A Healthy Life Blog

Cholesterol is an essential substance to maintain your body working. This might come as a surprise, as all the literature out there seems to indicate that cholesterol is bad. There are two types of cholesterol, HDL cholesterol or good cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol, which are better known as bad cholesterol. To ensure that you do not have bad cholesterol you need to have a test and to have the test you need to know how to prepare for a cholesterol blood test. 

Cholesterol testing can help conclude whether you have an sufficient level of good cholesterol, too much bad cholesterol, the total amount of cholesterol in your bloodstream, and the presence of triglyceride levels that can cause blockages in the arteries. Cholesterol testing is a simple blood test and will help you get a better picture of your state of health, and what you can do to be healthier.  

Who Should Have A Cholesterol Test? 

Cholesterol testing should be carried out every five years. You don’t have to be middle aged to take a cholesterol test. In fact it’s advisable to take one as soon as you reach the age of twenty. Waiting until your forties may be too late. The sooner you have a clear idea about your risks for heart disease the better. 

How To Prepare For A Cholesterol Blood Test  

To prepare for cholesterol blood test you should fast for fourteen hours before the test. This means no food or drink, with the exception of water, before you take the test. You should not drink alcohol for forty-eight hours before the test as well. Although the test can be carried out without a fast you can only use the results for total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels. It’s advisable that you do abstain from food so that you get a more accurate picture. 

The Procedure 

The next step on preparing for a cholesterol blood test is going to a hospital or to your doctors surgery where the  required  blood sample will be drawn the same way any other blood test is carried out. The actual procedure only takes a few minutes and doesn’t hurt much. You may feel minor discomfort when the needle used to draw blood is inserted into your vein.  

After the blood test you can start eating again as you would normally do. If you were asked to stop taking any medications then your doctor will advice you when you can resume taking said medication. After the test your doctor will send the blood sample for analysis and determine the likelihood that you might develop heart disease.  

Other factors such as family history, age, lifestyle and prior heart attacks will be taken into account when determining your risk of developing heart disease. If you do have less than desirable cholesterol levels then your doctor can advise you on the next step.

6 Top Risk Factors for Heart Disease

Heart disease is a killer that does not discriminate between men and women or even the various cultures or socioeconomic backgrounds. In fact, it has been called a universal killer because more people die from heart disease each year than other illnesses – several million a year worldwide! With some people, heart disease is not even a blip on their radar because they don’t even know they have it! Others have a variety of health problems and know they are at greater risk than the average person for heart disease because of those problems.

Knowing what the risk factors are can greatly help in reducing your chances of developing heart disease. While there are likely dozens of contributing causes, there are six top risk factors for heart disease – with several that you can do something about. Here they are:

1.  Hypertension – Also known as high blood pressure, hypertension is one of the leading contributors to heart disease. Why, you may ask? Blood pressure basically is a measure of the force of the blood flow. The greater that force is, the more likely it is to cause problems, especially when other factors exist. The longer hypertension goes unchecked the more likely you are to develop hardening of the arteries, thickening of the heart muscle and much more. Exercise and diet can lower hypertension but sometimes medications are necessary to help.

2.Smoking – A nicotine habit can be life controlling. Smoking can promote the collection of fatty deposits in the blood which can lead to arterial blockage and heart disease. It also promotes narrowing of the arteries which requires the heart to pump harder to push oxygen through the body and results in hypertension.

3.  Diabetes – This metabolic disease affects how insulin is produced and absorbed in the body. People with diabetes have a greater chance of developing several conditions that lead to heart disease such as narrowing of the arteries, arterial damage and hardening of the arteries. This condition can also affect the muscles, of which the heart is one of the most important ones.

4.  High cholesterol – Cholesterol is important to the body as it is a necessary component for the healthy lining of body cells and blood vessels. You get cholesterol from foods as well as normal liver function. Even if you eat virtually no cholesterol, your body should be able to produce enough to adequately sustain healthy cells and blood vessels. Therefore, adding more cholesterol via the diet can boost cholesterol beyond normal limits in the blood. As this happens, plaque will build up along the arterial walls causing not only hardening of the arteries but also narrowing. This can contribute to heart problems by placing more burdens on the heart to get oxygen and nutrients to the body.

5. Obesity – Being hugely overweight contributes to a variety of other factors which in turn can develop into heart disease. Obesity means that you are likely to have higher cholesterol levels, problems with insulin production and absorption (diabetes issues) and more. When you lose the weight, less poundage removes some of the burden on your body and reduces heart disease risk.

