LDL or bad cholesterol in excess amount can lead to worst consequences. With excess of LDL in blood you are very much susceptible to coronary artery diseases. This low density lipoproteion when gets deposited in blood in surplus amount starts forming plaque that can either block the arteries or can result in narrowed arteries. And best way to keep level of LDL in control is to opt for LDL free diet or food that lowers LDL content.

LDL cholesterol could be kept well under control if you happen to consume LDL free foods. For a normal people desired level of LDL cholesterol should be not more than one thirty or one forty mg per dL. For that you should chalk out a dietary strategy in consultation with your health care provider that would usually be based on consumption of foods that are either free of LDL or bring reduction in LDL content.

Unsaturated fat products if consumed in plenty won’t add too much to cholesterol and LDL content would automatically get reduced. Instead of whole milk you can go for skimmed milk. Similarly you can go for fat free cheese and other fat free milk products. These products would bring considerable reduction in bad cholesterol.

You should substitute foods with high fat content by foods with low food content, it is a very natural way of curbing high level of LDL. For example butter has a perfect substitute in Margarine that is derived from whales.

If you happen to be afflicted with great surge in LDL, you can devour foods rich in Niacin. Niacin is an active LDL reducing agent. You must increase consumption fiber products and green vegetables. With an increased intake of fiber, you are likely to reduce bad cholesterol. You should particularly focus on soluble fibers.

Products that help bring a surge in HDL cholesterol could be consumed as it would have an adverse effect on LDL. Intake of fruits and whole grains could be increased for the same reason. Products rich in vitamin A and E could also contribute to LDL reduction. Fish must be incorporated in your diet as it contains Omega 3 fatty acid that considerably reduces Low density Lipoprotein.

Barley, cereals, oats and lot of complex carbohydrates could be added to your diet. You should also consume lipid free oils such as Canola and Olive oil.

If you could stick to these food items, you are sure to lower LDL.

Ashish Jain
http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/food-tips-to-lower-bad-cholesterol-85960.html

We know how importance lower cholesterol levels are. It can decrease our risk for heart disease, stroke and heart attack. But can our cholesterol levels be too low? Since our bodies make cholesterol it makes sense our body needs this chemical, but what happens if the body doesn’t have the cholesterol it needs?

First, abnormally low cholesterol levels have been linked with anxiety, depression, suicide, and violent behavior. An article published in the periodical Psychosomatic Medicine in May of 1999 makes a startling revelation.

Total Cholesterol Levels
It refers to a study of healthy young women with total cholesterol levels below 160 mg/dl. It reports these women were more likely to make high scores on tests used to measure levels of depression and anxiety than those with normal cholesterol levels.

Medical data has also shown men with low cholesterol levels are 50-80 percent more likely to be the victim of a homicide, suicide or fatal accident than those with normal cholesterol levels.

Link
Researchers suspect there may be a link between low cholesterol levels and low serotonin level. Serotonin is a “feel good” chemical found in the brain. People with low levels of serotonin are those who have problems with depression and anxiety. So, these lower cholesterol levels can cause depression.

Other studies into the effects of abnormally low cholesterol also show there may be some link between low blood cholesterol and cancer. Researchers are finding the lower the blood cholesterol level the higher the risk for cancer. Seemingly, the lower cholesterol levels may also increase your risk for cancer.

Increase Risk
Perhaps the most surprising result of all is that having abnormally low cholesterol can increase your risk for a stroke. While it is generally reported to be the other way around, there are studies that show abnormally low levels of cholesterol can cause more strokes than high cholesterol.

According to information in an article entitled The Cholesterol Myth posted on the website Second Opinions states studies of the Japanese people have backed up the fact lower cholesterol
than normal may cause more strokes.

The Japanese were an ideal people for the stroke study because they have had a rapid change over the past couple of decades in their eating habits. They have evolved from eating a low cholesterol diet high in rice and vegetables to eating more high fat foods. While it seems the Japanese who ate a higher fat diet would be more likely to have strokes, the number of strokes has decreased among the Japanese as their dietary fat increased.

Further Research
Further studies have shown there are two different types of strokes, those caused from clots and those caused from hemorrhaging. While high cholesterol does increase your risk of clot type strokes, research shows chances for a hemorrhagic stroke is increased by an abnormally low cholesterol level.

As you can see, while it is dangerous for your cholesterol to be too high, it is also dangerous for your levels to be too low. Research has shown that abnormally low cholesterol may be linked to depression and anxiety as well as an increase in strokes. Lower cholesterol may not necessarily be better.

