1) MAXIMISING YOUR METABOLISM:

One of the interesting flavonoid benefits is that they can increase your metabolic rate. They do this by helping your body produce the metabolism boosting hormone triiodothyronine (also known as T3) which means by consuming these plant based nutrients you can burn a greater amount of calories each day.

2) LOWERING YOUR HEART DISEASE RISK:

Heart disease is one of the largest reasons for premature deaths in the UK. The good news is that the flavonoids can keep your heart in perfect working order. They do this by directly boosting your heart health and also by preventing blockages in the blood vessels which ensures there is always a health supply of blood going to your heart.
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3) REGULATING ESTROGEN LEVELS:

Estrogen is the main sex hormone in females. In women it supports the growth of sexual characteristics and the reproductive system. In men it is used in much smaller amounts to break down testosterone (the primary male sex hormone). Whilst this hormone has benefits for both genders, it can be dangerous if estrogen levels in the body become too high. High estrogen levels can lead to cancer (a disease that causes your cells to grow in a rapid, uncontrollable way), heart disease and osteoporosis (reduced bone mineral density). Fortunately, 1 of the useful flavonoid benefits is that they act as phytoestrogens (substances that control estrogen levels in the body) and minimise these harmful effects.

4) TREATING DIABETES:

Diabetes is a nasty disease which causes your blood glucose levels to become extremely high. It is caused by either your pancreas failing to produce enough insulin (the hormone that allows your cells to take glucose from the blood) or body’s cells failing to respond to insulin. The good news is that the flavonoids can have a positive effect on diabetes. They do this by stimulating the production of insulin, allowing your body’s cells to take glucose from the blood (in a similar way to insulin) and reducing the damage that diabetes can cause.
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SUMMARY:

As you can see, the flavonoids pack a powerful punch when it comes to health. So make sure you consume these plant based nutrients. Pick up some fruits, have a handful of nuts, mix vegetables in with your meals and have regular cups of tea to fully enjoy these flavonoid benefits.

What is cardiovascular disease?

Cardiovascular disease covers a number of distinct conditions and therefore there are a number of possible causes. The main cardiovascular conditions that can cause early death are:

— Atherosclerosis, perhaps the best known, when arteries clog up. This narrows the arteries and creates conditions in which the artery ultimately becomes blocked.

• If the artery is a coronary artery, one of those that provide oxygen for the muscles around the heart, then a heart attack follows.
• If the artery is a carotid artery supplying oxygen to the brain then a major stroke occurs.

Heart attacks have a posh name, myocardial infarction. Basically myo stands for muscle, cardio for heart and infarction to tissue destruction due to lack of oxygen. Which neatly sums up what happens when a coronary artery is blocked.

— Aneurysms, which are ballooning blood vessels that occur when the blood vessel walls becomes too weak to cope with the local blood pressure. If an aneurysm bursts then a haemorrhage occurs and the lack of blood and the oxygen it carries to vital organs such as the heart and brain can be fatal.

— Heart failure occurs when the muscle that makes the heart beat becomes ineffective. This is due to a previous heart attack in about 2 out of every 3 cases. It can also be caused by failure of the valves in 4% of cases, very high blood pressure, also 4%, alcohol and viruses, again 4% of cases. The remaining 20% have unknown causes. It is more common than aneurysm related death, but less common than death from heart attacks and strokes resulting from blocked arteries.

— Arrhythmias are heart beats that become irregular, extremely fast or slow as a result of abnormal electrical activity in the heart. They are very common, but normally only prove fatal when a serious prior event such as a heart attack has already taken place.

So what causes cardiovascular disease?

The conditions described above are clearly worth avoiding. The main changes that occur in the body to cause the problems above are narrowing of arteries, weakening of blood vessels and damage to the heart muscle. Narrowing of arteries due to atherosclerosis is the most important factor in all of this, causing nearly all heart attacks and about 85% of strokes (15% are caused by haemorrhage). What exactly are the causes cardiovascular disease? Below I list and then examine those factors that are well-known, and those that have strong evidence to support them.

• Blood Cholesterol levels, specifically cholesterol carried in the blood by low density lipoproteins
• High blood pressure, specifically by causing damage to the lining of blood vessels.
• Dietary cholesterol intake from foods such as eggs and prawns.
• Intake of saturated fats from foods such as red meats and cheese.
• Intake of damaged fats such as artificial trans fats.
• Ratios and overall intake of polyunsaturated fats.
• Blood sugar levels.

