As your cholesterol begins to increase, plaque begins to form in your arteries which narrows the passage way through which blood flows. When your blood supply to the heart is completely blocked this will inevitably result in a heart attack.
Although cholesterol may seem completely negative, there is actually a "good" cholesterol among the three different types of cholesterol, also known as lipoproteins, which are present in your body. Saturated fat and cholesterol in the foods you eat leads to higher cholesterol levels and cutting back on saturated fats is key in reducing your cholesterol. Age and gender is another factor in cholesterol levels because as you get older your cholesterol levels will begin to slowly rise. In some cases high cholesterol can run in your family and your genes may determine how much cholesterol your body naturally makes.
Simply put, becoming informed about your cholesterol is a key step in starting your fight against high cholesterol.
In addition to these benefits, niacin has long been used to increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol which is the "good" cholesterol that assists in removing the "bad" cholesterol from your bloodstream.
Niacin has the ability to raise your HDL cholesterol by more than 30 percent. By adding products that are rich in niacin you are taking an active role in lowering your cholesterol and you may not even need to take medication if your new diet begins to reduce your cholesterol to a more healthy level.
In order to determine your cholesterol levels, most doctors will order a blood test known as a lipid profile, which is used to screen for disorders related to high cholesterol. A lipoprotein profile screening provides you with your total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides (fats carried in the blood) and converts those results into numbers to determine your cholesterol levels. Based upon the results, your doctor may recommend sticking with your current routine or he may opt to have you start taking a nutritional supplement to help increase your niacin intake.
In some cases, increasing your niacin intake may not be enough and your doctor may recommend additional methods to improve your HDL cholesterol.
High cholesterol is becoming a growing problem in America and it is putting people at an increased risk of heart attacks and heart disease. Recent studies from the Mayo Clinic have uncovered five of the top proven lifestyle changes that you can make to reduce your cholesterol.
Losing weight is the most important step in lowering your cholesterol and even losing as little as 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can help to reduce cholesterol levels significantly. You should be proactively looking for healthy alternatives to contribute to your weight loss challenge.
Making even just a few changes in your diet can help to lower cholesterol and improve heart health. Some healthier alternatives that we recommend include eating whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon or almonds.
Exercise is not only critical in reducing your cholesterol, but it can also contribute to raising your HDL (Good) cholesterol. For healthy adults, it is recommended only to have one drink a day if you are 65 or older and only two drinks per day if you are below the age of 65.
Simply put, making these lifestyle changes can lead to a reduction in your cholesterol levels, and you may start to see results almost instantly.
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Health,
High Cholesterol
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