Lowering Cholesterol

Lowering cholesterol is an important part of overall good health. The heart depends on the timely and adequate delivery of blood to keep it pumping smoothly, delivering oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body. When arteries are clogged with cholesterol, the volume of blood is decreased and, over time, arteries may become completely blocked, obstructing the flow of blood. And while cholesterol is essential for the body to function properly, abnormally high cholesterol is dangerous and steps should be taken to reduce total serum cholesterol.

There are several ways of reducing cholesterol. The first line of offense is diet and exercise. If that is not enough, there are supplements that help with the lowering of cholesterol. Finally, there are several types of medication that can be used when reducing cholesterol.

First, understand that cholesterol comes from foods that contain cholesterol. Most animal products contain cholesterol. Foods with the highest amounts of cholesterol are beef and beef products, veal and veal products, pork and pork products, lamb and lamb products and egg yolks. If you suffer from high cholesterol, try to reduce or eliminate these high cholesterol foods from your diet.

Adding more fiber to your diet is an effective way of lowering cholesterol. In addition, antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables help eliminate LDL, or "bad" cholesterol. Foods enriched with plant sterols, such as margarine and yogurt, and also aid in lowering cholesterol. Nuts and unsaturated fats, such as olive and canola oils also help in your effort at reducing cholesterol.

After adjusting your diet, incorporate regular exercise to reduce the total cholesterol in your body. Studies have found that exercise stimulates enzymes that help move cholesterol out of the blood and into the liver to be converted to bile or eliminated.

Supplements can also help lower cholesterol. Recent evidence has shown that red yeast rice, which contains an ingredient similar to the statin in commercially available prescription cholesterol-lowering drugs, along with omega-3 fish oils, can be effective at reducing cholesterol. However, supplements are not subject to FDA regulations and the amount of active ingredient can vary significantly from brand to brand.

The American Heart Association urges people to use cholesterol-lowering medication to bring down high levels, especially if your LDL numbers are high. The current medications either lower LDL, raise HDL, or block the absorption of cholesterol. Statin drugs, like Lipitor, Crestor, and Zocor, effectively lower LDL levels. Selective cholesterol absorption inhibitors like, Zetia, block the absorption by the intestine. Other drugs are resins, fibrates, and niacin. Niacin works to lower triglycerides and LDL levels and raise HDL cholesterol.

Most of these drugs have few side effects, but rarely, serious side effects may occur. Tests can be done to minimize the risks. Check with your doctor to see which drug is best for you.

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