What is Cholesterol?
Before we go into how to reduce your cholesterol, let's take a look at what exactly cholesterol is.
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is produced by the liver and its job is to:-
? produce bile acids to help with the digestion of fat
? build and repair cells and
? produce estrogens and testosterone hormones
Therefore cholesterol is an important function of the body, but too much cholesterol in the body becomes a risk as it can clog up arteries and this can be the cause of heart attacks and strokes.
Cholesterol Symptoms
It is surprising to learn that there are virtually no symptoms to diagnose if you have high cholesterol. High cholesterol is normally identified by a blood test.
However, if you are having health issues such as coronary disease, vascular disease or stroke, then this could be the end result of high cholesterol levels in your body.
Symptoms of:
Coronary Disease
? Angina
? Chest pains
? Nausea
? Shortness of breath
Vascular Disease
? A tightening sensation in the lower extremities
? Ulcers or open sores on the lower extremities
Stroke
? loss of balance and dizziness
? slurring of speech and difficulty in understanding
? numbing sensation of the face, arm or leg
? this can be a sudden event with little or no warning
People who are overweight and do no exercise at all tend to be the ones with higher cholesterol levels.
Therefore, it is recommended that you have a cholesterol blood test every three years if you are overweight and every 5 years if you are a normal healthy weight.
How to Lower Cholesterol
If your blood test shows that your cholesterol levels are too high, then you should take immediate measures to help lower your cholesterol. Your doctor will advise you on the best course of action, but initially it is the norm for you to follow a low cholesterol diet.
A low cholesterol diet is normally a diet which is low in saturated fat and will include eating:-
? skinless poultry
? lean meats
? fish and shellfish
? low fat dairy products
? fruit
? vegetables
? whole grain foods
Cook your food by either
? grilling
? baking
? steaming
? boiling
? poaching
? microwave
Do not fry your food in lard or oil.
Your doctor also might prescribe you with a cholesterol lowering medication if he/she feels that the low cholesterol diet will not be enough.
Claire Bowes is a successful freelance writer and owner of http://www.lower-your-cholesterol.info website where you can find further information and resources on lowering your cholesterol.
best cleaning company Lincolnshire ..It seems as if the health of America is failing.... Read More
I first learned of Milk Soy Protein Intolerance (MSPI) in... Read More
In health circles there has been much recent talk about... Read More
Most people understand that it is wise to limit the... Read More
Heart Disease remains the number one cause of death in... Read More
Almost every woman suffers with premenstrual syndrome at one time... Read More
While oxygen is the key to human survival, it is... Read More
Besides providing taste, color, and aroma, certain seasonings can also... Read More
The importance of protein in a healthy diet is well... Read More
Your magnificent machine is, in fact, a symbiotic collection of... Read More
Imagine you're a cell.Inside your body runs the machinery that... Read More
Female and male athletes respond to training in a fairly... Read More
The dangers of processed foods and diets Why is that... Read More
The adrenal or "stress glands" are small, triangular shaped glands... Read More
I read a lot about the topics of health and... Read More
Oats (botanical name Avena sativa)An oat is a grass that... Read More
The wonders of modern science continue to amaze us with... Read More
Food nutrition factsFinding food nutrition facts and dietary nutrition used... Read More
America's major dietary deficiency - EFA a panacea for good... Read More
What if there was a combination of foods that were... Read More
Salt is vital for our health. Right now, you have... Read More
Water is the most abundant substance in the human body.... Read More
There are a lot of very good reasons to eat... Read More
After we have eaten a meal -- and often we... Read More
Summer brings a lot of fantastic things with it, but... Read More
on demand house cleaning Lake Forest ..A beautiful smile and healthy mouth actually can come from... Read More
You know about Vitamins A,C, D, E ,and the B's... Read More
"It is a bone-deep change you are going into, my... Read More
Nutrition facts have become a part of everyday life because... Read More
Like the Sun, Moon, and Earth, there are three kinds... Read More
Understanding What a Low Cholesterol Diet isBasically, in order to... Read More
Random thoughts taken from valuable sources, what many nutrition experts... Read More
If you drop a bomb, you kill not only your... Read More
People are obsessed with dieting and weight loss! Don't believe... Read More
Did you know the average American gains 5-7 pounds every... Read More
Please feel free to comment, so that the article may... Read More
I would like to dispel some of the myths and... Read More
Nutrition has everything to do with health. This isn't news,... Read More
"The physician who knows only medicine, knows not even medicine."... Read More
The topic of food additives is not quickly addressed in... Read More
Sugar intake is a real concern for people who've had... Read More
Having a personal wellness program has become a concern for... Read More
I'm always amazed at how many people seem to know... Read More
Vitamin EThere has been a lot of controversy about vitamin... Read More
Increasing the fiber in your diet has been shown to:... Read More
When was the last time you consumed soda? Most likely,... Read More
Constipation is a condition whereby the fecal matter traveling through... Read More
I spent a few days at a resort in Mexico... Read More
What is health? Everyone wants this thing called health, and... Read More
1. Water. If you're thirsty you're already dehydrated. The majority... Read More
Nutrition |