Julia Carmichael
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/lower-cholesterol-can-your-low-cholesterol-level-be-bad-123296.html

If your doctor has been lecturing you on lowering your cholesterol, you may wonder why your cholesterol level is so important. A high cholesterol level is bad because it can result in heart disease, heart attack or stroke when cholesterol is allowed to build up in your arteries. High cholesterol should be taken very seriously and steps taken to reduce your level.

First, cholesterol is a naturally occurring substance produced by the body. In fact, the body produces all the cholesterol that it needs for normal function. It is when this cholesterol is increased by what you take in through the foods that you eat that levels can become too high. This is especially true when you eat a lot of high fat foods. When the cholesterol levels in your blood rise above the normal levels some of this cholesterol is left behind in your vessels and arteries and can eventually result in a hardened plaque lining inside the vessels.

High cholesterol levels bring on a heart attack in a four step process. First, the lining of the arteries are weakened by the cholesterol. When LDL cholesterol moves out of the bloodstream into the artery walls, it causes them to either constrict or relax. These changes in the artery walls cause the walls to weaken, allowing the cholesterol to penetrate deeper. The changes also cause disruption in blood pressure and blood flow.

Next, the changes in the artery lining cause the body to respond to the changes. The body reacts as it would to an inflammation, sending immune cells called macrophages to the site of the damage. The macrophages try to clear away the LDL cholesterol but only succeed in creating “foamy” cells that make the clogging worse. As more LDL cholesterol is deposited, more macrophages come to the area, and the clogging becomes a deadly cycle.

In a final attempt to clear up what it sees as inflammation, the artery walls create a fibrous material which eventually forms a cap over the damaged area. This is how the plaque forms that doctors say is responsible for clogging your arteries. If this clogging occurs in an artery that feeds the heart muscle, the muscle is denied oxygen and nutrients and the heart muscle is weakened. As more LDL cholesterol and macrophages collect in the area, the plaque cap on the artery thins.

The final step in a heart attack occurs when this ever thinning plaque cap ruptures allowing blood to seep into the artery wall. This causes the body to react by releasing platelets, or clotting factor, to the area. This causes a clot to form in the artery. If this clot forms in a coronary artery, the result is a heart attack.

Research shows that the higher your cholesterol level, the greater your risk for having heart disease. Any cholesterol level higher than 240mg/dL puts you at risk for heart disease. A high cholesterol level combined with cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, and a family history of heart disease can increase your risk even more.

Reducing your high cholesterol level can have dramatic health effects. As well as decreasing your risk for stroke and heart attack, lowering a high cholesterol level can make you a healthier individual altogether.

Riley Hendersen
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/why-is-high-cholesterol-so-bad-118774.html

Cholesterol is often referred categorized as either being good cholesterol or bad cholesterol. However, have you ever taken the time to find out why cholesterol is described this way and what the actual difference is between the two types?

Cholesterol - What is It?

Cholesterol is an important component in our body that is found in the blood stream and cells. The body needs cholesterol in order to properly function because it contributes to a wide variety of hormones and helps the body to produce cell membranes.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol is carried in the blood stream. HDL cholesterol is considered good because it protects our heart from strokes and other cardiovascular diseases. The optimal level of good cholesterol is about 40mg/dL.

On the other hand, bad cholesterol, also known as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is considered bad because if present in excessive quantities has a tendency to clog in the arteries which increases the chances of heat attacks or other heart related diseases. The optimal level of bad cholesterol is 200mg/dL or less. Higher amounts tend to increase the chance of heart problems.

Controlling Bad Cholesterol

There are a plethora of cholesterol drugs available and many natural remedies as well. However, it is strongly suggested that you approach any treatment using drugs with caution because many of the cholesterol drugs have serious side effects. Make sure your doctor thoroughly explains the potential side effects before you agree to start on a regiment that involves the taking of any drug.

You see, cholesterol is produced in the liver and one very important point to remember about statin drugs (i.e. drugs used to control cholesterol) is that they in essence, poison the liver so that it produces less cholesterol, which is why all advertisements that promote statin drugs mention that a liver test is required before getting started on statin drugs.

Hopefully, you have normal levels of both good and bad cholesterol and if you do you will clearly want to maintain that proper balance. Steps you can follow to keep your cholesterol in balance is the same as it is for overall optimal health: exercise and proper diet. Health eating includes consuming foods that are low in saturated and trans fat.

Get in the habit of reading food labels as they are required to provide the above mentioned data by law and therefore it’s much easier for you to choose food that is healthy and food that can lead to poor health and improper cholesterol levels.

Although the following food (i.e. egg yolks, poultry, meat, shellfish, butter and cheese) contains what has been determined as high levels of cholesterol it doesn’t mean that you need to totally avoid them. Simply eat them in moderation and you should be fine.