6.  Family genetics – Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do about family history and propensity towards heart disease. What you can change is how you live your life. A good diet low in fats and cholesterol and high in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and other heart healthy substances can go a long way towards preventing the development of heart disease in you. Add clean living (no smoking or alcohol) and exercise and you have a winning trifecta against heart disease.

For heartburn symptoms to be deemed chronic, it would have to occur more than three times a week for a period of two or three weeks. If you are suffering from continual heartburn it is important to check if there have been any alterations in diet, excessive consumption of alcohol,increased stress or the taking of strong medications on a regular basis.

For chronic heartburn to be confirmed a substantial change must have occured, if the person’s diet or other aspects of their lifestyle have not changed, it could be a sign of other medical problems. It is important to be aware of the circumstances as anybody using self-treatment to combat chronic heartburn may be disguising the symptoms of these more serious problems

Usually, heartburn is caused by the contents in the stomach being forced back into the esophagus, causing the acid in the stomach to irritate its sensitive lining. There are many causes of this such as:
-  gastrointestinal reflux,
- a hiatal hernia
- or a blockage in the stomach.
When a patient suffers from chronic heartburn it is necessary to check with a doctor to rule out any of these major problems.

Usually, when a person suffers from heartburn, it is quite normal if there has been a dietary change causing inconsistency or they eat or drink something that is high in acidic content, thus causing the digestive system to work overtime producing excessive acid. In these cases and over the counter medication will usually work quelling the burning sensation, which will disappear once the substance has been processed. However, if the heart burn continues for several days at a time over a week or two, it is likely that chronic heartburn may be diagnosed and treated with prescription medications.

Quenching The Fire In The Belly

For sufferers of chronic heartburn, they are also at risk for developing ulcers in the oesophagus as well as in the stomach. Quite often it is the result of the stomach being tricked into thinking more acid is needed to help with the digestive process that exacerbates the situation. Many believe falsely that drinking milk as a diluting substance can calm an acid stomach when in reality milk may actually promote the stomach’s acid pumps to produce more owing to the added content in the stomach.

Anybody suffering from chronic heartburn will need to change their lifestyle to help eliminate the problem. This usually requires a change of diet (ie. staying away from rich fatty foods that require a lot of digestion and sticking to more fresh fruit and vegetables that are much easier to digest). If it is determined the heartburn is being caused by prescription medication, the doctor may alter the dosage of the medication or change to another type if one is available. The patient may also be prescribed anti-acid medication  until the offending medication is accepted by the patients body and the side effects disappear.

Acid indigestion, as it is often called, can be an extremely uncomfortable feeling. Unfortunately, It can also induce similar symptoms to a heart attack and therefore should never be ignored. When you are suffering from chronic heartburn, getting help from a doctor or other medical professional is important to prevent any additional damage to the oesophagus or to learn if it is hiding another, potentially more dangerous, condition.

As with most other bodily functions, it is important to act swiftly to determine what the problem is, what causes the problem and what needs to be done to cure the problem before it gets worse, but more importantly why suffer at all when with a little thought and preventative action this discomfort can be completely avoided and other complications associated with it will never arise..

Almost one in four of all deaths are caused by heart disease caused by blocked or ‘furred up’ coronary (heart) arteries, a disease referred to as atherosclerosis that is brought on by raised blood cholesterol levels. A central component of heart disease is your way of life and what food you eat.

Simple steps like sticking with a 7 day detox plan, getting some exercise, losing a few pounds and quitting smoking can have a beneficial effect in reducing your risks of heart disease - you might find it convenient to try using foot detox to help mop up all those toxins rushing round your body.

Signs of heart disease

If you get heart disease, you will be at greater risk of developing angina (intense chest pain resulting from the heart not being given adequate oxygen), a heart attack; an arrhythmia (which is an extraordinary heart beat, which may bring on breathlessness, vertigo and in many cases death); or heart failure (when the heart is unable to pump effectively, leading to breathlessness, fatigue, swollen ankles, and which eventually might reduce your life expectancy).

Coronary Artery Disease can also occur in arterial blood vessels in different parts of the body, including the brain, kidneys, or legs. This often leads to strokes, kidney failure, or poor circulation in the legs and even amputation. Other conditions of the heart and blood flow system include high blood pressure, heart attacks and varicose veins.

Virtually all heart problems can be averted, or improved significantly by taking appropriate action. To reduce your risk of heart disease, you are advised to eat a healthy diet, don’t eat a lot of salt, learn how to quit smoking, moderate your consumption of alcohol, try an exercise every day, lose any excess weight you may be carrying (there’s plenty of fast ways to lose weight to help you), and try to eliminate your stress levels.

