Do you have a lipid disorder? With cholesterol and fatty acids and hypertension, the medical terminology can be confusing, to say the least. A "lipid disorder" is just a blanket term for high cholesterol and triglycerides, meaning that you have too many fatty substances in your body, which puts you at risk for heart disease, heart attacks, coronary artery disease and a stroke. This may all sound like bad news, but you can still live many healthy and happy years if you're willing to make a few dietary sacrifices and take medication.
To get your triglycerides and cholesterol back down to a normal level, you will have to make some dietary changes. For people who have high cholesterol levels from eating too many fattening foods, cholesterol lowering can be accomplished by as much as 10-20% from dieting alone. Reducing calories to 1,200-1,500 for women and 1,500-1,800 for men will help you lose 2 pounds per week. When losing weight, you shouldn't drink more than one serving of alcohol per day and you should be ingesting eight cups of water daily. Adding just 30 minutes of exercise per day, either all at once or in 3 intervals of 10 minutes, can work wonders for heart health.
A sample diet plan for someone looking to lower cholesterol and triglycerides begins with ½ cup of oatmeal with a cup of nonfat milk, 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and a sliced banana or ½ cup of canned peaches. For lunch, slap 2 ounces of lean turkey onto two slices of whole wheat bread, adding a tablespoon of Miracle Whip, a tomato and a slice of lettuce. Carrot sticks and fruit make a nice complement to this midday feast. You can treat yourself to a satisfying snack of yogurt, raisins and peanuts midday if you desire. A great dinner consists of 3 oz. baked or broiled salmon, a cup of brown rice, a cup of cooked broccoli, a slice of bread with one teaspoon of margarine, 1 tablespoon of olive oil used in cooking and a salad with 1 ½ cups of romaine lettuce, ½ cup of tomatoes, ¼ cup of cucumber and 1 tablespoon of oil/vinegar salad dressing. You'll find that well-rounded eating like this is more satisfying than binging on small, fatty meals.
If your doctor finds that you have an abundance of cholesterol and triglycerides, then there are several things that may be recommended. The first step is usually a diet/lifestyle change. Yes, you'll need to quit smoking, start exercising a little more, lose some weight and give up some of your favorite foods, but keep in mind that its small potatoes compared to paying the medical bills when you have a heart attack. If lifestyle modifications do not significantly improve your heart health, then you will likely require medication. Statins are the most common prescriptions, but you may also try other drugs, like bile acid sequestering resins, cholesterol absorption inhibitors, fibrates, and nicotinic acid (niacin).You may have heard that cholesterol and triglycerides often require prescription drugs to help the body get back to business. Statins are the most effective and commonly used drugs because they produce little side effects and they can quickly halt the progression of coronary artery disease. They work by reducing bad cholesterol and boosting good cholesterol to restore balance. Statins on the market include: Lipitor, Lescol, Mevacor, Pravachol, Zocor and Crestor.
As we get older there are critical numbers that start to weigh to a great extent upon us. We have to concern ourselves about our blood pressure, weight and our cholesterol level. Things we may have ignored our entire lives now all of a sudden they have significant importance. However these are things that should not have been disregarded. A lifetime of abuse on the body yields just unfavorable things when left unrestrained.
Your cholesterol level is absolutely essential if you wish to continue healthy and your body functioning right. High levels can lead to heart attacks as well as stroke, both of these things you do not want to have to contend with. Being mindful when it comes to your cholesterol level is not just for the elderly. It is something both younger people and older people have to be concerned with and be conscious of if they want to lead a healthy life. In this article we will cover the basic principles of cholesterol and hopefully you will understand just how significant a healthy level is to your body and peace of mind.
What is bad cholesterol?
LDL cholesterol is bad. All cholesterol is carried by lipoproteins but the low-density lipoproteins moves in the blood stream and allows the cholesterol to begin to accumulate. If there is too much LDL then the cholesterol begins building up on the walls of the arteries. It begins to form plaque which makes the arteries hard and not as flexible. When clots form and block the artery a heart attack or stroke can occur.
How can you keep from getting high cholesterol?
You can help take steps against having too much LDL cholesterol in your body by exercising, not smoking and eating right. These three things are the primary reasons why people have excessive LDL. Yes, some of your cholesterol levels have to do with family history but doctors have proven time and time again that a diet rich in fish and Omega-3 along with a healthy weight will reduce the overall LDL numbers. The body needs to have plenty of exercise as well.
How is the blockage from the arteries withdrawn?
The first stage is through medicines but if there is a acute tapering or closure in the artery or blood vessel then a slightly more aggressive procedure is necessary. The actual functions might vary however one frequent method is through a balloon angioplasty. The mechanical device is entered into the artery and navigated to the where the blockage is located where the plaque build up has occurred. The balloon is then inflated to clear the passage. Nowadays the operation is minimally invasive and most patients are capable of going home that day.
Does a diet rich in fish really help lower my cholesterol?
You may be surprised but a diet rich in fish, particularly salmon, can help you lower your overall LDL cholesterol while helping raise the HDL cholesterol. It is the omega-3 fatty acids that have been shown to help the body. But do not stop at just salmon. There are other great foods that can help you reduce your LDL's and raise your HDL's such as: avocados, garlic, black beans, uncooked soy and even Shitake mushrooms.
To find out more head on over to Controlling High Cholesterol and more information at Basics Of Cholesterol in addition to Normal Cholesterol Levels