– Blood Cholesterol levels are rather more complex in their effects than most people are aware. While low cholesterol levels are associated with a reduced incidence of heart attacks they are also associated with a greater risk of death, with depression, cancer, stroke and atrial fibrillation. This should give us pause when considering the importance of lowering cholesterol levels in people with anything other than established cardiovascular disease. For most of us a level th at is classified as borderline-high such as between 200-240 dL/L (5.1-6.2 mmol/L) would probably be an optimal level. There is evidence that higher levels protect against many types of strokes, especially haemorrhagic stroke where bleeding from blood vessels causes death. The above should not be surprising if you consider the role of cholesterol in the body. It is an integral part of all our cell membranes, and is a precursor for many of our hormones, including vitamin D, which increasingly is being associated with reduced risk of many serious diseases.

– High blood pressure is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However the risk from high blood pressure is also dependent on the quality of the blood vessels. Damage to blood vessels is normally repaired, and if we consume the right diet it is likely that our blood vessels will repair themselves more quickly.

– Dietary cholesterol was the initial target of Government advice. However it turns out that cholesterol from foods such as prawns, liver and eggs do not raise cholesterol levels in most people and even if they did this may not be so bad a thing. In fact these high cholesterol foods are some of the most healthy in the diet containing a large amount of important micronutrients such as vitamins A, D and E as well as minerals such as iron (liver), iodine (prawns) and antioxidants (eggs and prawns).

– Saturated fat has become increasingly the bad guy in Government campaigns of late, but is it so bad? Saturated fat has been in our diet ever since we evolved into human beings, you’d have thought our bodies would have learnt how to deal with it by now, and in fact there is plenty of evidence that suggests just that. A review in 2011 of 21 intervention studies carried out over the previous decade found no reduction in risk of death from cardio-vascular disease after interventions to reduce or replace saturated fat with carbohydrate or polyunsaturated fats. Clearly typical foods that contain saturated fat are no worse for us than those containing carbohydrate or polyunsaturated fat.

– Damaged fats have increasingly come under the spotlight over the last two decades. They are fats that have been heated to very high temperatures in their manufacture (or during cooking). When heated above about 160C, the molecules that they are formed from become changed into forms that the human body does not recognise. Foods such as margarines and most packaged goods containing vegetable fats contain these damaged fats. They are clearly linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

– Ratios of polyunsaturated fats to various other types of fat have been investigated by quite a number of studies. Most show that polyunsaturated fats when increased as a total proportion of calories reduce the likelihood of cardiovascular disease. Without boring you with the detail, this is most likely due to the presence of omega 3 fats such as those found in oily fish. Omega 3 fats have a potent effect on risk of cardiovascular disease and outperform statins in many studies.

– Blood sugar levels get a lot of attention in those with diabetes, but very little in those without this condition. Basically if you wander around with blood sugar levels that are too high, your risk of cardiovascular disease is greatly increased. It is very important to make sure your diet does not lead to chronically raised blood sugar levels. For many this will mean reducing what is called the glycaemic load of their diet. In short try to moderate your intake of sugary drinks, cakes, sweets and puddings as well as starchy items that breakdown into sugars before being absorbed from your digestive tract. These include bread, rice and potatoes.

What does this mean for my diet and lifestyle?

A diet that reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease and the damage it causes through heart attacks and strokes would follow the general principles below:

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1. Reduce the amount of junk food you eat. This is a very general point, but junk food generally has too much salt, sugar, additives and trans-fats. All of these make cardiovascular disease more likely. Examples include foods from takeaway burger joints, ready meals from supermarkets and drinks of fizzy pop.
2. Eat more fruit and especially vegetables. Again this is a big food group, but many fruits and vegetable contain nutrients that help protect and repair your blood vessels from damage. Examples include tomatoes which when cooked provide a high dose of lycopene to quell oxidative damage to blood vessels, cooked beetroot which can release substances that relax your blood vessels and plants of the allium family, such as garlic, onions and leeks prevent blood clotting and narrowing of arteries.
3. Try and incorporate some omega 3 fats into your diet. The most effective way of doing this is through oily fish such as mackerel, herring, trout, sardines, pilchards, kippers and tuna (not the canned stuff). One issue with these fish is that they can accumulate high levels of toxic heavy metals and pesticides in their fatty tissues. This is the reason pregnant women are sometimes advised to moderate their intake of them. One way to get round this is by using fish oils that have been processed to remove these contaminants. For vegetarians, omega 3 can be obtained from seaweed extracts. Linseed oils may also be effective in those with the ability to convert its omega 3 fat into a more potent form.
4. When it comes to cholesterol and saturated fats I wouldn’t worry too much. If they come from good sources such as pasture fed cows, free range organic chickens then you will probably derive more benefit than harm from them. As stated above the evidence linking cholesterol and saturated fat intakes with heart disease is not consistent and is skewed by the massive interest of the drug companies in funding studies that attempt to make the link to justify their drug sales.

