Elevated Cholesterol And Its Impact On Health
Elevated blood cholesterol is an independent risk factor for heart disease and strokes. It is thus very important for every adult (male and female) to get their cholesterol levels screened and evaluated so that corrective measures can be instituted at the appropriate time. Annually millions of people the world over are falling prey to heart attacks and strokes and targeting elevated cholesterol levels can reduce the burden of these preventable diseases.
How Does Elevated Cholesterol Affect Heart Health?
Cholesterol and its variants (LDL Cholesterol - The bad cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol - The good cholesterol and Triglycerides) are collectively called as lipids. The LDL Cholesterol is the culprit in the build-up of plaques on the inside of arteries which eventually leads to the clogging of the arteries and heart attacks. LDL cholesterol gets oxidized before it binds to arterial walls. This is a very crucial step in the formation of plaques.
When you have too much cholesterol in your blood, the excess builds up on the walls of the arteries that carry blood to the heart. Over time, this build-up can narrow the arteries, slow down and impede the flow of blood to the heart. Thereby, possibly leading to a heart attack and related symptoms. The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) has laid down guidelines for the levels of cholesterol that people can have.
Desirable cholesterol levels:
Total Cholesterol: Less than 200 mg/dL.
LDL Cholesterol: Less than 100 mg/dL.
Triglycerides: Less than 150 mg/dL.
HDL Cholesterol: 40 mg/dL or higher.
Factors That Elevate Blood Cholesterol Levels
Several factors are responsible for elevated blood lipid levels. They all have a complex interaction and the end -result is an elevated blood cholesterol level. These factors include: Heredity, Dietary habits, Smoking, Obesity, physical activity and exercise levels, age and sex, alcohol intake, and stress.
How To Lower Cholesterol Levels?
Elevated cholesterol levels once detected have to be aggressively lowered in order to reduce the risk of heart diseases. The first and foremost action that a person need to undertake includes lifestyle changes. Lifestyle changes involve a healthy and nutritious diet rich in greens, fresh fruits, whole grains and minimal saturated fats, regular physical activity, reducing weight in those who are overweight or obese, minimizing alcohol intake and stopping smoking. For those in whom these measures are not sufficient prescription drugs are available. There are several classes of drugs that can help reduce elevated cholesterol levels and the foremost among these include the Statins.
Natural Means To Lower Cholesterol Levels
Natural and herbal remedies to help lower cholesterol have been around for some time now. In the light of some serious adverse events after the use of some statins these remedies have begun to get more attention. In addition to these herbal remedies several natural ingredients are associated with lowered cholesterol levels. These include:
Vitamin B Complex, Garlic, Royal jelly, Red yeast rice, Pantothine, Carnitine, Coenzyme Q 10, Grapeseed extract, Chromium, Fiber, Soy and Vitamin C.
One natural product that caught my attention is Cholesto-Rite. This product has some really well-researched ingredients that have been documented to lower elevated cholesterol levels. The ingredients include Red Yeast Rice, Gugulipid and Aspalathus linearis. Red Yeast Rice has a naturally occuring Statin and has been used since times immemorial in traditional Chinese medicine for lowering blood levels of fats and regulating fat metabolism. Gugulipid is an exciting herbal product that is a potent anti-oxidant. Aspalathus also acts a potent anti-oxidant and improves liver health, digestive health and blood sugar levels in addition.
Key features of Cholesto-Rite:
Regulates levels of LDL cholesterol and increases HDL cholesterol levels.
Acts as a general tonic supporting the cardiovascular health.
Encourages the body's ability to ward off free radicals.
Supports healthy and adequate flow of Oxygen-rich blood to the heart.
Reduce the risk of heart disease today by aggressively lowering your blood cholesterol levels. Find out how here.