Go For A Nice Run Or Jog
If your joints are in good shape and you enjoy jogging, youre in luck, as this is a great exercise for lowering cholesterol and for managing your weight. Dont think you have to race, though. An easy jog for a few miles may be better for lowering cholesterol than a fast sprint around the block.
In a 2013 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers reported that long-distance runners showed significantly better improvements in HDL cholesterol levels than short-distance runners . They also saw better improvements in their blood pressure.
Work Out To Raise Your Hdl
Exercise works wonders for your body and helps with many cardiovascular risk factors, including cholesterol levels. According to a 2016 study published in the Translational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine, most forms of exercise will help raise your HDL levels and can simultaneously lower your LDL levels.
Aerobic exercise, which can range from a 30-minute walk every day to running 10 miles, is widely accepted as a method for increasing your HDL levels. A 2017 study published in Lipids in Health and Disease showed that exercise at 65 percent of your maximal capacity can raise your HDL levels by almost 3 milligrams per deciliter of blood.
Maximum capacity in this study was measured in VO2 max, which requires expensive equipment to measure. To match that intensity, you can train in a light to moderate heart rate zone, which is around 60 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate, according to an article from Polar. To find your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220.
Mechanism Of Reverse Cholesterol Transport
Our understanding of reverse cholesterol transport and its role in cholesterol efflux has progressed over the last few decades . Reverse cholesterol transport is a pathway by which cholesterol is transported from the artery walls to the liver for excretion from the body. It is through this process that the body reduces the amount of plaque buildup in vessel walls and reverses atherosclerosis.
HDL is synthesized in the liver and is a key factor in RCT. The liver releases the nascent HDL particles into the bloodstream. ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 translocates cholesterol to the cell surface, where they appear to form lipid domains that interact with amphipathic -helixes in apolipoproteins. ApoA1 and A2 on HDL stimulate the enzyme LCAT, which then esterifies the cell surface cholesterol molecules to form cholesteryl ester, which migrate to the core of the HDL particle to form mature migrating HDL. Cholesterol esters are then exchanged for triglycerides in apoB100-containing lipoproteins . These cholesteryl esters are then taken up by the liver through the LDL-R Receptor. Finally, a liver protein named SR-B1 is the HDL receptor expressed on liver cells, allowing the liver to endocytose HDL, removing it from circulation .
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Dr Deborah Lee Dr Fox Online Pharmacy Shares Her Tips On How To Naturally Lower Your Cholesterol Levels Without Using Medication
Have you recently been told youve got a raised cholesterol level? This can come as a shock.
Having a raised cholesterol is serious as this increases your risk of cardiovascular disease strokes and heart attacks. However, heres some good news. There are many things you can do to lower your cholesterol levels and lower these risks.
Read on and find out how to lower your cholesterol levels naturally without necessarily resorting to medication.
How To Add Fibre To Your Diet
Foods that are high in fibre are listed below. Try and incorporate as much as you can of these in your daily diet
- Whole grains found in cereal, brown bread, brown rice and brown pasta . Also, in oats, barley, and rye.
- Fruits including pears, strawberries, apples, bananas, mangoes, and raspberries.
- Vegetables including carrots, beetroot, broccoli, and sprouts.
- Legumes including lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, and baked beans.
- Nuts and seeds including almonds, cashews, pistachios, and chia seeds.
- Potatoes with their jackets on. Most dietary fibre is found in the skin of fruits and vegetables.
You can eat more fibre by
- Choosing healthy whole grains in cereal, bread, and pasta.
- Opting for healthy snacks such as an apple or a pear instead of a pack of biscuits.
- Adding vegetables to our cooking wherever possible adding vegetables to soups and casseroles, keep some in the freezer so you dont run out. Use lentils and beans to thicken dishes too.
- Wash vegetables but leave the skins on when possible.
- Make dips with chickpeas such as humus and eat with raw vegetable sticks.
- Eat nuts as a snack or add chopped nuts to yoghurt and fruit as a dessert.
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Eat More Fish To Boost Hdl Cholesterol
Including fish in your diet can increase HDL cholesterol in a short period of time. In a study published in February 2014 in the journal PLoS One, researchers concluded that a diet rich in foods including fish showed an increase in the size of HDL particles in the body, which could help improve cholesterol transport through the body. The researchers saw the positive effects of a diet that included fish in as little as 12 weeks.
