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Micrograph of an artery that supplies the heart with significant atherosclerosis and marked luminal narrowing. Tissue has been stained using Masson's trichrome. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Worried about your high bad cholesterol level? WebMD has a Cholesterol Management Center that you can visit to learn more about cholesterol and how you can properly manage your cholesterol level. The website provides tools and resources and information on diet, exercise, tips for avoiding heart disease and natural cholesterol treatment. Links to tools and resources are below. An short extract is also provided below to give you an indication of what the website covers.
High cholesterol is associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, which can include coronary heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. High cholesterol has also been linked to diabetes and high blood pressure. To prevent or manage these conditions, take steps to lower your total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol if they are elevated.
The main risk associated with high cholesterol is coronary heart
disease. Your blood cholesterol level has a lot to do with your chances
of getting heart disease. If cholesterol is too high, it builds up in
the walls of your arteries. Over time, this build-up (called plaque)
causes hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis).
Atherosclerosis causes arteries to become narrowed, slowing blood flow
to the heart muscle. Reduced blood flow to the heart can result in angina (chest pain) or in a heart attack in cases when a blood vessel is blocked completely.
Cholesterol and Stroke
The main risk associated with high cholesterol is coronary heart
disease. Your blood cholesterol level has a lot to do with your chances
of getting heart disease. If cholesterol is too high, it builds up in
the walls of your arteries. Over time, this build-up (called plaque)
causes hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis).
Atherosclerosis causes arteries to become narrowed, slowing blood flow
to the heart muscle. Reduced blood flow to the heart can result in angina (chest pain) or in a heart attack in cases when a blood vessel is blocked completely.
High cholesterol also has been linked to peripheral vascular
disease, which refers to diseases of blood vessels outside the heart and
brain. In this condition, fatty deposits build up along artery walls
and affect blood circulation, mainly in arteries leading to the legs and
feet.
Diabetes can upset the balance between HDL and LDLcholesterol levels.
People with diabetes tend to have LDL particles that stick to arteries
and damage blood vessel walls more easily. Glucose (a type of sugar)
attaches to lipoproteins (a cholesterol-protein package that enables
cholesterol to travel through blood). Sugarcoated LDL remains in the
bloodstream longer and may lead to the formation of plaque. People with
diabetes tend to have low HDL and high triglyceride (another kind of
blood fat) levels, both of which boost the risk of heart and artery
disease.
High blood pressure (also called hypertension) and high
cholesterol also are linked. When the arteries become hardened and
narrowed with cholesterol plaque and calcium (atherosclerosis), the
heart has to strain much harder to pump blood through them. As a result,
blood pressure becomes abnormally high. High blood pressure is also
linked to heart disease.
High intake of cholesterol shown to actually repair damaged brain
Friday, June 22, 2012 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer
(NaturalNews) Including high-cholesterol foods as part of a healthy diet may not be the poor dietary choice we have all been told it is, suggests a new study published in the journal Nature Medicine. It turns out that cholesterol actually helps increase production of an important component of the nervous system that facilitates proper nerve cell communication, and prevents the onset of brain diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.
The study focused specifically on patients with a condition known as Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD), in which nerve cells are unable to properly manufacture protective myelin sheaths. It is these myelin sheaths, which are composed of lipid fats and proteins, that allow nerves to communicate and send appropriate electrical signals that trigger movement and cognition, and that protect nerves from damage.
Cholesterol, which is commonly dismissed as harmful and something that people should avoid, actually contributes to producing and maintaining myelin sheaths. Without it, as evidenced by the recent studies, individuals with PMD -- and potentially all individuals -- are at a higher risk of developing cognitive illness and brain degradation. And particularly those with PMD, low-cholesterol diets are almost sure to leave them exceptionally prone to nerve damage.
"This six-week-long cholesterol treatment delayed the decline in motor coordination," wrote the scientists in their report. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine in Germany fed a group of mice with PMD a high-cholesterol diet for six weeks, as well as another group of PMD mice a low-cholesterol diet. Those on the high-cholesterol diet stopped experiencing cognitive decline, while the low-cholesterol mice continued to get worse.
