Archive for the ‘remedies’ Category

Take Control Of Cholesterol To Protect Heart Health

Thursday, August 28th, 2008

Heart disease is an issue that gets much attention in the media, and for good reason. It is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Heart disease is a major issue, and a variety of risk factors come into play. Today I want to narrow the subject down on cholesterol, this is one of the graten still manageable-the most risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Make it a point to discuss in depth with my cholesterol patients, because anyone can control over their health, when it comes to keep cholesterol in a healthy range. It is true that a tendency towards high cholesterol can be inherited genes, but there are also a lot of opportunities in such cases.

Making the effort is worth it: Studies have shown that lowering cholesterol decreases your chance for developing heart and Gefakrankheiten. In addition, the people who currently have heart disease can reduce their risk of suffering nonfatal heart attacks and death from heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels.

Healthy answers to lower cholesterol

To help fight heart disease, I have combed through the latest research results and the list of natural ways to start lowering cholesterol today.

Vitamins - Looking for a formula vitamin supplement that helps your cholesterol ratio in the normal range. Vitamin E and selenium are two essential nutrients for health cholesterol. Vitamin B3 (niacin) is another nutrient believed to lower LDL, the bad cholesterol.

Herbs and spices - The seeds and leaves of Fenugreek May lower total cholesterol. Make sure to increases of at least 500mg of this potent Herb. Guggulipid, the chewing gum myrrh resin of a tree in India may also lower LDL. Other studies suggest that artichoke leaf extract, yarrow, holy basil, ginger, turmeric, garlic, rosemary and cholesterol-lowering effects.

Quit Smoking - Smoking causes high cholesterol, smoking, but may good, HDL, cholesterol and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.

Dietary Fiber - foods from plants, particularly oat bran, barley, psyllium seeds, flax, apples, citrus fruits and legumes, contain soluble fiber, cholesterol favourable impact levels.

Phytosterols - These links can be found in small amounts in plant foods with intestinal absorption of cholesterol. Get them in vegetable oil spreads like Promise, Benecol and Smart Balance, on vegetable oil based salad dressing and fortified foods, such as Minute Maid Heart Wise orange juice and CocoVia chocolates.

Soy Foods - tofu, tempeh, soy milk, Edamame soy and nuts are just some of the soy products, has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol.

Omega-3 fatty acids - This cholesterol-lowering nutrients found in walnuts, flax seed and fish. The aim for 2 servings per week of salmon, mackerel, herring, tuna or sardines. Fish oil capsules are another way to your daily diet dose.

Cutting down on saturated fatty acids that LDL cholesterol in check. People with heart diseases should be to eat less than 200mg of cholesterol from animal products (meat, milk, eggs), and those who wish to maintain healthy cholesterol levels should stay under 300, according to the American Heart Association. Trans-fats, increase bad LDL, cholesterol and reduce good, HDL, cholesterol should fully exercise avoided.

Apart from the many health benefits in connection with the exercise, moderate physical activity can increase the cholesterol.

Now good that you know how many simple options for the management of cholesterol health, I am sure you are curious, they’re off! Work with your doctor and not be discouraged. As long as you practice moderation by diet, add some useful vitamins and herbs, remain active and every day, you can be well on the way to a healthy number on your next cholesterol screening.

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Optimum Cholesterol Levels For Liver Health

Wednesday, August 27th, 2008

Typically assumed to inflict solely negative consequences, cholesterol is actually a necessary component of a healthy body. Cholesterol is a waxy substance in the blood, critical in the digestion of dietary fats, the building of cell walls and in manufacturing vitamins and hormones.One of the secrets to securing a healthy body, including a healthy liver, is to maintain an ideal balance of cholesterol levels.

If cholesterol levels are too high, a person is at risk for coronary artery disease, heart disease, a metabolic disorder or even liver disease. Embedded in vehicles known as lipoproteins, cholesterol is transported in the bloodstream to be used or excreted throughout the body. When these inhabitants of our blood become overpopulated, traffic jams can result, blocking subsequent blood flow in the vessels. Impeded circulation is a primary factor in most types of illness.

Cholesterol and the Liver

Excessive cholesterol in the blood can deposit plaques along the vessels, contributing to the development of atherosclerosis, the hardening of the arteries. While atherosclerosis is a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes, it can also have negative consequences on the liver. The relationship between the liver and blood cholesterol is multi-faceted.