Omega-3 fatty acids, which are the type of fatty acids found in fish, can help increase your HDL cholesterol, Ahmed says. Two servings of fatty fish per week, including salmon, mackerel, or albacore tuna, can help you hit your omega-3 goals. Youll also get omega-3s from flaxseeds, mixed greens, and walnuts in your diet.
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.;
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What Can You Do To Keep Hdl High
Although medications can increase HDL cholesterol, research has shown that they do not necessarily alter your risk of heart disease, says Dr. Wassif. So we focus on LDL cholesterol reduction and recommend lifestyle changes. The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association recommend:
A healthy, well-balanced diet. Eat a Mediterranean-style diet rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, and lean vegetable or animal protein and fish.
Regular exercise, such as walking.;Get at least 150 minutes of;moderate-intensity physical activity per week, or 75 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity activity.
Maintain a healthy weight, or lose excess pounds if needed. Besides improving your diet and exercise habits, a comprehensive plan may include lifestyle counseling for stress, sleep hygiene and other individual challenges you face.
Dont smoke. If you smoke, individual or social support groups are recommended while trying to quit to increase your chances of success.
Manage your blood sugar. If you have type 2 diabetes, a healthy diet and exercise are crucial, along with any medications your doctor may recommend.
Aim for a blood pressure of < 130/80 mm Hg. Get the proper amount of good-quality sleep, follow a low-sodium diet and meet the recommended exercise guidelines.
Start by taking these small steps to change your lifestyle. Theyll help you boost your HDL, making it easier for your bloodstreams cleaner to do its job.
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.
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Try Having One Vegetarian Meal Every Week
Dont let the word vegetarian scare you. By choosing a smartly prepared vegetarian meal, youre hitting multiple cholesterol-lowering goals at the same time, like eating healthier fats and getting more soluble fiber. Plus, many vegetarian meals are just as flavorful and filling as their meaty cousins.
Heres one idea for a low-cholesterol recipe: Try a freshly prepared salad with a sesame vinaigrette and some grilled, spiced tofu. For dessert, add some fresh blueberries, strawberries and oats to low-fat vanilla yogurt.
The key here is to build up a routine, like making every Tuesday night vegetarian night. Once that becomes the norm, try expanding to different nights, or add a weekly vegetarian lunch, too. You can also be flexitarian by just eating smaller portions of meat. Over time, these modifications can really add up and pay off.
Best Exercises For Lowering Cholesterol
Some research has indicated that it may be that how much you exercise is more important than what kind of exercise you do. That means its worth it to incorporate more activity into your day however you can. Take a walk during your lunch hour, choose the stairs, stand up to take phone calls, or store a jump rope at your desk.
In addition, try to incorporate at least 30 minutes of structured exercise into each day. Any exercise is better than none, but the following six types have shown in studies to be effective at reducing cholesterol levels.
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Foods That Lower Cholesterol
There are food choices you can make that help improve your cholesterol levels. You might not have to go on a medication to change your levels. Sometimes, you need both medication and dietary changes.
To start, stop eating processed food that include trans fats and saturated fats. These tend to raise your total cholesterol levels.
To reduce your LDL levels specifically, youll want to eat the following:
- Fruits and vegetables such as leafy greens; yellow, orange and red tomatoes; strawberries; plums and berries. The more colorful the produce is, the more cholesterol-blocking substances your body will get.
- Oatmeal, kidney beans, brussels sprouts, apples and pears their fiber keeps your body from absorbing extra cholesterol into your blood.
- Fish with omega-3 fatty acids, such as tuna, salmon, trout, mackerel and herring.
- Whey protein, such as the powdered types you can add into smoothies.
- Seeds, nuts, avocados and soybeans.
Foods That Increase Hdl Level Naturally
- You may know cranberry juice for its benefits in urinary tract infections. In recent studies, cranberry juice has shown to increase level of good cholesterol in the blood.
- Flax seeds, tuna and salmon fish, walnut, soya bean, are known to improve HDL cholesterol. They are rich source of omega -3 fatty acids. It is a healthy fat, the best way to increase HDL, is to incorporate these foods daily in your diet.
- Vegetables and fruits are also known to raise good cholesterol. Certain vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, and cabbage are known to elevate HDL in blood and decrease the LDL level. Among fruits apples, apricots, oranges, bananas are considered valuable in increasing good cholesterol.
- The best way to increase HDL is to increase consumption of oats, barley and oatmeal in your diet.
- Moderate alcohol is known to increase HDL level; however it also increases the LDL level.
From the above list you can see many foods can increase HDL level in your blood. Adding one or more of them in your diet will definitely compliment other ways such as exercise, to increase HDL or good cholesterol as it is popularly known.
