Download Like many things in life, some cholesterol is good, but too much

Like many things in life, some cholesterol is good, but too much of a good thing can be
bad. Cholesterol is necessary for producing the bile that helps digest the fats in our food.
It also helps stabilize and protect cells, and it plays a key role in the production and use of
vitamin D and certain sex hormones. But extra cholesterol can build up and constrict or
block arteries, leading to angina, heart attacks, and stroke.
Doctors had suspected for years that cholesterol played a role in heart disease. But their
suspicions weren’t confirmed until 1984, when a national study demonstrated that cutting
cholesterol significantly reduced the risks of heart attacks and death from coronary heart
disease. On this news, doctors rushed to help their patients with high cholesterol find a
way to bring it under control. But at the time, the available treatments were only
mediocre. A few anti-cholesterol drugs such as Lopid, Cholybar, and Questran were on
the market, but none were very effective and patients complained about their flavor and
gastric side effects. The other proven remedy, diet and exercise, was as unpopular,
difficult, and frequently unsuccessful then as it is now. Yet the potential market for a new
anti-cholesterol treatment was huge, since about one-half of Americans have cholesterol
levels above the magic number of 200 milligrams per deciliter. The drug race was on.

What is the best diet to lower bad cholesterol?


1. Whole grains and oats – a five-year Insulin Resistance Athersclerosis Study
showed that people whose diets contain the most whole grains “had the thinnest
carotid artery walls and showed the slowest progression in artery wall thickness.”

2. Blueberries – a compound in blueberries (pterostilbene) may help lower
cholesterol as effectively as commercial drugs with fewer side effects.
3. Pistachios, 4.Walnuts, and 5. alamonds – a Penn State study showed that
eating pistachios significantly lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Research
published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology showed eating
walnuts after a high-fat meal might protect your heart. Omega-3 fats and
antioxidants in nuts work to reverse the arterial damage caused by saturated fats.




6.Avocados, 7. Olives, and 8. Olive oil – 26 of the 30 grams of fat in an
avocado are heart-healthy, unsaturated fats that can increase your levels of HDL
cholesterol. The good fats in avocados, olives, and olive oil protect against heart
disease and diabetes.
9. Flaxseed oil– flaxseed oil can lower blood pressure in men with high
cholesterol. In a three-month study of 59 middle-aged men, those who took daily
flaxseed oil supplements (with eight grams of the omega-3 fats, alpha-linoleic
acid) experienced significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
10. 100% cranberry-grape juice – antioxidants in grape juice slow down LDL
cholesterol oxidation, and cranberry juice raises HDL or “good” cholesterol.




11.Fish and fish oils – a study from the Norwegian University of Science and
Technology found that people with type 2 diabetes who consumed high doses of
fish oil over nine weeks lowered the size and concentration of several lipoprotein
subclasses (cholesterol) in their bodies.
12. Black soybeans – a study from the Journal of the Science of Food and
Agriculture shows that black soybeans may help prevent obesity, lower LDL
cholesterol, and reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes.
13. Pomegranate juice – a National Academy of Sciences study showed that
pomegranate juice reduces cholesterol plaque buildup and increases nitric oxide
production (nitric oxide helps reduce arterial plaque).
14. Yogurt with live active cultures (probiotics) – “several studies have shown
that the probiotics Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Lactobacillus Reuteri actually
help lower cholesterol. They work by preventing the reabsorption of cholesterol
back in to the blood stream.”
You might be a person who is predisposed to high cholesterol, or maybe your diet could
use a shape-up. Here are a few key points on cholesterol that I try to focus on:



LDL or “bad” cholesterol deposits itself on the walls of your arteries, forming
plaques that make them hard and narrow. HDL or “good” cholesterol removes
excess LDL in your blood and brings it to your liver for disposal. The more HDL
you consume, the less LDL you’ll have in your blood.
You may need medication to help reduce your cholesterol, but eating a hearthealthy diet and getting exercise are very important.
Everyone should have their cholesterol checked-it doesn’t matter if you are
young/old, female/male, or thin/overweight.
What types of nutritional supplements can help lower cholesterol?
The list of nutrition supplements that are supposed to lower cholesterol levels is long and
varied; everything from garlic to myrrh-tree resin has been promoted as a cholesterolreducing lifesaver.
But which supplements -- if any -- actually work, and which are useless? Researchers
continue to search for answers to that question, but some supplements have been found to
have cholesterol-lowering benefits.
Regardless of which supplements you may choose to try, it's always wise to talk with
your doctor first. Even "all-natural," herbal supplements contain active compounds that
can interact with other medication
"If people have high cholesterol levels and they need to lower their cholesterol, they
should not be totally dependent on supplements to reach their cholesterol goals,".
Because supplements aren't regulated, they can vary widely in purity and efficacy.
Fish and Fish Oil
"I love fish oils, we can use fish oil for a lot of different things, mostly due to its antiinflammatory properties,"
fish oil and its constituent omega-3 fatty acids have been used for many years to lower
triglyceride levels. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends eating fish high
in omega-3 fatty acids, such as mackerel, albacore, tuna and salmon, at least twice a week.
High levels of omega-3 fatty acids, however, can contribute to excessive bleeding in
some people, so caution is advised.
Garlic
Although many people say they believe "the stinking rose" is a proven treatment for high
cholesterol, medical evidence of this position is negligible and inconsistent. The advice of
most experts: save your breath.
Turmeric/Curcumin
A small amount of anecdotal evidence supports the use of this popular Indian spice's use
to improve cholesterol levels (curcumin is the biologically active part of turmeric), it
seems to work mostly as an antioxidant, not as a cholesterol treatment. We don't pull that
off the shelf for cardiovascular health.
Soy
Soy products, such as tofu and soy milk, have been linked to a range of health benefits,
including reducing high cholesterol levels, but soy's cholesterol benefits are still
unproven. Many experts believe it's not the soy itself, but soy's superiority to other
higher-fat sources of protein that makes it effective at lowering cholesterol levels. "The
bottom line is, when folks shift from milk to soy milk, they're decreasing their intake of
saturated fats. It isn't drinking soy milk that is directly lowering cholesterol: it is not
drinking cow's milk.
Plant Stanols/Plant Sterols
Plant stanols and sterols -- collectively known as phytosterols-- are found in nuts, fruits,
vegetables, vegetable oils, legumes, seeds and cereals. The food industry sometimes adds
them to fat-containing products, such as salad dressing, yogurt and margarine.
There is some disagreement over how effective these are at improving cholesterol levels,
and there are some safety concerns. The American Heart Association does not
recommend these products for the general public, but the National Cholesterol
Education/Adult Treatment III program guidelines do recommend them in heart-healthy
dietary plans.
A claim that plant sterol esters can help reduce the risk of heart disease has been okayed
by the Food and Drug Administration.
Red Yeast Rice
Red yeast rice wins near-unanimous approval among experts for its ability to improve
cholesterol levels. Because this fermented rice product is chemically similar to a statin,
It's a low-dose statin. It is called 'statin-equivalent.'
In fact, one of the compounds in red yeast rice, monacolin K, is the active ingredient in
lovastatin, marketed as Mevacor. Since monacolin K is found in small quantities in red
yeast rice, though, some researchers speculate that there may be additional compounds in
this supplement that make it so effective. And, as Shinto points out, red yeast rice is fairly
inexpensive.
It should be noted, though, that the FDA has ruled red yeast rice containing lovastatin as
a regulated product that must be removed from the shelves, so the red yeast rice now
available in the United States may not effectively reduce cholesterol levels any
longer. Either way, since it's original form is so similar to statins, the same precautions
would apply if you are going to consume them: Pregnant women and patients with liver
conditions, for example, should use red yeast rice only under the supervision of a doctor.
Guggulipid
"It is thought guggulipid was gonna be a home run just based on its name,", but the
science supporting the use of this extract of myrrh-tree resin is just not there."
Tea
Although tea, including green tea, has been associated with a drop in cholesterol levels,
"it's not a huge drop,". "It really can't be given [tea] a thumbs-up."
Niacin
Niacin, vitamin B3, is known to both increase levels of HDL (high-density lipoproteins,
"good" cholesterol) and lower LDL (low-density lipoproteins, "bad" cholesterol). Niacin,
however, can cause uncomfortable skin flushing and other side effects. At high doses,
elevation in levels of some liver enzymes, which can indicate potential damage to the
liver, is sometimes seen. Some people tolerate it well, and some don't.These and other
supplements will have different effects on different people. If cholesterol levels don't
change after three months [of trying a supplement as a cholesterol therapy], It is
recommended they talk to their primary care physician about going on statins,.
How can one raise their good cholesterol?
HDL cholesterol, or "good" cholesterol, appears to scour the walls of blood vessels,
