Tips to Lower Your Cholesterol Without Drugs
So, when medical experts talk of HDL cholesterol, Heart Attack Defense Review they mean HDL-bound cholesterol. Scientifically speaking there is no such thing as "good cholesterol" or "bad cholesterol". Cholesterol is just cholesterol, a sterol lipid having the chemical formula C27H45OH. In fact, HDL and LDL are not cholesterol at all. They are just lipoprotein vehicles for carrying and moving cholesterol through blood.Most people commonly call HDL good cholesterol because it travels from the arteries and body tissues back to the liver for recycling or elimination. This prevents a build-up of plaque (a hard fatty deposit) on the inner walls of major arteries supplying blood to the organs. This reduces clogging of the arteries and the risk of heart attacks, paralysis, and hypertension.
Scientists have recently discovered that low HDL cholesterol level in blood is an independent risk factor for these cardiovascular and crebrovascular diseases. HDL levels below 40 mg/dL for men and below 50 mg/dL for women are considered low. This is separate from the total cholesterol and LDL levels. This means that even with a normal total cholesterol count and a safe LDL level, people with low HDL cholesterol levels are at an increased risk of heart disease.So the emphasis should not only be on lowering the total cholesterol and LDL levels, but also raising the HDL cholesterol level. Research has shown that a drop of just 1 mg/dL in the HDL cholesterol level can lower a person's risk of suffering a fatal heart attack by 3%.But how does one raise the HDL cholesterol level while keeping the total cholesterol and LDL levels low? Ideally, an HDL more than 50 mg/dL for men and 60 mg/dL for women is considered heart-protective. Most people, however, can push the HDL cholesterol levels up by making some lifestyle and diet changes.
To raise your HDL cholesterol, take up an aerobic activity like walking, cycling, swimming or dancing for 30-40 minutes 5 times a week. Quitting smoking, losing excess weight and consuming foods rich in dietary soluble fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants also raises the HDL cholesterol levels.Another lifestyle change that is effective in raising HDL cholesterol is saying no to saturated and trans fats (red meats, egg yolk, butter, whole-cream dairy products, commercial bakery items, deep-fried foods, and so on). Instead go for a diet based on polyunsaturated and monounsaturated vegetable oils, whole grains, cereals, nuts like almonds and walnuts, flaxseeds, beans, legumes, lentils, fruits and vegetables.
Cardiac rehabilitation is a form of therapy and rehabilitation that not many have heard about. Patients who have suffered a heart attack or undergone bypass surgery, their doctors would tend to recommend cardiac rehabilitation. Such rehabilitation is helpful as the patient usually needs to modify his lifestyle to some extent to maintain their best physical condition. Each program is uniquely catered to meet the needs of the patients, taking into consideration factors such as the patient's age and wight as well as other prevailing illnesses.A cardiac rehabilitation program aims to improve the overall health of the patient and is relatively holistic. The program also takes into consideration the specific heart problems the patient has and the underlying causes for the heart condition. Some of the areas of focus would include nutrition and weight loss, managing depression and stress, as well as improving the patient's sense of self-esteem. In some cases, patients withdraw from life due to fear and anxiety issues; such factors are taken into consideration and the rehabilitation program would include therapy to help the patient deal with such emotional stress.