Lowering Cholesterol

Cholesterol - we've all heard about it and most of us know we need to lower our levels of it, but exactly what is it and why is it so bad? And what can we do to lower it?

Cholesterol is a white, waxy, fatty substance that builds up in your arteries, and is a major contributor to one of the most serious health problems: Heart Disease.

There are two types:

• LDL or Low Density lipoprotein
• HDL or High-Density Lipoprotein

LDL is considered the "bad" type which can cause heart disease but HDL is considered the "good" type, which can actually have beneficial effects.

We Make Our Own

Not all of the cholesterol that is flowing through your bloodstream comes from the food you eat.

Your liver actually produces it's own. Our bodies do need a certain amount to function properly, which is why mother nature told you liver to produce some.

The problem occurs when the foods we eat have added amounts that produces an excess in our bloodstreams.

Step One

The first step in controlling your cholesterol is to get a medical checkup with bloodwork to check your total, HDL and LDL levels.

Let's look at the numbers....

Here's a look at the numbers for the total count:

Total cholesterol level

• Less than 200 is best.
• 200 to 239 is borderline high.
• 240 or more means you're at increased risk for heart disease.

Here's a further breakdown by LDL and HDL:

LDL levels

• Below 100 is ideal for people who have a higher risk of heart disease.
• 100 to 129 is near optimal.
• 130 to 159 is borderline high.
• 160 or more means you're at a higher risk for heart disease.

HDL levels

• Less than 40 means you're at higher risk for heart disease.
• 60 or higher greatly reduces your risk of heart disease.

Things You Can Do

If your levels are higher than you would like, it may be necessary for you to make some changes to your lifestyle.

• If you are a smoker, make an effort to quit.
• Begin an exercise regularly. Even moderate aerobic exercise raises HDL levels. If you work up a sweat, it will raise you HDL level even higher.
• If you're overweight, losing just 5 to 10 pounds can help lower LDL levels.
• Make sure to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish- all of which promote heart health.
• Include some oat bran in your diet. If your levels are high, you can cut 6 to 7 % off the top just by eating oat bran.
• Avoid saturated and trans fats, which can really make your LDL levels rise.
• Also limit your overall daily intake to less than 300 milligrams (200 milligrams if you have heart disease) per day.

Making some of these moderate lifestyle adjustments can make all the difference in lowering your risk of heart disease.

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