Cut Cholesterol With Your Mind

More proof that mind really is stronger than matter: a recent study from Oregon State University found that keeping your cool can keep your cholesterol at a healthy level. More than seven hundred men took part in a study from Oregon State University focusing on staying calm in stressful situations. Those men who managed to stay calm when provoked kept their HDL (good) cholesterol levels steady. Some even experienced an elevation in HDL cholesterol levels! You definitely want to keep good cholesterol around. Men in the study who didn’t stay calm had lower HDL levels and higher triglycerides. Neither group … Continue reading →

Good Health News: U.S. Cholesterol is Normal

Finally — some good health news for America. For the first time in nearly fifty years, the average cholesterol level for adults is in the “ideal” range. Health experts say that a cholesterol level of 200 or lower is ideal, and the average American adult has a cholesterol level of 199. The percentage of adults with high cholesterol (240 and above) dropped from a high of twenty percent in the 1990s to sixteen percent. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control have been monitoring the national cholesterol level since 1960. In the very first year of the survey, the national average … Continue reading →

Cut Bad Cholesterol By Thirty Percent!

Have high cholesterol? You’re not alone. Here are five changes you can make to your diet to help cut your bad (LDL) cholesterol by a huge chunk. Reduce saturated fat to less than 7% of your total daily calories. For a 2000 calorie diet, that’s less than 15.5 grams of saturated fat per day. Control your calorie intake to help maintain a healthy weight. Decrease your daily cholesterol intake to less than 200 milligrams per day. Eat plenty of fiber. Between 20 and 30 grams per day. And make sure a good portion of that is soluble fiber — between … Continue reading →

Lower Cholesterol With Sterols and Stanols

Have you heard about sterols and stanols yet? These plant compounds are super healthy for your heart! Studies show that sterols and stanols can cut your risk of heart disease by twenty percent! Studies from around the world are proving the power of sterols and stanols. Adding just two grams of either sterols or stanols to your daily diet can cut your total cholesterol by as much as ten percent — often in just two weeks. That’s pretty amazing. A ten percent reduction in total cholesterol is what gives you that lowered risk of heart disease. How do they work? … Continue reading →

September is National Cholesterol Education Month

Like the title says, September is National Cholesterol Education Month, sponsored by the National Cholesterol Education Program. Use this month as a starting point for your work to reduce your blood cholesterol levels! High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease, one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Nearly one hundred million Americans have high cholesterol — more than 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or higher. Of those one hundred million Americans, more than 34 million have high risk levels — 240 mg/dL or higher. Lowering your cholesterol levels can reduce your risk of … Continue reading →

Cholesterol Lowering Medications

A healthy diet, regular exercise, and cholesterol lowering medications can help reduce a person’s risk of heart attack or stroke. There are several different types of medicine used to lower cholesterol levels. Statins slow down your body’s cholesterol production. They can also help remove cholesterol buildup in your blood vessels. Some common statins are Lipitor, Pravachol, and Zocor. Resins help lower your LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. Some common resins are Prevalite, Welchol, and Colestid. Fibrates lower cholesterol by reducing the amount of triglycerides (fats) in the body and increasing HDL (good cholesterol) levels. Some common fibrates are Antara and Lopid. … Continue reading →

How Big is Your LDL?

I recently talked with you about the difference between good and bad cholesterol. Here’s a summary for you before I get started on this next part. LDL=Bad HDL=Good LDL represents the kind of cholesterol scientists associate with arterial plaque- build-up that causes blockages related to heart attacks and strokes. Well, now they’ve taken an even closer look at this sticky artery blocking stuff and determined that size matters. Apparently LDL molecules come in all different sizes from small to very large. The small molecules are more concentrated. They move more sluggishly through the blood stream. The larger ones seem to … Continue reading →

Understanding Good and Bad Cholesterol

Most of us have heard that cholesterol is bad. Some of us have heard rumors that it can actually be good. Good and bad are nice labels for a complicated problem. Like most things in life, it’s not a matter of black and white. It’s all shades of gray. I’ll give you the basics and make it as simple as I can. From there it turns into a tricky balancing act. Here it is: LDL=Bad HDL=Good LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol is the kind that sticks to the arteries in your heart and brain. It builds up and forms nasty … Continue reading →

The Facts About Cholesterol

What is cholesterol? Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that your body uses for various functions. Yes, cholesterol is normal. Your body produces as much as it needs. However, your diet can lead there to be too much cholesterol in your body. The waxy substance gets deposited in your arteries, leading to heart disease and other problems. If your cholesterol level is above 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), that’s too high. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the American Heart Association, more than one hundred and six million Americans have high cholesterol. More than thirty seven million … Continue reading →

Top Cholesterol Fighting Foods: Part 4

Today we continue to discover some more no-guilt foods we can enjoy to lower our bad cholesterol, and increase the good HDL Cholesterol. This prevents heart attacks and stroke, and ensures good health. Chocolate Health Choosing dark or bittersweet chocolate can help you fight cholesterol! Dark chocolate has antioxidants (three times as much as milk chocolate!) and less sugar. So you can eat more chocolate for the same amount of calories compared to milk chocolate. Flavonoids are antioxidants found in chocolate, and also tea (see below). This antioxidant helps to prevent cholesterol from sticking to your arterial walls, keeping them … Continue reading →