I’ve not covered exercise in this article, but regular daily exercise is very effective at reducing cardiovascular disease risk. Any exercise will be beneficial if it builds progressively on your current capabilities. For some this may mean walking an increasing distance at increasing speeds each day. Some resistance training is helpful for those who are already at a basic standard of fitness. For those with existing cardiovascular disease care should be taken, but it will be very beneficial as long as your body responds to the training without a crisis event. Consult a doctor or other professional involved personally with your healthcare if this is the case. For those who are already fit and wondering what is best for their cardiovascular health, then the general rule is to build fitness steadily and recover well from hard sessions. Normally what makes you fitter will also be good for you, if training is wearing you down it is good for neither your fitness or health.

Left untreated, high cholesterol can be the factor that causes a heart attack or stroke that either takes your life, or leaves you severely impaired causing negative life changes that affect you and your family, perhaps for decades. The good news is there are options for fighting high levels of bad cholesterol that may save your life.

What type of cholesterol medications are out there?

High cholesterol medications have been on the market for many years now and are referred to as statin drugs. Bad cholesterol known as high density lipoprotein has been a topicproper health care since the early seventies. The medical community became more and more focused on the correlation between what Americans were eating in their diet and the increase in heart disease and occurrence of strokes.

Treatment options for treating high (LDL) vary from brand name high cholesterol medications, such as Crestor and Lipitor, to all natural fish oil supplements. The medical community in the Unites states has accepted these drugs as the standard regimen for combating bad cholesterol.
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As the medical community has studied the results of treating the causes of heart disease, more and more doctors are augmenting statins with fish oil supplements that contain powerful ingredients for reducing serum cholesterol as a whole, and particularly the most destructive; low density lipoprotein (LDL).

The results of statin drugs may surprise you

Though statin drugs have proven mostly effective in reducing bad cholesterol, high cholesterol medications have been shown to be a double- edged sword, when it comes to preventing bad cholesterol while causing other potential health problems.

Because the number of patients that need high cholesterol medications is increasing yearly, yet more side effects are also presenting potential problems, the use of fish oil supplements containing high levels of EPA and DHA fatty acids are being more frequently prescribed by doctors while lowering the dosage of statins simultaneously.

According to research conducted by the Mayo Clinic, high cholesterol medications have potential side effects that include, liver damage, damage and pain to muscles, and possible digestive problems. It’s common practice for prescribing physicians to require patients to have periodic blood tests to determine if any of these side effects are occurring.

Not everyone who is prescribed high cholesterol medications will incur problems. Those that are more susceptible include anyone suffering from type one or two diabetes, kidney disease, or those over the age of sixty- five according to the Mayo Clinic studies.

The case for fish oil supplements

Because of the natural ingredients of fish oil supplements, doctors are including these supplements containing the omega 3 fatty acids to the mix of therapies to increase higher levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and combat the bad cholesterol (LDL).

Fish oil supplements have been clinically proven to help reduce cholesterol in addition to providing many other health benefits. Added benefits include the all natural qualities of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acids found in cold water fish. There is no abrasive reaction to the liver that is sometimes manifested from high cholesterol medications.

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One in three Americans have some form of heart disease. What’s more, the cost of medical care for heart disease will rise from $273 billion to $818 billion if our ability to prevent this condition stays the same. “We were all surprised at the remarkable increase in costs that are expected in the next two decades,” says Paul Heidenreich, chairman of the American Heart Association expert panel.

Fortunately, if we take a closer look at what causes high blood pressure, stroke, coronary heart disease, heart failure and other common conditions, we will see how to prevent them – or even treat them – naturally. Here are three simple and scientifically proven tips that will help you keep a healthy heart:

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1. Eat a healthy diet – stay away from processed meat such as bacon, sausages and salami. Scientists from Harvard University have discovered that every 1.8 ounces of processed meat consumed per day raised the risk of heart disease by 42 percent. You should also increase your intake of anti-inflammatory foods, such as fresh vegetables and omega-3 fats.
2. Exercise regularly - ongoing research has shown that exercise is good for the heart and circulation because it lowers blood pressure, reduces strain on the heart and increases good HDC cholesterol. Aim for a half hour walk every day, or an hour three times per week (aerobic activities are best).
3. Learn how to deal with stress - even allopathic physicians now agree that stress can play a key role in the development of chronic diseases. That means you should identify situations in your life that cause you to experience severe stress and learn how to deal with them. This could mean meditation, yoga, or simple deep breathing exercises.

