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.
emergency cleaning services Glenview ..Some fats are good for you. Your body can't function... Read More
(Part 1 of a Special 5 Part Series on Body... Read More
Established in 1989 by Stephen DeFelice, "Foundation for Innovation in... Read More
With so much 'diet advice' around today it is little... Read More
Tired of having stare-downs with those boxes of Krispy Kremes,... Read More
Almost every woman suffers with premenstrual syndrome at one time... Read More
I know you've heard this many times - "Drink more... Read More
We all need fat in our diet on a daily... Read More
Following these simple nutrition guidelines will allow you to lose... Read More
Health is the thing. And no matter how many ways... Read More
How To Have A Healthy ThanksgivingEnd of the year holidays... Read More
Meal sizes and frequency are very important. Over the years... Read More
High Fructose Corn SyrupBefore we get to high fructose corn... Read More
In a new study published by the American Heart Association,... Read More
Evidence for the importance of fruit and vegetable intake to... Read More
Every person on earth has experienced pain at one time... Read More
Obesity is epidemic in this country for both children and... Read More
The adrenal or "stress glands" are small, triangular shaped glands... Read More
The cry of "I have no willpower!" often emerges from... Read More
The question most people think they need an answer to... Read More
Most people understand that it is wise to limit the... Read More
Nature works mostly on the principle of thing and no... Read More
Information on potassiumWhen you read about potassium and senate document... Read More
The acai (ah-sigh-ee) berry has been around for thousands of... Read More
Did you know that much of our dry skin comes... Read More
full-service cleaning Arlington Heights ..Come on, guys and gals. Those Trix are for kids.And... Read More
You really are what you eat. You are also very... Read More
Finally, dieters and healthy eaters everywhere have reason to rejoice,... Read More
Could it be possible that our beloved chocolate may actually... Read More
Most of us equate the word diet with calorie reduction.... Read More
Eating healthy and taking care of yourself is essential to... Read More
I turned into my parents' driveway in Maryland and parked... Read More
Do you allow pleasure from food? Are your senses throughly... Read More
If you're looking for a power-packed entr?e or soup to... Read More
For most people, the concept of capsulized food? usually conjures... Read More
Every day we are bombarded with information about food products... Read More
First of all you have to have a bucket. You... Read More
They sit left behind on relish trays. They're often by-passed... Read More
Do you know anyone who can't consume milk or milk-based... Read More
LIFESTYLE WELLNESS = An Adventure of Health + Vitality!Not a... Read More
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a dangerous condition that can... Read More
Food nutrition factsFinding food nutrition facts and dietary nutrition used... Read More
In order for a person to actually have a healthy... Read More
Carbohydrates - found in grains, breads, pasta, and sugar, as... Read More
This free list of fat burning foods will help you... Read More
It seems as if the health of America is failing.... Read More
Recently I found the book : "Eating and health according... Read More
I know you've heard this many times - "Drink more... Read More
It is always amazing to me when I find a... Read More
The quality of food we eat (or lack thereof) has... Read More
Nutrition |