Take the time to learn a few of the basics about what constitutes both good cholesterol and bad cholesterol levels, monitor your food intake, get a reasonable amount of exercise (i.e. walking is great) and you’ll be well on your way to overall health and optimum cholesterol levels.

Tip - For options in finding the best lender for you, check out the links below.

Shelby Ryan
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/bad-cholesterol-what-makes-it-bad-88220.html

Technorati Tags: Bad Cholesterol, Hdl

Diseases are best fought when those in the high-risk bracket understand as to what are the risk factors involved. It is true that you cannot avoid the genetic factor but you can still keep the situation in your control by making a few changes in your current approach to life and living.

bad cholesterol is supposed to be a major culprit in case of heart diseases. It is a type of a lipid, a soft, fat-like substance. Atherosclerotic plaque, which can cause blockage of blood flow in the arteries and can also cause heart attack, can develop due to excess of cholesterol. Popular by the name of ‘Bad’ cholesterol, LDL cholesterol gets deposited on the walls of arteries and is transported to different sites throughout the body where new hormones are developed and cell membranes are repaired. On the other hand the ‘Good’ cholesterol called HDL cholesterol, carries cholesterol to the liver where the alteration process is done, after which it is removed from the body.

According to the physicians, the blood pressure level of a normal person is less than 130 mm Hg for systolic blood pressure and less than 85 mm Hg for diastolic blood pressure. Every individual should get his blood pressure checked at least once in every two years so as to know the status, and if any increase is found, the treatment should be started forthwith. If your blood pressure level is little higher than normal then get it checked once a year, and take good care if it is very high and then get multiple measurements to check out whether it remains that high all the time or fluctuates. Immediate medical attention is a must in such cases.

If you are suffering from diabetes, which is a chronic disease of insulin deficiency or resistance, then you are more prone to heart disease. On the other hand if you are suffering from type 2 diabetes then you can easily avoid it by losing your weight either through exercise or by taking balanced nutrition.

If you smoke, stop smoking immediately because it affects your lungs very badly, and not just heart diseases, it may also lead to many other problems.

A daily 30 minutes physical exercise or fast walking can keep you away from heart diseases and can also be helpful in controlling obesity.

Minimize your daily alcohol intake to three ounces or less. It would definitely be a healthy step. Include fresh fruits and vegetables, sufficient amount of potassium, calcium and magnesium in your daily diet. Avoid saturated fats and cholesterol to keep your heart healthy. Just a little care and a little awareness is all it takes to keep heart diseases at bay.

Ashish Jain
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/diabetes-blood-pressure-and-bad-cholesterol-cause-heart-ailment-119984.html

Technorati Tags: Bad Cholesterol, diabetes, ldl cholesterol

Typically, when the word cholesterol is mentioned people automatically assume something bad but cholesterol can be both good and bad.

Because cholesterol can be both good and bad it’s important to learn what it is and how it affects your health, as well as what you can do in regards to treatment if the need be. In a nutshell, there are two types of cholesterol - LDL and HDL.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol is carried in the blood stream. HDL cholesterol is considered good because it protects our heart from strokes and other cardiovascular diseases. As a result, low levels of HDL increase the risk of heart attack. The optimal level of good cholesterol is about 40mg/dL.

On the other hand, bad cholesterol, also known as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is considered bad because if present in excessive quantities has a tendency to clog in the arteries which increases the chances of heat attacks or other heart related diseases.

When excessive amounts are present in an individuals blood it has a tendency to build up on the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain and together, with other substances it forms form plaque. Plaque is a thick, hard deposit that clogs arteries which results in a condition known as atherosclerosis.

The optimal level of bad cholesterol is 200mg/dL or less. Higher amounts tend to increase the chance of heart problems due to an increased change of clogged arteries.

Another important factor regarding optimal cholesterol health is triglycerides. Triglycerides, which are a form of fat, are also produced by the body but they are also come certain types of food. The reason triglycerides are important is because individuals with high triglycerides tend to also have high total cholesterol levels - high LDL or bad cholesterol and low HDL or good cholesterol levels.

Because cholesterol levels change it’s important to get them checked fairly regularly. Proper cholesterol levels are a major part of optimum health and so it’s important to understand where you stand. Do you have too much of the bad, too little of the good, are both out of whack or ideally, are both good cholesterol and bad cholesterol in check.

Tip - For options in finding the best lender for you, check out the links below.

Shelby Ryan
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/cholesterol-a-better-understanding-of-the-good-and-the-bad-92793.html