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What do Cholesterol Levels Mean

Tuesday, August 26th, 2008

By going to the doctor and getting a simple blood test to check your cholesterol, you can find out what your levels of cholesterol are. When you go to get your cholesterol checked, it will be checked for all levels of your cholesterol. Your test will come back showing the levels of your cholesterol and what they could mean for your health. Your doctor will take all your information about your age, family history, smoking and your blood pressure into account. This will tell your doctor what your risk of heart disease will be from the cholesterol levels that you have. The levels of cholesterol that will be checked will be your total blood cholesterol level, your HDL cholesterol level, your LDL cholesterol level and your triglyceride level. These are all very important levels of your cholesterol. And each one will mean something different for you.

If you have a total blood cholesterol level less then 200 mg this is good level. And will put you at a low risk for heart disease. If it is above 200 mg you are considered to be borderline high risk. Your doctor will probably recommend that you change your lifestyle to lower your blood cholesterol level. And request that you have your cholesterol checked more often. If it is over 240 mg then you are at high risk. And your doctor will want to want to put you on a treatment plan and probably prescribe medication for you to lower it.

If your HDL cholesterol level is higher then this is good. Low HDL levels can put you at a high risk for heart disease and other problems. If your LDL cholesterol level is low then it is good. This will help to reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. If your triglyceride level is high. This means that you have a high total cholesterol level. People can have a high triglyceride level because they are overweight, smoke cigarettes, are inactive, and drink excess alcohol. These levels can mean different things for you. Go to your doctor and get the treatment that is best for you to lower your cholesterol.

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Tips While Buying Lipitor

Monday, August 25th, 2008

At present there are many people suffering from high cholesterol or low cholesterol problems. Lipitor is basically a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor that is also called as statin. Lipitor reduces the making of oily substances your body. People having any type of cholesterol problems are recommended to use Lipitor. But many people don’t know from where to buy Lipitor easily. They are available in all medical stores. Nowadays you can buy Lipitor online that means you don’t have to go to the market. Moreover Lipitor cost is affordable to all.

Never take overdose of Lipitor as it can be dangerous to health; people often do this to recover soon. Always order Lipitor online that needs no prescription or doctor’s permission, saving your time. An effective cholesterol reducing medicine is Atorlip Generic Lipitor. You must buy Generic Lipitor as it is harmless and approved by the FDA. Pravachol Lipitor is also a cholesterol managing drug. To buy these drugs you don’t have to go anywhere just order them online.

People having high blood cholesterol problems must use Lipitor Zetia. This is a very fast and effective medicine that reduces high blood cholesterol problems.

Avoid using Lipitor if

* You are undergoing with liver problems
* Woman who are expecting or breast-feeding
* Or if you are using a HIV protease-inhibitor

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Options On Lowering Cholesterol

Saturday, August 23rd, 2008

Q: I’m working on my diet and starting an exercise program to lower my cholesterol. If that doesn’t work, my doctor said she will prescribe statins. If these drugs can really help, shouldn’t I start taking them now?

A: There is virtually no downside to lowering your total cholesterol and LDL (”bad”) cholesterol with a healthy diet, regular exercise and weight control. And the potential benefits reach well beyond great blood-test results.

Selecting foods low in saturated fat and trans fat, boosting your consumption of fruits and vegetables and ramping up physical activity can lead to better weight management and reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. It can even improve your mood.

On the other hand, using medication to lower cholesterol can have some unwanted consequences.

In general, statins are quite safe, but they can make some people drowsy, constipated or nauseated. In rare cases, they can cause liver and muscle damage.

Other types of cholesterol-lowering drugs have side effects, too. That’s why your doctor wants you to make lifestyle changes first. If diet and exercise do the trick, you can avoid taking medication.

However, if lifestyle changes don’t lower cholesterol enough, adding a statin can help. Statins are the most commonly prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs. They block a liver enzyme involved in cholesterol production. This decreases the amount of cholesterol the liver pumps into the bloodstream. Statins also increase the amount of LDL cholesterol the liver removes from the blood.

Statins work well. Studies have shown that they can lower LDL by 20 percent to 60 percent and might raise HDL, the “good” cholesterol, by 2 percent to 10 percent.

The result: Your risk of having or dying from a major cardiovascular event drops by 20 percent to 30 percent.

There are six statins on the market: atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor) and simvastatin (Zocor). Most experts agree that they all work well.

However, potency and side effects can vary from person to person and from one drug or dosage to the next.

