If you take real steps to change your lifestyle and eat a healthier diet, research has shown that you really can reduce triglycerides. Triglycerides are a form of blood fat associated with blood vessel and heart problems, as well as other diseases. You can lower them by...

1. Swapping saturated fats for healthier unsaturated dietary fats.

2. Choosing veggies and fruits that have less fructose; like cantaloupe, strawberries, bananas, peaches and grapefruit.

3. Exercising regularly, at least 30 minutes of moderate level activity most days, for a total of two and half hours a week. This alone can bring down triglycerides by 20-30%.

4. Losing weight, cutting the calories day in, day out and burning more than you take in will help you drop those pounds.

These changes can cut triglycerides by between 20% and 50%. That's good news, showing us all that making the hard, lifestyle changes can have a real impact. Research has demonstrated that triglycerides are very responsive to what we eat, how much weight we drop and regular exercise.

The experts suggest that for those above the normal (150) triglyceride levels, you should make regular efforts to...

- Limit added sugar to no more than 5-10% of your daily calories. This can be tricky, as added sugars aren't listed in the Nutrition Facts of packaged foods. Watch out for sugar sweetened drinks too.

- Limit fructose from processed and natural sources to under 50-100 grams a day.

- Limit saturated fat to below 7% of total daily calories, trans fats to under 1% of total daily calories.

- Limit alcohol, especially if your triglyceride number is over 500 mg per deciliter.

Triglycerides act as a barometer of overall metabolic health. If you have numbers between 100 to 199 you need to think seriously about your risk factors and the very real need to be eating less, eating more healthy and getting active regularly.

Triglycerides are different from other high cholesterol indicators, where lifestyle can help but might not be enough of a solution.

Your doctor can test your triglycerides very easily. You'll supply a blood sample after fasting for 12 hours. This is a good initial screen according to researchers. A reading between 100 to 150 is ideal, anything higher represents the elevated triglyceride levels that are so common in the U.S. - almost 31% of us have levels over 150 mg per deciliter.

Just as diabetes and obesity are happening earlier, the researchers find it troublesome that triglycerides are also on the rise in adults between the ages of 20 and 49. Something to think about should you be concerned you need to reduce triglycerides.

FREE Bonus Secret Health Reports - For a limited time you can grab 5 FREE essential health reports from the Daily Health Bulletin. Click through now to discover more ways to reduce triglycerides and keep your heart healthy.

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Never a day goes by nowadays without our being reminded of the need to reduce our cholesterol level. In the United Kingdom we are presented with this spread for our toast and that yoghurt to have with it each of which will lower our cholesterol as long as we behave ourselves in our overall lifestyle. A new industry has sprung up based upon an obsession with cholesterol that is encouraged by orthodox medicine.

There is good reason to be concerned with cardiovascular health. It is estimated that 2.6 million people in the United Kingdom have coronary heart disease. Countless others are in the earlier stages but are not yet diagnosed. About a third of all deaths both in the United Kingdom and the United States are associated with cardiovascular disease principally coronary heart disease and stroke. In the United States about a third of all adults over the age of 20 suffer from hypertension (high blood pressure). Although men are at greater risk than women we are told that in the United Kingdom slightly more women die of coronary heart disease than of cancer. That is not to belittle the scourge of cancer but the statistic demonstrates just how great is the threat of coronary heart disease in large parts of the Western world.

The body needs cholesterol

To read or listen to the advertisements emanating from the cholesterol lowering industry one could be forgiven for not realising that our bodies naturally produce cholesterol because they need it to function properly. Doctors will tell you that there are two types of cholesterol commonly referred to as "good" and " bad" cholesterol. But that description of the two different types of cholesterol is also somewhat misleading because the body needs both.

There is undoubtedly a benefit in lowering cholesterol levels particularly in those who have other risk factors and establishing the optimum proportion of the so-called "good" cholesterol to the so-called "bad" cholesterol is even more significant for reasons that I summarise below. But all too often doctors will prescribe statins to reduce cholesterol levels and when they achieve that outcome then in the absence of other problems such as diabetes or hypertension they will declare, "Job Done". The problem is that the job has not been done as a new school of cardiology has begun to recognise although unfortunately their thinking and approach is not yet mainstream.

To digress for a moment I would also criticise doctors who prescribe statins without also ensuring that their patients take CoenzymeQ10 daily. Usually referred to in its abbreviated form as CoQ10 this is a vitamin-like substance that reenergises heart cells. It is a naturally occurring component of the electron-transport chain that is essential to heart muscle function (as well as other organs with high energy needs such as the liver and kidney). Statins have a side-effect of depleting levels of CoQ10 and that can result in heart failure particularly in older patients. My clinic prescribes CoQ10 on a regular basis in such cases when doctors have neglected to do so. I will refer again to CoQ10 shortly but let me return to the subject of cholesterol.

The function of cholesterol

The liver produces the amount of cholesterol the body needs to carry out a number of functions including the construction of an essential membrane around our cells and the repair of damaged cells. The liver should regulate the production of cholesterol according to how much cholesterol we ingest from the foods that we eat. It used to be thought that eating too much cholesterol rich food, such as eggs, was bad for us. It is now understood that that is not so. Likewise, lean red meat is fine whilst fatty red meat is not.

Cholesterol is combined with protein to enable it to pass through our circulatory system. This combination is referred to as lipoprotein (from the Greek "lipos" for fat). The liver sends out low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol into our bloodstream in order to carry out essential functions including in cellular construction and repair. It is classified as LDL - low density - because it comprises mainly fat and not much protein. It is LDL or so-called "bad" cholesterol that has to be kept in check but each of us would be in serious trouble if we did not have the amount of it that our body needs.

Excess LDL cholesterol in circulation including in excess of the needs of individual cells is or should be carried back to the liver by high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (to somewhat oversimplify the process). HDL or so-called "good" cholesterol comprises mainly protein and not much fat. The cholesterol carried back to the liver is converted into bile salt that serves in the breaking down of dietary fat in the small intestine as a final benefit before being excreted via the colon.

Where the true risk lies

What is of very real importance is the proportion of HDL to LDL cholesterol because if there is more LDL cholesterol than the HDL can transport there is a risk of excess LDL cholesterol remaining in the system and causing damage by becoming oxidised by free radicals. Although they sound as though they might be a political movement free radicals are in fact dangerous atoms within our metabolism that attack and damage enzymes and proteins inhibiting and distorting normal cellular function. They attack LDL particles causing them to become oxidised. When that happens oxidised LDL attaches itself to arterial tissue that has already been damaged and become inflamed, and in turn attracts blood clotting elements that together form plaque and worsen the inflammation of damaged artery walls. If the plaque becomes unstable it can break off and cause a heart attack or a stroke. The stability of the plaque is the most important factor and it is important to understand that it is the process of inflammation that causes the plaque to rupture. But relaxing and opening up blood vessels is also important in order to improve blood flow and reverse the effect of plaque. Hence the significance of L-Arginine to which I refer below.

Cholesterol alone is therefore not the problem. There are other factors at work and perhaps the most significant of these are:
Inflammation of the arterial tissue.Oxidisation of LDL by free radicals.Poor blood flow through constricted vessels.

Addressing the true risk factors

Without inflammation damage to the inner layer of the arterial walls even high levels of LDL would not pose a risk. Indeed, there are many patients with high levels of LDL cholesterol who live to a ripe old age. The process by which such damage occurs may not be fully understood but is associated with one or more of genetics, lifestyle (including smoking, lack of exercise, stress, poor diet, processed and micro-waved food, chemicals and preservatives in our food), high blood pressure, elevated insulin and toxins in the environment in which we live.

