Tips for Lowering Cholesterol
1. Substitute 2 egg whites for 1 whole egg in baking
2. Try lean ham, Canadian bacon, turkey bacon and reduced fat sausage
and bacon instead of regular sausage and bacon.
3. Season vegetables with lemon, garlic, onion, chives or pepper
instead of animal fat.
4. Have cooked dry beans and peas instead of meat occasionally; or
substitute for part of the meat in casseroles.
5. Bake, broil or boil with liquid vegetable oils in place of animal
fat.
6. Eat moderate portions (3-4 ounces) rather then large servings of
lean meats and poultry.
7. Select lean cuts of meat and trim visible fat; remove skin from
poultry.
8. Try reduced fat or fat free varieties of milk, cheese, ice cream,
sour cream and yogurt.
9. Enjoy all types of seafood, including shellfish and canned fish
packed in water.
10. Make an egg omelet using egg whites and either one or no egg yolk.
The Beef on Cholesterol
You often never hear anything good about cholesterol, but it actually has some
very important functions in the body. Cholesterol is a fatty, wax-like substance
that helps the brain and nervous system operate normally, and it's used to make
cell walls, hormones and vitamin D.
Too much cholesterol in the blood is what creates a problem. A risk factor for
both heart attack and stroke, high blood cholesterol increases the chance of
plaque or blockages developing in arteries.
Lowering blood cholesterol can slow or stop the buildup of plaque. While your
risk of cardiovascular disease depends on many factors, from genetics to
lifestyle habits, keeping your blood cholesterol levels within ideal ranges can
greatly lower your risk.
Consider some dietary changes, such as drinking green tea and eating more
soluble fiber (oat bran), foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, sardines,
walnuts), and leafy greens and fresh fruits. Foods like onions, garlic, chili
peppers and shiitake mushrooms all have some cholesterol lowering effects.
Reduce your intake of saturated fats. That means fats of animal origin, in
addition to palm and coconut oils, margarine, vegetable shortening and all
products made with partially hydrogenated oils of any kind. (Keep in mind that
your body makes its own cholesterol. Eating saturated fats increases that
production.) Also, cut out coffee, black tea and cola.
Try to bring your cholesterol under control with a low-fat diet and daily
exercise (at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity). These changes are essential
to any cholesterol-lowering program, no matter what supplement or drug you take.
Cholestin is a natural supplement product with a very long history of
traditional use Traditional Chinese Medicine. Cholestin comes from a strain of
red yeast (Monascus) that is used as a natural flavoring and food coloring in
Chinese cooking. The active component, Lovastatin, is also the key ingredient in
an allopathic drug called Mevacor, an FDA-approved cholesterol drug available by
prescription. Cholestin can be found in a health food store.
Limiting Saturated Fat Is Most Important
The cholesterol found in food (called dietary cholesterol),can raise your blood
cholesterol. Only foods that come from animals contain cholesterol. Egg yolks,
organ meats, and whole milk dairy products are especially high in cholesterol.
To keep dietary intake of cholesterol at the recommended level of 300 milligrams
(mg) per day or less:
-Avoid organ meats.
-Limit egg yolks to 4 per week.
-Eat no more than 6-8 ounces of meat/poultry/seafood per day.
-Choose fat free or low fat dairy products.
-Limiting dietary cholesterol is beneficial, but reducing saturated
fat intake is a much more effective way to lower blood cholesterol
levels.
-Saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature. They are found primarily
in animal fats like poultry, beef, or dairy fat. Two vegetable oils, palm and
coconut, are also highly saturated, as are hydrogenated and partially
hydrogenated (solid) vegetable shortenings.
-Unsaturated fats that include monounsaturated (olive and canola oils) and
polyunsaturated fats (safflower and sunflower oils) are the healthiest choices.
Fiber, Flaxseed, Garlic, Guggul
Dietary fiber is the part of a plant that is resistant to the body's digestive
enzymes. Only a relatively small amount of fiber is digested or metabolized in
the stomach or intestines. Most of it moves through the gastrointestinal tract
and ends up in the stool. Although most fiber is not digested, it delivers
several important health benefits.