Green tea is is very good for you, and is supposed to help ward off heart and circulatory disease, and is a tasty addition to a detox diet. So far the evidence for this is inconclusive, consuming green tea appears to be stable, so it might be worthwhile trying partnered with other preventative measures.

Getting a check up by your local family doctor may be the only way you can determine if you have high cholesterol. Cholesterol is a condition which you should be worried about. The risks associated with high levels of cholesterol can lead to heart attacks, stokes and high blood pressure which are a result of block arteries. But high cholesterol is a thing that can be avoided with proper care. 

Crucial For Your Health 

Maintaining normal levels of cholesterol is a critical component of enjoying a sound health life style. If your levels have gone higher than normal then you may also want to consider the use of natural remedies for lowering cholesterol. With the danger of cholesterol building up in your arteries and blocking your blood flow you would want to try and prevent this in every possible way.

 The first place to start would be to consult your doctor. They could suggest taking natural remedies for lowering cholesterol. The natural remedies would consist of taking minerals, vitamins or even herbs that can help bring down the cholesterol levels to manageable levels. There have been research studies in natural remedies for lowering cholesterol, which have indicated that taking vitamin B3 can help. Niacin, sometimes called vitamin B3, is the more common name for nicotinic acid. It is an antioxidant nutrient that helps the body inhibit the formation of damaging free radicals; it lowers blood levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides and at the same time help increases the good cholesterol HDL and so you would have a win-win situation

 Eating natural foods such as unprocessed oats, rye fiber, barley, peas and beans are great for you in regards to reducing cholesterol. You can also incorporate artichoke leaf extract in your natural remedies for lowering cholesterol since it is a good way of reducing cholesterol in the body.

 Also don’t forget the exercise it will help to work with the natural remedies to reduce cholesterol. However, in certain cases, doctors may even prescribe certain medications to lower high cholesterol condition though this is a more time consuming effort as compared to taking natural remedies for lowering cholesterol.

 At the end of the day natural remedies and exercising should be your first consideration when trying to lower your cholesterol. If they do not work then you should consider other options. The use of natural foods and supplements is surely a more safe method in lowering cholesterol and it is also cost beneficial as well.  Be sure to obtain your doctors advice first. They will recommend the most effective treatment for you and your particular case.

 Maintaining normal levels of cholesterol is a critical component of enjoying a sound health life style. If your levels have gone higher than normal then you may also want to consider the use of natural remedies for lowering cholesterol.

Cholesterol has been a hot topic in the past ten years. People draw conclusions that if you have cholesterol you have a poor diet and have poor health, people also want to get rid of cholesterol without understanding what it is or how it affects your body. 

People need to learn that there are in fact two types of cholesterol bad cholesterol (known as low density or LDL) and good cholesterol (known as high density or HDL).  People do not realize that cholesterol is an essential substance in the human body but it depends on the levels that you have.  If you were to choose a cholesterol free diet it could be very harmful to your wellbeing, HDL cholesterol are really extremely vital to certain bodily functions such as constructing and repairing cell walls.  New research shows and  even suggests that HDL cholesterol acts as a crude antioxidant. 

You do not need to have a cholesterol free diet if there have  been signs you or your family have had a  history of heart problems or cardiovascular disease.  Instead, understand what bad cholesterol you need to avoid and maintain the beneficial cholesterol in your diet.  LDL cholesterol can certainly be challenging, as it has been associated with heart attacks as well as strokes, but it doesn’t require a lot of effort to methodically eliminate it from your diet.  Instead of trying to keeping away from cholesterol overall, steer clear of a cholesterol free diet and as a substitute look for foods that are low in LDL cholesterol and high in HDL cholesterol. 

Is A Cholesterol Free Diet The Best Choice?

To find foods which are good for your health is not as hard a task as you may think as long as you know what you are looking for. Foods such as lean meat and fish are both good meat choices, and are also high in protein.  Also choose low-fat dairy products and be sure to keep up with your grains, vegetable and fruit intake. A good diet to control or reduce your cholesterol would be around six servings of grains each day, three to five servings of vegetables and two to four servings of fruits. 

This  diet is not a hard one to follow and if your keep this strategy in place when shopping then you will be avoiding the products which contain the harmful LDL cholesterol. Remember to reduce your fat in take  especially fats that have saturated fat  as they tend to raise blood cholesterol levels.  Avoid eating fried foods as well, choosing grilled, broiled and baked foods as a healthy alternative. 