Aloe Vera with its well know anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties is ideally suited over the longer term to defend against both the process by which arterial walls are damaged by inflammation and the oxidation of LDL cholesterol that is also responsible for the formation of plaque as I have described above. Aloe Vera Gel drunk on a daily basis will provide a level of long term protection against such damage provided the Gel is processed to preserve the Aloe Vera in the purest form.

CoQ10 and L-Arginine

CoQ10 also has a protective influence. It circulates within the LDL preventing the oxidation by free radicals. It has the added benefit of increasing blood flow. Its importance for cardiovascular health cannot be underestimated. For some it is literally a life saver.

Equally important is L-Arginine, sometimes referred to as the "Miracle Molecule". L-Arginine is an amino acid that the body needs to produce adequate amounts of nitric oxide which in turn is vital to cardiovascular health. The nitric oxide produced from L-Arginine relaxes and dilates the body's blood vessels which facilitates greater blood flow. In terms of cardiovascular health there can be nothing that is more important than that. Further, L-Arginine is credited by the new school of cardiologists with an ability to block LDL oxidation by supplying an antioxidant effect. That is crucial for the reasons I have described above. Although this amino acid is available in nuts, meat, poultry, dairy products and fish, supplementation with L-Arginine is often required for a number of reasons. The first is the unfortunate deficiency of nutritional value in so much of the food consumed in Western society. Secondly, we make less nitric oxide as we get older. Thirdly, it is thought that those who suffer from type 2 diabetes which is on the rise have a lower conversion of L-Arginine to nitric oxide. They therefore need more L-Arginine than can be gained from food sources as do those already suffering from hardening of the arteries or to give the condition its technical name, atherosclerosis.

The American cardiologists, Drs Stephen Sinatra and James Roberts, in their groundbreaking book "Reverse Heart Disease Now" have this important message for all of us who are concerned about cardiovascular health:

L-Arginine has value for the whole gamut of atherosclerosis-from early signs such as high blood pressure and erectile dysfunction to advanced cardiac events. We feel it offers promise for plaque stabilisation and reversal. It is inexpensive and nontoxic.

There is an exciting new product on the market that takes this recommendation to a new level by adding to an appropriate daily dose of L-Arginine a variety of key vitamins plus pomegranate, well known for its strong antioxidant properties (I have already explained why that is so important), red wine extract to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels and grape skin for cardiovascular and immune system health and berries that help neutralise free radicals (again I have already explained the significance of that).

Please feel free to contact me for further information.

Your heart will thank you for taking L-Arginine and CoQ10 on a daily basis.

My name is Bernice Krantz and I am a registered homeopath having qualified in February 1995. Homeopathy is a holistic discipline that trained me to look at the whole person and not just at specific symptoms. Through my professional experience I have learned that a crucial building block for good long-term health is good nutrition. It was in my quest to find strategic nutritional solutions to the problems that patients frequently presented in my consulting room that I discovered the powerful health benefits of drinking Aloe Vera gel provided it is of the purest form. This supplies the high nutritional value that is so often lacking in the foods we eat.

I am now the proud owner of two websites: http://www.aloethehero.com/ and http://www.homeopathyforever.co.uk/

The Aloe the Hero website is packed with free healthcare information and advice derived from my personal experience as a practitioner. Now you can benefit from that without visiting my consulting room. There you will also find details of the new exciting product that has L-Arginine at its heart. Try it now. Your heart will be grateful.

For that wonderful feeling of wellness please visit Aloe the Hero now. If you have any questions please email me at bernice@aloethehero.com

I am a member of the UK Homeopathic Medical Association, the College of Practical Homeopathy and an Associate Member of the Royal Society of Medicine. The opinions I express in my articles are my own and are not necessarily those of the UKHMA, the CPH or the RSM.

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If you have risk factors for heart disease, then you should see a health care provider. It might be recommended that you undergo a calcium screening. This can be done through a cardiovascular heart scan. It will take images of your heart to determine if you have arterial plaque deposits. It is also a good idea to do so if you have had any heart procedures or open heart surgery. You can have plaque in your arteries. Once you know that you have plaque in your arteries, you will be in increased risk for developing heart attacks.

Some of the most common risk factors exist is developing arterial plaque and then a heart attack. However, these are also risk factors for so many other diseases such as liver cancer. It is important for the person to consider what they are doing or not doing, can lead to serious problems with their health in the long term.

One risk factor to look at is smoking. Smoking is the most serious conditions and can develop into heart disease. If you smoke you are more likely to put yourself at risk of heart disease than someone who does not. The reason is because the chemicals in cigarette smoke can affect the blood. It can cause blood flowing into sluggish and lacks the normal amount of oxygen in the red blood cells. Blood that is moving slowly will not provide nutrients to the tissues in time will also have a greater chance of depositing cholesterol in the walls of the artery. This situation is further complicated by the contents of the smoke thinning the walls of the artery. This is all a recipe for disaster as there is decreased oxygen during this process.

Another big risk factor that can contribute to arterial plaque and a heart attack is lack of exercise. Doctors have been telling us for years that we need to exercise. The reason for this is exercise has been shown to increase the strength of the wall of the artery. When an arterial plaque forms, it is deep within the vessel wall of the artery. As it continues to grow in size, it can thin the layer of the artery wall as it stretches to compensate for the plaque growing inside of it.

Eventually the wall will become too thin and burst. This is a serious condition that can happen in almost any artery of the body. So imagine this happening within the brain or heart. Instead exercise is advised by doctors because it strengthens the arterial wall and makes it hard for the layer to become thin and burst. This is great prevention for a heart attack.

If you have been looking for a way to reduce your risk of heart disease, lower your cholesterol, get your blood pressure under control,have a clean arteries in your heart and ultimately Save Your Heart, then the Pauling Therapy is for you! We help how to clean arteries naturally. It is a Heart Treatment That Really Works!

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Here's some eye-opening news. Eating plenty of whole grains brings a reduced risk of high blood pressure, and getting enough dietary fiber is associated with lower risks of heart disease in adults (not seniors) according to a pair of new studies. Eating cereals are an easy way of ensuring you're getting enough of both these vital nutrients.

One of the studies examined cereal consumption for just over 13,350 men. None of the subjects had high blood pressure at the start of the study, but during 16 years of follow up 7,267 of them were diagnosed with it.

Those who had whole grain cereals at least 7 times per week experienced a 20% lower chance of having hypertension compared to participants who didn't have cereal. A bowl of cereal also helped, reducing the risk of hypertension by a respectable 11%.

High blood pressure is a leading cause of death in the United States today. It puts patients at risk for other serious heart problems and stroke.

The second project included over 11,000 Americans and focused on dietary fiber.

Those who had the highest intakes (22-23g daily) were far more likely to have a reduced risk of heart disease in comparison to the subjects who ate only 9g of dietary fiber each day. While this was true for most adults, those over age 60 saw no benefit. It might simply be too little, too late, or eating this way may only be able to slow problems down, not stop them.

The dietary guidelines the government supports suggest we eat from 25 to 38g of dietary fiber and 48g of whole grains each day. Few of us get anywhere near those numbers; estimates suggest that most Americans get 15 grams a day. Other studies have found only 5% of us are getting to that top level: 48g of whole grains a day. Considering who many benefits whole grains bring to the body, a number like this is pretty significant.

Eating enough whole grains has been shown to decrease the harmful effects of bad fats that you eat on the lining of your blood vessels. It also lowers the risk of diabetes, about 40% less risk in those who get the recommended daily intake of whole grains. By substituting whole grains for the refined type as often as you can, you'll be giving you body a more natural source of important nutrients.

Fiber is a part of whole grains, fruits, veggies and legumes and has also been shown to bring down blood pressure, cholesterol numbers and lower BMIs, all good for your heart. Fiber also helps to keep your digestive system moving and is also known to help with blood glucose and cholesterol. Even in the study, only 17% of participants got the recommended daily amount of dietary fiber.

