Naturally Lower Cholesterol

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If you’ve been paying attention at all lately, you can’t have missed the supposed benefits of Resveratrol. Its been touted on 60 Minutes, Barbara Walters, on Oprah by Dr. Oz, by Diane Sawyer and so many others its hard to count! The story from each of these experts seems to say the same thing. Resveratrol is enormously beneficial to the human body!

What is Resveratrol?

Resveratrol is primarily known as a natural component in the skin of red grapes but is found in other fruits and plants. It has been used in Eastern medicine for centuries to treat everything from headaches, to dermatitis, to infections, to inflammatory responses, to arthritis, to asthma, to hypertension and arteriosclerosis.

In China, the resveratrol extract is known as Hu-Chang and has also been credited with all significantly lowering high cholesterol naturally.

How does Resveratrol impact Cholesterol?

We’ve discussed in many articles that cholesterol is required by the body for a healthy cardiovascular system. The HDL or good cholesterol helps to keep the LDL or bad cholesterol moving through the system. When the LDL becomes to much for the HDL, the LDL starts building up in the arteries, causing plaque formations, hardening of the arteriers (artheriosclerosis) and can ultimately lead to heart attack, stroke and even death.

We’ve also talked about how LDL gets out of control and that is primarily by an unhealthy amount of saturated fats in the diet — mostly caused by red meat — and by trans-fats normally found in products containing hydrogenated vegetable fats and is found in biscuits, pies, crackers and many other processed food.

Studies have shown that the plaque that builds up in arteries is caused by oxidized LDL — which is why we recommend eating foods with high anti-oxidant properties. These foods help to reduce the oxidation levels of LDL and can prevent the plaque build-up.

Studies also show that Resveratrol contain extremely high anit-oxidant properties and has been proven to lower the LDL levels in the blood which lowers the overall cholesterol numbers — all naturally. http://www.naturallylowercholesterolnow.com/zmv also lowers the level of tryglycerides in the body — another cholesterol marker. Triglycerides in the bloodstream have been linked to atherosclerosis and are effectively reduced by the consuming of http://www.naturallylowercholesterolnow.com/zmv.

Are there Other Benefits from Resveratrol?

Companies that have been testing the implications of resveratrol on health issues in general, noticed an incredible side effect — resveratrol improves the complexion and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. It also has been found to reduce eye fatigue and in trials it helps to fight age related macular degeneration.

The benefits of resveratrol are actually so amazing and extensive, that I don’t have room to go into them here.

The best thing to do is to try resveratrol yourself and watch the many benefits unfold right before your eyes!

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If you’ve reached this site, it’s probably because you or someone you know has been told they have high cholesterol.  You’ve probably heard about LDL and HDL and maybe even triglycerides – but what does all that mean.  Is LDL the good kind or bad kind?  And what about the ratios.

Lets Break It Down –

First lets talk about what cholesterol really is.  It’s a waxy substance that is carried in our bloodstreams and is eventually stored in our cells. It is then used by the body in many ways.  The cholesterol  numbers your doctor describes to you are indicators of how well balanced our LDL and HDL are, along with our triglycerides.  These numbers are just one measure used to determine the overall health of our cardiovascular systems.

The Good

On the other hand, HDL high-density lipoprotein tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it’s passed from the body. Some experts believe HDL removes excess cholesterol from plaques and thus slows their growth. HDL cholesterol is known as “good” cholesterol because a high HDL level seems to protect against heart attack. I remember HDL as being the happy lipoprotein or you could might remember you want your HDL to be HIGH!

The Bad

LDL or low-density lipoprotein is the major cholesterol carrier in the blood. If too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the walls of the arteries feeding the heart and brain. Together with other substances it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog those arteries. This condition is known as atherosclerosis.  My doctor helped me to remember the LDL is the lousy lipoprotein. Another way to think about it, is that you want LDL to be LOW.

The Ugly –

Ultimately if your high cholesterol gets out of hand, plaque builds up on the artery walls.  This decreases the ability of blood to easily flow, while increasing blood pressure.  Over time, without intervention, this condition causes atherosclerosis – or hardening of the arteries and it can be severe enough to causes a heart attack or stroke. So what you don’t know about how to lower cholesterol can indeed kill you.

The BEST!

You can reduce your cholesterol naturally in a variety of ways.  In the next articles we’ll explore the many techniques you can use to safely and effectively reduce LDL, raise HDL, and naturally lower your overall cholesterol levels.

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It’s amazing to me that at the first sign of high cholesterol, doctors will either discuss radical changes in diet – or worse yet a prescription for heavy-duty drugs.  When I found out I had high cholesterol, my doctor spent relatively little time explaining just how easy it is to naturally reduce cholesterol levels.

I am an active 50-something who loves hiking and being in natural settings; the thought of taking medications sends chills up my spine.  I will go to almost any length to keep from putting synthetic chemicals in my body – especially when there are so many natural foods and food-based supplements that can help you to reduce cholesterol – and with none of the side effects associated with some drugs. That said, here are 5.5 proven methods to effectively reduce cholesterol naturally.

Proven Method #1 – Lose weight

Given that almost everyone wants to lose and most people aren’t losing – you may think – “Sure, easy for you to say.” Personally, maintaining a healthy weight hasn’t always been easy for me, but even a few pounds can make a difference.  If you follow all 5.5 proven tips, you will lose the weight you need and it will be well worth it. When I lost just 10 pounds my cholesterol dropped 15%!

