How To Maintain Healthy Cholesterol Levels - Part 1How To Maintain Healthy Cholesterol Levels

When I was working as a supplement consultant for a Natural Food Store chain in Atlanta,GA. I met at least two or three customers daily,who were diagnosed with elevated LDL levels and came to the store to seek natural remedies. Some of those customers were already on statin drugs,which were making them have bad side effects. I personally know a couple,where husband encountered problems with male function after 3 years of taking Lipitor. It was a sad reality for this man,because he was only 43 years old. Looking at his diet I wasn’t surprised that he was diagnosed with high low-density lipoprotein levels in the first place,because a KFC mega-bucket for dinner will most likely kill a whale in the long run too. Sadly,he did almost nothing,dietary wise,to improve his condition. I believe that in order to create awareness about dangers of high LDL levels we need to educate our society about the causes and prevention of this condition.
So what does elevated LDL levels mean? LDL means low-density lipoprotein known as “bad cholesterol”. Cholesterol,which is a kind of a lipid found on our blood stream,can’t dissolve in the blood. It has to be transported to and from the cells by carriers called lipoproteins. When too much LDL (bad) cholesterol circulates in the blood,it can slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. Together with other substances,it can form plaque,a thick,hard deposit that can narrow the arteries and make them less flexible. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. If a clot forms and blocks a narrowed artery,heart attack or stroke can result.
Main causes of elevated LDL levels are bad dietary habits and stress,sometimes people say it’s hereditary,but medical and naturopathic professionals do not agree. They confirm that many hereditary conditions can be managed and prevented with healthy diet and natural supplements. Lack of dietary fiber and exercise in American diet and lifestyle respectively are also major factors for raised LDL levels. After all there is a wise saying:“You are what you eat”.
In his book “The New Optimum Nutrition Bible” Patrick Holford talks about how Vitamin C deficiency may lead to increased levels of cholesterol as well.
Dr. Elson Haas,in his book “Staying Healthy with Nutrition”,emphasizes about dangers of consuming long-chain saturated and hydrogenated fats,which can drastically increase LDL levels and cause vascular problems. According to Haas,deep fried and fried foods are overheated and over-processed therefore it makes it very hard for our bodies to process and eliminate them. The most disturbing fact mentioned by Haas,in my opinion,is that elevated LDL levels may lead to atherosclerosis,which is a plague that builds up in arteries and can cause stroke or heart attack.
Linda Page PhD writes that high cholesterol affects nearly 60 million of Americans annually. In her book “Healthy Healing” she mentions a new research that shows how high cholesterol levels may increase a risk of Alzheimer’s disease as well.

The closer we will get to natural and whole foods,the less risk we will run into when it comes to developing these,to say the least,unpleasant diseases. Many researches have shown that consuming significant amounts of Omega-3 fats may help to raise HDL and lower LDL levels in the blood. Omega-3 fats are found in oily fish like salmon and mackerel,as well as flax seeds and chia seeds. Making an oily fish a part of our diet at least two to three times weekly and sprinkling a table spoon of flax seeds on our daily green salad will help us to increase Omega-3 fats. Otherwise for extremely busy people there are many good quality Omega-3 supplements on the market today,from such respectable companies like Barleans,New Chapter,Garden of Life and Jarrow. Increasing dietary fiber in our diet should not be a challenge either. Simple steps like switching to whole grain bread instead of white bread. Adding a spoon of powdered fiber,which is widely sold in health food stores,into breakfast smoothie or breakfast cereals,consuming more whole grains will make a difference in the long run. Reading labels on packaged foods is also extremely important,according to Haas,we should know the following measures in order to avoid high amounts of hidden saturated and trans fats:
•Saturated fat – not more than 25% of saturated fat daily
•Hydrogenated fats – should be avoided all together
•Total fat – less than 25 grams daily for 1,800 calorie diet
Good news for red wine lovers – it shows that it may help to raise HLD levels and helps to reduce stress. Just don’t get carried away.
Interestingly enough,few extensive researches have shown that eggs,egg yolks in particular,have nothing to do with raising LDL levels in the blood. So the myth of avoiding egg yolks,if you were diagnosed with high cholesterol,is just a myth. Although if followed correctly,vegan diet and life style never hurt anyone ☺

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How To Maintain Healthy Cholesterol Levels - Part 1How To Maintain Healthy Cholesterol Levels

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