When it comes to choosing cereal be sure to check the box for exactly what's inside... things like sugar and sodium are no-no's. Products labeled healthy might not be, you should know that cereal is a processed food and these items are often high in sugar and salt.

Eating cereals of the wholegrain variety (in place of donuts, breakfast sandwiches and the like) along with moderation in salt and calories, getting regular exercise and other lifestyle choices are things you can do, today, to help keep your heart healthy, your blood pressure under control and your risks of heart disease reduced.

FREE Bonus Secret Health Reports - For a limited time you can grab 5 FREE essential health reports from the Daily Health Bulletin. Click through now to discover more on how to minimize risks of heart disease.

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If you haven't heard how high cholesterol levels can lead to a heart attack or stroke then chances are you have been on a deserted island, in a comma, or just coming out of cryofreeze. We all know this but yet for some reason most of us can't quite seem to stay away from those high cholesterol tasty delights such as those very affordable $1 sandwiches, fried foods, or processed meats. Not only do these types of foods clog our arteries they also have helped the United States gain the title of fattest country in the world.

Nothing better than winning awards, right?

So the truth is we need to take it down a notch or two by reducing our cholesterol levels thus taking a giant step towards reducing our chances of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Some might argue that they don't need to be concerned since they have their trusty statin and/or bile acid sequestrants to do the heavy lifting for them. The truth of the matter is that these drugs not only have serious side effect risks but require at least a moderate amount of diet modification to be effective.

Now why don't we get down to business and explore seven great ways to lower cholesterol naturally.

*Eat more fiber: Sounds like something straight out the nursing home manual for resident success but in fact we all need our fiber. Foods like oatmeal, apples, pears, flax bread, oatmeal, whole grain cereals, and barley bind with cholesterol in the gastrointestinal tract and ship in right out the old pooper causing your heart breath a temporary sigh of relief.

*Stay active: According to the American Heart Association staying active through exercise can alter your cholesterol levels by pushing up your good cholesterol (HDL) and pushing down your bad cholesterol (LDL).

*Choose your fats wisely: Monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats are generally considered to be relatively heart healthy and reduce internal inflammation. Oils that fall into this category are olive, canola, walnut, and sesame seed. The AHA suggests keeping your total cholesterol intake under 30 percent of calories, saturated fat under 7 percent, and trans fats eliminated altogether.

*Veggies and fruit: We all know these are heart healthy choices that are excellent sources of antioxidants, cholesterol lowering phytochemicals, and fiber but the trick to send high cholesterol packing is to increase fruits and vegetables while reducing fatty foods. For example meat servings should be held under 4 oz with the rest of the meal consisting of fruits and vegetables.

*Get Nutty: Nuts contain the omega 3 fatty acid ALA that is converted to heart healthy DHA and EPA. Walnuts seem to be the best but almonds and peanuts are excellent choices as well. One word of caution, nuts are high in calories and should be eaten in moderation.

*Load up on the magical fruit: We have all heard that rhyme about beans, flatulence, and fruit but once you move past the stereotype what you have is an inexpensive cholesterol lowering option packed with nutrients.

*Pass the guacamole please: Who would have thought that avocados would make it onto our seven great ways to lower cholesterol naturally but here they are. Believe it or not avocados only contain 0.5 grams of saturated fat with the rest being cholesterol lowering monosaturated fats plus cholesterol neutral polyunsaturated fats making them a heart healthy choice worth considering.

Rob D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic consumer advocate for natural health and natural living with over 10 years experience in the field. To discover more about high cholesterol, cholesterol lowering foods, along with information about safe and effective natural cholesterol reducing supplements Click Here

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As we grow up we like to try different foods in order to widen our experience and to find new pleasures. We naturally single out the ones that we like the taste of, but many of us are un-aware that most of the delicious, tasty ones are bad for our health because they contain high levels of cholesterol.

Foods like pork, butter, eggs, steaks, cooking oils and numerous others all contain too much cholesterol than is good for us to consume. However, all is not lost - there are actually a great many kinds of cholesterol lower foods out there that can help in this process and we are pleased to list just a few of them below:

1. Soya Milk - as it contains no saturated fat it is a good substitute for cow's milk. The protein it contains actually decreases the cholesterol in our body and it contains no lactose which is a cause of further problems for many.

2. Green Tea - Great for all-round health and well-being, because it is a very good antioxidant, a cup of this delicious beverage after a meal will help remove bad cholesterol and chemicals from our blood stream and arterial network and reduce the possibility of heart disease.

3. Tuna - very good for our heart because it contains high levels of cholesterol-lowering Omega-3 fatty acids. Other oily fish such as herrings, mackerel etc. are also equally efficacious.

4. Canola Oil - great if you are not keen on eating fish, this contains high levels of Omega-3 as well.

5. Oats - are good for lowering your bad (LDL) cholesterol while maintaining levels of good (HDL) cholesterol, because they contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which the body can easily ingest.

6. Almonds - containing monounsaturated fats, they help prevent bad cholesterol forming in our system and are therefore a very good alternative to the high fat snacks such as crisps and fries that we are used to eating.

8. Blueberries - a delicious fruit that have cholesterol-lowering compounds and can be eaten on their own or incorporated into many other forms of cooking and deserts.

9. Shitake Mushrooms - a little more exotic than some foods, but a delicious addition to a meal that provides a substance called eritadenine which helps in lowering cholesterol.

10. Yoghurt - is very good for you, choose a low fat, bio type and this will keep a check on the fat levels, provide cholesterol-preventing and digestion enhancing biotics that add to the cause and help to keep you feeling well.

These are just a selection of the cholesterol low foods that, incorporated into a well-balanced diet, with plenty exercise, can help you improve your cholesterol and your overall health into the bargain.

Nutrition expert Alan Christopher reveals how you can successfully manage and lower your cholesterol with more great information and advice on cholesterol lower foods. You can find out more about foods for lower cholesterol by visiting
http://www.lowercholesterolfood.com/, as well as a FREE 10 part mini-course.

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Heart disease remains a major cause of death yet there is much that you can do to prevent it. By this I don't mean just taking tablets for cholesterol which costs the system and individuals billions of dollars each year. Some of the tips below may look obvious, whilst others may surprise you. Here are ten simple tips on heart health.

1) Follow a Mediterranean diet. Rates of heart disease are lower in countries around the Mediterranean Ocean where they eat vegetables, fish, garlic, olive oil and drink a little red wine whilst going easy on red meat. You do not have to live in Europe to have these principles in your diet.

2) Eat Tomatoes. The red color of the tomato is due to lycopene. This has been shown to be a strong anti oxidant and research has also shown it helps lower blood pressure and C-reactive protein, which is a marker for, increased risk of heart disease.

3) Laugh. Volunteers who watched funny videos and were laughing at them were found to have relaxation of their blood vessels. This helps lower blood pressure. You also cannot be stressed when you are laughing so find things to laugh at.They are there if you look for them.

4) Eat fiber. It has long been known that fiber is good for the bowel. Eating a diet rich in fiber also helps keep your heart healthy.

5) Do some regular exercise. Whether it is walking, running,swimming or other exercise does not matter. Fitness reduces your chances of heart problems and that is independent of its benefits on weight.

6) Get some sunshine. The importance of vitamin D in health is an expanding field. People with low vitamin D levels are more susceptible to heart disease. The best form of vitamin D is free from the sun. Get around 10 minutes per day on a few days per week.This amount will not lead to sunburn.

7) Eat chocolate. This will be a popular one. Polyphenols in dark chocolate help to increase your good cholesterol and lower the bad cholesterol. Previous studies have even suggested that a small intake of chocolate helped people who have had a heart attack recover a bit quicker. You only need about 40g per day and 70% cocoa is best.