I am just glad that I can now eat all the saturated fats that I like without feeling guilty! This article by Dr. Mercola and The Atlantic traces the history of how "Crisco" replaced saturated fats such as lard and butter, based on somewhat dubious scientific facts, and changed the way American cook.
In the meantime, heart disease did not decline. We were made to believe that saturated fats, such as lard, butter and coconut, were really bad for us. While hydrogenated vegetable oil, such as Crisco and margarine were really bad for us.
We bought into this bad science, hook, line and sinker! We are now learning that saturated fats from walnuts, almonds, butter, coconut oil, and lard are not that bad. We need some fat in our diet, but everything has to be done in moderation as part of an overall healthy nutrition plan! So hello flavor, welcome to tasty and healthy cooking!
A little over 100 years ago a German scientist wrote a letter to a company that made soap, and in so doing changed the way the world cooks its food. The soap company, Procter & Gamble, bought the scientist's idea—and Crisco was born.
At this time in history, people used animal fats for cooking in the form of lard and butter. And while Crisco was purposely formulated to resemble lard and cook like lard, it was nothing like lard. The rest of the story, as related in The Atlantic, is a tale of marketing successi.
Story at-a-glance
Crisco changed the way Americans cooked and ate, and it has taken 90 years to debunk the myth that hydrogenated vegetable oil (trans fat) is healthier than animal fats (saturated fat)—a myth created and maintained primarily through wildly successful marketing and one seriously flawed hypothesis
In more recent years, numerous studies have confirmed that saturated fat consumption is not associated with heart disease. On the contrary, it appears to be associated with improved heart health and decreased risk of heart disease
I and other nutritional experts believe most people need upwards of 50-70 percent healthful fats in their diet for optimal health
Disclaimer: The statements regarding the nutritional and medicinal properties of the various foods have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These items are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your own physician for guidance regarding your health and nutrition.
Growing up we were told that "an apple a day, keeps the doctor away!". Turns out that this advice is actually pretty good! I always make sure that I have apples on hand and I find that they keep really well in the fridge. I eat them raw, and also add them to my breakfast smoothie!
My favorite apples are Fuji apples they are crunchy and sweet with just a bit or tartness! I also like Gala, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and Ambrosia apples. I avoid "Red Delicious" and "Green Delicious" apples like the plague! I am very suspicious of any thing with a generic name.
I think of apples the way I think of wine grapes -- the different varietals. If they are organic, they are even better!
In the Summer and Fall, I have my fill of apples. When we lived in Sacramento, my sister and I had an annual pre-Thanksgiving ritual where we traveled to "Apple Valley" off Highway 50 to Lake Tahoe to visit the apple barnyards to savor samples of different apples, apple butter, apple fritters, apple sauce, apple pie, and apple cider! I still miss that ritual!
So wherever, you live -- try to work some apples into your diet! It is good for you!
Disclaimer: The statements regarding the nutritional and medicinal properties of the various foods have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These items are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your own physician for guidance regarding your health and nutrition.
How to Lower High Cholesterol When You Have Diabetes Newly Diagnosed? Learn What to Expect
By Carole Jacobs, Special to Lifescript Reviewed by Edward C. Geehr, M.D. Published February 5, 2012
Learn How to Lower High Cholesterol
Did your last doctor’s office visit reveal high cholesterol? What’s next? Is it time to start taking pills or can you lower your LDL levels the old-fashioned way – diet and exercise? Learn more about the stages of your condition, including the diagnosis, treatments and medication available. Plus, how well do you understand cholesterol? Take our quiz to find out...
Cholesterol often gets a bad rap, but did you know it’s essential for many bodily functions?
It repairs cell membranes, produces vitamin D on the skin, makes hormones such as estrogen and testosterone, and helps with cells related to memory and learning, says Tracy Stevens, M.D., a cardiologist and spokeswoman for the American Heart Association (AHA).
