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Does Losing Weight Help Cholesterol Levels

What Should I Eat To Lose 10 Pounds

Does Exercise Lower Cholesterol? – by Dr Sam Robbins

One of the best ways to lose 10 pounds is to reduce chronic inflammation, which can interfere with your metabolism. Stop eating foods that contribute to inflammation, including sugar, fried foods, and processed foods. Eat plenty of anti-inflammatory foods such as leafy greens, fish, and berries. Also, drink plenty of water and stop drinking sodas, sugary fruit juices, and high-calorie coffee drinks.

Eat healthy, whole foods that naturally boost your metabolism and that help rid your body of waste. Fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, beans, nuts, seeds, and sources of protein like fish, poultry, and grass-fed beef can help you shed weight especially if youre also exercising regularly.

What Is The Pritikin Diet

The Pritikin diet significantly reduces saturated fatty acids trans fatty acids , and dietary cholesterol. It also increases dietary fiber in the form of natural, nutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans. This is the healthiest way to lower cholesterol, points out cardiologist Ronald Scheib, MD, physician and educator at the Pritikin Longevity Center in Miami, where the Pritikin Program has been taught since 1975.

How Is Cholesterol Measured

Most people with high cholesterol feel perfectly well and often have no symptoms. The best way to find out if your cholesterol is high is to have a blood test .

Visit your GP to determine whether you need to lower your cholesterol level and what action to take.

GPs can also do a heart health check, that calculates your heart disease and stroke risk.

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Quality Sleep Every Night

Nearly 80 percent of people who are overweight suffer a sleep disorder like sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can happen when excess fat tissue thickens the wall of your windpipe, narrowing your airway. This causes you to take in less oxygen while you sleep and wake up several times per night. Losing 10 pounds can widen your airways and help you sleep more comfortably every night.

Reduces Risk Of Heart Disease Or Stroke

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , stroke, heart disease, and other cardiovascular diseases account for 1 in 3 deaths in the United States. Maintaining a healthy weight can reduce your risk of these conditions.

P.S. Its also super important to slay a healthy diet and stay active. Your heart will thank you for it !

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Cholesterol And Healthy Eating

What we eat has an impact on our cholesterol levels and can help reduce our risk of disease. Try to eat a wide variety of foods from each of the five food groups. Not only does this help to maintain a healthy and interesting diet, but it provides essential nutrients to the body.

The Heart Foundation recommends:

  • Plenty of vegetables, fruits and wholegrains.
  • A variety of healthy protein sources , legumes , nuts and seeds. Smaller amounts of eggs and lean poultry can also be included in a heart healthy diet. If choosing red meat, make sure it is lean and limit to 1-3 times a week.
  • Unflavoured milk, yoghurt and cheese. Those with high blood cholesterol should choose reduced fat varieties.
  • Healthy fat choices nuts, seeds, avocados, olives and their oils for cooking
  • Herbs and spices to flavour foods, instead of adding salt.

Also, be mindful on how much you are eating and whether you are filling up on unhealthy foods. Portion sizes have increased over time and many of us are eating more than we need which can lead to obesity and increase our risk of cardiovascular disease.

Ideally, a healthy plate would include servings of ¼ protein, ¼ carbohydrates and ½ vegetables.

Serving size can vary depending on age, gender and specific nutrition needs.

Misconception: Using Margarine Instead Of Butter Will Help Lower Cholesterol

Butter is high in saturated fat and has some trans fat raising LDL cholesterol and contributing to atherosclerosis. But many hard margarines also have a high amount of saturated and trans fat.

The healthiest choice is a liquid or soft tub margarine. These are made with vegetable oils. They have less partially hydrogenated fat and saturated fat than solid spreads such as hard stick margarine and butter. Look for margarines that say 0 g trans fat on the Nutrition Facts label.

Switching from butter to soft margarine is a good step. But by itself, it probably wont reduce your cholesterol to healthy levels.

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When To See A Doctor

According to the AHA, everyone over the age of 20 years should see their doctor for a cholesterol check every 46 years.

The AHA also recommends that young people have a cholesterol check once between the ages of 9 and 11 years and once between the ages of 17 and 21 years.

It is important that people see their doctor if they have a family history of high cholesterol and are experiencing symptoms.

High cholesterol can increase the risk of heart disease. High cholesterol can affect people of any weight, age, and sex. Individuals with a family history of high cholesterol might also inherit high levels.

High cholesterol risk factors include:

  • smoking

Prescription Drugs Can Interfere With Weight Loss

SUPER FOOD, LOSE WEIGHT, BURN BELLY FAT AND HELPS LOWER CHOLESTEROL AND BLOOD SUGAR #19

Many prescription drugs list weight gain as a side effect including antidepressants, birth control pills, and antihistamines. Some studies show that remnants of these drugs are stored in fat cells long after you quit taking the medication and are released back into the bloodstream following intense workouts. This can prolong the cycle of weight retention and make it difficult for you to lose weight within a short period of time. If youre currently using prescription drugs that cause weight gain, talk to your doctor about alternative treatments that wont interfere with your body weight.

