Check Cholesterol For A Happy, Healthy Life!
Thursday, October 29th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
Cardio-vascular diseases top the list of major diseases the world over. Medical experts opine that a high cholesterol level in the bloodstream is the single major causative factor in this group of diseases. So what causes high levels of cholesterol in the blood, and what can you do to prevent that from happening to you? Let’s find out.
Cholesterol is not a single substance. It is the generic name for a family of similar substances that are produced in the body. The good cholesterol, abbreviated as HDL, is produced by the body for tissue growth and health. This level is maintained at a healthy level by the body. The bad cholesterol is a by product of body metabolism and must be evacuated or destroyed. This bad cholesterol is abbreviated LDL. You must help the body in maintaining the exact proper level of both these cholesterol components to remain naturally healthy.
There is a general perception that a high level of cholesterol is itself a disease. This is false. But yes, high levels of bad cholesterol increase the risk of some very serious, even life threatening, cardio-vascular diseases. Some of these diseases are: atherosclerosis (which hardens the arteries), heart arrhythmias, strokes, high blood pressure, and heart attacks. We’ll tell you how to control the level of cholesterol in your blood.
The body itself maintains the level of HDL and LDL in the blood. But if we ingest excess cholesterol then the body’s regulatory system goes out of kilter. That’s how most people develop LDL related ailments. A general diet is not indicated here. Restrict your intake of just those food articles that contain harmful levels of cholesterol, LDL particularly. These food articles are oils and fats, animal produce, and some substances like sodium. Meats, dairy produce, and poultry produce are all villains in this situation.
The second step is physical exercise. Include a lot of physical activity into your routine. Exercise and physical activity can help to control and reduce the level of blood cholesterol. The American Heart Association advises people who have high blood cholesterol to get at least thirty minutes of exercise every day. You are at liberty to choose your exercise break-up. Do it all at one go, or do it in three spells or whatever. Just be consistent and regular in exercising. Over exercising is as bad as not exercising at all. You can converge some of your daily activities into your exercise regime. For example, park your car at a (reasonable!) distance from your office, and then jog to the office. Take the elevator to the floor just below yours, and then walk up the last flight of stairs. Don’t take the car to the park, ride a bike instead. If you like swimming, there’s nothing like it for all round exercise.
A secondary cause of high cholesterol is smoking. Smoking raises the level of cholesterol in the blood. Even second hand smoke is harmful in this respect. So, if you do have a high cholesterol level, reduce or stop smoking, and avoid those places where there is a lot of second hand smoke.
Sometimes, very rarely, but still often enough, it’s not your diet or your lifestyle that causes the LDL level to skyrocket. It’s your body itself, its regulatory mechanism that is malfunctioning! This happens due to genetic factors which may even be hereditary. The way out of this situation is medication. Your physician will prescribe medicines that are suitable for your condition.
In conclusion, high levels of bad cholesterol can badly damage your health and lifestyle. If you want to lead a long and healthy and happy life, here’s what you do. Number one, stop smoking. Number two, exercise. Number three, avoid fats and animal produce in your diet. There you have it: Lower cholesterol levels in three easy steps just as promised!
Having a cholesterol monitor can save you money by reducing trips to the physician for a cholesterol test. To learn additional techniques to reduce cholesterol visit www.reduce-high-cholesterol.com.
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