Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Common Spice Cures Cholesterol and Heals Hearts




This powerful spice has been proven to lower cholesterol, improve blood pressure and inflammation, and even cure the common flu.
But you need to use it in a specific way or it’s basically useless.
A study published by PubMed showed that rats who get treated for 30 days with ginger extract had lower cholesterol levels as compared to the control groups.
Another study that utilized 85 patients of the Cardiac Disease Clinic, Babol, showed that those who received ginger lowered their cholesterol significantly more than a placebo group.
Ginger has also been proven to lower blood pressure, along with improve inflammation and almost all other markers of health.
What is the best way to use ginger?
Make your own tea from fresh ginger by slicing it thinly and let it steep in hot water. Optionally, add lemon and honey for taste and power.
Otherwise, you can also add fresh ginger to many meals. The root needs heat to release its healthy substances, so add it to your meal at the beginning of your cooking.
Unpeeled ginger can also be stored in your refrigerator for a long time, so it is easy to always have some of this delicious herb at hand at all times.
Furthermore, you can also use organic powdered ginger as an alternative or buy a ginger extract supplement in your local health food store.
But ginger is not the only thing that improves your cholesterol level.


Drink This Juice to Lower Cholesterol



Tomato Juice and Cholesterol

Many studies agree that this juice is fabulous stuff.
The science says it bestows such great cardiovascular benefits because it’s packed with carotenoids, calcium, and it also delivers a thunderbolt’s worth of vitamin A.
Tomato juice is great at reducing both cholesterol and blood pressure, so researchers wanted to test how great.
Researchers recruited 184 men and 297 women. A few suffered from high cholesterol and 94 had hypertension or pre-hypertension. Their average ages were 56.3 and 58.4 years respectively.
For a year, these participants were given as much unsalted tomato juice to drink as they wanted, but it doesn’t look like they were exactly clamoring for the stuff, because the average participant only got through about one cup a day.
But maybe they should have been guzzling it, because after one year of chugging tomato juice, their systolic blood pressure had dropped from 141.2 to 137.0 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) and their diastolic pressure from 83.3 to 80.9 mmHg. Those are averages, so they don’t show the even better news – that the people who started out with the highest blood pressure saw the biggest reductions.
125 of the participants had high cholesterol or high blood fats. Their LDL cholesterol, which is the bad stuff that poses the greatest heart disease risk, dropped from 155 to 149.9 mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter).
You might be thinking that these reductions don’t seem very impressive, but they are when you remember what caused them: drinking just one cup of tomato juice every day.

To be sure that tomato juice alone was the cause of their dramatic drop, the scientists had them fill out a questionnaire at the beginning and end of the study to make sure that nothing else about their lifestyles could have affected the outcome, so we know that the results are watertight.
This was the second time that this research team had looked at the effects of tomato juice. They also performed a 2015 study to see tomato juice might affect menopausal symptoms in middle-aged women, and they also happened to test their cholesterol as part of that.
In this one, they asked their 93 subjects to drink 200ml of tomato juice twice a day for eight weeks. This is a bit less than two cups per day.
Afterwards, 22 of the women with high triglycerides saw them drop substantially, and the ones with the highest scores at the start enjoyed the biggest falls.
Before you get too excited, the one big limitation in this study is that they didn’t gather enough detailed information about what the participants ate. This means we can’t know if the tomato juice was used to replace something unhealthy. If it replaced something sugary then that change alone might have been responsible for the health benefits, and not the tomato juice itself, but let’s not forget that the results are consistent with other studies, so it’s probably safe to assume that tomato juice really is that good for you!


Cholesterol and Eggs


Cholesterol and Eggs

Eggs are a fantastic source of protein and a great alternative to the usual selection of meats, but for the longest time they’ve picked up lots of bad press for their high cholesterol content.
Nutritionists and others have often warned against consuming more than 2 eggs per week, but are they really that bad for us?
It’s still not uncommon for someone to argue that eggs are unhealthy, but recent research done by the University of Grenada may have finally unscrambled all the misinformation about eggs.
The researchers found that serum cholesterol (meaning cholesterol found in the bloodstream) is not increased by consuming eggs—even for people who weren’t very active—and a far greater risk for raising your cholesterol levels is eating too many trans and saturated fats over the long-term.
In fact, if you sit eggs side-by-side with fried and processed foods, say the researchers, there’s just no competition. Eggs are miles better for you.
If you want to avoid anything then avoid red meat, because those with a meat tooth had the worst cholesterol numbers.
Eggs are nutritional powerhouses, which is hardly surprising when you consider what they were designed for. Nature packed in a lot to give chicks the best start in life, so as well as all that protein, they contain Magnesium, Vitamin A, potassium, and calcium, too.
They also feature choline, which is essential for optimal brain function, and two powerful antioxidants called lutein and zeaxanthin, which are also beneficial for keeping your vision healthy.