So the question of what is a cholesterol free diet and is it good for me is answered. A cholesterol free diet may not be the right decision if you want to keep your heart and body strong.  By simply choosing a balanced diet will help you to weed out the bad cholesterol and keep the good cholesterol.

Have your tried everything to try and reduce your cholesterol with little to no achievement then it could be time to explore the option of medication for high cholesterol. Medications for high cholesterol are used when a patient has not responded well to lifestyle and dietary changes. You will find that there is a large variety of medications and they all do different things. All the medications have different probable side effects. 

Your doctor can decide what the best medication for you is. They will look at your family history and other factors such as developing heart disease. But remember that medication alone should not be used to reduce your cholesterol levels also make sure that you change your life style habits.

Statins

 Statins are very accepted medication for high cholesterol. They work to lessen your body’s capability to create LDL cholesterol, or bad cholesterol, in addition to triglycerides. This medication may in addition help to increase good cholesterol somewhat. Unfortunately there are side effects to taking the drug. You may experience diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, muscle soreness and it is not advisable to take this medication with grape fruit juice. Some people take this drug with no complaints but you should discuss any side effects you experience with your doctor right away. 

Bile Acid Binding Resins 

This is one of the medication for high cholesterol that work to reduce LDL levels but a side effect may be that you experience an increase in triglycerides. Other side effects associated with this drug are bloating, gas, nausea and constipation. 

Cholesterol Absorption Inhibitors 

This medicine does precisely what the name says. It inhibits your body’s capability to soak up cholesterol from the food you eat. This will decrease LDL levels as well as slightly decrease triglyceride levels. Your HDL levels may also increase somewhat though continued exercise and consumption of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats is advised to keep increasing HDL levels. 

Fibrates 

These drugs do not decrease the level of LDL cholesterol in your body. Instead it will lower the level of triglycerides and increase the level of HDL cholesterol in your body. There is a risk of developing gallstones, nausea and stomach pain in terms of side effects. 

Niacin 

Niacin is one of the uncommon medications for high cholesterol that are available over the counter. It is however desirable to seek prescription niacin to obtain the correct dosage. The benefits of this medication are that you will be able to up your HDL cholesterol while decreasing your LDL and triglyceride levels. Some of the more serious side effects include high blood sugar, peptic ulcers and gout.

If you are an adult over twenty years old it is important to have your cholesterol level checked about every five years to make sure you have what is considered to be a healthy low cholesterol level. High cholesterol can cause heart disease and is a primary factor in people acquiring hardening of the arteries and causing heart attacks. It is very common these days for people to have their cholesterol levels checked. Doctors usually have their patients take a lipid profile test which checks the LDL (bad cholesterol), the HDL (good cholesterol) and the triglyceride level.

Healthy Cholesterol Level

Experts believe that if your overall cholesterol level is below 200mg/dl than you have a healthy cholesterol level and are considered to be at low risk for acquiring heart disease. It is difficult for people to achieve a healthy cholesterol level or keep an acceptable  cholesterol level if they eat an unhealthy diet loaded with saturated fats or if they do not get enough exercise.

If your cholesterol test reveals a cholesterol level between 200 and 240 mg/dl you are placed in the category of people who are considered to have a moderate risk of getting heart disease. If your cholesterol test shows a cholesterol level over 240 mg/dl you are placed in the high risk category. People in the high risk category are thought to have about twice the risk of acquiring heart disease than those that have a healthy cholesterol level which is under 200 mg/dl.

If due to your high cholesterol level you are considered a high risk patient you should have an exercise plan created for you by an expert, reduce the saturated fat in your diet, eat healthy foods and if you still have a high cholesterol level your doctor might recommend drugs designed to lower cholesterol such as statins.

HDL the Good Cholesterol

To increase your HDL (good cholesterol) level, avoid smoking, get plenty of exercise and obtain a healthy bodyweight and avoid saturated fats. In the average size male, the HDL cholesterol level is between 40 and 50 mg/dl while in women the HDL range is from 50 to 60 mg/dl.

Your LDL (bad cholesterol) level is the best source for determining your risk of having a heart attack or having a stroke. It is a better indicator for your heart attack risk than a level of total cholesterol can provide. A preferred LDL level would be under 100 mg/dl. A level of 130 to 159 is considered borderline high and 160 to 189 mg/dl is considered to be a high LDL level. A level at 190 or higher is considered by experts to be very high. In order to avoid heart disease, heart attacks and strokes you should have your blood cholesterol checked to find out if you have a healthy cholesterol level.

