Richard asked:


If you have a better idea of what cholesterol is and how you can manage it in your life, this information will lead to better heart health, and all round better feeling of well being. Cholesterol is a waxy like substance that is found in the walls of all your body cells, from your nervous system to your liver and in your blood stream as well. Your body uses this cholesterol to make necessary hormones, bile acids, vitamin D and other vital substances that your body needs to survive. There are good and bad types of cholesterol as well

 

Where does the Cholesterol in your body come from?

 

Your body manufacturers all the cholesterol your body requires from the foods you eat. This cholesterol will circulate in your bloodstream in packages known as lipoproteins, which consist of fat inside and protein on the outside. Cholesterol which is a fatty substance does not mix with the blood, just as oil does not mix with water. Your blood carries it to the parts of the body where it is required as mentioned above

 

Your Body has 2 Types of cholesterol in your body, both good and bad!.

 

Your body carries two types of cholesterol one which is good for your health and the other bad… These are known as low density lipoprotein or LDL which is the bad cholesterol which carries cholesterol that builds up in your body tissues including your heart arteries. Most cholesterol in your blood at any given time is the LDL cholesterol. The higher the levels are of LDL cholesterol in your blood stream; the higher your dangers are of contracting heart disease. So remember LDL is the bad cholesterol and you don’t want high levels of this type in your body.

 

The good Cholesterol in your body is called HDL cholesterol. This cholesterol carries cholesterol away from your tissues to your liver where it is harmlessly removed from your body by natural secretion. Low levels of HDL increase heart disease. Healthy levels of HDL are good for you. Do not get mixed up between the two.

 

Why are high levels of LDL Cholesterol bad for your body?

 

Too much cholesterol in your blood leads to blocked and clogged up body tissues including your heart arteries. This build up is called plaque and as a result your arteries become less flexible. You may have heard the term atherosclerosis; which is hardening of your arteries and as you know the end result can be a heart attack. It is not just your heart blood vessels that can suffer from too much cholesterol, but any of the arteries in your body as well. If your coronary artery becomes blocked by too much plaque you will suffer angina because your blood is unable to get the oxygen it needs or the nutrients to the heart muscle. Hardening of the coronary artery is called coronary heart disease which you may likely by now have heard somewhere or another. This form of heart disease is becoming common in the western world due to high cholesterol in the blood from; Yes; and you guessed it; from unhealthy eating habits!

 

The risk factors.

 

Certain risk factors nothing can be done about regarding heart diseases and cholesterol levels. These factors where risks of heart disease are increased, are age groups for men and women over 45, which are ages that will increase the likelihood of coronary heart disease from atherosclerosis. Family history of early heart disease is also a factor that must be taken into consideration. The lack of regular exercise and bad eating habits increase the risk of heart disease from cholesterol as well. Most fast foods are prepared in unhealthy fats which is a high risk factor more than anything else as well…

 

How to lower your risks of high cholesterol.

 

Perhaps you have heard some of these tips before but it is prudent to go over them again for your information:

 

1 Avoid foods with high animal fat content. Trim excess fat off meat

2. Eat Lots of fruit, vegetables, and fiber for your health

3. Eat less salt in your diet and limit salty snacks and foods.

4. Lose some weight if you are carrying too much according to your BMI (Body Mass Index)

5. Regular sensible exercise in moderation and plenty of fresh air.

6. Stay calm and avoid stressful situations.

7. Limit your alcohol intake to a sensible level.

8. Smoke less, or give up altogether if possible.

 

Other treatments that can be used if your doctor has found you to have unhealthy levels of cholesterol are certain drugs called ‘statins’ that will control the rate which your body produces cholesterol. These drugs increase HDL and lower the bad LDL cholesterols. See above about what we mentioned about the good and bad cholesterols.

 

Watch your diet and eat healthily

 

Choose healthy fats like olive oil, avocado pears, peanut butter, unsalted nuts and fish oils. Try and limit intakes of salt, polyunsaturated fats, sunflower oils, soft margarines and salad dressings like mayonnaise. (Some newer soft low cholesterol margarine is available on the market that is completely safe to use nowadays though).

 

Watch out particularly to avoid eating too much animal fats on meats, eat less eggs, cheese, fatty meats, butter, and ice creams and of course take out foods. Naturally you can eat any of the above as long as you are sensible about it. Everyone tells you to eat more fiber, and by now with this advice it should be a given. If you are not eating enough greens or fresh vegetables then take some sort of antioxidants or supplements. Cut down drinking of alcohol to one or two drinks a day.

There is some great advice and diets that have been designed to help people with high cholesterol reduce these high levels. With a little research you will find the right ways to control your cholesterol.