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Triglycerides In Your Blood
In addition to cholesterol, your blood also contains a type of fat called triglycerides, which are stored in your bodys fat deposits. Hormones release triglycerides to make energy between meals.;
When you eat, your body converts any extra energy it doesnt need right away into triglycerides.
Like cholesterol, your body needs triglycerides to work properly. However, there is evidence to suggest that some people with high triglycerides are at increased risk of heart disease and stroke.;
If you regularly eat more energy than you need, you may have high triglycerides .;
How Does Hdl Cholesterol Help Your Heart
Experts aren’t yet sure exactly how HDL cholesterol helps reduce the risk of heart disease. But a few possibilities have emerged.
The NCEP says that high HDL levels appear to protect against the formation of plaques in the artery walls , according to studies in animals.
Lab studies, meanwhile, suggest that HDL promotes the removal of cholesterol from cells found in abnormal tissues, or lesions, in the arteries.
“Recent studies indicate that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of HDL also inhibit atherogenesis,” says the NCEP report.
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How To Increase Good Hdl Cholesterol
Its a very common misconception that cholesterol is generally bad and high levels are always cause for serious concern. But what if I told you that there is a type of cholesterol thats not only good at higher levels, but also decreases your risk of major health issues like heart disease? I have great news: This type of cholesterol really does exist. Its called HDL cholesterol, and its our good cholesterol.
So if there is a cholesterol that is actually good for us, how can we naturally increase its levels? The short answer is lifestyle.;Your lifestyle actually has the single greatest;impact on your HDL cholesterol level. So making changes to daily and completely controllable habits like diet and exercise can equate to healthier;HDL cholesterol levels, which can;lower your risk for life-threatening health issues.
Lets get started on improving;those HDL cholesterol numbers because positive change can literally start today!
Drop Excess Pounds To Increase Hdl Cholesterol
If youre overweight or obese, shedding those excess pounds can help to raise HDL cholesterol. Leah Groppo, RD, CDE, clinical dietitian at Stanford Health Care in Stanford, California, says that losing around 7 percent of your total body weight is enough to cause a metabolic shift.But as Groppo notes, Maintaining weight loss is key.
Abdominal obesity fat that accumulates around your waist rather than in the hips and thighs seems to be associated with heart disease risk and lower levels of the good cholesterol. Weight loss is especially helpful for people who have an apple-shaped body.
Effective weight-loss methods include diet, exercise, and surgery. A study published in January 2014 in the journal Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases;found that 318 participants who received laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding showed a significant increase in their HDL cholesterol long-term, 12 years later.
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Berberine this is a plant-based natural supplement to raise HDL. Its ideal for promoting healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It may very well be the single most powerful supplement we carry. Due to soil depletion and modern farming practices, its nearly impossible to get the nutrition you need from food alone. Use Berberine as the supplement of choice to boost HDL.
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Activities That Lower Cholesterol
Along with eating right, youll want to get active. While certain foods help lower bad LDL cholesterol levels, exercise can help raise your good HDL cholesterol levels.
Moderate exercise for 30 minutes around five times a week can change your cholesterol levels. It doesnt matter what you do, just as long as youre motivated to keep it up. Even a brisk walk every day for a half an hour can do the job.
Other lifestyle changes you can make include:
- Stopping smoking to increase your HDL levels
- Cutting down on sugary alcohol drinks to increase your HDL levels
- Losing weight by cutting out sugary and processed items that contribute to high cholesterol
In addition to making lifestyle changes, you can help manage your levels with cholesterol-lowering medication. These medicines can lower fats and LDL cholesterol in your blood. Talk to your primary care provider to see if medicine is right for you.
Want to learn more about your heart health? Take our free, online heart risk assessment today.
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High Hdl Cholesterol Issues
Research published by the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology found that people with high levels of C-reactive proteins after having had a heart attack may process high HDL negatively. C-reactive proteins are produced by your liver in response to high levels of inflammation in your body. Instead of acting as a protective factor in heart health, high HDL levels in these people could instead increase the risk of heart disease.
While your levels may still be in the normal range, your body may process HDL differently if you have this type of inflammation. The study looked at blood drawn from 767 nondiabetic people who had recently had a heart attack. They used the data to predict outcomes for the study participants and found that those with high levels of HDL and C-reactive proteins were a particularly high-risk group for heart disease.
Ultimately, more research needs to be done to determine the risks of high HDL in this particular group of people.