Kay Kay Healthcare Ltd.
CHOLESTEROL PROBLEMS
SYMPTOMS
A high level of cholesterol in the blood does have obvious symptoms but can be a risk factor for other conditions that do have recognizable symptoms, including angina, atherosclerosis, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and other circulatory ailments.
• Soft, yellowish skin growths or lesions called exanthemas may indicate a genetic predisposition to the body’s inability to process cholesterol and triglycerides normally.
• Obesity and diabetes may be associated with high cholesterol levels.
• In men, impotence may be due to arteries affected by excessive blood cholesterol.
WHAT IS CHOLESTEROL
Cholesterol is a paradox; everyone needs it, but for some people it’s a potential killer. A naturally occurring fat, cholesterol contributes to such vital bodily functions as building new cells, insulating nerves, and producing hormones. The liver makes all the cholesterol the body normally needs, but because this waxy substance is found in all animal products, you ingest it whenever you eat meat and dairy foods. For people genetically predisposed to cholesterol problems, a diet high in saturated fats is the chief cause of high cholesterol levels. In the bloodstream, cholesterol binds with protein molecules to form various types of so called lipoproteins. High density lipoprotein is a dense, compact micro particle that transports excess cholesterol to the liver, where it is altered and expelled in the bile. Low density lipoprotein is a larger, less dense particle that tends to remain in the body. Very low density lipoprotein are molecules that transport triglycerides chemical compounds that store fatty acids, an essential source of energy for the body. The amount of cholesterol in your bloodstream would not be of such significance were it not for its association with various cardiovascular disease. The risk of developing these condition is complex and depend on not only how much cholesterol but also what kind of cholesterol you have in your blood. Generally speaking, LDL the so called bad cholesterol is associated with increased risk of dying from coronary heart disease; HDL or “good cholesterol” is associated with decreased risk. However, the risk of cardiovascular ailments posed by high LDL cholesterol varies widely from one person to the next. Specifically, LDL cholesterol is the type that infiltrates arterial walls, initiating the inflammatory disease known as atherosclerosis; people with atherosclerosis are in turn vulnerable to heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular disorders. Even so, most people have high cholesterol never actually get heart disease, and most heart attack victims do not suffer abnormally high cholesterol levels. Since no one can predict with certainty which people with high cholesterol will develop heart disease, play it safe and keep your cholesterol levels in check.
CAUSES
Having high cholesterol is determined largely by the luck of the genetic draw. Some families are genetically blessed with low total cholesterol or high HDL cholesterol levels regardless of diet or lifestyle. Other families suffer from various hereditary disorders that significantly increase the risk for high cholesterol; the most prevalent of these disorders are also associated with obesity and diabetes. People with such a genetic predisposition who eat a diet high in saturated fats are likely to have high blood cholesterol. On the positive side, vigorous exercisers, such as long distance runners, tend to have high HDL cholesterol levels. Before menopause, women tend to have higher HDL cholesterol than men their age. Because some researchers deduce that estrogen may raise HDL, or “good”, cholesterol and VLDL while lowering LDL, doctors can weigh the potential benefits when considering hormone replacement therapy for post-menopausal women.
DIAGNOSTIC AND TEST PROCEDURES
A laboratory test to determine your blood cholesterol level is now a routine part of most physicians checkups. When you have your blood tested you will typically get three regarding’s expressed in milligrams per deciliter: one for total or serum cholesterol, one for HDL cholesterol, and one for triglycerides. The first concern is your serum cholesterol level: total cholesterol below 200 is considered normal and safe. Cholesterol level between 200 and 240 are considered borderline, and level of 240 or more is definitely high. HDL cholesterol for a man should be above 35, and for a woman it should be above 45. As for LDL cholesterol the dangerous kind ideally your level should be below 130; between 130 and 160 is borderline, and above 160 is high. Your triglycerides level should be below 200. Finally, for the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol, the lower the number, the better. For men, 4.2 to 7.3 is average; for women, 3.9 to 5.7 is average. In general, then any ratio reading below 4 is good.
TREATMENT
Advice from your doctor about cholesterol reduction is likely to echo that of nutritionists and most alternative practitioners: adopt a diet low in fat and cholesterol, lose weight, exercise regularly, and if you smoke, quit.
CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE
for people in the high normal to borderline serum cholesterol range about 40 percent of American men and an even higher percentage of American women diet and lifestyle changes may reduce cholesterol level or keep them in a desirable range. If your cholesterol level close to or above 240, adjusting diet and lifestyle may not be enough. Instead, your doctor may prescribe either a natural cholesterol reduction plan based on a high fiber dietary supplement, such as bran or phylum, or a synthetic cholesterol reducing drug. Of the many cholesterol reducing drugs available, members of the stain family lovastatin, Simvastatin, and Pravastatin are among the more widely prescribed. They operate by blocking an enzyme that the liver uses to manufacture cholesterol. They tolerated well by most patient, although they are expensive and can sometimes produce unwanted side effects such as liver inflammation. For some people, Niacin is an alternative, but to be effective it must be taken in large doses. A blood cleansing procedure called LDL apheresis may help people with severe genetic cholesterol disorders. Over several hours, blood is removed from the body, chemically cleans of LDL cholesterol, then return to the body. Treatment every two to three weeks can reduce average LDL cholesterol level by 50 to 80 percent but are costly in terms of both time and money.
ALTERNATIVE CHOICES
Alternative therapies offer a range of natural ways to control your cholesterol levels. All can be pursued indecently, many in conjunction with drug therapy. The following list of treatment will let you customize your own program.
AYURVEDIC MEDICINE
Ayurvedic healers have traditionally employed Malabar Tamarind, also known as Bridal Berry, a yellowish fruit from India use extensively in curries, to treat obesity. Some studies suggest that fruit may also help reduce total cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
CHINESES MEDICINE
Traditional chines healers treat various forms of chronic heart disease, along with factors like high cholesterol, with acupuncture and an herbal therapy that employs Polygonum . because of Chinese herbs almost always work in combination rather than individual, you should consult a trained herbalist for an appropriate prescription.
HERBAL THERAPIES
A highly touted remedy for fighting high cholesterol is Gugulipid, an extract of the Mukul Myrrh tree of southern India. Gugulipid ability to control cholesterol and triglyceride levels has been compared to that of some synthetic drugs, with claims that it lowers LDL and raises HDL cholesterol levels without side effects. Other herbs reputed to have cholesterol lowering properties include Alfalfa, Turmeric, Asian ginseng, and Fenugreek. you might also consult a nutritional oriented doctor about the benefit of phystosterol tablets. Phytoaterols are plant compound structurally comparable to cholesterol that effectively block uptake of cholesterol in the liver.
LIFESTYLE
Evidence suggest that even though exercise alone cannot lower total cholesterol, moderate exercise several times a week can help raise HDL cholesterol levels in many people. Vigorous exercise may raise HDL levels even higher, although at some point athletes apparently reach an “HDL plateau”.
MIND/BODY MEDICINE
Stress is believed to contribute to evaluated cholesterol, so relaxation techniques that combat stress may help lower cholesterol levels. Progressive relaxation with guided imagery is something you can try anywhere, anytime. You might also try massage therapy, yoga, meditation, or biofeedback.
NUTRITON AND DIET
The basic dietary rule for lowering cholesterol are simple: avoid saturated fats and dietary cholesterol. Experts recommend diet with not more than 30 percent of your daily calories from fat; some say 20 percent. Saturated fats derived from animal products and tropical oil should be keep to a minimum, so avoid eating deep fried foods and pay attention to nutrition labels on package foods. Eat more vegetables, fruits, and grains, which are cholesterol free, virtually fat free, and rich in fiber. Garlic and onion are believed to lower cholesterol, but reports vary how much you should eat in order to benefit. It’s safe to say that the more you eat, preferably raw, the better the effect.
PREVENTION
• Keep your weight in check.
• Eat wisely everyday no more than 300 mg of cholesterol and at the very most 30 percent of calories from fat.
• Exercise several times a week vigorously if you can, But moderate exercise is better than none at all.
• If you smoke, quit.
• Track your progress. Have your blood cholesterol level tested periodically by your doctor or reputable lab. At home test kits, like many consumer health devices, are generally unreliable.