Most of us need an easy-to-follow plan that is based on moderation in most things.  Depriving yourself of all the foods you love rarely works and if you really want something that is not in you best interest – have a VERY SMALL portion once in awhile. Otherwise a diet that is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, and includes a large variety of vegetables and whole grains is best.

Proven Method #2 – Reduce your intake of saturated fats

The primary sources of saturated fats in most western cultures, are deep fried foods and red meat. To reduce cholesterol, it is important to limit red meat consumption to no more than one meal per week. My doctor told me to avoid fried foods like the plaque – but I’ll be honest… I allow myself one small bag of French fries a month.  I feel like I’m not being horribly deprived and my cholesterol has returned to normal levels.

Salty snacks, like potato chips and tortilla chips can also be high in saturated fats.  It is easy to substitute those with their baked cousins without sacrificing taste.  Just look around the grocery shelves for the snacks with lower fat content.

Proven Method #3 -Increase your fiber intake

There are so many supplements claiming to reduce cholesterol and most of them contain fiber!  Soluble fiber has been proven to lower cholesterol – no question! One of the very best ways to get enough fiber is to increase your intake of fuirts and vegetables (some raw) to five to eight servings each day.

The American Heart Association also recommends adding oat and rice bran to your fruit and vegetable regimen. Nutritional supplements containing psyllium or flax have also been shown to have positive effect on cholesterol.

Proven Method #4 – Exercise

Yep – we all know it.  Getting more exercise is one thing every doctor prescribes. But few of us build it into our life-styles so we might try it for a few days or weeks then gradually go back to our same unhealthy habits.  But if you are serious about using natural ways to lower cholesterol, this must be part of your ongoing plan. Start small: just park your car further away from the store, take the stairs instead of the elevator, take 3 ten minute walks a day – just once around the block, three times each day.

Then, work up to a good aerobic workout, for one half hour, 3 to 5 days each week.  You’ll be amazed at how much more energy you have throughout the day! Not to mention how much better your clothes fit!

Proven Method #5 – Nutritional Supplements

You’ll find that nutritional supplements will enhance your goal to lower cholesterol naturally. Make sure they are part of the complete package though. Just because you’re taking a natural supplement, doesn’t mean you can eat less of the healthy  foods or give up exercising. You’ve got to do a little of each of these proven methods every day to naturally reduce cholesterol.

Proven Method #5.5 – Its all about your attitude

We’ve all heard the old saying – “Change your thinking and change your life”, well it is certainly true here.  Watch what you say to yourself and to others about your high cholesterol – tell the story of what you want to happen  — the story where, “It is really easy to lower cholesterol naturally.  It’s good to be healthy and fit – naturally.” Believe you CAN lower your cholesterol naturally. It all the difference.

It’s all in how we think – think health, think longevity, make good choices.  It’s up to you.

The time is right to start to lower your cholesterol naturally. Do it now. Feel better and have more energy. You will be astonished at how quickly you can reduce cholesterol!

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High in Anti-Oxidants

So many people in America — both men and women– have been diagnosed with high cholesterol.  The impact of ignoring this diagnosis is severe — it includes stroke, heart attack and even death.  The options for treatment are to take harsh drugs, known as statins– which have been associated with uncomfortable side effects.  The other options are life-style changes which are easy to incorporate in to your routine.  Finally, if the life-style changes aren’t enough, thethird option is a combination of both drugs and life-style changes.

If you want to naturally lower cholesterol - life-style changes are by far the most powerful.  If you follow these 4.5 tips you could be on the road to reduce cholesterol naturally.

1. Exercise—  Isn’t this one of the first things your doctor asks about with ANY check-up?  It seems obvious if you want to be healthy, you’ve got to find time to exercise. The truth is most people do not consider how important exercise is for lowering cholesterol.  Aerobic exercise has a huge benefit to lowering LDL (the “bad” cholesteral) quickly and efficiently. Resistance training is not only good for losing weight and building muscle mass, but it also may help lower your cholesterol levels — resistance training is also good for maintaining bone mass.  Adding exercise to your routine needn’t be drudgery — walk the dog, go for a hike, ride your bike, play some tennis – have fun.
2. Cholesterol Lowering Foods — Foods that can naturally lower cholesterol are low in saturated fat and high in soluble fiber.  That means lots of fruits and vegies,along with low fat meat like chicken.  Additionally, Omega-3’s are thought to assist in reducing cholesterol. Stay away from red meat and high fat content foods.
3. Drink Alcohol – If you’re a woman you can easily have one alcoholic beverage each day and can expect to naturally lower cholesterol by 4% to 8%.  A man could have two alcoholic beverages for the same benefit.  However, it should be noted that drinking more than the allotted amount can actually increase cholesterol levels. A typical serving of alcohol would be 1-12 oz. beer or 5 oz glass of wine.
4. Don’t Smoke or Breath any Second Hand Smoke – In this day and age, it almost goes without saying – smoking in any form is bad for you.  But most people don’t realize the impact of smoking on cholesterol. Smoking has been linked to Oxidized LDL , which can contribute to atherosclerosis. Research has also shown that cholesterol levels, as well as oxidized forms of LDL, will decrease as soon as you stop smoking.

4.5 Take a Natural Lowering Supplement –  There are many natural cholesterol supplements that may not only lower LDL cholesterol levels but also increase HDL or good        cholesterol The most attractive features of these supplements is that they can be much safer than prescription drugs, and as such can be a much better option. Supplements high in anti-oxidants can also help to naturally lower cholesterol.

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