8) Manage stress. Psychosocial factors are estimated to account for 30% of heart attack risk. Managing stress better is known to reduce the likelihood of having a heart attack. It has also been shown that even for people who have heart disease, stress management lowers recurrence and increases survival.

9) Take up Tai-Chi. People who do regular Tai-Chi have been shown to have lower blood pressure and lower rates of heart disease. The same applies for regular meditation.

10) Stay Positive. There are no guarantees in life and even if we do all the "right" things we may still get sick. Even if you have a heart attack, long-term survival and quality of life is improved by simply taking an optimistic view on life. You do not have to be over the top or unrealistic. Simply looking for the positives is correlated with better outcomes.

We have come to associate preventing heart attack with the need to take tablets. Some people may need medication despite doing the right things. However we can reduce our reliance on tablets and enjoy better heart health by applying the very simple principles outlined above.

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Hearing from your doctor that you have high cholesterol can be scary news. Most people know that having high cholesterol can lead to heart disease and eventually a heart attack or stroke. While there are several methods that you can try to reduce your numbers, such as exercise and diet, many people look into the medication option available. What drugs are available to lower cholesterol, and which ones may be right for you?

First of all, this article is meant only as information. It is not meant to advise or give any direction. If you do have high cholesterol or think you do please discuss all available options and medications with your doctor.

There are three classes of prescription cholesterol drugs available. These four classes include:

1. Statins. These drugs are very common lately and most people have heard of statins, even if they do not have high cholesterol. Unfortunately, the reason why most people have heard of these drugs is because these may be becoming over prescribed.

The benefit of using statins is that these drugs are very effective and can lower cholesterol by up to 50-60%. This can drastically reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. There is even evidence that people who do not have high cholesterol can receive the benefit of a reduced risk of heart attack or stroke by taking statins.

The negative that you must consider when taking statins is that they have some serious side effects. Muscle breakdown can occur. This ultimately can lead to kidney failure, but at the very least can cause aches and pains.

2. Bile acid sequestrants. These drugs work by ridding the body of bile acids. This is good as bile acids are involved with the production of cholesterol. The less bile acid you have the less cholesterol you will have. Cholesterol levels can decrease by up to 20% with bile acid sequestrants.

The bad news regarding bile acid sequestrants is that they can cause some side effects. While not as serious as the side effects caused by statins, you may experience gastrointestinal issues, such as constipation, nausea, and gas. Other side effects include weight loss, headaches, and sore muscles.

3. Triglyceride inhibitors. Triglycerides are involved with the product of lipoproteins, which carry cholesterol through the blood. Triglyceride inhibitors prevent lipoproteins from being made. With fewer lipoproteins there will be a lower number of cholesterol in the blood.

These drugs can lower cholesterol by as much as 10-14%. The effectiveness of preventing heart attacks has not been proven. Also, diabetics cannot take this medication as it raises blood sugar.

The overview of available prescription cholesterol drugs found here will provide you with a better understand of what medication is available, how they all work, and what the benefits and negatives are of each. Basically, with more benefits (higher reduction of cholesterol levels) you may face more serious side effects. Be sure to discuss all available drugs with your doctor so that you both can come to a decision on what action to take to help lower your cholesterol levels.

BONUS: Christine Crotts has written a different article reviewing the pros and cons of using medication for cholesterol control. This is one of many articles she has written about how to reduce bad cholesterol.

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This award-winning DVD covers a lot of ground very comprehensively - and now has subtitles in Spanish, French, German and English (for the deaf). Among the many highlights are interviews with Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Dr. Neil Pinckney, Dr. Ruth Heidrich and Dr. Joseph Crowe. Dr. Crowe and Dr. Esselstyn are from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and know something about heart disease. These interviews will convince you that cardiovascular disease, the #1 killer in America today, can be reversed by making simple changes to your diet. What you will get is a virtual one-on-one consultation with some of the world's leading authorities on heart disease reversal. You will also hear from Dr. Heidrich who treated her breast cancer by simply changing her diet. The DVD also covers a wide-range of other health problems, including the reversal of adult-onset diabetes with diet. It also covers the impact of typical Western diets on the environment. The Eating DVD is used in hospitals and wellness clinics throughout the world to motivate people to change their diets and restore their health.

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Yes let's talk about the heart. Not only is it the strongest muscle of the human body but that little pump of yours actually pumps between 10,000 to 11,000 quarts of blood throughout the human body in a 24 hour period with only about 5 quarts of blood in the body.

For the proper efficiency of the heart the colon must be free of any accumulation of waste or putrefying fermenting matter. That is how important the proper cleanliness of the colon is.

Just as your body has good and bad bacteria so also your body has good and bad cholesterol. It is only a half truth that bad cholesterol is what blocks certain arteries to cause a heart attack. First of all the only time cholesterol will attach itself to the artery wall is when the artery is damaged.

There are many reasons why arterial walls get damaged. The following are just a few - wrong mixtures of chemicals taken, hydrogenated oils and trans fats, homogenized dairy now let me clarify - through the homogenization process the molecular structure of the dairy is changed, or more often than not free radicals in the bloodstream.

What is a free radical? A free radical is an unstable oxygen molecule that is lacking an electron. So this little molecule travels throughout the bloodstream stealing electrons from other cells therefore making them deficient. When enough deficient cells mutate together hence we have cancer.

What is resveratrol, and where does it come from? Resveratrol is a protein, natural phenol and an antioxidant found in the skin of grapes, acai-berries, blueberries, strawberries, noni-berries, goji-berries, and cranberries primarily, and it's health effects are numerous, which is why we must understand this precious commodity found in nature. That is why I love to talk about Natural Healing versus taking medication for your ailments any day of the week. I would rather heal naturally then induce my body with chemicals that could be detrimental to my body down the road.

First of all, before you can even begin to talk about Natural Healing you must first begin to study nature and why certain things are the way they are. It is interesting to observe, resveratrol is found in the skin of grapes and berries and note that the skin is to protect the berries from the attacks of micro organisms, including bacteria and heat. Why do the berries need to be protected? For when the berries are exposed to high temperatures from the sun they lose much of their nutritional value not to mention micro-organisms such as bacteria spoil the potency of the berries nutritionally as well as making them rot much faster. What we learn from this is, why many people on this planet have become raw foodists. The greatest nutrition you obtain from a food is when it has not been heated, whether on the stove or the microwave and eaten only raw. Which is why I am an avid juicer. When you heat food past 122 degrees fahrenheit you are killing the enzymes in the food. It is the enzymes in the food we eat that are the cataclysts for every biochemical reaction in the human body. The most healing power that comes from food that we eat is in the raw food which is unaltered through a heating process or pasteurization process. I am talking about Natural Healing at it's finest. Yes food taken in right proportions and natural state can be classified as natural remedies to the body.

The health effects of resveratrol are substantial in the human body. Number one, it is an excellent anti-oxidant which is needed to facilitate the liver. Remember the liver is the filter, detoxifyer and cleanser for the human body. Yes even aspirin is a toxin and taken in abundance is harmful to the liver. Taken in large quantities, resveratrol has shown to be great for athletes in weightloss, increasing testosterone levels and acts as an anti-estrogen which leads to an increased sex drive. It also has the ability to build muscle mass, lose fat and enhances the ability of the brain to work better since it increases the sparking ability of the nerotransmitters of the brain to send messages to the rest of the body. Resveratrol prevents atherosclerosis as well. In the New England Journal of Medicine published March 12, 2009., the study found by introducing resveratrol as an antioxidant it reversed clogged arteries specifically the LDL cholesterol that was building up in the arteries. A further study by Park and Colleagues showed that foam cells are trapped by interaction with oxidized low density lipoprotein (LDL) and can be remobilized by dynamic exposure to key oxidants such a resveratrol. Many clinical studies have been done on Lab Mice and the results were verifyable, those mice that were fed resveratrol ran faster and lived longer than the mice that were not.