Pharmaceutical drugs won’t fix heart disease. In 2006, a drug from Pfizer called torcetrapib was found to miraculously raise HDL and lower LDL cholesterol. The result? A 25 percent increase in deaths from heart attacks and 200 percent increase in overall deaths in those taking the drug. After spending $800+ million in development, Pfizer had to cut off torcetrapib’s trial because of “an imbalance of mortality and cardiovascular events”.

In the United States heart disease is the number one killer. Statins are the number one selling class of drugs. Do they result in fewer heart attacks and deaths? No. In order to save more lives, it is needed to raise awareness of the possible ways to prevent heart disease naturally.

No doubt you will begin to get a lot of advice from others that also have this condition. Surely they have tried many of the common remedies that might have worked for them, at least for a while to a greater or lesser degree anyway. But will that remedy work for you? Of course your medical advisor will probably recommend several paths to follow, leaving the ultimate decision for you to make.

Typically, unless there is a severe and life-threatening situation at hand, the advice will be something like, “Well, let’s try this mild approach, if there is no change for the better within a month or two, then we will try something a bit more potent.”

The ‘bit more potent’ considerations are more than likely drugs or medications. Wouldn’t you rather deal with this problem by lowering your cholesterol the ‘green’ way? The natural way? Read the labels on prescription drug containers and you will find the possible side effects. If you are on any other medications, you might already be having side effects from that medicine. Adding another prescription will simply compound the adverse side effect possibilities.
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Many studies have shown that adopting more of a natural diet and lifestyle will result in better health, for now and in the future. The natural way to lower cholesterol is to find a diet using food types that eliminates the bad LDL cholesterol and increases the good HDL. This doesn’t have to be a life altering change from steak to celery or milkshakes to prune juice. The diet change can even expose the taste buds to some new and tasty alternatives that won’t make mealtime intolerable.

Another natural solution that really works is to get off your caboose more often and indulge in some physical activity. Again it doesn’t have to be triathlon training; it can be as simple as a daily walk in the park. The natural way of lowering cholesterol will be enhanced by a proper diet and consistent natural exercise.

You will find lower cholesterol information revolving around both drugs and diet. The truth is that it all depends on your own unique case. If your case is pretty serious you might need to resort to taking medication. However if your case isn’t that sever then there is no need to go for drugs. You can very well lower you cholesterol simply through a few changes in your lifestyle and diet. This article will help you get some of the information that you need. Once you get tested you will know where you stand. If your cholesterol level is very high, you should consult with your doctor and consider getting a prescription for a medication that will help you control it. However even along with medication you should follow the rules mentioned below so that you can get the proper lower cholesterol information to keep on track for the rest of your life.

Most often you will want to start making changes to your diet. The safest and most natural lower cholesterol information you will get is to start following a diet that is low on the bad fats and high on the good fats. Basically our body contains cholesterol in two forms, LDL and HDL. The LDL is the bad cholesterol that we need to remove since it is the main cause of clogged arteries, ruptures etc. however the HDL is the good cholesterol that our body actually needs in order to function properly. Therefore in following lower cholesterol information make sure you don’t deprive your body of this good cholesterol. So the main thing you have to check out when consuming food is whether it contains the good cholesterol or the bad cholesterol.

Regarding lower cholesterol information, you should know that there are two types of fat present in our food. We have saturated and trans fats and we have monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. The saturated and trans fats are the bad fats that we need to avoid. They are mainly present in butter and margarine, meat and other full fat dairy products that you need to avoid. On the other hand lower cholesterol information you will find includes the healthy fats which are basically olive and canola oil and is present in foods like nuts, flaxseeds, etc.

High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease, which is still one of the top two killer diseases through the US and around the world.

When your cholesterol levels are too high, it can lead to atherosclerosis, hardening and narrowing of the arteries, putting your heart health at serious risk. Indian viagra

When waste deposits, cholesterol, and calcium start to build up within the linings and walls of the arteries, this can result in serious cardiovascular conditions developing. The formation of plaque within the arteries causes them to narrow and harden over time.

Since these materials cause obstruction, the transport of oxygenated blood and nutrients to vital organs becomes limited.

What is even worse is when the arteries suffer from blockage; it can result in life-threatening conditions such as heart attack, stroke, and other heart related diseases.