In the pages of lifestyle magazines, cholesterol is often portrayed as a potential demon ruthlessly affecting the quality of your life. The rises in the cardio vascular diseases have made the people aware of the harmful effects of cholesterol. But not many people are aware of the fact that cholesterol can both be good and bad.

Good and Bad Cholesterol

Cholesterol is good?! Yes of course; this soft, waxy substance found in the lipid fats in the bloodstream and in all your body’s cells is an essential part of a healthy body; it helps in manufacturing cell membranes and in the production of some types of hormones.

So when does this apparently helpful substance actually pose a threat to your health?  When the level of the cholesterol is too high in the blood —a condition known as hypercholesterolemia — it becomes a risk factor for your heart health. A high level of cholesterol in your body is the precursor for the coronary heart disease that ultimately culminates into heart attack.

Types of cholesterol

Depending on the types of lipoprotein— special carriers that help cholesterols to be transported to and from the cells—the cholesterol can be of two major types:

• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol
• High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol 

HDL

Now HDL cholesterol is regarded as the good variety, while the LDL acts as the chief villain. The HDL is good because it drives cholesterol away from the arteries and transport them back to the liver that helps it eliminate from the body. In a nutshell a high level of HDL cholesterol acts as a shield against heart attack. So be careful if you find HDL level in your blood is less than 40 mg/dL. (In case of women the amount is 50 mg/dL.

LDL

When the level of LDL cholesterol is too high in your blood, it ends in being accumulated in the walls of the arteries carrying blood to two important organs of heart and brain. The net result is clogging of those arteries by hard plaques made of cholesterol and other substances. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. When the plaque tends to block blood flow to your heart, the result is a heart attack. When the clog disrupts blood flow to the brain, a stroke is the final outcome.

Dealing with Cholesterol

• A regular cholesterol checking will ensure that you never face these consequences. So go for a cholesterol check right away and if you happen to find the level of LDL cholesterol is 160 mg/dL or above, there are enough reason to raise alarm. Make sure that LDL cholesterol level in your blood never exceeds the mark of 100 mg/dL.
• Cholesterol is produced in our own body. The additional source of cholesterol is the foods rich in both saturated fat and Trans fat. For a cholesterol free life, restrict your cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams per day.
• Shake off the sedentary lifestyle and make physical activity a compulsory part of your daily routine.
• Try to give up smoking and cut back on alcohol consumption.

Most of the people fall prey of the harmful effects of the cholesterol because of their lack of awareness. But now that you know the basic facts about cholesterol, don’t let this menace mess up your health and your life. Take necessary precautions and enjoy your life to the fullest.

When you learn how to discuss your concerns and questions with your physician, you are taking an important first step. You are not the only person who has problems communicating their concerns to the health care provider who performs your check-ups. But when it comes to heart disease no question should be left unanswered.

Sometimes people hope that the answers to their questions will come out in the process of being examined instead of asking them point blank. HMOs and the busy schedules of doctors with waiting rooms full of patients sometimes do not allow the doctor to spend as much time with each patient as they would like. Women particularly need to speak up, because even though they suffer half the deaths from heart disease, doctors hesitate to discuss this subject with them.

Questions that you should ask your doctor include what your blood pressure is recorded as and what is normal for you. You need to know what your blood cholesterol and glucose levels are and if they are considered normal. Find out from your physician what tests are recommended for your age group presently and in the years to come.

If medication has been prescribed, do not hesitate to ask if there are side effects, what the drug is supposed to do, and should you take other medication, even over the counter, with your prescribed medicine. Also find out if this is a long term medication or temporary. Tests to monitor the effect of the medication you are taking should be conducted at a later date if it is recommended by your doctor. The liver is one organ that most doctors consider testing when a patient is on certain medicines.

If you always get home and remember something that you forgot to ask the doctor, make a “need to know” list and take it with you on your next visit. Do not forget to bring with you the medications that you are presently on as well. If you have more than one health care provider, this is a must.

Add to your list any surgeries or relevant illness that you have had and been treated for in the past few years. This should be in your medical chart so that the doctor can be aware of anything that might cause a problem.

In conclusion, if you think that you may forget what you physician has told you, you can always write it down or record the appointment for later referral. Do not be afraid to check around for a second opinion if you are not comfortable with the treatment that your doctor recommends or if you do not feel that he or she listened to your worries or questions.