You must start eating foods that are rich in resveratrol, since it is one of the best brain foods in the world if you want to recover quickly from heart disease. My personal favorite is the Acai berry from Brazil. It has one of the highest ORAC Values of all the berries on the planet. What is ORAC value ( Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity )? It means it has one of the highest absorption rates for oxygen to the blood. In other words a Blood Healer. A person who has a high content of oxygen level in their blood stream is a very healthy person who does not suffer from many sicknesses or disease because an oxygen rich blood value is what fights off sickness and disease. I am talking about Natural Remedies at it's finest.

Here is further documentation. According to Dr. Nate Lebowitz M.D. cardiologist with the advanced cardiology institute in Ft. Lee, New Jersey the following is a statement from Dr. Lebowitz.

"Dr. Lebowitz says resveratrol appears to exhibit broader action than aspirin. Resveratrol is documented to reduce clotting that may block blood circulation in coronary arteries, reduce homocysteine, an undesirable blood protein associated with cardiovascular disease, reduce markers of inflammation like C-reactive protein, regenerate vitamin E, as well as release adenosine, the molecule responsible for the "pre-conditioning" effect seen in animal experiments."

So here you have it. Resveratrol is excellent for anyone suffering from Heart Disease or recently had a heart attack and need proper nutrition to heal naturally. Natural Healing is much safer than medications for dementia as well. No, eating the right foods will not cure alzheimers disease, but will help to eradicate any further damage you have done by not taking the proper nutrition to prevent dementia and alzheimers disease in the first place.

By the way, if you're thinking red wine is good for you. Yes, taken in small amounts like 1 to 2 glasses per day. On the other hand if you're drinking 1 to 2 bottles per day, you are only hurting your liver which is also harming the rest of your body. Most elderly people that have lived to be in the 90's or over 100 years old will tell you that their secrets were, eating well, exercise and 1 to 2 glasses of red wine per day. Oh yes, one last word to the wise, for the Zoomer crowd out there guess what? Resveratrol has proven to be one of the best anti-aging agents known to mankind.

In 2007 Thomas Cincurak was given three weeks to live and completely healed his body through natural health treatments. Now Tom is on a mission to heal as many as he can through what he has learned.

If you want to discover how to fully heal your body, feel better then you thought possible and learn how to achieve Natural Healing through Natural Health Solutions, then check out http://freedomfrominfirmities.com/ today!

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Every time someone touches us with loving care or we do the same for someone else, an emotional exchange takes place that profoundly nourishes the heart. The expressions "He touched my heart", "I felt so touched by his words", or "It was so touching to see my old friend again", show that the sense of touch is closely related to our physical and emotional heart, which is also the center of our being. To touch and to be touched is as essential to health as a balanced diet, if not more.

When American researchers discovered that prematurely born babies who are stroked three times a day increased their weight by 49 percent, they had unintentionally discovered the loving touch. As it turned out, loving touch - the scientific expression is 'kinesthetic tactile stimulation' - became recognized as an effective method to reduce the time and cost of a baby's stay in hospital. Loving touch (I prefer to use the less sterile and more human term for this precious gift of God) stimulated the babies' production of growth hormones and thereby improved utilization of nutrients from the daily food ratio. The researchers did not realize that they had stumbled upon a major technique of healing that could be applied successfully to the young and the old, the healthy and the sick, and not only for prevention, but also for cure.

In the human body, the sense of touch is so highly developed that it can detect or sense everything it comes into contact with, like radar. By unconsciously picking up other people's pheromones (chemicals produced by the body that signals its presence to others) and/or 'touching' their aura, your body can identify who is friendly, honest and loving or cold-hearted, deceitful, and aggressive.

The body may instantly translate all that information into powerful chemical responses that can make you either feel well or ill. These internal responses, however, also depend on your interpretation of the experience. Muscle testing can verify whether your interpretation is correct. You may think of a person and check with your muscles whether this person has a positive influence on you or not. A weak muscle indicates that your relationship with this person may disturb your balance and energy field. Merely thinking of a person gives you enough physical responses to decide whether you want to be with that person or not.

There are multiple forms of touch that can have profound healing effects. The Ayurvedic oil massage, for example, has been proven to open clogged arteries because of its deeply penetrating and detoxifying action. However, the purely physical part of this kind of touch is only partly responsible for this healing phenomenon. By touching your body with the intention to improve its health, it automatically senses that you love and appreciate yourself and your life; otherwise, you would not do it. Love carries the highest frequency of energy, and, when present in the depth of your heart, it triggers a strong healing response by releasing endorphins (hormones produced by the body that stop pain and make you feel good) and other healing drugs throughout the body, similar to the ones a breast-fed baby receives from its mother.

If you want to help a sick person, but do not know how, hold his/her hand in yours, or gently hold or massage his/her feet. This does more to help the person's condition than any amount of sympathetic words could do. The body remembers a loving touch more vividly than spoken words and it reproduces the same drugs whenever it links into the 'touching' feeling through remembering.

Heart patients especially need to feel that they are loved and cared for because their hearts have lost the sweetness of life that is mostly present in a committed and loving relationship where emotional exchange is most common. Many heart disease victims have isolated themselves from such intimacy before they became ill, by overloading themselves with work, commitments, deadlines, and too many social engagements. By rediscovering the secrets of loving touch, they can once again connect to the circuit of love that supplies the only frequency the heart needs in order to function properly and efficiently, that is, the love frequency.

Loving touch opens the heart. It is the kind of touch that gives without expecting anything in return. It is the kind of touch that can create miracles. Each one of us has this healing gift; it is only a matter of acknowledging that you have it, which is a prerequisite for being able to use it. Give your touch freely and without reservations, for it is one of the few gifts that can make you truly happy, too. It may feel nice to be loved by someone, but it is most important to express love to others, in whatever form is possible. You always have the choice to touch someone with your kindness, generosity, and honesty, and feel so much better for it. This opens your heart. Only a closed heart can be broken or attacked.

Living your whole life without the danger of suffering a heart attack is more your choice than something that just happens to you. Take care of your heart and it will take care of you.

[This is an excerpt from the book 'Heart Disease No More' by Andreas Moritz]

Andreas Moritz is a writer and practitioner in the field of Integrative Medicine. He is the author of 13 books ( http://www.ener-chi.com/book.htm ) on various subjects pertaining to spirituality and holistic health, including 'The Amazing Liver and Gallbladder Flush', 'Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation' and 'Cancer Is Not a Disease, It's a Survival Mechanism'.

His most recent book is titled 'Vaccine-Nation: Poisoning the Population, One Shot at a Time'. Moritz is also the creator of Ener-Chi Art and Sacred Santémony.

Much of his life's work has been dedicated to understanding and treating the root causes of illness, and helping the body, mind, spirit and heart to heal naturally.

Connect with Andreas at: http://www.facebook.com/enerchi.wellness

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J&Dâ??s Cheddar Bacon Salt is a gourmet seasoning salt that makes everything taste like real, delicious bacon and Cheddar Cheese. Cheddar Bacon Salt is the most versatile seasoning in the cupboard, bringing the flavor of bacon to nearly everything. Cheddar Bacon Salt is excellent on grilled meats and fish, baked potatoes, scrambled eggs, sandwiches and soups, green vegetables and salads, pasta dishes, and makes popcorn irresistible. "Everything should taste like bacon" has become the tagline of our story. Really, is there anything that doesn't taste better with Bacon Salt?

