Does high cholesterol have any natural treatments or are medications and lifestyle changes the only things that can help? Although the medical community is just beginning to acknowledge natural treatments in the form of supplements, some of these treatments have become very popular in the last few years. There are also two misconceptions about this potentially very dangerous condition; only medications can help and there are symptoms you can watch for.
Both of these are incorrect, but what comes as the biggest surprise to most people is that high cholesterol will show absolutely no symptoms or signs at all, which is the major reason it is referred to as the silent killer. In fact, the only way that you will ever know that you have this condition is through blood tests.
What is it?
Cholesterol is a wax like substance that is found in the fat of your blood that is referred to as lipids and your body needs it in order to keep the cells both healthy and operating properly. However, when the levels become too high, they can cause several types of damages including heart disease. The actual term high cholesterol implies that you have developed fatty deposits in your blood, and once this occurs, it is only a matter of time before they start to interfere with the flow of blood in your arteries. This can become an extremely dangerous situation for two very key reasons.
The first is that your heart needs a continual supply of oxygen rich blood to pump properly, and your brain needs a continuous flow to operate properly. If the oxygen rich blood flow to your heart is compromised, it places you at risk form several heart problems including a heart attack. If the flow of blood to your brain is diminished, it can cause a stroke to occur. The cholesterol that is carried by your blood attaches to proteins, and once combined, they are referred to as lipoprotein. Most people have heard about high cholesterol in terms of good and bad, but there are actually three different types.
The first type is referred to as low density lipoprotein, also called LDL. When discussing high cholesterol, this is the bad type because as it transports or carries particles through your body, it can and does build up in your arteries. Once this process occurs, your arteries can become both hard and quite narrow. The next type is referred to as very low density lipoprotein or VLDL, and contains most of the fatty particles or triglycerides that attach to your blood. This is also considered bad as it can make the LDL cholesterol larger in size, which causes even more problems.
The third type is high density lipoprotein or HDL, and this is the good type that battles against the development of high cholesterol. The reason that it is considered the good type is that it will pick up any excess levels and then deliver them to your liver which processes it naturally.
Causes and Complications:
High cholesterol can be inherited, however, it most cases it is caused by lifestyle, poor diet, as well as several risk factors. Smoking does several bad things to your body, and this condition is one of them as it damages the walls of your blood vessels. Once this occurs, it is believed to also make them much more prone to accumulating fat deposits as well as lowering the good cholesterol, or HDL. Being overweight is also a risk factor as is a poor diet. Red meats, full fat dairy products, as well as trans-fat products such as crackers or cookies can also raise the levels.
Lack of exercise helps to stimulate your HDL levels, but it also does one other very important task; it lowers the LDL or the bad type that can cause high cholesterol levels. If you have high blood pressure, this also places you at a much higher degree of risk as this condition also damages the walls of your arteries. Diabetes is yet another risk factor as it increases the bad LDL levels and lowers the HDL levels at the same time. The final risk factor is genetics or a family history of this condition.
The complications that can occur are sometimes confused with symptoms, but they are not symptoms; they are instead very serious developments. The first complication is chest pains and this can very easily lead to the next complication; a heart attack. If your plaques tear or rupture it can cause a clot to form, which can block the flow of blood to your heart or it can break free and travel to another site and block that site as well. Strokes occur for the exact same reason, except they affect your brain.
Natural Treatments:
High cholesterol can very effectively be controlled by medications, but there are also some natural forms of treatment that can help.
The first of these is Vitamin C, but there are naturally both sides to this argument and the medical side strongly suggests that there is no evidence that this vitamin does anything at all to affect this condition. However, that may be absolutely true in regards to the LDL or the bad form, but may not be entirely true with the HDL levels. A study done at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston showed some very interesting facts. A test group of 138 people between the ages of 20 and 65 years of age were given 1,000 milligrams of Vitamin C a day for eight consecutive months.
The results were quite impressive, as there was a seven percent increase in the HDL levels by simply taking Vitamin C once a day. It is estimated that about 50 percent of the population in the United States does not receive even the daily requirements of this vitamin, let alone these levels. The next potential natural treatment is with Carnitine, also known as L-carnitine. This nutrient helps your body turn fat into energy and it is produced naturally in your body by your liver and kidneys and then is stored in your skeletal muscles, your heart, and your brain.
However, some people cannot make enough of it, and as a result, it must be supplemented. It has been used for several years to treat several conditions including angina and heart problems, but what is does in converting fat is a huge factor in the battle against high cholesterol. The mineral Chromium's primary role in your body is to regulate the amounts of glucose in your blood and has also been suggested to be helpful in reducing the LDL or bad levels, and at the same time increasing your HDL levels.
However, perhaps the fastest growing and most popular supplement for assisting with this condition is Coenzyme Q10 which is believed to have the ability to lower cholesterol serum levels in your body.
Summary:
High cholesterol is also known as the silent killer, but it can be prevented. The first steps are modifying both your diet as well as your lifestyle, and then taking the preventive additional steps with natural supplements. Each of the vitamins and minerals you need can be taken individually or in a multi-vitamin liquid form. Coenzyme Q10 can also be found in a liquid form and absorbs into your body at over 90 percent effectiveness and will immediately begin the battle to control your cholesterol levels.
I am an avid lover of pets and my wife and I have had several pets throughout our years. We are especially fond of dogs, and we have a 12 year old Dalmatian (our 3rd) and a "mutt" that we rescued when someone threw him away to die in a vacant field.
He found us, nearly starved to death, and weighed about 2 pounds.
After severe bouts of mange and severe dehydration, and over 1,000.00 in veterinarian bills, we saved the little guys life, and he is one of the best, if not the best, dogs we have ever had and today is a muscular, fit, and firm 70 pound best friend.
After finishing my MBA, which at middle age was not easy, I decided to keep the research work ethics that I acquired, and devote about two hours each night in understanding the health benefits of supplementation for both humans and pets and how they might strengthen our, as well as our pets, immune system in a pre-emptive approach to health rather than a reactionary approach.
Both of my daughters are avid cat lovers, and asked me to help them with health concerns and challenges with their cats.
I am not a veterinarian nor claim to be, just a lover of pets that loves to research and pass on some knowledge that might be helpful, or at least stimulating to the thought process.
Several of the articles that I have written can be found on my website;
Liquid Vitamins & Minerals for Humans & Pets: liquid-vitamins-minerals-humans-pets.com liquid-vitamins-minerals-humans-pets.com/
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