Rethinking Cholesterol

Good and Bad Cholesterol

Discipline - sometimes that's all it takes. The advice, "you live only once, so eat what you want to eat" is bad advice. It's sending the message that we need to enjoy life without thinking of our health in the long term. It takes a little sacrifice and discipline to be healthy. We all love French fries and the other convenience foods that flood the market, but feasting on them regularly will damage our hearts.

When you think of cholesterol, think "wax." Imagine this gooey substance traveling through your blood stream and getting clogged in certain parts of your body. When this clogging builds up, it can block nutrients to and from your heart. It could even damage the arteries and blood vessels.

This is not to say that cholesterol is bad. There is LDL and HDL. LDL - or low density cholesterol - is fat that is transported to different parts of the body and comes primarily from the liver. HDL - or high density cholesterol - is fat that goes the opposite direction, going back to the liver to be properly eliminated. HDL is good cholesterol. The Mayo Clinic says there are ways of increasing your HDL: stop smoking, engage in regular physical activity, maintain a healthy weight, and choose healthier fats (olive and canola oil, nuts, fish).

Cholesterol: Major Health Concern

The medical community consistently encourages the public to lower their cholesterol levels to avoid serious heart disease. The proof that high levels of bad cholesterol are ailing large segments of the population is the number of prescription medication that has been developed and prescribed. Forty five percent of women and forty-eight percent of men in Canada, for example, have high levels of unhealthy cholesterol.

People who go through routine physical exams discover they have high cholesterol through their blood tests. The higher the number of bad cholesterol, the higher the risk for a heart attack, stroke or diabetes. Bad cholesterol - LDL - can turn into plaque which in turn disrupts the flow of blood. One potential consequence is a condition called atherosclerosis.

Should You Be Worried?

If you are overweight, lead a sedentary lifestyle and you have a family history of cholesterol, you should be worried. One immediate change you can adopt is to include more fruits and vegetables in your diet. If your cholesterol levels are such that they pose a danger to your health, your doctor will prescribe medicine that falls under the broad category of "statins."

Statins have been called the miracle drugs of the century, but not everyone can take statins as some of them may have serious side effects. People are prescribed statins based on a number of factors. For instance, if your only risk is high cholesterol, you may not need a statin. But if you have other diseases like diabetes, are overweight, smoke, or have a family history of heart attacks or stroke, the doctor may decide that you need medication. Other factors include your age, overall health, lifestyle, and if you tend to have high blood pressure.

Cholesterol: Natural Treatments

If your doctor believes there is no need for prescription medication, then count yourself lucky. That means you can change your lifestyle and can start thinking of taking dietary supplements, especially if your diet is deficient in nutrients and vitamins. Ask your doctor about taking dietary supplements - they are the most natural and safest way to lower your cholesterol levels because they are formulated from plants and herbs.

A few things to bear in mind when considering natural remedies for cholesterol:

Make sure they are made in the USA. This way you have the assurance that they are made from FDA-certified labs, so you receive the added benefit of ingredient integrity. Dietary supplements are not FDA-regulated, but labs who manufacture them are subject to certain FDA restrictions;
Choose natural supplements that provide omega-3 fish oil supplements and homeopathic preparations for lowering bad cholesterol that can, at the same time, increase your good cholesterol levels, metabolize fat and help circulate triglycerides;
Try the new oral chelation natural therapies that are now available. They help to eliminate toxins and other metals from the body and facilitate more efficient blood circulation.

Alexander Todd is a health writer for EarthTurns, a company that sells natural dietary supplements (earthturns.com earthturns.com).