But too much cholesterol can have deadly consequences, especially if you have diabetes type II. This waxy substance in the blood contributes to 20% of all strokes, 50% of all heart attacks and affects 36 million U.S. adults, according to the AHA.
You could have high cholesterol levels for years and never know it until something goes wrong, says Lisa Reis, M.D., a cardiologist and assistant professor at Saint Louis University Hospital in Missouri.
Fortunately, high cholesterol is easy to tame, says Binoy Singh, M.D., an internist and cardiologist with Columbia Doctors of Somers, N.Y.
More on lowering high cholesterol: The good kind...
Source:
Disclaimer: The statements regarding the nutritional and medicinal properties of the various foods have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These items are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your own physician for guidance regarding your health and nutrition.
I feel sorry for Paula Deen -- her announcement of her Type 2 diabetes condition should have netted her some sympathy but the backlash has been relentless and a bit mean-spirited.
Granted, she hid her condition from her viewers and only disclosed it when she had inked a deal on a Big Pharma drug endorsement. The conflict of interest and her lack of candor in continuing to tout fat and sugar laden recipes to her adoring fans at a time when she could have used her Type 2 diabetes condition as a teaching moment for promoting healthy eating and living is inexcusable!
I am not a Paula Deen fan. I have a hard time watching Paula's cooking shows on Food TV. Cooking with a whole stick of butter is just not very appealing to me. It just makes me cringe! I still rooted for Paula's success because she is a nice lady and pulled herself up by her bootstraps and raised two sons by herself!
Despite our misgivings, we have no right to be so self righteous in judging her so harshly because nobody is perfect. I wish Paula the very best with her health and hope that her viewers learn more about diabetes, getting tested for the condition, eating well and taking good care of themselves.
Type 2 diabetes is one of thee leading causes of disability and death in the United States. If it’s not controlled, diabetes can cause blindness, nerve damage, kidney disease, and other health problems. This is what the experts suggest:
Eating healthy foods can help you:
Control your weight
Lower your blood pressure
Lower your cholesterol
Prevent or delay type 2 diabetes
Choose foods low in fat, cholesterol, and salt. Try these tips to:
Disclaimer: The statements regarding the nutritional and medicinal properties of the various foods have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These items are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your own physician for guidance regarding your health and nutrition.
If you have questions about cholesterol -- what it is, why it is important, etc. -- the article below from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute answers your questions.
Why Is Cholesterol Important?
How Does Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease?
What Do Your Cholesterol Numbers Mean?
What Affects Cholesterol Levels?
What Is Your Risk of Developing Heart Disease or Having a Heart Attack?
Treating High Cholesterol
Lowering Cholesterol With Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC)
Your blood cholesterol level has a lot to do with your chances of getting heart disease. High blood cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for heart disease. A risk factor is a condition that increases your chance of getting a disease. In fact, the higher your blood cholesterol level, the greater your risk for developing heart disease or having a heart attack. Heart disease is the number one killer of women and men in the United States. Each year, more than a million Americans have heart attacks, and about a half million people die from heart disease.
When there is too much cholesterol (a fat-like substance) in your blood, it builds up in the walls of your arteries. Over time, this buildup causes "hardening of the arteries" so that arteries become narrowed and blood flow to the heart is slowed down or blocked. The blood carries oxygen to the heart, and if enough blood and oxygen cannot reach your heart, you may suffer chest pain. If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by a blockage, the result is a heart attack.
High blood cholesterol itself does not cause symptoms, so many people are unaware that their cholesterol level is too high. It is important to find out what your cholesterol numbers are because lowering cholesterol levels that are too high lessens the risk for developing heart disease and reduces the chance of a heart attack or dying of heart disease, even if you already have it. Cholesterol lowering is important for everyone--younger, middle age, and older adults; women and men; and people with or without heart disease.
Everyone age 20 and older should have their cholesterol measured at least once every 5 years. It is best to have a blood test called a "lipoprotein profile" to find out your cholesterol numbers. This blood test is done after a 9- to 12-hour fast and gives information about your:
