Cholesterol is both a foe and an enemy. Cholesterol is an important substance for the body to function at normal levels and too much of this substance can cause a heart attack – the leading killer worldwide.
What Is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is an essential substance with very important functions in the body. The body naturally creates cholesterol but it also possible to take it from food. Cholesterol does not mix with blood since the former is oil based. Lipoprotein carried this substance around the body.
There are two types of cholesterol carried by lipoprotein, the first type is the bad cholesterol, and second one is good cholesterol. The body needs cholesterol for four reasons, such as:
- It contributes to the formation of cell walls
- It helps the intestine make up digestive bile acids
- It helps produce Vitamin D in the body
- Certain hormones in the body created with the assistance of cholesterol
The body, specifically the liver, produces 75% of the cholesterol that flow in the blood, while the rest of the fat like and waxy substance comes from the food we eat.
Cholesterol is damaging when it reaches critical level because there are no symptoms to warn people that they have too much cholesterol in the body that is why it necessary to maintain a safe level of cholesterol. There is no way of knowing if the cholesterol is already clogging the inside of the arteries, until one visits a doctor for testing. Cholesterol testing is mandatory for people over 20 years old and they should get a test for lipoprotein profile about once every 5 years. The test will show the level of good and bad cholesterol in the body. A high HDL level is better to reduce your risk of developing heart disease while a higher level of bad cholesterol is not good for your heart.
Cholesterol from Food
Bear in mind that cholesterol also eaten and not just produce in the body. Foods such as shrimp, eggs and lobster used to be not recommended or limited but not anymore because these foods effect on the cholesterol level is small. However, trans fat and saturated fat are a different story, eating food high on saturated fat can increase the level of your cholesterol fast.
People born with genes that trigger faster production of cholesterol should maintain a good and healthy diet.
Other factors that increase cholesterol level are:
- Family history of high cholesterol level
- Diet rich in cholesterol and saturated fats
- Obesity
- Aging
It is important to maintain a normal level of cholesterol as high level of cholesterol can increase the risk for heart attacks, coronary artery disease and strokes. High cholesterol also boosts the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
How to Maintain Cholesterol
People with a family history of high cholesterol should definitely consult with their doctor to get medication that can block the production of cholesterol in the body. Fibrates, bile acid resins and other cholesterol inhibitors often prescribed to those who have a history in their family as changing diet may not be enough.
Keep in mind that high cholesterol level may take years to clog your arteries, so the problem can still be reverse if you start doing something as early as today. If you are diabetic or heart disease, lowering your cholesterol level to 70 or lower is good to avoid heart attack or stroke. Diet may not be enough, but it does play a big role in your quest to increase good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol.
Diet plays a crucial role in your fight against high cholesterol, so eat a lot of food that can fight bad cholesterol. Food high in fibers such as whole grain breads, oatmeal, cereals, vegetables, dried fruits and kidney beans are good for the health. Avoiding food high in trans fat is also recommended as chips, doughnut, fries and other baked goods can raise bad cholesterol at the same time lower good cholesterol level.
Full milk and meat are high in protein, but they are sources of cholesterol, so consumption must be limited. Instead of eating meat every day, include fish in your diet to get more omega 3 fatty acids. You can also improve your cholesterol level by changing your diet to low carb than low fat diet. Study shows, people who follow a low carb diet had better HDL level than those on flow fat diet.
If you are overweight or obese, start exercising and consult with your doctor to reduce safely your triglycerides level and total cholesterol level. Additionally, giving up smoking is another way to improve your good cholesterol level, so consider quitting smoking.
Eating garlic, and other herbs such as fenugreek seeds, yarrow, holy basil, artichoke leaf extract, and aloe vera studies suggest also helps in knocking off a few points of the total cholesterol level. Dietary supplements that contain fish oil, flaxseed oil and others can also help improve your cholesterol levels.
Forever Living Products, a company well known for producing nutritional supplements with aloe vera as based has a wide range of products to supplement a healthy lifestyle.
Forever Living has nutritional supplements that can help reduce bad cholesterol level and boosts good cholesterol in the body. Below are the Forever Living supplements that you can take to improve your total cholesterol level.
This nutritional supplement contains two powerful antioxidants that help maintain good health. Taking one capsule a day can help the metabolism convert fats to energy, and most importantly reduce cholesterol level.
Forever Arctic Sea contains Omega 3 and omega 9, fatty acids that help boosts good cholesterol level.
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