamin B12 can lower homocysteine concentrations in populations by about 25% to 30% and by about 10% to 15% in populations with routine folate-fortification of foods.

Our current approach is carried out through a 2″ incision hidden out of sight in the skin fold underneath the right breast. This incision is in between two ribs and does not involve any bone cutting. The tumor is then removed with the use of specially designed long, thin instruments that can be manipulated through the small surgical incision.

Once the tumor is removed, a generous amount of local anesthesia is injected in between the ribs to make sure that our patients can wake up absolutely pain-free. The wound is then closed with plastic surgery techniques to avoid any unsightly stitch marks on the skin and the patients are then sent out to our recovery unit. The recuperation is very rapid and most patients are allowed out of bed the same day and are often ready to return to their homes and families within two days. The day after surgery we encourage deep breathing exercises and lots of walking. A home visiting nurse and physical therapy service is offered to all our patients to continue their expeditious recovery in the comfort of their homes. All patients are then seen in our outpatient clinic for their postoperative visit one or two weeks after surgery.

These operations are carried out with strict bloodless techniques and most patients do not require any blood transfusion. The surgical wounds heal very well and quickly. Surgical infections with this technique are almost unheard of. In summary, this approach has dramatically changed the experience of open heart surgery and has afforded excellent results in most patients.

If you or a loved one are confronted with a diagnosis of atrial myxoma it is imperative to treat this condition sooner rather than later to avoid devastating complications. Do not be shy about asking for a minimally invasive heart operation carried out through a “minithoracotomy”. If your local physicians do not offer this service consider consulting a reputable Minimally Invasive and Bloodless Heart Surgery Center. In experienced hands this operation is carried out as I described it in the vast majority of patients with excellent results. It might well be worth a trip out of town or out of state to get it done. Most patients can either drive or fly back home a week after surgery

So when it comes to dealing with our health, should we not look for the same recommendation, and therefore, only trust someone who has actually tried out and experienced the most effective natural product to lower cholesterol? After all, where our health is concerned, we should have very high standards.

The good news is, as a previous high cholesterol sufferer, who was once in the very high risk category for heart disease, I am well qualified to guide you to the most effective natural product to lower cholesterol. Because I have personally used it to regain my health, and ultimately my life.

When you have dangerously high cholesterol levels, you are literally terrified of having a heart attack or stroke at any second without warning! You are afraid to go to sleep in case you don’t wake up! You are afraid to eat in case what you eat increases your cholesterol more.

Prescription medications were not an option, because of the dangerous side effects already experienced from previous use.

The most effective natural product to lower cholesterol does more than simply lower LDL cholesterol. It also raises HDL levels and lowers triglycerides, offering a complete solution to cholesterol problems.

Raising HDL levels is every bit as important as lowering LDL cholesterol. This is because HDL has a protective function. It removes the excess LDL cholesterol from the walls of our arteries, thus preventing plaque getting formed, which could have caused a heart attack or stroke.

The ingredients of the most effective natural product to lower cholesterol are the key to its huge success rate and amazing results. Each ingredient is completely natural, and sourced from the best locations. Each ingredient compliments all the other ingredients, resulting in the incredible success experienced by so many.

Now you’re probably wondering, how I came across the most effective natural product to lower cholesterol? Truthfully, a recommendation from other high cholesterol sufferers, who shared their personal experience and successful results.

If you would like to learn more about the most effective natural product to lower cholesterol, which I personally used to lower my cholesterol successfully and take myself out of the high risk category for heart disease, then visit my website today.

We will briefly cover a few of the spa treatments available in beauty centers these days. First in the list comes anti-aging treatments. Aging is a natural process that takes place in the body. As we grow older, the skin and the body tissues start to age. While this is a normal phenomenon, the pressures of modern living and the kind of environment, we live in actual speedup the aging process. So in many instances, people age unnaturally due to these external influences and this is precisely where anti-aging spa treatments come in handy.

These treatments try to effectively reverse or at least reduce the influence that these external factors have in the aging process of our bodies. Once the effects of these treatments begin to act in our bodies, the body then starts to look younger and feel healthier than ever before. Therefore, anti-aging spa treatments have become extremely popular with people trying to slow down the aging process and become healthy and young looking once again in their lives.

Cosmetic treatments of the skin come under two broad categories – invasive and non-invasive treatment procedures. Invasive procedures involve cutting the skin and working on the underlying tissues in order to bring about an effective change in the look and feel of the skin. Non-invasive procedures on the other hand involve using various kinds of treatments, which work from the outside and try to rectify the problem. Almost all of the spa treatments would come under the non-invasive category.