Statins do not seem to interfere with most of the other drugs that a person with heart disease might take. An added plus is that you need to take them only once a day.

The drawback is their expense - about $35 to $120 a month, depending on the type and dose. Generic statins (lovastatin, pravastatin and simvastatin) cost less.

Experts agree that statins are the best cholesterol-lowering medications. But if you can’t take them, find that they aren’t as effective as hoped or have other risk factors, your doctor may prescribe one of these cholesterol-lowering drugs instead:

Ezetimibe

Ezetimibe (Zetia) lowers LDL by interfering with the body’s ability to absorb cholesterol from food.

A recent trial of Vytorin, which combines ezetimibe and simvastatin, found that although the combination lowered cholesterol better than the statin alone, it was no better at reducing arterial blockages. Until we know more about the long-term effects of Zetia and Vytorin, these drugs should be reserved for people who can’t take statins or who need a bigger cholesterol-lowering push.

Fibrates

These drugs block the production and activity of proteins that carry cholesterol in the blood. The two most common are gemfibrozil (Lopid) and fenofibrate (TriCor). They are prescribed mainly for people with high triglyceride levels.

Because fibrates can cause some rare but serious side effects, you should have liver-function and blood count tests before and during treatment. Fibrates and statins should be used together only with great care, if at all.

Niacin

In high doses, this B vitamin acts like a drug to lower LDL and triglycerides. It also can raise HDL levels. Although niacin is inexpensive and generally safe, some types cause facial flushing, rashes, itching, headaches, nausea and other side effects. Niacin is available over the counter, but you should not use it to lower cholesterol without your doctor’s supervision. Prescription preparations may have fewer side effects.

Bile acid binders

These resins bind with cholesterol-rich bile acids in the intestine, preventing their absorption. The body draws upon its store of cholesterol instead, lowering cholesterol levels in the blood. These medications have no effect on triglycerides. They are safe, but the older preparations have unpleasant intestinal side effects.

Other substances

A number of foods and supplements have been touted as sure-fire ways to lower cholesterol. Some show promise; others don’t. But none takes the place of an overall effort to lower fat and cholesterol in your diet.

Medication doesn’t give you license to make daily trips to the ice cream store or forgo physical activity; you’ll still need to stick with a healthy diet and exercise if you take cholesterol-lowering drugs.

The people who reduce their risk of heart disease the most adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle in addition to taking medication.

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Dealing With Cholesterol

Friday, August 22nd, 2008

Hypercholesterolemia is said to be one of the main disorders leading to even more serious conditions, such as heart diseases and, in the end, to heart attacks. This is why if we happen to be diagnosed with high cholesterol level we must act in order to restore the normal one. To reduce cholesterol is not an option we may take or not take in such circumstances. On the contrary, if we care at all about our health the reasonable thing to do is to make the decision of following a proper treatment. Lowering cholesterol is a complex process but, despite of this feature, it is still urgent.

Many are the measures one can take in order to deal with cholesterol issues. Some of them refer to dietary habits, meaning we have to reduce or to remove the intake of certain foods, such as yolk-based dishes, fatty meat, organs, shrimps, pastry, regular milk, cream and cheese. Also, changing one’s diet means to enrich meals with other healthier nutrients, like oat, different types of nuts, various species of fish, and so on. Other recommendations made while undergoing a treatment intended to reduce cholesterol refer to physical exercises. Working out alleviates not just cholesterol-related problems, but also has a positive overall impact on our organisms. It helps to reduce our body weight and implicitly it improves the blood pressure.

The process of lowering cholesterol implies, in addition, the necessity to quit smoking. Irrespective of the fact that smoking is extremely damaging from many points of view, it only complicates more whatever heart diseases we may have. Alcohol intake must be eliminated or reduced as much as possible as well. But the thing about the above mentioned manners to deal with cholesterol issues is that they are partial, that is, in order to get visible results one must combine them all or at least some of them into a single conjoint effort. Sometimes, this proves to be a demand too great to be able to satisfy.

But researchers developed some new supplements with the purpose of enabling the process of lowering cholesterol. In time, it was proven that some natural substances improve the low level of HDL, also referred to as the “good” cholesterol, and to diminish hypercholesterolemia which is caused by a high level of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol. Niacin, for instance, is a very powerful compound, also known as nicotinic acid or vitamin B3.