The Tasty Treat that Cuts Blood Pressure and Cholesterol

chocolate helps lower cholesterol naturally and quickly

Bad food tastes good. That’s part of the reason why it can be so difficult to beat conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It’s unfortunate that your cardiovascular health is not best friends with many of the sweet things in this world.
But if you do have a sweet tooth then we have some good news for you, because there is one fabulous feelgood food that tastes great and can still help your health.
It can help make your heart healthier, reduce your blood pressure, cut your bad cholesterol, ramp up your brain activity and even pep up your love life.
Well, it shouldn’t be too surprising that chocolate is healthy given that it starts life as cocoa beans, which are loaded with flavanol. Flavanol is an antioxidant, one of those Swiss army knives of health that stops blood clots, boosts blood flow to the heart and brain, reduces high blood pressure, and lowers the risk of heart attack and stroke.
But it’s not the only antioxidant that cocoa beans are choc full of. There are even more of these helpful substances which are so beneficial to vascular health, and which also take the fight to free radicals—the harmful molecules which contribute to oxidation in the body. Increased oxidation opens the way for LDL cholesterol—the bad sort—to start forming plaque on the arterial walls. As a result, they become narrower and more rigid, which is a perfect recipe for heart attack and stroke.

There are many things in the environment that can cause damage to the body, like pollution, cigarette smoke, and even too much sunlight, and antioxidants help to mop up the effects of all of them, before they can do their damage.
But it isn’t just the free radicals that help put chocolate on a par with health foods. There’s also the fat content. The majority of fat in chocolate comes from cocoa butter, which contains oleic, palmitic and stearic fatty acids (and you’ll find Oleic acid in olive oil too). It’s monounsaturated, which means it’s heart-healthy and a proven blood pressure reducer.
The palmitic and stearic fatty acids are saturated fats, but still, research has found that they don’t hurt your cholesterol levels, which is odd but welcome news!
It’s now well established that chocolate can lower stress levels and improve a person’s sense of well-being and happiness. This is probably down to the fact that it’s great at boosting the production of endorphins, the brain’s natural happiness chemicals. And you also get serotonin in the mix, the body’s own antidepressant, too.
It’s worth mentioning that the brain releases these happiness chemicals when we’re in love, so when people say that they love chocolate, they really do mean it.
The only fly in the ointment with chocolate is the high sugar content. That’s why we’d recommend dark chocolate over milk chocolate every time. Choose the dark stuff with at least 65% cocoa content. Current research leads us to believe that 3 ounces (85 grams) of chocolate a day will give you all of the health benefits without the sugar rush.
As good as chocolate is for you, it can’t handle the job of lowering your blood pressure all on its own. For that you’re going to need something else, and these 3 simple exercises are the answer to lowering your blood pressure down to 120/80 right away…

The ONE Oil That Heals Heart Disease



The one oil that heals heart disease and high cholesterol

This oil has been described as a miracle medicine for heart disease (and more).
But the scientific world has been mixed in their opinions.
Finally, a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association proves without a doubt that this cheap oil drastically reduces the risk of heart attack.
To ensure that their results were accurate, only randomized trials were carried out.
Researchers gave one group omega-3 supplements whilst the other group was given a fake supplement (placebo).
The results were interesting and quite contrary to previous studies.
It was found that people that took omega-3 supplements on a daily basis were 8 percent less likely to have a heart attack and coronary heart disease death, 5 percent less likely to have coronary heart disease, 7 percent less likely to die of cardiovascular disease, and 3 percent less likely to have cardiovascular disease. What’s more, the higher the dose of omega-3s, the lower the risk of any of the above events happening.
Strokes were the only thing they could not find an omega-3 benefit for.
While the researchers agreed that omega-3 supplements were great, they stated that eating fish and taking daily exercise were better. In short, omega-3 supplements are beneficial when it comes to living a heart healthy lifestyle thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties; they are even more effective when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

What’s good cholesterol level


In this post, you will learn more about the optimal cholesterol numbers and what your cholesterol numbers mean. Before I explain in detail what’s good cholesterol level, let’s start briefly about what is cholesterol. Cholesterol is a waxy-like substance and a type of fat (lipid) that exists all over our cells. Your liver produces cholesterol and it is a vital substance for proper hormonal and cell function in its moderate amount.  However, higher than normal levels of lipids in your bloodstream can lead to serious health complications. For example, higher risks of heart attack and stroke are directly linked to high levels of cholesterol. There are two main types of cholesterol:
  •         HDL – high density lipoprotein also called the good type of cholesterol
  •         LDL – low density lipoprotein also called the bad type of cholesterol


If you want to know how to lower cholesterol levels, it’s important to differentiate between these two types of cholesterol, and that is because you want to have a higher range of HDL or good cholesterol and reduce your LDL or bad cholesterol in order to lower your risk of heart diseases and plaque buildup in your arteries.



How to measure cholesterol levels


Because high cholesterol causes no explicit symptoms in most cases, a complete cholesterol test is done to measure the lipid profile of an individual. The cholesterol ratio is normally a blood test. Expert recommendation suggests men ages 35 and above and women ages 45 and above to have frequent lipid profile screening. The lipid profile screening or cholesterol test measures four significant elements which include total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglycerides. 



