Healthy Tips to Lower Cholesterol
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BMI - A Possible Indicator of Heart Disease due to High CholesterolAccording to medical scientists, BMI, which stands for Body Mass Index, is a possible indicator of developing a series of conditions such as excessive cholesterol levels, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes mellitus and kidney...
But Won't Eating Chicken and Fish Lower My Cholesterol?
Most people and many health experts believe that cholesterol will be lowered by substituting chicken, turkey, and fish for red meat. So instead of eating steak and potatoes for dinner, they change their eating plan to chicken and potatoes. ...
Obesity Will Raise Your Cholesterol
Obesity is simply having too much fat for your body mass. It is reported that approximately 65 percent of adults are overweight or obese. Sixty-one million adult Americans are considered obese. What's more, children are getting heavier as well. It...
Lower Cholesterol Naturally with Policosanol
It is estimated that 52% of total population have borderline high cholesterol levels (200 to 239 mg/dL) and about 21% have dangerously high levels of 240 or above. High levels of cholesterol are associated with increased cardiovascular risk.Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad cholesterol", carries cholesterol in the blood and is associated with a greater risk of heart attacks and strokes.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good cholesterol", transports cholesterol to the liver where is is eliminated from the body. Higher levels of LDL cholesterol are associated with lower cardiovascular risk.
Policosanol Lowers Cholesterol and LDL and Raises HDL
Policosanol is a natural supplement made from sugar cane. A review article published in the American Heart Journal reported that: "At doses of 10 to 20 mg per day,
policosanol lowers total cholesterol by 17% to 21%,
policosanol lowers LDL cholesterol by 21% to 29%, and
policosanol raises HDL cholesterol by 8% to 15%.
Daily doses of 10 mg of policosanol have been shown to be equally effective in lowering total or LDL cholesterol as the same dose of simvastatin (Zocor) or pravastatin (Pravachol). At dosages of up to 20 mg per day, policosanol is safe and well tolerated, as studies of over 3 years of therapy indicate." The authors concluded that policosanol seems to be a very promising phytochemical alternative to classic lipid-lowering agents such as the statins and deserves further evaluation. [1]
Policosanol inhibits
Oxidization of LDL Cholesterol
Oxidized LDL cholesterol can be found in atherosclerotic lesions. Oxidized LDL cholesterol creates a chronic inflammatory response which promotes the destruction of blood vessels. It accelerates lesion progression by enhancing monocyte adhesion and macrophage foam cell generation, which induces the lesion to migrate onto smooth muscle cells. Oxidized LDL cholesterol also contributes to plaque formation by triggering thrombosis and by impairing vasodilation of the arteries. All of these factors contribute to the progression of atherosclerosis, thereby increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke. Policosanol has been shown to protect against the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. [2]
References
1. Gouni-Berthold, I. and H.K. Berthold, Policosanol: clinical pharmacology and therapeutic significance of a new lipid-lowering agent. Am Heart J, 2002. 143(2): p. 356-65.
2. Menendez, R., et al., Inhibition of rat lipoprotein lipid peroxidation by the oral administration of D003, a mixture of very long-chain saturated fatty acids. Can J Physiol Pharmacol, 2002. 80(1): p. 13-21.
About the author:
Dr. Steriti is a graduate of Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, an accredited medical school that teaches both conventional diagnosis and alternative therapies, including clinical nutrition, botanical medicine and classical homeopathy. Dr. Steriti's web site is http://www.naturdoctor.com
For more info on policosanol, please visit http://www.lifexpand.com
Written By: Ronald Steriti, ND, PhD
Two-egg diet cracks cholesterol issue - PhysOrg
(PhysOrg.com) -- Research published in The European Journal of Nutrition this week has finally cracked the myths surrounding eggs and cholesterol. The new study showed that people who ate two eggs per day, while on a calorie-restricted diet, not only ...
Cholesterol extremes predict outcome in diabetes - Reuters
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