Archive for July, 2010
Clothes In Tight alert
quick tips for reducing cholesterol
1. Determine target
You realize you have to lower your cholesterol level, but how low you have to send down? Depending on several factors, such as your personal and family history of heart disease, also if you have cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking.
If you are deemed high risk, “most doctors will target LDL of less than 70,” said James Beckerman, MD, a cardiologist in private practice in Portland, Ore.. If your risk level is, the target LDL below 130 is usually not a problem, says Beckerman. If your risk level is low, below 160 is a reasonable target. “The trend today is how to treat people early, especially if they have two or more risk factors,” he said.
2. Consider drug
Lifestyle modification for each person who argued his cholesterol rising. But if your cardiovascular risk is high, you also may need a cholesterol-lowering drugs. Michael Richman, MD, medical director of the Center for Cholesterol Management in Los Angeles, referring to drug therapy “the only thing that will work quickly” in reducing high cholesterol. “Everyone should do it from scratch, like stop smoking and lose weight,” said Richman. “But these things only a little less risk.”
Beckerman agrees. “Modification of lifestyle is important, but we should also emphasize the need for the benefits of drugs,” he said.
Several types of cholesterol-lowering drugs that are available include niacin, bile acid resins and fibrates. But statins are the treatment options for most people. “Statins can lower LDL cholesterol from 20 to 50%,” says Pamela Peeke, MD, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore.
3. Move
In addition to the cholesterol-lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol, regular physical activity can improve cholesterol “good” HDL up to 10%. Other benefits come from moderate exercise, like walking fast.
Robert Harrington, MD, professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, NC, urged his patients to walk for 45 minutes after eating.
Peeke says “I ask people to take the pedometers and strive to walk 10,000 steps every day. If you sit down to work, get up and walk around for 4 minutes every hour.”
Whatever form of exercise you do, the key is to do with regular. “Some experts recommend 7 days per week, 5 days although I think more realistically,” said Richman.
4. Avoid saturated fats
The doctors usually think that the key to lowering high cholesterol is to reduce the consumption of eggs and other foods rich in cholesterol. But this time it is clear that foods containing cholesterol is not the main cause. “The eggs are not the main cause (in increasing cholesterol),” said Beckerman. “Although recent data concluded that the egg actually saturated fats” which led to increased cholesterol. And if you cook the eggs in a piece of butter, do not ignore the fat in butter.
“One of the first things that should be done if you’re trying to lower your cholesterol level is to separate some level of saturated fat.” Says Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, author of several books on nutrition, including Tell Me What to Eat If I Have Heart Disease. “The second thing that should be done is to start consuming more fats ‘smart’,” says Magee. He recommended the change to canola oil or olive oil with vegetable oil, reduce the butter, margarine, fatty meats and also consume more fish.
5. Eat more fiber
Fruit and vegetables, including whole grains, are good sources, not just an antioxidant, antioxidants for heart health, but also a fiber-fiber foods that lower cholesterol. Fibers that can be soluble, in particular, can help lower cholesterol. Beckerman said fibers that can dissolve this “act like a sponge that absorbs cholesterol” in the digestive tract. Sources of soluble fiber that can be good such as dried beans, wheat, and barley, as well as products that contain psyllium fiber.
6. Fish Consumption
Fish and fish oil filled with omega fatty acids-3 that lowers cholesterol. “Supplements of fish oil can have a big effect on cholesterol and triglycerides,” said Beckerman. “There are plenty of scientific evidence to support this.” Fish oil are considered relatively safe, but check first with your doctor if you are taking anti-clotting drugs / clotting.
Magee recommends eating fish two or three times a week. “Salmon is best, because it has a lot of omega-3,” he said. But the canned tuna also have omega-3, and more easily consumed. The American Heart Association also recommends fish as a source of omega-3 is preferred, but supplements of fish oil capsules may be considered after consultation with your physician. Sources of omega-3 from plants are soybean, canola, flaxseeds, walnuts but does not provide the same omega-3 fish. The biggest benefit to the heart associated with omega-3 found in fish.
7. Many drinking
Consuming alcohol can increase the level of cholesterol is “good” HDL cholesterol as much as 10%. The doctor said one drink per day for women and two drinks for men. But given the risk of excessive drinking, the American Heart Association has warned about the dangers of increasing your alcohol intake or the danger of starting to consume alcohol if you have not.
8. Drinking is a green-green
Magee recommends green tea as a healthier alternative than sodas and drinks containing sugar. Moreover, studies in both animals and humans have shown that green tea contains substances that can help lower LDL cholesterol. In small-scale study recently conducted in Brazil, people who consumed capsules containing green tea extract decreased LDL cholesterol as much as 4.5%.
9. Eating nuts
Extensive research has shown that eating nuts regularly can bring a modest reduction in cholesterol. Especially walnuts and almonds, very useful. But the nuts high in calories, so limit only by a handful of nuts a day, experts said.
10. Do not smoke
Smoking lowered the cholesterol levels of “good” HDL cholesterol and is a major risk factor for heart disease.