First, fiber retains water, resulting in softer and bulkier stools that prevent
constipation and hemorrhoids. A high-fiber diet also reduces the risk of colon
cancer, perhaps by speeding the rate at which stool passes through the intestine
and by keeping the digestive tract clean. In addition, fiber binds with certain
substances that would normally result in the production of cholesterol, and
eliminates these substances from the body.
In this way, a high-fiber diet helps lower blood cholesterol levels, reducing
the risk of heart disease.It is recommended that about 30-60 percent of your
total daily calories come from carbohydrates. If much of your diet consists of
healthy complex carbohydrates, you should easily fulfill the recommended daily
minimum of 25 grams of fiber. About 2 slices of whole wheat bread and 2 glasses
of dissolvable fiber (psyllium husk, pectin and guar gum) a day equals the
requirement for lowering cholesterol levels.
Flaxseed oil is derived from the seeds of the flax plant. Flaxseed oil and
flaxseed contain substances that promote good health and is used as a
nutritional supplement. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, especially
alpha-linolenic acid, which appears to be beneficial for heart disease,
inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, cholesterol and a variety of other health
conditions. Flaxseed also contains a group of chemicals called lignans that may
play a role in the prevention of cancer. Take 1,000 mg of flaxseed oil in the
morning and 1,000 mg in the evening.
Garlic. So much research has been done on the great benefits of garlic. In
Europe, garlic has come to be seen as an all-around treatment for preventing
atherosclerosis, the cause of heart disease and strokes. Garlic may fight
atherosclerosis in many ways, such as protecting against free radicals,
countering the tendency of the blood to clot, and possibly reducing blood
pressure and cholesterol levels. Preliminary evidence suggests that regular use
of garlic may help prevent cancer. Garlic may be an effective antibiotic when it
contacts the tissue directly, but there is no evidence that it works like a
standard antibiotic, spreading throughout the body and killing organisms
everywhere. Garlic has known antifungal properties,and there is preliminary
evidence suggesting that Ajoene, a compound derived from garlic, might help
treat athlete's foot. Garlic has also been proposed as a treatment for asthma,
candida, colds, diabetes, and vaginal infections. Garlic oil products are often
recommended for children's ear infections. While these products may reduce pain,
it is very unlikely that they have any actual effect on the infection because
the eardrum is in the way. Contrary to some reports, garlic does not appear to
be a useful treatment for Helicobacter pylori, the stomach bacteria implicated
as a major cause of ulcers. One clove a day or 900 mg a day is recommended.
Guggul (gum guggul) is a resin produced by the mukul mirth tree. Guggulipid is
extracted from guggul and contains chemicals called "plant sterols"
(guggulsterones E and Z), which are believed to be active in the human body.
Experts from UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas and Baylor College of
Medicine in Houston, found that the extract blocks the body's Farnesoid X
Receptor (FXR). This receptor plays a key role in managing cholesterol levels by
triggering the process in which the body converts cholesterol to bile acids.
It this process happens too quickly the body is not able to get rid of enough
cholesterol, leaving levels high and increasing the risks of heart disease. The
researchers said their findings, published in the latest issue of Science
magazine (May 2002), could pave the way for the use of guglipid in new
cholesterol-lowering drugs.
Guggul is a resin known to increase white blood cell counts and possess strong
disinfecting properties. A wide range of actions makes this plant very helpful
not only in protecting against the common cold, but also in various skin, dental
and ophthalmic infections. In addition, Guggul has long been known to lower
cholesterol and triglycerides, while maintaining or improving the HDL to LDL
ratio. Standard guggul extracts contain 5% guggulsterones which tanslates to a
dose of 500mg three times a day.
Blood Lipid Guidelines
Total Cholesterol
Desirable..........<200 mg/dl
Borderline High.....200 - 239 mg/dl
High................>240 mg/dl
LDL Cholesterol
Optimal............<100 mg/dl
Above optimal......100 - 129 mg/dl
Borderline high....130 - 159 mg/dl
High...............160 - 189 mg/dl
Very High..........>190 mg/dl
HDL Cholesterol
Low................<40 mg/dl Male
...................<45 mg/dl Female
Optimal............>60 mg/dl Male/Female
Triglycerides
Normal............<150 mg/dl
Borderline.........150 - 199 mg/dl
High...............200 - 499 mg/dl
Very High..........>500 mg/dl
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Tips For Lowering Cholesterol
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