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Matcha is perhaps the most popular green tea on the market today. The first thing you will notice upon opening the packet is that Matcha is a finely powdered green tea and looks like an emerald colored flour. This characteristic truly sets it apart from other teas. When brewed, the powdered leaf is not strained or left in the pot, but is whisked into a frothy concoction and consumed. Because the leaves themselves are imbibed, brewed Matcha contains higher concentrations of vitamins and antioxidants than most other teas, green, herbal, or otherwise. According to researches done in Japan, brewed Matcha contains nearly 10 times the polyphenols and antioxidants of regular teas, 2 times the antioxidants of a glass of red wine, approximately 9 times the beta-carotene of spinach, and 4 times that of carrots. Brewing Ceremonial Matcha: 1). Prepare tea bowls by warming them with boiled water. 2). Prepare your Matcha whisk by soaking the tip in the boiled water in one of the bowls for about 10 seconds. 3). Pour the water out and dry the bowl with a paper towel. 4). Using your tea spoon, add 2 scoops of Matcha to each bowl. 5). Pour 1/3 of a cup of your hot water into each bowl. 6). In a slow "m' motion, submerge any loose bits of Matcha that may be floating on the surface of the tea. 7). Whisk the tea more briskly in a back and forth motion until the surface of the Matcha becomes frothy. 8). Consume immediately. Brewing Cold Matcha: 1g Matcha, 8 oz cold water, lemon, and sugar to taste. 1). Add 1g of Matcha to a little water and mix until you have a nice paste. 2). Add your paste to the rest of your glass of water and stir well. 3). Squeeze a lemon into to the mixture and add sugar to taste. 4). Add ice. Enjoy. Iced Matcha latte: 4g Matcha, 2 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp hot water, 10 oz milk, ice. 1). Blend dry Matcha and sugar in a glass. 2). Pour in the hot water and whisk into a paste. 3). Pour cold milk over the Matcha mixture. 4). Add ice

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Several studies have been conducted to assess the impact of fasting on your heart's health by researchers from various parts of the world. Studies conducted in this field reveal an interesting relationship between continuous fasting and heart health.

Studies conducted in this field

A recent study was conducted by the doctors in Utah, which researched the relationship between regular fasting and cardiovascular diseases. 200 patients, undergoing a diagnostic test called angiography, were interviewed. Angiography is an x-ray exam of the blood vessels and heart chambers to find out whether the patient suffers from any chronic heart disease.

The patients in the study were asked whether they engage in regular fasting. The answers were analyzed with respect to the angiography results. The study was conducted among the, 'Mormons', a faith which practices regular fasting owing to religious demands. The results revealed that patients who engage in fasting have lesser risks of coronary heart diseases compared to those who do not.

The study proved a relationship between continuous fasting and better heart health. The results of the research are important as they affirmed the results of a bigger study which was published in 2008 by the American Journal of Cardiology.

Another research was presented in the New Orleans Conference where 30 patients were asked to fast for a span of 24 hours. They were only allowed to drink water. The scientists conducted blood tests on the patients before and after the fasting. It was found that the human growth hormones (HGHs) surged after fasting. It increased by about 20 times in men and 15 times in women. The hormone is released by the body in times of starvation.

Some other studies published in the Journal of American Medical Association reveal that there is a connection between non-fasting triglycerides and cardiac problems such as heart-attack, stroke and cardiac death. This holds good especially in case of women.

How does fasting benefit the heart?

Fasting, as explained by doctors is a process which forgoes not only food but also fluids into the body for a certain period of time. This gives some rest to the body and allows it to reset metabolism. The process increases the body's sensitivity towards glucose and insulin. Doctors also suggest that during fasting, the body uses glucose and fats stored in the body to get energy. This automatically reduces the cholesterol that has been built in the walls of the artery. Cholesterol built in the artery walls narrows and hardens them, leading to the obstruction of blood flow.

However, fasting only works if there is complete abstinence from all kinds of fluids
(except water) along with food. This is because, during a fast, metabolism takes place from stored fats and glucose. If fluids like tea or fruit juices enter the body, glucose is digested from them as well.

Cautions

In spite of the benefits of fasting on heart health, doctors have recommended that fasting should not be practiced to the extent of random skipping of meals. Patients should not take up fasting without consulting with their doctors. It is strongly recommended by experts, that any kind of fast should include water or else dehydration is likely to occur, which might lead to stroke.

Fasting can be beneficial for the heart. It has also been described as a natural healing process by the natural hygienists. The connection between regular fasting and heart health interests researchers across the globe. There are many ongoing studies which are researching the subject further.

Sally Grey specializes in writing articles about health, diet, longevity and health specialists like Brenda Rusnak.

Brenda Rusnak is a health care specialist who writes about healthy-aging and prevention. For more information about healthy-aging and Brenda Rusnak, check her out on Facebook.

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One major health condition that many people are at risk to right now is heart ailments. Heart diseases could be congenital or could be brought about by external conditions of bad diets. Our heart is an important part of the body. It is an organ that moves involuntarily and it allows the transportation of blood across the body. The heart is a vital organ and without it, we could not survive. A lot of things in our modern lifestyle affect our heart and overall health.

It is necessary for anyone to know the heart attack causes in order to be more aware of what you should and should not do. Let us first analyze the mechanism that leads to the attack and how big this issue could get. First, blood clots form at the blood vessels, blocking the passage of blood, usually at the coronary artery. The coronary artery is the one that feeds blood to the heart muscles. If the heart does not get the needed nourishment, it could get damaged and it could result to drastic complications. The heart attack is also known as myocardial infarction was known as an abrupt and fatal condition in the past. Nowadays, better understanding of such a condition has given more light to the condition.

So what are the actual heart attack causes?

Your diet

What you eat can determine your safety and protection from heart ailments like myocardial infarction. Foods that contain very high fat content and high LDL content can increase the risks of heart ailments. People should try putting some more control with their diets by minimizing too much fat, by knowing your cholesterol levels, and by eating foods that are high in fiber, and full of the necessary nutrients and vitamins. You have to be aware that even the fit person can have heart attack due to high cholesterol levels. It is important to put much attention to what you put into your body,

Physical activity

Lack of exercise or a sedentary lifestyle can increase the risks of heart attack. If you are full of fats across the body, it exerts more pressure across the body and the blood vessels, causing more pressure to the body. Obesity can also prove to be a big issue since it could also lead to issues like hypertension and other heart conditions. It is important to exercise your body. Be sure to do some physical activities. Simple physical activities can really help.

Stress management

It is important nowadays to stay cool and calm. If you are stressed, you can risk yourself of a heart attack. Sudden changes in your emotions can increase your heart processes and if you have other existing health risks, it can aggravate your heart and lead to a heart attack.

Get more information on: Heart Attack Causes

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To illustrate the development of heart disease from virtual non-existence to being the biggest killer disease, I have used statistical trends describing disease development in Germany - a typical, modern industrialized nation.

In the year 1800, meat consumption in Germany was about 13 kg (28 pounds) per person per year. One hundred years later, meat consumption was nearly three times as high, at 38 kg per person per year. By 1979, it had reached 94.2 kg, which is an increase of 725 percent in less than 180 years. These figures do not include fats. During the period of 1946-1978, meat consumption in Germany increased by 90% and heart attacks rose by 20 times. During the same period, fat consumption remained the same, whereas consumption of cereals and potatoes, which are major suppliers of vegetable protein, decreased by 45%. Therefore, fats and carbohydrates, as well as vegetable proteins, cannot be considered to be causes of coronary heart disease. This leaves meat as the main factor responsible for the dramatic upsurge of this degenerative blood vessel disease.

In consideration of the fact that at least 50 percent of the German population is overweight and most overweight people eat much more meat than those with normal weight do, meat consumption among the overweight must have at least quadrupled in the 33 years after World War II. Being overweight is considered to be a major risk for high blood pressure and heart disease.