CHOLESTEROL PROBLEMS
SYMPTOMS
A high level of cholesterol in the blood does have obvious symptoms but can be a risk factor for other conditions that do have recognizable symptoms, including angina, atherosclerosis, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and other circulatory ailments.
• Soft, yellowish skin growths or lesions called exanthemas may indicate a genetic predisposition to the body’s inability to process cholesterol and triglycerides normally.
• Obesity and diabetes may be associated with high cholesterol levels.
• In men, impotence may be due to arteries affected by excessive blood cholesterol.
WHAT IS CHOLESTEROL
Cholesterol is a paradox; everyone needs it, but for some people it’s a potential killer. A naturally occurring fat, cholesterol contributes to such vital bodily functions as building new cells, insulating nerves, and producing hormones. The liver makes all the cholesterol the body normally needs, but because this waxy substance is found in all animal products, you ingest it whenever you eat meat and dairy foods. For people genetically predisposed to cholesterol problems, a diet high in saturated fats is the chief cause of high cholesterol levels. In the bloodstream, cholesterol binds with protein molecules to form various types of so called lipoproteins. High density lipoprotein is a dense, compact micro particle that transports excess cholesterol to the liver, where it is altered and expelled in the bile. Low density lipoprotein is a larger, less dense particle that tends to remain in the body. Very low density lipoprotein are molecules that transport triglycerides chemical compounds that store fatty acids, an essential source of energy for the body. The amount of cholesterol in your bloodstream would not be of such significance were it not for its association with various cardiovascular disease. The risk of developing these condition is complex and depend on not only how much cholesterol but also what kind of cholesterol you have in your blood. Generally speaking, LDL the so called bad cholesterol is associated with increased risk of dying from coronary heart disease; HDL or “good cholesterol” is associated with decreased risk. However, the risk of cardiovascular ailments posed by high LDL cholesterol varies widely from one person to the next. Specifically, LDL cholesterol is the type that infiltrates arterial walls, initiating the inflammatory disease known as atherosclerosis; people with atherosclerosis are in turn vulnerable to heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular disorders. Even so, most people have high cholesterol never actually get heart disease, and most heart attack victims do not suffer abnormally high cholesterol levels. Since no one can predict with certainty which people with high cholesterol will develop heart disease, play it safe and keep your cholesterol levels in check.
CAUSES
Having high cholesterol is determined largely by the luck of the genetic draw. Some families are genetically blessed with low total cholesterol or high HDL cholesterol levels regardless of diet or lifestyle. Other families suffer from various hereditary disorders that significantly increase the risk for high cholesterol; the most prevalent of these disorders are also associated with obesity and diabetes. People with such a genetic predisposition who eat a diet high in saturated fats are likely to have high blood cholesterol. On the positive side, vigorous exercisers, such as long distance runners, tend to have high HDL cholesterol levels. Before menopause, women tend to have higher HDL cholesterol than men their age. Because some researchers deduce that estrogen may raise HDL, or “good”, cholesterol and VLDL while lowering LDL, doctors can weigh the potential benefits when considering hormone replacement therapy for post-menopausal women.
DIAGNOSTIC AND TEST PROCEDURES
A laboratory test to determine your blood cholesterol level is now a routine part of most physicians checkups. When you have your blood tested you will typically get three regarding’s expressed in milligrams per deciliter: one for total or serum cholesterol, one for HDL cholesterol, and one for triglycerides. The first concern is your serum cholesterol level: total cholesterol below 200 is considered normal and safe. Cholesterol level between 200 and 240 are considered borderline, and level of 240 or more is definitely high. HDL cholesterol for a man should be above 35, and for a woman it should be above 45. As for LDL cholesterol the dangerous kind ideally your level should be below 130; between 130 and 160 is borderline, and above 160 is high. Your triglycerides level should be below 200. Finally, for the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol, the lower the number, the better. For men, 4.2 to 7.3 is average; for women, 3.9 to 5.7 is average. In general, then any ratio reading below 4 is good.
TREATMENT
Advice from your doctor about cholesterol reduction is likely to echo that of nutritionists and most alternative practitioners: adopt a diet low in fat and cholesterol, lose weight, exercise regularly, and if you smoke, quit.
CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE
for people in the high normal to borderline serum cholesterol range about 40 percent of American men and an even higher percentage of American women diet and lifestyle changes may reduce cholesterol level or keep them in a desirable range. If your cholesterol level close to or above 240, adjusting diet and lifestyle may not be enough. Instead, your doctor may prescribe either a natural cholesterol reduction plan based on a high fiber dietary supplement, such as bran or phylum, or a synthetic cholesterol reducing drug. Of the many cholesterol reducing drugs available, members of the stain family lovastatin, Simvastatin, and Pravastatin are among the more widely prescribed. They operate by blocking an enzyme that the liver uses to manufacture cholesterol. They tolerated well by most patient, although they are expensive and can sometimes produce unwanted side effects such as liver inflammation. For some people, Niacin is an alternative, but to be effective it must be taken in large doses. A blood cleansing procedure called LDL apheresis may help people with severe genetic cholesterol disorders. Over several hours, blood is removed from the body, chemically cleans of LDL cholesterol, then return to the body. Treatment every two to three weeks can reduce average LDL cholesterol level by 50 to 80 percent but are costly in terms of both time and money.
ALTERNATIVE CHOICES
Alternative therapies offer a range of natural ways to control your cholesterol levels. All can be pursued indecently, many in conjunction with drug therapy. The following list of treatment will let you customize your own program.
AYURVEDIC MEDICINE
Ayurvedic healers have traditionally employed Malabar Tamarind, also known as Bridal Berry, a yellowish fruit from India use extensively in curries, to treat obesity. Some studies suggest that fruit may also help reduce total cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
CHINESES MEDICINE
Traditional chines healers treat various forms of chronic heart disease, along with factors like high cholesterol, with acupuncture and an herbal therapy that employs Polygonum . because of Chinese herbs almost always work in combination rather than individual, you should consult a trained herbalist for an appropriate prescription.
HERBAL THERAPIES
A highly touted remedy for fighting high cholesterol is Gugulipid, an extract of the Mukul Myrrh tree of southern India. Gugulipid ability to control cholesterol and triglyceride levels has been compared to that of some synthetic drugs, with claims that it lowers LDL and raises HDL cholesterol levels without side effects. Other herbs reputed to have cholesterol lowering properties include Alfalfa, Turmeric, Asian ginseng, and Fenugreek. you might also consult a nutritional oriented doctor about the benefit of phystosterol tablets. Phytoaterols are plant compound structurally comparable to cholesterol that effectively block uptake of cholesterol in the liver.
LIFESTYLE
Evidence suggest that even though exercise alone cannot lower total cholesterol, moderate exercise several times a week can help raise HDL cholesterol levels in many people. Vigorous exercise may raise HDL levels even higher, although at some point athletes apparently reach an “HDL plateau”.
MIND/BODY MEDICINE
Stress is believed to contribute to evaluated cholesterol, so relaxation techniques that combat stress may help lower cholesterol levels. Progressive relaxation with guided imagery is something you can try anywhere, anytime. You might also try massage therapy, yoga, meditation, or biofeedback.
NUTRITON AND DIET
The basic dietary rule for lowering cholesterol are simple: avoid saturated fats and dietary cholesterol. Experts recommend diet with not more than 30 percent of your daily calories from fat; some say 20 percent. Saturated fats derived from animal products and tropical oil should be keep to a minimum, so avoid eating deep fried foods and pay attention to nutrition labels on package foods. Eat more vegetables, fruits, and grains, which are cholesterol free, virtually fat free, and rich in fiber. Garlic and onion are believed to lower cholesterol, but reports vary how much you should eat in order to benefit. It’s safe to say that the more you eat, preferably raw, the better the effect.
PREVENTION
• Keep your weight in check.
• Eat wisely everyday no more than 300 mg of cholesterol and at the very most 30 percent of calories from fat.
• Exercise several times a week vigorously if you can, But moderate exercise is better than none at all.
• If you smoke, quit.
• Track your progress. Have your blood cholesterol level tested periodically by your doctor or reputable lab. At home test kits, like many consumer health devices, are generally unreliable.
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