Because of this, it may be possible that it generates some unpleasant side effects, it is usually employed as inositol hexaniacinate. Policosanol may as well count as a supplement helping to lower bad cholesterol and to improve the good one. Guggul and green tea extracts are also proven to decrease the LDL level and to increase the HDL one. Garlic is healthful just as well, and fish oils, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, are extremely efficient in doing the same job. lowering cholesterol is not something we are allowed to ignore if the circumstances ask us to pay attention to our health, especially if we consider that hypercholesterolemia is the main cause of heart diseases. In order to reduce cholesterol some measures are within our reach, and with the purpose of helping our regimen, some supplements with proven efficiency are nowadays offered to us.

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Lowering Cholesterol

Thursday, August 21st, 2008

Every year I have my comprehensive physical exam. The usual findings was that my cholesterol is high. I weigh only 102 lbs. with 5′2 in height and yet my cholesterol was over 300. The doctor told me that cholesterol comes from two sources. One is genetic and the other was from the kinds of foods I intake. I eat a lot of vegetables and very little meat. It’s not my choice but it’s the way I was brought up by my parents. So definitely my high cholesterol is from genetics.

Most of my relatives including my dad died due to coronary disease. I know that I have to do something. There are many cholesterol lowering medications in the market today, but I don’t want to be hooked on those drugs. So, I decided to focus on my diet. Not long ago I just started eating oatmeal every morning for breakfast. I heard that this grain diet is effective on lowering cholesterol. I also start buying and eating more grapefruit which is also known to help.

Drinking tea is also helpful as long as I do it moderately. So, there are the things I’ve been doing lately to help lower my cholesterol. I noticed that my digestive system has functioned normally since I included these foods in my diet. The big improvement is when I finally visited my doctor I was told that my cholesterol was down to 250. This was only after a few weeks of my altered diet. The doctor encouraged me also to exercise more. That’s something I’m going to work on more this year. Good Luck to me!

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What is Cholesterol

Wednesday, August 20th, 2008

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy, fat-like material that is made by the liver. Cholesterol serves many vital functions, and is part of every cell in the body. Our bodies require cholesterol to maintain healthy cell walls, make hormones, make vitamin D, and to make bile acids.

The food we eat can also play a big part in the amount of cholesterol in our bodies. If we eat an excess of food containing saturated fat, the liver will produce more cholesterol than the body needs. Our bodies will also absorb cholesterol directly from food that contains cholesterol.

In nature cholesterol is only found in animal based foods, but some food processing can cause other foods to have cholesterol as well. Foods fried in animal fat or tropical oils, have also been found to contain cholesterol. Saturated fat is also found primarily in animal based foods.

Cholesterol on its own can not dissolve in the blood. Tiny particles called lipoproteins deliver cholesterol to and from the blood cells. There are two lipoproteins that work with cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL).

LDL cholesterol, often referred to as “Bad” cholesterol, carries cholesterol in the blood stream to the tissues, where it can be used or stored by the body. The reason this type of cholesterol is referred to as “Bad” is that this is the cholesterol that can build-up and clog arteries. This is what happens when there is too much LDL in the body.

HDL cholesterol, often referred to as “Good” cholesterol, carries cholesterol in the blood stream from the tissues to the liver. The liver then expels this cholesterol from the body. A high HDL level will tend to protect against heart attack and stroke.

There are other factors that can affect your blood cholesterol levels. Some of these factors include being overweight, lack of exercise, inherited health traits, increased age, and gender. Women after menopause tend to have higher cholesterol than before menopause. Women also tend to have a higher HDL level throughout there lives than men. This may help to explain why women under the age of 80 usually experience lower rates of heart disease and stroke than men.

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), a high cholesterol level is considered to be over 200 mg/dL for your total cholesterol. Total cholesterol is calculated as (LDL + HDL). This however, is not the only figure that you should be concerned about. You also need to have a HDL level greater than or equal to 45 mg/dL, to reduce your risk of heart disease.

Total Blood Cholesterol Levels

Desirable: less than 200 mg/dL
Borderline: 200-239 mg/dL
High: 240 mg/dL or higher

HDL Cholesterol Levels
Desirable: 45 mg/dL or higher

LDL Cholesterol Levels

Desirable: less than 130 mg/dL
Borderline: 130-159 mg/dL
High: 160 mg/dL or higher

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Trans Fats Increase LDL Cholesterol Levels

Monday, August 18th, 2008

Research conducted by scientists at the Beltsville (Maryland) Human Nutrition Research Center (BHNRC) contributed to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans including recommendations that people in the United States limit their intake of fats and oils that are high in trans fatty acids.

Joseph Judd (now retired), and nutritionist Beverly A. Clevidence, and colleagues fed 58 male and female volunteers, aged 26 to 64, four controlled diets, characterized as moderately high trans fat, high trans fat, high saturated fat, and high “heart healthy” oleic acid.

LDL cholesterol levels were measured each time the volunteers completed one of the diets for a 6-week period. The study showed that after they consumed any of the trans-fat or saturated-fat diets, as opposed to the oleic-acid diet, their LDL cholesterol levels were significantly increased.

Trans fats cause changes in metabolism that increase the amount of circulating LDL cholesterol, which in turn can get deposited in blood vessel walls.

The scientists also reported that it’s important not to replace dietary trans fats with saturated fats. In fact, the 2005 Dietary Guidelines recommend consuming less than 10 percent of daily calories from saturated fatty acids. That’s 22 grams or less for a 2,000-calorie diet.

Saturated fats and trans fats tend to be solid at room temperature. The thick, yellow grease that forms in a cool pan after cooking meat is saturated fat. Both types of fats can collect in the body and clog arteries, leading to heart disease.

A 2007 Agricultural Research Service data analysis shows that U.S. consumers aren’t winning the battle on staving off fats.

The analysis, which was based on nationally representative dietary-intake survey data from What We Eat in America/NHANES 2003-2004, was led by nutritionist Alanna J. Moshfegh who heads the Food Surveys Research Group at BHNRC.

The researchers studied the levels and sources of saturated and unsaturated fats in the American diet and found that about 64 percent of adults in the United States exceed the dietary recommendation for consuming saturated fat.

New labelling laws require foods to be labelled for their trans fat as well as their saturated fat content, therefore people can keep an eye on their fat intake by reading food labels.

For example, a croissant has about the same number of calories as a bagel. But a croissant, which is a buttery puff pastry, has 32 times as much saturated fat (6.6 grams compared to an oat-bran bagel’s 0.2 grams).

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Best Treatment For Bad Cholesterol

Saturday, August 16th, 2008

Question: In light of the recent ENHANCE study, I am in a quandary as to whether I should switch my cholesterol medication from Vytorin (a combination of Zetia and the statin drug simvastatin) to simvastatin alone. It seems as if Zetia doesn’t do any good, and switching to a generic drug will save me a whole lot of money. What’s your advice?

Answer: The folks at Schering-Plough, manufacturers of Zetia and the combo drug Vytorin, had hoped that the ENHANCE study would show an “enhanced” effect of adding Zetia (a drug that blocks cholesterol absorption from the digestive tract) to 80mg of the statin drug simvastatin (brand name: Zocor).

The study population was a group of patients with very high inherited cholesterol levels.

In the ENHANCE study, the Vytorin (10mg Zetia/80mg simvastatin) combo drug lowered LDL “bad” cholesterol by 55.6 percent versus 39.1 percent with 80mg simvastatin alone. Vytorin also reduced the C-reactive protein level (a presumed biomarker reflecting underlying blood vessel inflammation caused by plaque) in patients more so than 80mg simvastatin alone (49.2 percent versus 23.5 percent). But hopes were dashed when ENHANCE showed that there was a small but not-statistically significant increase in the buildup of carotid artery plaque in the Vytorin group versus the 80mg simvastatin group.

While ENHANCE was not intended as an outcomes study looking at reduction of heart attacks, stroke and death, it has left many doctors questioning whether Zetia does any good despite its additional benefit in lowering LDL “bad” cholesterol.

Adding Zetia to a statin lowers LDL by an additional 18-23 percent; doubling the dose of a statin such as simvastatin (Zocor or Lipitor) lowers LDL by 6-9 percent. But if it does not translate to less illness and death, where’s the benefit? That is, after all, why doctors prescribe these drugs in the first place. Vytorin’s own prescribing information states: “No incremental benefit of Vytorin on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality over and above that demonstrated for simvastatin has been established.”

To confidently answer the question of whether Zetia improves clinical outcome and doesn’t just give you better lab results, the IMPROVE-IT trial is under way. It will include up to 18,000 patients and will conclude in 2012.

In view of the ENHANCE findings, my advice is to try statins (e.g., simvastatin and Lipitor), fibrates (e.g., Tricor or Antara), and niacin alone or in combination before considering Zetia.

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