Better Nutrition Article:
3 Things You Want to Know About Cholesterol
You wouldn't judge a book by its cover, would you?
You would want to open the book and read part of it to get a better idea about what is going on, right?
Well, judging a book by its cover is what happens when you look at LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and decide that this is the only - or even the best indicator of heart disease.
Worse yet, you are told you MUST lower your LDL cholesterol level.
#1 Naturally produced by the body, cholesterol is needed for a variety of functions.-1
Your body uses cholesterol to make testosterone and other essential hormones and is one of the best health and youth enhancing strategies for aging men and women. -2
As you age your body naturally starts to lose its ability to produce as much testosterone and you start to lose energy, strength, sexual desire and sexual capacity.-2
#2 Because the fact is cholesterol alone is not THE indicator of heart disease. Cholesterol which has been oxidized is the problem. Oxidation of cholesterol is the more specific problem which would enable the cholesterol to become "sticky" and start to form plaque in the walls of the arteries.-3
We have all seen an apple cut open and watch as it turns brown - this is oxidation. Your body will oxidize on the inside unless steps are taken to help prevent this.
One can keep oxidation of cholesterol in check by incorporating plenty of anti-oxidants in your consumption of food and supplements.-1, 3
A few of the most powerful anti-oxidants are:
- CoenzymeQ10
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
Low cost, safe and proven food sources high in omega 3's and the right fats to help keep your cholesterol levels in balance-1, 3
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Olive oil
- Olives
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Flaxseed
- Eggplant
- Okra
- Eggs
- Fresh fruit
These are better, safe, proven and natural ways to prevent cholesterol from becoming a problem.
A diet heavy in grains and processed foods will actually raise your blood cholesterol levels more than foods which contain cholesterol.
A diet low in cholesterol will do you little if anything health wise -4
Focusing on raising your HDL cholesterol levels because as you raise your good cholesterol it decreases the concern about your LDL levels of cholesterol and gives you a better total cholesterol profile. -5
Some of the best ways to improve your "Good" or HDL cholesterol is through:
- Exercise.
- Vitamin D
- Niacin
- Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with raising HDL cholesterol levels - 6
There is a big difference between the cholesterol your Body produces and dietary cholesterol from the food you eat.
#3 Two factors which are of greater concern and are better indicators of heart disease are -3
1. A measure of inflammation in the blood stream called C-reactive protein
2. An amino acid produced by the body called homocysteine.
High levels of C-reactive protein and high levels of homocysteine are better leading indicators and also contribute to the formation of plaque in the blood vessels leading to heart disease -3
As reported in the July, 2003 issue of JAMA, a study was conducted which showed that a diet high in plant sterols, fiber and almonds was clearly the better way to reduce cholesterol and heart disease over statin drugs.-8
And finally ?
Policosanol - An organic plant alcohol from sugar cane is one of the best natural ways to reduce bad cholesterol levels-7
Naturally, as you realize the power of these proven ways to prevent cholesterol from becoming a problem, you will find yourself taking action.
References
1- Dr. Al Sears Health Confidential for Men - "The biggest drug and the biggest lie" august 4th, 2003.
2- Dr. Al Sears Health Confidential for Men - "Ignore the hype focus on cholesterol that matters" April 4, 2004
3- Hyman, Mark M.D., Liponis, Mark M.D., Ultra-Prevention, The 6-Week Plan that will Make you healthy for life, New York, Scribner, 2003
4- Dr. Al Sears Health Confidential for Men - "Teaching Nutrition?" March 15, 2004
5- Framingham Heart Study conducted on healthy people in the 1950s. cholesterol misleading as only one of 240 factors in heart disease.
http://www.researchprotection.org/infomail/03/07/11.html
6- Castiglioni A and Neuman WR. "HDL Cholesterol: What Is Its True Clinical Significance?" Emergency Medicine, January 2003:pp 30-42.
7- Policosanol safe alternative just one of many.
http://www.life-enhancement.com/article_template.asp?ID=663
New study finds that this sugar-cane extract safely lowers cholesterol levels. By Aaron W. Jensen, Ph.D. References PR Newswire, March 5, 2002. White Plains, NY. Omar MA, Wilson JP. FDA adverse event reports on statin -associated rhabdomyolysis. Ann Pharmacother 2002 Feb;36(2):288-95. Gouni-Berthold I, Berthold HK. Policosanol: clinical pharmacology and therapeutic significance of a new lipid-lowering agent. Am Heart J 2002;143:356-65. Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults. Executive summary of the third report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). J Am Med Assoc 2001;285:2486-97.
8- Jenkins D. et al., Effects of a dietary portfolio of cholesterol- lowering foods vs Lovastatin on serum lipids and c-reactive protein. JAMA 2003; 290: 502-510
9- - Health Sciences Institute - Jenny Thompson - Article "Broken Ground" 3/11/2004
About The Author
Lee Cummings has been helping people solve problems and feel better with proven nutrition for over 4 years. Lee publishes the montly LC Nutrition newsletter. For a Fr^ee Report - mailto:report@lc-nutrition.com Discover proven nutrition information visit: http://www.LC-Nutrition.com
Related Better News and Articles From ezinearticles.com
Many people struggle translating the heaps of dietary advice they receive from their doctors and the mainstream media into reality. Everyone knows that it is better for you to eat fresh fish and steamed vegetables, for example, than a cheeseburger and a plate of greasy french fries.
People realize that when they eat a specific animal, it came from a specific location. For instance, if you were to eat venison, the deer you ate was probably hunted in a forest within the United States.
What are some simple changes you can make to your daily lunch routine to support your health? Try a quick lunch upgrade to help give you the energy you need to make it through your busy day.
Today's American society has begun eating a very unhealthy diet. We promote this diet through advertisements, and our busy lifestyles force us to make unhealthy choices. Most of us have become so accustomed to the way that we do things that we don't even realize how unhealthy our way of life has become.
These days many diet pills are available in the market which are often dangerous and packed with other unhealthy ingredients. Many of you also go on dieting plan for losing weight. When you go on a diet and starve, your body's survival instinct is triggered and you automatically go on energy saving mode. This reduces your metabolism and helps you burn fewer calories. In fact your body begins to feed on itself.
With poorer quality food items flooding shelves and far less active lifestyles taking hold, it's becoming increasingly difficult for Americans to stay in shape. This means there has been a steady rise in cardiovascular disease, as well as increased rates of diabetes and obesity nationwide.
Vegetarianism has become increasingly popular now that more of us are becoming familiar with all of the health benefits provided by a plant based diet. It is well established that a vegetarian diet decreases the chances of contracted many diseases and health conditions.
There are many reasons why individuals choose to become vegetarian. For this reason, there are just as many different degrees of vegetarianism. Some go the vegetarian route because of religious beliefs that promote peace between animals and humans. Others choose not to eat animals or animal byproducts because of ethical concerns for the way food animals are raised and treated.
Americans are recently discovering the benefits of eating a healthier, more natural diet. This change consists mainly of introducing more plant foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Often, even those of us who have made a commitment to do this feel overwhelmed because of our lack of knowledge of how to incorporate these healthier foods into our diets.
Are you considering becoming raw? Here are 5 easy tips to get started today!