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Future Directions And Conclusions

Future research should attempt to replicate and extend these findings by incorporating a longer-term follow-up period. Additionally, more research is needed to develop more scalable weight loss interventions capable of producing weight loss similar to that in the present study, so that larger segments of the population can participate in them and achieve the health benefits of modest weight loss. In the interim, the present results support the message that weight loss of 510 % is good and a greater loss is even better.

Avoid Artificial Trans Fats

While trans fats occur naturally in red meat and dairy products, most peoples main source is artificial trans fat used in many restaurants and processed foods .

Artificial trans fats are produced by hydrogenating or adding hydrogen to unsaturated fats such as vegetable oils to change their structure and solidify them at room temperature.

Trans fats make a cheap alternative to natural saturated fats and have been widely used by restaurants and food manufacturers.

However, substantive research shows that eating artificial trans fats increases bad LDL cholesterol, lowers good HDL cholesterol and is linked to a 23% greater risk of heart disease (

31 ).

Summary Artificial trans fats are linked to higher LDL cholesterol levels and an increased risk of heart disease. Recently, the US banned their use in restaurants and processed foods, making them easier to avoid.

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How Much Weight To Lose To Lower Your Cholesterol

Losing as little as 10 pounds can be enough to improve your cholesterol levels.

In one study, people who lost at least 5% of their weight significantly reduced their levels of LDL, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. But people who lost less than 5% of their weight only had lower levels of triglycerides.

Focus On Monounsaturated Fats

Pin on Cholesterol

As opposed to saturated fats, unsaturated fats have at least one double chemical bond that changes the way they are used in the body. Monounsaturated fats have only one double bond.

Although some recommend a low-fat diet for weight loss, a study of 10 men found a 6-week, low-fat diet reduced levels of harmful LDL, but also reduced beneficial HDL .

In contrast, a diet high in monounsaturated fats reduced harmful LDL, but also protected higher levels of healthy HDL.

A study of 24 adults with high blood cholesterol came to the same conclusion, where eating a diet high in monounsaturated fat increased beneficial HDL by 12%, compared to a diet low in saturated fat .

Monounsaturated fats may also reduce the oxidation of lipoproteins, which contributes to clogged arteries. A study of 26 people found that replacing polyunsaturated fats with monounsaturated fats in the diet reduced the oxidation of fats and cholesterol (

You can find olive oil and canola oil online.

summary

Monounsaturated fats like those in olive oil, canola oil, tree nuts and avocados reduce the bad LDL, increase the good HDL and reduce the oxidation that contributes to clogged arteries.

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How Can I Reduce My Stomach Fat

Your weight is made up of different components, including muscle, bone, water, organs, and fat. To lose weight, you need to reduce the amount of fat in your body. To lower your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, you also need to lose weight thats unhealthy. Several lifestyle changes can help you lose weight and reduce your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure..

What You Can Do To Lose Weight

Go low-fat: Stay away from saturated fats, which are found in red meat, and trans fats , found in margarine and baked goods. Check the labels of dairy products, too.

Watch your portions: One-quarter of your plate at meals should be filled with lean protein, and another quarter should be a multigrain starch . The remaining half should be non-starchy vegetables .

Get active: As little as 20 minutes of exercise three times a week is all it takes. Start slow and build up to 30 minutes five times a week. Walking is a good way to get moving.

You should also:

Cut down on alcohol: If you drink, keep it to two per day for men or one per day for women.

Stop smoking: Sometimes when people quit smoking, they gain a few pounds. Donât let the fear of that stop you. Smoking lowers your HDL levels. Even being exposed to secondhand smoke can be bad for your cholesterol level. Youâll be healthier overall if you quit.

Obesity Action Coalition: âObesity and Lipid Abnormalities Fact Sheet.â

Johns Hopkins Medicine: âEndoscopic Weight Loss Program.â

Top Doctors United Kingdom: âLipidology.â

Hormone Health Network: âLipids and Endocrine Disorders,â âVitamin D.â

Cleveland Clinic: âCholesterol Numbers: What Do They Mean,â â10 Tips For Lower Cholesterol,â âHow to Quit Smoking Without Gaining Weight.â

Society For Vascular Surgery: âHyperlipidemia.â

Heart UK: âTriglycerides,â âLooking After Your Weight.â

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How To Eat More Mindfully

Fad diets that eliminate food groups can drain you of energy and set you up for a lifetime of yo-yo dieting. Adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes mindful eating can also help you feel better and have more energy and is more important than aiming for a specific number on the scale, experts say.

To get started with eating more mindfully, sit down and unplug while you eat. Taste your food and pay attention to whether or not you are enjoying what you are eating. And become aware of when you have had enough to eat.

When we eat mindfully, we tend to keep our portion sizes in check, Young said.

Also, try to eat slowly. The faster a person eats, the more likely it is that he or she will be overweight, Young said. In fact, one recent study found that fast eaters are 42% more likely to be overweight than slow eaters.

