Unfortunately High Cholesterol Has No Symptoms A Blood Test Is The Only Way To Detect It
Rajiv Punn, MD
At;Westchester Health, many of our patients are worried about their cholesterol level and want to know what they can do to bring it down, but they dont want to go on medication to do so. To help you become more informed about your cholesterol and your options for lowering it, we offer these guidelines and suggestions before it becomes a serious health concern.
Dont Confuse Total Cholesterol With Ldl
Some doctors still focus on total cholesterol as an important number. However, since total cholesterol is made up of LDL and HDL cholesterol, we dont know if increased total cholesterol is due to an increase in LDL, HDL, or both.
In addition to the possible effect of increasing LDL, low-carb diets are also well known for consistently raising HDL, which will in turn increase total cholesterol.2 However, elevated HDL is not a concern when it comes to cardiovascular risk. Therefore, before reacting to a higher total cholesterol level, make sure you know your breakdown between LDL and HDL.
Healthy Fats Can Help Lower Cholesterol
Replace unhealthy fats, such as saturated and trans fats, with monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. To eat more omega-3 fats, include fatty fish, flaxseed or ground flax, and walnuts in your eating plan. The oils that contain omega-3 fats are olive and canola oils. The ADA recommends eating two servings of omega-3-rich fish per week as part of a heart-healthy diet. The oils high in omega-6 fats are corn, soybean, and sunflower oils.
Eat less of these unhealthful fats:
— Saturated fat: The biggest food contributor to elevated LDL cholesterol is saturated fat. To remedy the cause-and-effect relationship between saturated fat and LDL, the ADA recommends limiting saturated-fat intake to less than 7 percent of your daily calories. So if you’re trying to eat no more than 2,000 calories a day, that would mean eating no more than 140 calories from saturated fat daily, or 15 grams of saturated fat.
— Trans fat: The ADA also recommends avoiding foods that contain trans fat. Although many restaurants and manufacturers advertise products as having zero trans fat, if the ingredients include shortening, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, or hydrogenated vegetable oil, the food likely contains trans fat. Labels are not required to list trans fat if the total is less than 0.5 grams per serving. Eating multiple servings of such foods means trans-fat intake can add up.
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Is Lowering Ldl Cholesterol Enough
The reduction of LDL cholesterol is only part of the battle against atherosclerosis. Individuals who have normal or only mildly elevated LDL cholesterol levels can still develop atherosclerosis and heart attacks even in the absence of other risk factors such as cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
The Risk Of Low Hdl Levels
Often, only LDL cholesterol gets attention as a cardiovascular risk, but HDL cholesterol deserves attention as well. Low levels of HDL can be just as dangerous as high LDL, because it can lead to a buildup of LDL cholesterol. For men, less than 40 milligrams of HDL per deciliter of blood is a risk factor for heart disease. For women that number is even higher, at 50 milligrams per deciliter of blood.
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Home Remedy For Lower Cholesterol #11 Enjoy Some Garlic
A study published in 2013 analyzed 26 clinical trials and found that garlic was more effective than a placebo in reducing cholesterol levels, specifically total cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Garlic did not appear to have a significant effect on HDL and LDL. Garlic is also anti-viral, antibacterial and anti-fungal, and may help lower blood pressure and improve liver function.
Fresh garlic packs more punch than cooked. Learn how to grow garlic.
Risks And Side Effects
While adding these foods to your diet can definitely help keep your cholesterol in check, its important to combine them with a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle to really optimize heart health. Even on the best cholesterol-lowering diet, adding a few superfoods here and there is unlikely to make much of a difference if youre not making changes in other parts of your daily regimen.
Minimizing stress levels, exercising regularly, increasing your intake of whole foods, cutting out heavily;processed, high cholesterol;foods and giving up unhealthy habits like smoking or drinking are just a few other natural ways to keep cholesterol levels under control and support better health.
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How To Reduce Ldl Cholesterol With Indian Food
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Use Alcohol In Moderation
When used in moderation, the ethanol in alcoholic drinks increases HDL and reduces the risk of heart disease.
A study of 18 adult women found that drinking 24 grams of alcohol from white wine daily improved HDL by 5%, compared to drinking equal amounts of white grape juice .
Alcohol also improves reverse cholesterol transport, meaning cholesterol is removed from blood and vessel walls and taken back to the liver. This reduces the risk of clogged arteries and heart disease .
While moderate alcohol intake reduces heart disease risk, too much alcohol harms the liver and increases the risk of dependence. The recommended limit is two drinks daily for men and one for women .
summary
12 drinks per day may improve HDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of clogged arteries. However, heavier alcohol use increases heart disease risk and harms the liver.
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Do High Triglyceride Levels Cause Atherosclerosis
Whether elevated triglyceride levels in the blood lead to atherosclerosis and heart attacks is controversial. While abnormally high triglyceride levels may be a risk factor for atherosclerosis, it is difficult to conclusively prove that elevated triglyceride by itself can cause atherosclerosis. Elevated triglyceride levels are often associated with other conditions that increase the risk of atherosclerosis including obesity; low levels of HDL cholesterol; insulin resistance; poorly-controlled diabetes; and small, dense LDL cholesterol particles.
Normal Cholesterol Levels By Age
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that plays many roles in the body, including synthesizing hormones and vitamin D. It also assists in the transporting of lipids. Cholesterol is found in the foods you eat, but it is also made by the liver.
We need some cholesterol to build healthy cells, but an accumulation of the bad kind can be problematic, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis. The recommended ranges for your cholesterol will depend on your age. Find out what cholesterol levels are, why age is a factor, and how to keep your levels within a healthy range.
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Home Remedy For Lower Cholesterol #9 An Apple A Day Really May Keep The Doctor Away
My grandmother Catherine always loved to say, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. It turns out she was probably right.
A 2011 study by researchers from Florida State University found that older women who ate apples every day reduced LDL cholesterol levels by 23% within six months and increased HDL cholesterol levels by 4%.
The apple eating women also lost an average of 3.3 pounds.
How To Lower Cholesterol Naturally
Here are 6 drug-free alternatives for lowering LDL cholesterol.
To avoid a heart attack, research has found that a key strategy is getting LDL cholesterol way down. Striving for LDL levels of 100 and below is good, but dropping to 80 and lower may be even better. Learn how to lower cholesterol naturally.
Go ahead, binge on beans! Enjoy all kinds! Black beans. White beans. Red beans. Pinto beans. Adzuki beans. They’re all champions at actively lowering LDL cholesterol.
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What Are The Types Of Cholesterol
Cholesterol in the blood doesn’t move through the body on its own. It combines with proteins to travel through the bloodstream. Cholesterol and protein traveling together are called lipoproteins;.
Low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein are the lipoproteines that most of us have heard about.
Low-density lipoproteins, or “bad cholesterol,” can build up on the walls of the arteries. Cholesterol and other substances in the blood form plaque;. Plaque buildup can make blood vessels become stiffer, narrower, or blocked. Plaque makes it easier for blood clots to form. A blood clot can block a narrowed artery and cause a heart attack or stroke.
Atherosclerosis , or hardening of the arteries, also leads to decreased blood flow to vital organs, including the brain, intestines, and kidneys.
High-density lipoproteins, or “good cholesterol,” carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver. In the liver, cholesterol is broken down and removed from the body.
High levels of LDL and low levels of HDL increase a person’s risk of heart disease.;
Home Remedies To Naturally Reduce Cholesterol
In this post we’ll discuss 15 home remedies to naturally reduce cholesterol and lower the risk of heart attack, the role of cholesterol in the body, and side effects of statin medication.
Under the new guidelines issued by the American Medical Association, roughly 1/3 of all adults should consider taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs to control their cholesterol levels.
Many healthcare practitioners feel that;statin medications are overused in the United States. Statins may cause serious side effects, which I’ll get to in a bit.
Also, 50% of people who die suddenly from heart attacks do not have high cholesterol.
Note: Please check with your doctor if you are on any prescription medications. Some foods and supplements may interfere with certain medications. This post is for general information only.
Contents
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What Are Trans Fatty Acids
Trans fatty acids are formed when a liquid fat is changed into a solid fat through a process called hydrogenation. Many manufacturers use hydrogenated fats in their ingredients because it creates a product with an extended shelf life and better consistency.
Trans fatty acids are especially bad for you. They raise the levels of LDL cholesterol in your blood and lower the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
There are currently no safe levels of trans fat to consume each day, so avoid them completely or eat them as little as possible.
Many manufacturers have stopped using or greatly reduced the amount of trans fats in their foods. But, check the label and avoid:
Substitute Healthy Oils In Place Of Butter And Margarine
Of course, its not always realistic to avoid fats when youre whipping up a tasty meal.
When you do need to add fat for cooking, baking or pan frying, use healthy oils instead of solid fats like butter, margarine, shortening and lard. Solid fats are high in saturated fats, but oils are high in unsaturated fats, which remember are better for you. The American Heart Association recommends using oils that have less than 4 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon .
Many times, its easy to swap a solid fat to a healthier one. Try using olive oil, sunflower oil or grapeseed oil in place of a solid fat.
For example, if youd rather use olive oil than butter, substitute ¾ the amount of butter in a recipe with olive oil. You might also bring out some new, surprising, subtle flavors, too.
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Treatment For High Cholesterol
Making lifestyle changes, especially changing some of the foods you eat, and regular physical activity, are very important to help reduce high LDL cholesterol.
You may also need to take cholesterol-lowering medicines to help manage your cholesterol and reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Talk to your doctor about finding the most appropriate treatment for you.
Things You Can Do To Lower Your Cholesterol Without Medication
At Westchester Health, we support these cholesterol-reducing suggestions from the Mayo Clinic and share them with you here:
Eat heart-healthy foods
A few changes in your diet can go a long way to reducing your cholesterol level and improving your heart health:
- Reduce saturated fats. Saturated fats, found primarily in red meat and full-fat dairy products, raise your total cholesterol. Decreasing your consumption of saturated fats can reduce your LDL cholesterol.
- Eliminate trans fats. Trans fats, listed on food labels as partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, raise overall cholesterol levels and are often found in margarines and packaged cookies, crackers and cakes. The FDA has banned the use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils starting January 1, 2021.
- Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids have many heart-healthy benefits, including reducing blood pressure. Foods with omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, mackerel, herring, walnuts and flax seeds.
- Increase soluble fiber. Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Good sources are oatmeal, kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears.
- Add whey protein. Whey protein, found in dairy products, may account for many of the health benefits attributed to dairy. Studies have shown that whey protein given as a supplement lowers both LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol, as well as your blood pressure.
Quit smoking
Lose weight
Drink alcohol in moderation, or not at all
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Lower Ldl Levels Are Better
In a JAMA editorial accompanying the study, Christopher P. Cannon, MD, of Brigham and Womens Hospital and Harvard Medical School wrote that aggressive LDL lowering is the ideal lower is better.
The JAMA studys findings echo those of another large 4,162-patient study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine. It concluded that LDL cholesterol levels of 62 were even better than levels of 95 at preventing death, heart attacks, and other cardiovascular-related problems in people with heart disease.
How Can I Reduce My Cholesterol Naturally & Why Is Cholesterol Management Important
The best way to reduce your cholesterol is by reducing your stress, lowering your blood sugar levels, and eat a diet good in fiber content.
How can I reduce my cholesterol naturally & why is cholesterol management important?
The best way to reduce your cholesterol is by reducing your stress, lowering your blood sugar levels, and eat a diet good in fiber content. When you are stressed out or hungry, the liver will make more cholesterol. Eating fewer fruits and vegetables also increases cholesterol due to the negative effects of high fructose corn syrup which increases triglycerides because it’s metabolized differently than other sugars. A low-fat diet does not automatically reduce cholesterol; decrease fat intake can help maintain healthy levels, but high levels of stress or emotional tension can lead to higher levels of LDL-C despite healthy eating habits.
Eating a lot of whole grains and fiber, using coconut oil as your main fat for cooking instead of animal fats, and avoiding high-cholesterol foods like meat and eggs. High cholesterol is the enemy to heart health, brain health, pelvic health , eye health among other things. The good news is that not only can you lower it by eating right and exercising but if youre overweight or someone who doesnt eat enough vegetables you can supplement with Omega 3s like krill oil or fish oils. There are also natural supplements that contain red yeast rice or FenuGerin.
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How To Lower Your Cholesterol Without Statins
Cholesterol is produced in the liver and is required for the production of hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids. Cholesterol doesnt dissolve in blood. To be transported in the bloodstream, cholesterol is packed into two types of carriers: low-density lipoprotein or high-density lipoprotein . LDL cholesterol is necessary in limited quantities, but high LDL cholesterol levels can dramatically increase your risk of heart attack by contributing to atherosclerosis. Although high cholesterol is commonly addressed with statins, it is important for people to understand that lipid abnormalities are not caused by a statin deficiency. Rather, they are usually the result of dietary factors, particularly the inclusion of animal foods and oils and the absence of soluble fiber in the diet. Statins can help lower cholesterol levels; however, they can also produce adverse effects in people. Possible side effects include headache, difficulty sleeping, muscle aches and weakness, memory loss, neuropathy, high blood sugar, and an increased risk of developing diabetes. Can diet be just as effective as statins at lowering cholesterol, without the side effects?