According to statistics published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1978, the yearly increases of heart attacks in Western European countries were accompanied by a continuous yearly increase in meat consumption by as much as 4 kg per person. This practically means that eating habits after World War II have shifted from a healthy mixed diet to one excessive in animal protein, but poor in carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables and grains. According to the WHO, fat consumption remained virtually unchanged. Heart attacks and atherosclerosis began to increase dramatically in Germany and in Western industrialized nations soon after the war; today they cause over 50 percent of all deaths.

Although fat consumption among vegetarians is not less than among meat eaters, the vegetarians have the lowest death rates from heart disease.The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that a vegetarian diet could prevent 97% of all coronary occlusions. The incredibly popular high protein, low carbohydrate Atkins Diet and South Beach Diet have the unfortunate side effect of starving a person by clogging up his capillary and artery walls with excessive proteins, and by greatly limiting his fuel intake (carbohydrates). This can certainly make a person lose weight, but not without also damaging his kidneys, liver, and heart. Both the late Dr. Atkins, a heart disease and obesity victim, and former U.S. President Bill Clinton, a keen follower of the South Beach Diet and recipient of a quadruple bypass, suffered the consequences of the high protein diet. Millions of Americans are following in their footsteps.

The reason for the virtual absence of coronary heart disease among vegetarians is their low intake or complete absence of animal protein. Fat consumption is, therefore, only an accomplice of the disease, but not its cause. The constantly recycled mass hysteria that believes fat, which is generally associated with cholesterol, to be the main dietary culprit of heart disease, is completely unfounded, outdated, and has no scientific basis.

[This is an excerpt from the book 'Heart Disease No More!' by Andreas Moritz, available on http://www.ener-chi.com/book.htm ]

Andreas Moritz is a writer and practitioner in the field of Integrative Medicine and author of 13 books on various subjects pertaining to holistic health, including 'Timeless Secrets of Health & Rejuvenation', 'Cancer Is Not A Disease', 'The Amazing Liver & Gallbladder Flush' and 'Vaccine-Nation: Poisoning the Population, One Shot at a Time'.

Andreas can be contacted on http://www.facebook.com/enerchi.wellness

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Cholesterol constantly gets bad press, but the truth is cholesterol performs necessary functions in our body as well as creating some cardiovascular risks. The trick is to keep a good balance.

One of the little known facts about cholesterol is that it protects us from the effects of toxicity. As we know, our environment is far more toxic than it used to be, and as toxicity is passed on from mother to child via the placenta, we are starting life full of toxins. Each day we eat, breath and absorb more toxins. So the binding of cholesterol to toxins in order to protect the body, is vitally important to our health. So while diet can increase cholesterol levels, so to can a heavy load of toxins such as heavy metals (mercury, lead etc), petrochemicals, drugs or pesticides. In particular heavy metals such as mercury increase total cholesterol and LDL Solvents (such as alcohol) raise LDL and triglycerides.

A cholesterol level that is too low is a risk marker of cancer, intestinal problems, stroke and depression. So balance really is the key.

Dyslipidaemia or abnormal blood lipids (fat), such as cholesterol or triglycerides increases your risk of atheroschlerosis, heart disease, stroke, hypertension and other cardiovascular disorders. A total cholesterol reading by itself is not particularly useful. There are 2 main types of cholesterol that you need to be aware of. HDL cholesterol refers to high density lipoprotein. This is the good cholesterol, so remember that we want HDL to be high. HDL carries cholesterol away from the heart and back to the liver where it is excreted as bile. It also helps remove excess cholesterol from inside the blood vessels.

Low density lipoprotein or LDL is supposedly the bad stuff which we need to keep low.LDL transports cholesterol & triglycerides towards the cells and tissues which readily take them up. LDL cholesterol can adhere to the walls of the blood vessels that feed the heart and brain. Increased LDL cholesterol supposedly therefore leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

So why I am saying that LDL cholesterol is supposedly bad? New research tells us that it is only when LDL cholesterol becomes oxidized that it causes problems for the heart. A raised LDL cholesterol on its own has not been found to cause any problems. Oxidation is like a rusting effect. It occurs as a result of inadequate antioxidants such as Vitamin C, E and selenium. If you diet is high in nutrient poor foods such as breads, cakes, biscuits, pasta or processed foods, you are at increased risk of insufficient antioxidants and therefore heart disease.

So before you go into a spin about the effects of cholesterol on heart disease, remember that inflammation and lack of antioxidants is likely to be a greater risk factor of cardiovascular disease than raised cholesterol. Cholesterol repairs membranes that are damaged by inflammation. By reducing inflammation you can therefore reduce the stimulus for the synthesis of cholesterol by the liver. Any treatment that is designed to protect you from heart disease must decrease inflammation. Fish oil can effectively reduce inflammation & triglycerides and slowly bring cholesterol to a satisfactory level.

If you are still concerned about reducing cholesterol here are a few tips:Eat a high fibre diet as fibre prevents cholesterol absorption and promotes eliminationHave at least one serving of green leafy vegetables - this will assist with adequate fibre intake.Eat other foods that are rich in antioxidants such as berries to prevent oxidation of your LDL cholesterol.Despite the hype around saturated fats, grains can contribute to dyslipidemia as they contain palmatic and stearic acid.Keep processed foods to a minimum.ofEat 30 percent protein (eggs, milk, dairy, fish, and soy), and 40 percent carbohydrates and 30 percent good fats from foods such as avocado, nuts, sesame, coconut or olive oil.

The secret as with all good health is to ensure you have a balanced diet with plenty of whole, fresh foods.

Vivienne Savill is an Author, Naturopath and Nurse who runs a natural health clinic in Australia. She is passionate about teaching people how to maintain good health and prevent ill health, through the use of diet, nutrition, lifestyle and herbs. Vivienne has writes about numerous health subjects including Metabolic Syndrome: How to Prevent & Treat Heart Disease, Diabetes and Obesity, which can be found at http://www.recipetohealth.com/

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Oftentimes many tend to look at life expectancy as a statistic that really doesn't apply to them, after all it is just an average. In some ways I understand this line of reasoning but the truth of the matter is that all of us will kick-the-bucket at some point and for most men it will likely be before the age of 80 (average life expectancy for men is now only 75.6).

For women the news is a little better. Nevertheless a woman will likely visit the big salon in the sky playing Barry White music before the age of 85 (average life expectancy for women is 80.6).

So we will all be headed that way at some point and for those of us over the age of 50 we are closer to the end than to the beginning. It is also true that for many people cardiovascular diseases and conditions will bring their lives to an end earlier rather than later.

Cardiovascular health, disease avoidance, and longevity is the tale of two lines. One line which is always rising has to do with the amount of cholesterol laden plaque which has accumulated in the arteries over time leading to hardening and reducing the amount of blood flow.

The other line, which is always declining, is the amount of pumping power the heart is able to muster up. You see, the heart is a muscle that pumps 100,000 times a day and at some point starts to wear out. Most studies suggest that the average heart will lose about half of its pumping power by the age of 80.

Yes, we can and should try to keep our heart muscle strong but the truth is at some point its ability to pump blood will decline dramatically. If this is combined with even moderate amounts of arterial blockage the chances of having a heart attack, stroke, developing an arrhythmia, or some form of heart failure or condition will be almost certain.

The key is making sure these two converging lines stay as far apart for as long as possible.

By keeping cholesterol buildup inside the arterial wall to a minimum you will be doing your heart a big favor by not forcing it to work as hard which in turn will keep it pumping stronger for longer.

Numerous research studies suggest that for cholesterol to accumulate in the lining of the artery/arteries they must be nicked or damaged.

Some believe it is cholesterol itself that causes the arteries to become nicked or damaged, others believe it is caused by inflammation, while still others believe consuming large amounts of high protein foods which triggers the release of harmful amino acids known as homocysteines is the primary culprit. My guess is that it is not one but all three that lead us down the path to arterial disease and/or blockage.