For many years, spas have been using galvanic tissue treatments, which are a form of deep cleansing spa treatments to rejuvenate the skin and make it look young and vibrant. Many times, the look of the skin depends on a great deal of activity that goes on in the deeper layers of tissue under the skin. Sometimes dirt and grime clog the pores deep inside the skin, giving rise to a variety of skin conditions that are not favorable. Galvanic spa treatments tend to penetrate much deeper into the skin and clean the pores and get rid of the dirt and grim underneath to make the skin look fresh and youthful once again. So there are quite a number of different treatments available. It is up to us to acquaint ourselves with the options available and choose one that fits our particular requirements.

The three things you need to take into account when dealing with cholesterol are:

• LDL Cholesterol (bad)
• HDL Cholesterol (good)
• Triglycerides

All of the above contribute to heart disease if you do not keep their levels within normal range. When levels are out of whack, we tend to feel sluggish, tired, and generally struggle a bit.

Let’s look at how to reduce cholesterol safely and naturally. Why naturally? Well because when we put any kind of chemicals into our bodies, no matter how much they may help one particular area or problem, we tend to develop other, more serious problems, in the form of side effects.

The 3 key areas to focus on when you are trying to reduce cholesterol are:

• Foods
• Exercise
• Supplements

All of the above combined, give you a total solution to balancing cholesterol levels. When you are learning how to reduce cholesterol, you will need to try to make some changes to the foods you eat regularly.

Eat less foods which are high in saturated fats (animal and dairy products). Eat more fruits, vegetables, nuts (only a handful a day), fish (salmon, herring, mackerel etc.), grains (oat bran, rice bran) etc.

Change the way you cook some of your foods. Where possible, switch from frying to grilling, baking, poaching, steaming or boiling.

Now, when it comes to exercise, take it steady, especially at the start. A small amount of exercise every day will help lower cholesterol. At first, you may find it difficult, but if you stick with it, believe it or not, you will actually start to enjoy it!

You will notice your energy levels increasing and you will feel better.

There are millions of supplements out there, and it can be so confusing choosing a really good one. But when it comes to dealing with how to reduce cholesterol, you need a supplement that will act on all three elements we mentioned at the start.

Why? Because, there is no point is lowering LDL cholesterol and still having high triglycerides and low HDL levels. This will still keep you at risk of heart disease.

Supplements give us nutrients that we cannot get sufficient quantities of through food, or through any other means. Nutrients such as beta siterol, lecithin oil, policosanol etc., are renowned for successfully lowering bad cholesterol, increasing good cholesterol and lowering triglycerides.

This is exactly what you need to happen. When you balance your cholesterol, and keep it balanced through watching what you eat, taking a little exercise, and taking a good supplement, you will be amazed at how great you will start to feel!

You will have more energy to do the things you want to do, and more importantly, you will put yourself on course to live a long and healthy life.

Now you know how to reduce cholesterol the best way possible, why not pop over to my website, where I share what I personally used to conquer cholesterol for good!

]]> http://www.deseasesarticles.com/reduce-cholesterol-safely-and-naturally.html/feed 0 http://www.deseasesarticles.com/how-to-lower-cholesterol.html http://www.deseasesarticles.com/how-to-lower-cholesterol.html#comments Sat, 03 Apr 2010 07:43:28 +0000 Charlie Prost http://www.deseasesarticles.com/?p=697 You might be doing some trial and error on some natural ways to lower cholesterol. But that should not be your case because your health is at stake. Trial and error can be okay when you experiment on food but you don’t experiment with your health. You must get the right approach in treating your high cholesterol.

There is nothing complex with how to lower cholesterol naturally. In fact, the method is just so basic that it appears silly to experiment on anything. You simply need to focus on three things: healthy diet, good amount of exercise, and an effective and natural cholesterol supplement.

Since the main cause of high cholesterol is the food that you eat, then the major solution to lower your cholesterol naturally is the food itself. Obviously, since you know that you have been eating foods full of fats and have so much cholesterol in it too, then you need to cutback your diet on that particular food. You need to shift to healthier foods, specifically those that are high in fiber plus those foods that are carbo-loaded. Fibers are good in rinsing out the cholesterol in the body at the same time it remove other toxins that were build up inside your system. It also helps boost your metabolism.

Carbohydrates give your body the energy to go through your physical activities. Since your body needs fats too, make sure that you supply the good fats like fish oil that contains fatty acids. Fatty acids help lower your bad cholesterol by increasing the good cholesterol. Good cholesterol or HDL removes the excess LDL in the blood stream. You can also get good fats from nuts and almonds.

You must have heard it before that exercise is important to keep your body healthy. People like you who have high cholesterol need to do a regular exercise everyday, no less than 30 minutes a day. Doing cardio-vascular exercises improves the condition of your heart and lessens the symptoms of hypertension. You can do a 15 minute exercise in the morning before you prepare yourself to work, and maybe another 15 minutes after work. Or instead of taking the elevator, you can just walk the stairs going to the your floor.

Now for the natural cholesterol supplement, you can buy the natural cholesterol lowering supplements. If you are not sure what to get, then I highly suggest you look for a product that contains active natural ingredients that can help lower your cholesterol effectively.