 

More Heart Health Information Here



Caffeinated Content

Hope Pope asked:


Copyright (c) 2008 Hope Pope

It seems like we are constantly hearing about CoQ10 now… but what exactly is CoQ10?

Co Q 10 is actually made inside our bodies; however, as we get older, it gets depleted from our system. Co Q 10 is needed for the basic functioning of our cells.

Age reduces Co Q 10 from our bodies but medications will also do this. Guess what popular drugs decrease our natural Co Q 10 from our bodies? Cholesterol lowering drugs. Yes, you very rarely hear from the doctor that cholesterol lowering drugs are not good for our bodies. Doctors just prescribe cholesterol lowering drugs left and right without thinking about… or rather without telling us the whole truth.

And what is interesting (and apalling as well) is that studies have shown that people with heart problems often have low levels of Co Q 10 in their systems to begin with. So, take cholesterol lowering drugs, too, and it just lowers the necessary CoQ10 even more in our systems.

It is true, usually people with heart disease have extremely low levels of CoQ10 in their bodies. Coenzyme 10 has been proven to increase heart energy… and therefore, the heart becomes stronger and works better.

Studies have shown that taking Co Q 10 supplements have helped heart patients with fatigue, dispend, chest pain, and palpitations.

If you buy CoQ10 locally, you will most likely pay a lot of money (which can explain why a lot of people don’t take it)… which is why a lot of people who want to take it don’t. If you look carefully, though, you can find inexpensive supplements on the internet. Although, again, remember the old saying “you get what you pay for” and some of the cheap supplements are junk. And what a lot of people don’t know is that a lot of vitamins are not “natural vitamins”. They have preservatives in them… many of which have been shown to be dangerous.

Some vitamins and supplements even have dangerous preservatives in them… including trans fat. They are now pulling the trans fats out of fast food restaurants and adding them to our vitamins and supplements. Why?

The trans fats… or preservatives… make supplements and vitamins last longer and taste better. So be careful when shopping for CoQ10 supplements or any vitamins or supplements for that matter.



Create a video blog…instantly.

Empowered Doctor asked:


General recommendations for heart health are: get about 40 minutes of exercise at least 3 times a week, cut dietary fat and salt intake, pay attention to your blood pressure and cholesterol. But can taking care of your gums help your heart?

It turns out, that treating periodontal disease reduces plaque build up in the coronary arteries and makes the vessels more flexible.

A study done at the University of Connecticut at Farmington with 120 participants was split into two groups, half receiving regular tooth cleaning, and half undergoing extensive dental work like scaling, root planning, antibiotics, and even removing diseased teeth. After 6 months the group that underwent intensive dental work had healthier arteries.

Dr. Maurizio S. Tonetti, said “This study showed that intensive treatment of periodontitis, a common potential source of low-grade inflammation, results in an improvement in endothelial function.” In other words, it makes the arties cleaner and more flexible, allowing the blood to flow freely and preventing clotting.

The connection between the heart and the mouth isn’t all that clear, but it may have to do with bacteria. Another study done at Columbia University found a relationship between bacteria in the mouth and carotid artery health. Keep your mouth clean and your smile bright, and see a dentist if there is a problem. In addition to helping your smile it may help bring a smile to your heart.



Kansieo.com

Ric Hawkins asked:


With the profile of curcumin being so much higher now as we become aware of its incredible qualities, the question of how much curcumin should you use for heart health is an ever present one. The crucial factors here are the quality and delivery method, let me explain.

Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric can play a vital role in protecting the heart, as you must know, due to its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities. Were you aware it can also help to prevent cancer, lower bad cholesterol and aid with skin irritations?

There is no set dosage in answer to your question of how much curcumin should you use for heart health, but with some companies offering doses of 1000mg a day and higher, is more necessarily better? Absolutely not!

Curcumin is not easily absorbed into the bloodstream as most that is taken is lost to the stomach acid. The best way forward is to use it in a multi health supplement that has other nutrients in it and an enteric coating.

This special coating allows it to pass unscathed through the stomach and into the upper intestine where it has maximum impact. If combined with other synergistic nutrients like piperine for example, from black pepper, its absorption rate can increase by up to 2000%, leaving no need for large or expensive doses.

This way you get the incredible heart benefits from curcumin and the benefits of the other ingredients and their interaction with each other, truly a win-win situation!

As a guide you should look for 98% pure curcumin extract at around 50mg per tablet to reap the full benefits.

We have much more to see from this humble compound, but why wait, now you know the answer to how much curcumin should you use for heart health, as you can have all the benefits now and start to protect your heart and prevent serious diseases further down the line.

Visit my website today if you would like to learn more about the synergistic health supplements which I personally take, including curcumin.  

 



heart health