Physical Health Guide

?Reduce cholesterol and lower your coronary risk.? For people afflicted with high blood levels, this is important advice that should be heeded.

But how do you go about this? Can making changes really result in cholesterol reduction? Where does it come from in the first place?

Our body makes most of it and the rest is derived from foods we consume. We can take steps to reduce cholesterol by implementing dietary changes and changing certain habits that may be contributing to higher levels.

Living a sedentary lifestyle and smoking contributes to this condition. Carrying unwanted pounds also plays a roll. As well, cholesterol reduction means changing what we eat, how we prepare it, and incorporating certain foods into our diet that are known for their cholesterol lowering effects.

Try to consume fish at least twice a week. Fatty fish can make an important difference if you are trying to reduce cholesterol. When choosing meat, select lean menu items. Grill, bake, roast, or broil these instead of frying. Cut back on the amount of salt you use for flavoring and use herbs instead. Switch over to low-fat or fat-free dairy products.

Plan to incorporate whole grain and high-fiber foods into your diet and make these permanent additions. Include almonds and avocados, soybeans, garlic and mushrooms, oat bran, beans (kidney, pintos, black, navy), flax seeds and onions. These foods are known to offer benefits in relation to cholesterol reduction.

Get into the habit of using olive oil or polyunsaturated or monounsaturated oils. Remember, certain oils are high in saturated fat and should be eliminated or avoided. Hydrogenated oils contain trans-fatty acids, which can raise cholesterol.

Making lifestyle and dietary changes can make a difference. Studies have shown that the risk of having a heart attack is decreased by as much as 25% for every 10% drop in cholesterol levels. In plain terms: if you reduce cholesterol, you reduce risk.

You may have heard about statin drugs. These medications can reduce cholesterol but increasing attention is being focused on the serious side effects that have arisen with their use. Because of these risks, many people are turning to alternative approaches when attempting cholesterol reduction.

What do alternative or natural substances have to offer? Can ingredients or compounds have a significant effect?

Studies have shown that certain natural substances contain powerful ingredients that, in some cases, act in the same fashion as cholesterol lowering drugs. Fish oil, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, offers proven benefits in relation to heart health?the fat in fish actually lowers cholesterol! D-limonene is a compound found in orange peel oil, and it has also been found to reduce cholesterol. Lecithin oil inhibits absorption. Oryzanol rice bran oil contains gamma oryzanol and tocotrienols, which reduce total cholesterol and triglycerides. Selenium is a trace mineral that can be used in a preventive manner for atherosclerosis and stroke. Another substance?one that in a recent study surpassed a statin drug?is policosanol. Policosanol can reduce cholesterol by inhibiting hepatic cholesterol synthesis. It is used for treating hypercholesterolemia (an inherited genetic condition contributing to cardiovascular disease).

As can be seen, natural therapies offer tangible benefits in relation to cholesterol reduction in the body. A supplement can be an effective ally, complimenting and boosting dietary and lifestyle changes.

When undertaking any method to reduce cholesterol, it is important to do so under direction. Because of the risk that imbalances pose for heart health, it is always wise to obtain qualified advice.

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