To help you put the brakes on the pace of your eating, Young recommended using a set of chop sticks. If youre not accustomed to eating with them, they will slow you down, Young said.

Finally, focus on overall self-care. Becoming more in tune with ourselves and our needs, whether its more sleep or more exercise, helps us better manage stress and deal with anxiety which can lead to a more mindful approach to eating, too.

Youll do less emotional eating and less stress eating and this can all help you with your relationship with food, ultimately leading to weight loss, Young said.

The-CNN-Wire

Misconception: Only Men Need To Worry About Cholesterol

Can Losing Weight Make Your Cholesterol Go Up? Dr. Monali Y. Desai

Both men and women tend to see higher triglyceride and cholesterol levels as they get older. Although atherosclerosis typically occurs later in women than men, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in women. Weight gain also contributes to higher levels.

Premenopausal women may have some protection from high LDL levels of cholesterol, compared to men. Thats because the female hormone estrogen is highest during the childbearing years and it tends to raise HDL cholesterol levels. This may help explain why premenopausal women are usually protected from developing heart disease.

But cholesterol levels can still rise in postmenopausal women, despite a heart-healthy diet and regular physical activity. So women nearing menopause should have their cholesterol levels checked and talk with their doctor about their risk factors and treatment options.

At one time, it was thought that hormone replacement therapy might lower a womans risk of heart disease and stroke. But studies have shown that HRT doesn’t reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke in postmenopausal women. The American Heart Association doesn’t endorse HRT as a means to lower cardiovascular risks.

Doctors should consider women-specific conditions, such as premature menopause and pregnancy-associated conditions, when discussing their cholesterol levels and potential treatment options.

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Reduced Inflammation And Cancer Risk

Excess body fat can cause fat cells to produce higher amounts of hormones like estrogen and insulin, triggering chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation increases the risk of many types of cancer, including breast and uterine cancer. Losing 10 pounds has been shown to significantly decrease your bodys excess production of these hormones, reducing inflammation and cancer risk.

Diet Makes The Difference

But which diet yields the best results when it comes to improving your cholesterol levels? A study published in September 2014 in the Annals of Internal Medicine compared the effects of a low-carbohydrate diet and a low-fat diet on body weight and cardiovascular risk factors in nearly 150 people. The results? Participants in the low-carbohydrate diet lost more weight and showed improved cholesterol levels.

More extreme weight-loss measures produced even better results. A September 2019 study published in The Lancet looked at the effects of a 25 percent calorie-restricted diet over two years on more than 200 healthy adults not living with obesity.

As well as showing mean weight loss of more than 16 pounds in people who followed the low-calorie diet, the results showed a significant reduction in all cardiometabolic risk factors, including improved scores for LDL and HDL cholesterol and blood pressure.

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Exercise Regularly For A Lower Cholesterol Level

For your physical activity, cardiovascular exercises such as aerobics, equipment-aided workouts or jogging are best recommended for losing weight. Cardiovascular exercises also strengthen the heart, thereby reducing risks of heart-related ailments.

A 30-minute workout or jogging three times a week coupled with appropriate diet will be your unbeatable weight loss formula to achieve your ideal body mass index. Maintaining your appropriate BMI will ensure normal cholesterol levels and negate all health risks associated with excess weight and cholesterol.

Natural Ways To Lower Your Cholesterol Levels

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Cholesterol is made in your liver and has many important functions. For example, it helps keep the walls of your cells flexible and is needed to make several hormones.

However, like anything in the body, too much cholesterol or cholesterol in the wrong places creates problems.

Like fat, cholesterol does not dissolve in water. Instead, its transport in the body depends on molecules called lipoproteins, which carry cholesterol, fat and fat-soluble vitamins in the blood.

Different kinds of lipoproteins have different effects on health. For example, high levels of low-density lipoprotein result in cholesterol deposits in blood vessel walls, which can lead to clogged arteries, strokes, heart attacks and kidney failure .

In contrast, high-density lipoprotein helps carry cholesterol away from vessel walls and helps prevent these diseases .

This article will review 10 natural ways to increase the good HDL cholesterol and lower the bad LDL cholesterol.

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You Can Begin Lowering Cholesterol Naturally Today

Sound like a lot to take on? Dont be intimidated. Bringing down your high cholesterol doesnt have to mean changing your life completely. Rather, start with changing your mindset. Instead of moving away from things, youre moving toward new habits that will help you create a healthier and more enjoyable future.

Now is always the right time to start taking care of your heart health. If you need a little support, lean on friends and family. And dont forget: Your doctor is always there for you with advice, motivation and encouragement so you can reach your goals and live healthier.

Increase Your Sex Drive

Losing weight might lead to a more active sex life. Researchers are still trying to work out the exact correlation between sex drive and body mass index . But studies show weight gain can increase sex hormone-binding globulin levels in your blood. Thats a science-y way of saying extra weight may decrease your libido.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, too low of a body eight, excessive dieting, or overly restricting calories can also inhibit sex drive and libido.

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