Why don't we look at a few simple natural ways you can improve arterial health and cardiovascular wellness.

*Reduce saturated fat intake: No more than about 8 percent of total daily calories should come from saturated fat intake.

*Neutralize homocysteines: Vitamin B is the best defense. Examples of foods that are high in B vitamins are leafy greens, fish, and beans. Vitamin B supplements are also an alternative.

*Consume foods that bind with cholesterol: Certain foods bind with cholesterol in the intestines and take it out with the solid waste. Examples are oatmeal, apples, oat bran, and flax.

*Stay active: While our main goal is to keep the arteries clear it is also important to keep the heart muscle strong. To do this the American Heart Association suggests 30 minutes of daily doctor approved exercise.

*Reduce internal inflammation: This a topic for another time. Nevertheless, a couple of good ideas would be to reduce stress and consider eating a 4 ounce serving of fish two times a week or taking fish oil supplements high in DHA as a substitute.

*Natural cholesterol reduction supplements: If you feel like you may need a little extra help to achieve your cardiovascular goals natural cholesterol reduction supplements are a safe and effective alternative worth considering.

Rob D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic consumer advocate for natural health and natural living
with over 10 years experience in the field.
To discover more about heart and cholesterol health along with information about safe and effective herbal and homeopathic cholesterol reduction supplements Click Here

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Let's face it, you could be one of the millions of Americans confronting the dangers of high cholesterol and the serious health challenges that excessive cholesterol brings.

Left untreated, high cholesterol can be the factor that causes a heart attack or stroke that either takes your life, or leaves you severely impaired causing negative life changes that affect you and your family, perhaps for decades. The good news is there are options for fighting high levels of bad cholesterol that may save your life.

What type of cholesterol medications are out there?

High cholesterol medications have been on the market for many years now and are referred to as statin drugs. Bad cholesterol known as high density lipoprotein has been a topicproper health care since the early seventies. The medical community became more and more focused on the correlation between what Americans were eating in their diet and the increase in heart disease and occurrence of strokes.

Treatment options for treating high (LDL) vary from brand name high cholesterol medications, such as Crestor and Lipitor, to all natural fish oil supplements. The medical community in the Unites states has accepted these drugs as the standard regimen for combating bad cholesterol.

As the medical community has studied the results of treating the causes of heart disease, more and more doctors are augmenting statins with fish oil supplements that contain powerful ingredients for reducing serum cholesterol as a whole, and particularly the most destructive; low density lipoprotein (LDL).

The results of statin drugs may surprise you

Though statin drugs have proven mostly effective in reducing bad cholesterol, high cholesterol medications have been shown to be a double- edged sword, when it comes to preventing bad cholesterol while causing other potential health problems.

Because the number of patients that need high cholesterol medications is increasing yearly, yet more side effects are also presenting potential problems, the use of fish oil supplements containing high levels of EPA and DHA fatty acids are being more frequently prescribed by doctors while lowering the dosage of statins simultaneously.

According to research conducted by the Mayo Clinic, high cholesterol medications have potential side effects that include, liver damage, damage and pain to muscles, and possible digestive problems. It's common practice for prescribing physicians to require patients to have periodic blood tests to determine if any of these side effects are occurring.

Not everyone who is prescribed high cholesterol medications will incur problems. Those that are more susceptible include anyone suffering from type one or two diabetes, kidney disease, or those over the age of sixty- five according to the Mayo Clinic studies.

The case for fish oil supplements

Because of the natural ingredients of fish oil supplements, doctors are including these supplements containing the omega 3 fatty acids to the mix of therapies to increase higher levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and combat the bad cholesterol (LDL).

Fish oil supplements have been clinically proven to help reduce cholesterol in addition to providing many other health benefits. Added benefits include the all natural qualities of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acids found in cold water fish. There is no abrasive reaction to the liver that is sometimes manifested from high cholesterol medications.

Conclusion

Now that you have heard the facts, talk to your doctor about the correct quantities of natural fish oil supplements in combination with high cholesterol medications. Remember; think like a good consumer, after all, it's your health we are talking about. Here is to your good health!

Jim Morham is a vocal advocate for healthy living and products that promote good health. Due to personal needs, Jim strives to find the very best quality products that aid good health, in order to share them with others. Visit his site at http://purest-omega-3.com/

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Three factors that will affect your cholesterol and your health

Cholesterol is as much a part of life as breathing itself. Our bodies make cholesterol in order to keep the entire system working. What most people aren't aware of is that not only are there two types of cholesterol, but there are various factors that dictate the amount of good and bad cholesterol in our body. These levels of good cholesterol, (HDL) and bad cholesterol, (LDL) are influenced by external factors that have a big impact on our ability to stay healthy and avoid disease.

Heredity and the cholesterol puzzle

Let's face it; there isn't much a person can do about the genes in their family. Like the saying goes, "you can choose your friends, but not your family". Unfortunately, with the family part, that includes your genes. It also means the propensity toward elevated levels of low density lipoprotein or (LDL) cholesterol. Because of genetic pre-disposition, many people struggle with this problem from a young age. The liver is also a contributor to high levels of (LDL). The liver works while we sleep and creates bad cholesterol into the blood stream. According to research, stress is a contributor to your livers production of bad cholesterol.

What can I do to maintain healthy levels of cholesterol?

Exercise has been proven to help to reduce high levels of bad cholesterol. According to the American Heart Association, moderate exercise on a daily basis can reduce (LDL) by burning up calories. Here is the best part; moderate exercise is defined as an activity lasting up to twenty minutes a day that stimulates the cardio vascular system by increasing heart rate. Translated, this can be something as simple as a twenty to thirty minute walk with the dog. Not only are you supplementing good heart health by exercising the heart muscle, but exercise also helps foster higher levels of (HDL) known as high density lipoprotein. Our bodies need levels above 40mg/dl of (HDL) to counteract the bad cholesterol in our arteries. This good cholesterol actually helps remove particulates of bad cholesterol from the walls of the arteries.

The third factor to watch for is diet

This third factor relating to healthy cholesterol levels has to do with the foods we consume. More evidence is emerging from clinical studies that show the efficacy of Omega 3 fish oil in contributing to fighting bad cholesterol. Omega 3 comes in various forms but the fatty acids found in cold water fish contain high concentrations of EPA and DHA. These fatty acids, according to the American Heart Association, have shown the ability to increase the good cholesterol by up to eight percent over a period of a few months. In addition to increasing your intake of Omega 3, a heart healthy diet includes eating less red meat, dialing back on the animal fats in general and eating more fruit, nuts, and more green vegetables. The Greek diet is one that has shown to be the most heart healthy. The Mediterranean diet includes lots of leafy green vegetables, lintels, beans and plenty oily fish dishes.

Why is Omega 3 so helpful to any diet?

The fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid and Eicosapentaenoic acid have been clinically proven to fight inflammation in the body as well as flush the coronary arteries through the benefit of elevating (HDL). Cholesterol management has an inverse relationship, in that as the good cholesterol rises, the bad cholesterol diminishes in most cases. Omega 3 is credited with delivering heart healthy benefits to native Eskimos as well as other populations around the globe that have a regular intake of cold water fish in their diets. For those that don't care for sea food per se, quality fish oil gels are available in most health food stores and pharmacies. One thing to always look for however is the level of the EPA and DHA included. The best fish oil products will always contain high levels of these essential fatty acids.

Now that you know the facts about Omega 3 fish oil, you can augment your regimen of eating healthy, while using moderate exercise on a regular basis to ensure a more healthy cholesterol level, and a healthier heart. Here's to your good health.

Jim Morham is a vocal advocate for healthy living and products that promote good health. Due to personal needs, Jim strives to find the very best quality products that aid good health, in order to share them with others. Visit his site at http://purest-omega-3.com/

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