cleaning out excess cholesterol. It then carries that excess cholesterol -- which otherwise
might have been used to make the "plaques" that cause coronary artery disease -- back to
the liver for processing. So when we measure a person's HDL cholesterol level, we seem
to be measuring how vigorously his or her blood vessels are being "scrubbed" free of
cholesterol.
HDL levels below 40 mg/dL result in an increased risk of coronary atery disease, even in
people whose total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels are normal. HDL levels
between 40 and 60 mg/dL are considered "normal." However, HDL levels greater than 60
mg/dL may actually protect people from heart disease. Indeed, for several years, doctors
have known that when it comes to HDL levels, the higher the better.
How can We Increase Our HDL Levels?
Aerobic exercise. Many people don't like to hear it, but regular aerobic exercise (any
exercise, such as walking, jogging or bike riding, that raises your heart rate for 20 to 30
minutes at a time) may be the most effective way to increase HDL levels. Recent
evidence suggests that the duration of exercise, rather than the intensity, is the more
important factor in raising HDL choleserol. But any aerobic exercise helps.
Lose weight. Obesity results not only in increased LDL cholesterol, but also in reduced
HDL cholesterol. If you are overweight, reducing your weight should increase your HDL
levels. This is especially important if your excess weight is stored in your abdominal area;
your waist-to-hip ratio is particularly important in determining whether you ought to
concentrate on weight loss.
Stop smoking. If you smoke, giving up tobacco will result in an increase in HDL levels.
(This is the only advantage I can think of that smokers have over non-smokers -- it gives
them something else to do that will raise their HDL.)
Cut out the trans fatty acids. Trans fatty acids are currently present in many of your
favorite prepared foods -- anything in which the nutrition label reads "partially
hydrogenated vegetable oils" -- so eliminating them from the diet is not a trivial task. But
trans fatty acids not only increase LDL cholesterol levels, they also reduce HDL
cholesterol levels. Removing them from your diet will almost certainly result in a
measurable increase in HDL levels..
Alcohol. With apologies to the American Heart Association, which discourages doctors
from telling their patients about the advantages of alcohol: one or two drinks per day can
significantly increase HDL levels. More than one or two drinks per day, one hastens to
add, can lead to substantial health problems including heart failure -- and there are
individuals who will develop such problems even when limiting their alcohol intake to
one or two drinks per day.
Increase the monounsaturated fats in your diet. Monounsaturated fats such as canola
oil, avocado oil, or olive oil and in the fats found in peanut butter can increase HDL
cholesterol levels without increasing the total cholesterol.
Add soluble fiber to your diet. Soluble fibers are found in oats, fruits, vegetables, and
legumes, and result in both a reduction in LDL cholesterol and an increase HDL
cholesterol. For best results, at least two servings a day should be used.
Other dietary means to increasing HDL. Cranberry juice has been shown to increase
HDL levels. Fish and other foods containing omega-3 fatty acids can also increase HDL
levels. In postmenopausal women (but not, apparently, in men or pre-menopausal women)
calcium supplementation can increase HDL levels.
What about a low-fat diet?
While Americans traditionally have ingested too much fat in the diet, and while limiting
total fat in the diet is useful not only for cholesterol control but also for weight reduction,
evidence is emerging that too little fat in the diet can be dangerous. A diet in which fat
has all but been eliminated can result in a deficit in the essential fatty acids - certain fatty
acids that are essential to life, but which the body cannot manufacture itself. Furthermore,
ultra-low-fat diets have been reported to result in a significant reduction in HDL
cholesterol in some individuals.
The best advice regarding fat in the diet appears to be this: 1) reduce the fat intake to 30 35% of the total calories in the diet - but probably no lower than 25% of total calories; 2)
try to eliminate saturated fats and trans fats from the diet, and substitute monounsaturated
and polyunsaturated fats instead. (That is, eliminate animal and dairy fat, and substitute
unprocessed vegetable fats. Such a diet will avoid the problems seen with an ultra-low-fat
diet, and should help raise HDL cholesterol levels.
What about drugs for raising HDL cholesterol?
Drug therapy for raising HDL cholesterol levels has, so far, been less successful than for
reducing LDL cholesterol. Statins, in particular, are often not very effective at increasing
HDL levels.
Of the drugs used to treat cholesterol, niacin appears to be the most effective at raising
HDL levels. Niacin is one of the B vitamins. The amount of niacin needed for increasing
HDL levels are so high, however, that it is classified as a drug when used for this purpose.
Furthermore, "niacin" takes several forms, including nicotinic acid, nicotinamide, and
inositol hexaniacinate - and all of these are labelled as "niacin." Unfortunately, only
nicotinic acid raises HDL cholesterol, and this drug can be difficult to take because of its
propensity to cause flushing, itching and hot flashes. In general, taking niacin to treat
cholesterol levels should be supervised by a doctor.
A three-drug regimen of niacin, cholestyramine, and gemfibrozil has been shown to
increase HDL cholesterol substantially, but this drug combination can be particularly
difficult to tolerate.
Now that HDL levels are attracting more and more attention, several drug companies are
attempting to develop new drugs aimed specifically at increasing HDL. Unfortunately,
there have been early disappointments and it will be several years before we can expect
to see such drugs on the market.