Cholesterol level chart – what’s good cholesterol level

The below chart shows recommended levels of lipid profile screening or cholesterol levels for adults. Please note that the numbers might vary to some extent based on each laboratory’s measurement scales. 

what's good cholesterol level


What factors can impact your cholesterol levels

There are different factors that can affect the level of your total, good and bad cholesterol. The below list outlines some of the most important things that will help you maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

  • Daily diet – you should be watchful over what types of fats you consume. Experts suggest a diet which consists mostly of unsaturated fat and only a small amount of saturated fat (processed red meat, dairy products). Saturated fat should consist a maximum ten percent of your total diet. Monosaturated and omega-3 fatty acids are considered the healthiest types of dietary fats and therefore should both be taken in your diet (extra virgin olive oil, almond oil, salmon fish & omega-3 supplements). This guide on what are the worst foods for high cholesterol gives you a more in-depth understanding of a cholesterol lowering diet. If you also want to lower cholesterol efficiently, I highly recommend you to check out this four-week plan which helps you to effectively reduce cholesterol and prevent coronary artery diseases. It's an amazing and highly effective program to understand everything about cholesterol and get the best results following its four-week plan. 

  •  Physical activity – a sedentary lifestyle with low physical activity puts you at high risk of heart disease. Being physically active helps you lose weight which directly impacts your levels of good cholesterol and lowering bad or LDL cholesterol. Research suggests that exercising affects your LDL levels and prevents your liver from producing cholesterol for several days while clearing away excess cholesterol from your bloodstream.


  •  Smoking – smoking is one of the major risk factors for heart disease. Numerous studies have found out that smoking raises the level of your bad cholesterol and triglycerides. It also negatively affects the level of your HDL or good cholesterol in your body reducing its concentration. So if you have a high cholesterol and are already smoking, you are at high risk of heart diseases and life-threatening complications. Quitting smoking would help you a lot.


Conclusion
If you want to find out what’s good cholesterol level, you need to differentiate between the good and bad type of cholesterol. Adults are recommended to check their cholesterol levels frequently (at least every 6 months) by taking a blood test which measures four different elements of your lipid profile including total cholesterol , your good and bad cholesterol and your triglyceride levels. 


Monday, November 25, 2019

Herbs to lower cholesterol quickly – discover below


herbs to lower cholesterol quickly


Are you a lover of herbs, spices and home remedies? In this post, I am going to reveal herbs to lower cholesterol quickly . Many of you might be interested to learn more about home remedies for high cholesterol. Herbs and spices can be a great alternative to medications to help you lower your cholesterol fast and naturally without any side effects. High levels of LDL or bad cholesterol in your blood stream heightens chances of heart attack and stroke. There are a variety of cholesterol lowering herbs and spices that we would cover in this article. So stay with me as I will introduce these herbs.

Which herbs reduce cholesterol quickly

In this section, I am going to introduce herbs to lower cholesterol quickly.
  • Turmeric – you want to add this magical ingredient into your daily diet right from today if you are not already using it. YES! Turmeric works wonders when it comes to lowering your bad cholesterol levels and raising your HDL (good) cholesterol. The existence of curcumin in turmeric prevents accumulation of fat and cholesterol in the liver. 

  • Flaxseeds – the rich fiber content of flaxseeds acts as a great protector against rising cholesterol levels. Flax is loaded with soluble fiber.

  • Incorporate 2-3 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds into your daily diet to enjoy optimal benefits. You can also mix it in your smoothie, yogurt and cereals.

  • Green tea – flavonoids and antioxidants found in green tea help to lower your bad cholesterol levels. The presence of an antioxidant known as catechin in green tea breaks down excess fat and reduces absorption of cholesterol in the intestine. Apart from this, green tea also detoxifies the body of free radicals which can cause cancer and heart disease.

  • Ginseng – ginseng is a traditional Asian herb that has been used for many centuries due to its medicinal benefits. One of the amazing benefits of this Asian herb is its lowering effect on cholesterol levels. Also, some clinical studies suggest that ginseng may help in treatment of high cholesterol

  • Hawthorn – hawthorn is a plant and herb which has been used for treatment of heart disease for centuries. Studies suggest that hawthorn lowers LDL or bad cholesterol by preventing accumulation of fat deposits in the liver. Therefore, It is one of the best cholesterol lowering herbs. You should try hawthorn if you are looking for herbs to lower cholesterol quickly and naturally.

  • Garlic – studies suggest that garlic can reduce cholesterol . The cholesterol lowering effect of garlic is mostly on total cholesterol levels. There is further evidence that consumption of garlic supplements for people with high cholesterol levels may help reduce total and LDL (bad) cholesterol by up to about 15 percent.

Conclusion

There are certain herbs to lower cholesterol quickly and naturally. The use of these herbs as natural cholesterol lowering alternatives have a great benefit compared to medications. Consuming these herbs do not have any side effects and if used in proper amount can yield great results. Following a healthy diet plan in addition to daily use of the above cholesterol lowering herbs help to reduce LDL cholesterol and raise HDL or good cholesterol significantly.