Natural Cholesterol Reduction
Simple Techniques to Maintain Healthy Cholesterol Levels
Cholesterol is an essential of life. Excessive amounts can prove to be dangerous and unhealthy. This article will describe some ways of dealing with this issue naturally.
Cholesterol is a steroid alcohol sterol, produced naturally by our liver. It is essential for animal cell health. It is needed to form bile acids, maintain cell membrane health, maintain a healthy metabolism and to produce different hormones. Besides medications, readily available through prescription, there are ways to naturally balance one’s cholesterol levels and to maintain a healthy, safe cholesterol target. As always, consultation with one’s physician is essential to ensure the best possible results individually.
LDL and HDL
Besides being naturally produced by us, additional cholesterol is generally gotten through foods from animal products. Beef, liver, chicken and eggs are all examples of this. Once eaten, where it goes and how it’s metabolized will depend on a myriad of factors such as genes, the amount of exercise one gets, the amount of fatty food eaten and one’s stress levels.
There are two important components of cholesterol that need to be known. They are LDL’s (low density lipoproteins) and HDL’s (high density lipoproteins). LDL’s are also known as being the “bad cholesterol, while HDL’s are known as the “good cholesterol”. LDL’s carry cholesterol away from the liver searching for cell storage. If there is too much cholesterol in the blood and storage within cells is full, the excess amounts will become deposited on the arterial walls, forming plaques. HDL cholesterol, on the other hand, carries cholesterol back from cell storage to the liver, where it will be eliminated out of the body via bile.
Natural cholesterol reduction
There are several ways that one can tilt the balance to favor the amount of HDL versus LDL amounts within one’s body. The first is to increase one’s activity and exercise. Exercise increases the amount of HDL in the blood, thereby increasing the amount of cholesterol being transported back for removal from one’s body.
Another way to help levels is by eating more soluble fiber. Examples of soluble fiber include apples, pears, oats, or by natural supplements from one’s local health food store. Soluble fiber slows down fat absorption and will help remove it through the intestines out of the body. Eating nuts and foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids are other types of foods that can aid in managing cholesterol levels.
Finally stress elimination is also important. Increased stress stimulates higher production and higher levels of cholesterol within the bloodstream.
Cholesterol is essential to life. Excess amounts and larger amounts of the “bad cholesterol”, on the other hand can cause various health problems. These type of problems can be avoided by knowing one’s cholesterol levels, by increasing exercise, maintaining lower stress levels, by including foods high in soluble fiber and by being frequently monitored by a physician.
References
http://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/site_map.htm