With the dangers such conditions pose, many people have resorted to using herbs for hardening arteries.

Herbs for hardening of the arteries have been proven by the University of Texas Health Center as an effective treatment.

It was discovered by health authorities from this institution that herbs for hardening arteries have the power to deliver NiO2 (nitric oxide) to the body and this is important for the reduction of high blood pressure and the dilation of blood vessels, particularly the bigger ones.

When nitric oxide is encouraged within the body, it will improve the flow of blood to the heart.

In addition to those findings, these herbs can also help with the prevention of plaque build up and blood clots in the arteries.

The following are some of the well-known types of herbs for hardening of the arteries:

• Red Yeast Rice is an herb that originated in China and is considered one of the most effective Chinese medicines. It works in the body like statin drugs but without the side effects. Red yeast rice has the power to lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and increase HDL (good cholesterol) in the body.
• Hawthorn is abundantly found in the northern hemisphere and it has proven to be one of the effective herbs for hardening arteries. This herb increases blood flow within the narrowed and hardened arteries.
• Garlic is actually one of the most widely distributed and most popular herbs for hardening arteries. This herbal treatment is known to have the ability to decrease levels of serum cholesterol by ten percent. This is especially true when a clove or more is consumed regularly.

While all of the above herbs are capable of getting results, there are other invaluable nutrients that offer a more successful solution to lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, raising HDL, cleaning arteries, preventing the build up of plaque and improving cardiovascular health.

These can be found in quality natural supplements that contain the nutrients in the correct quantities to really make a difference.

Sometimes we forget that nature has always provided an abundance of things we need, including herbs for hardening arteries, nutrients that can improve our heart health and overall health in general, plants and herbs that can help us relax and feel good, and whole host of other physical and mental health benefits.

The good thing about many heart ailments compared to cancer is that there are many different steps we can take to not only prevent their occurrence but also reverse prior damage.

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One of the main components for achieving heart health is to reduce the drag placed on our hearts.

It is easy to think of the heart as an organ rather than a muscle which is working constantly to supply our cells with blood and oxygen. In many ways it is the engine that drives the car we refer to as our body to just about anywhere we want to go.

1. Perhaps you have had a family member, relative, or friend who has never really recovered from a heart attack or struggles with the symptoms of advanced atherosclerosis. They may no longer be able exercise enough to keep mind and body healthy. Their mental sharpness may not quite be what it used to be. Their breathing may be labored. They may have fluid accumulation around the ankles or in the lungs. Their color may have become ashen signaling circulatory problems. They may experience chest pain or excessive sweating.
2. On the other hand you may have a family member, relative, or friend who is still as sharp as a tack at even the most advanced age and still participates in rigorous daily exercise and is still as active today as they were years ago.

Which would you prefer?

No if you answered the first example you should immediately close this page and head to ice box for a high cholesterol/high fat snack of some kind. Maybe a bologna and double cheese sandwich with mayo on white bread. After eating go straight to the couch, light up a cigarette, and watch some really stressful news. After that go ahead and call emergency services and tell them to stay on the line because the big one is sure to hit any minute.

On the other hand if your goal is to avoid heart ailments and stay vibrant and healthy there are a number of steps you can take starting right now to achieve cardiovascular health.

These would include managing diabetes and high blood pressure successfully, stay as far away from cigarette smoke as possible, participate in doctor approved daily exercise, maintain weight in a healthy range, consume no more than 8 percent (16 grams) or calories from saturated fat, and consume no more than 200 mg of cholesterol daily.

There are many known causes of high blood pressure that one must look out for. The most common cause of this problem is salt and sodium intake. Too much salt accounts for the major causes of heart attacks and strokes. Smoking, poor eating habits, stress, lack of physical activity are also other causes of hypertension. Another factor that causes this is heredity or family history.

Knowing about the different causes of an increase in the pressure of your blood you now have an idea of how you can lower or even prevent it. Since salt or sodium is one of the major causes of hypertension, this means that you should lower your salt and sodium intake. Poor eating habits or even poor diet also cause it so it is important for you to watch what you eat. Too much calories, fats, cholesterol, and carbohydrates could lead to a rise in your blood’s pressure. Too much fat and cholesterol could also lead to the clogging of the arteries. You should also engage in more physical activities to lower your high blood pressure as being active helps you maintain a healthy weight and even helps you get rid of those unwanted fats and cholesterol stored in your body. High blood pressure is helped lowered by quitting smoking and reducing or regulating your alcohol intake.

Another way of controlling hypertension is through taking herbal supplements. Nowadays, there are a lot of different kinds of these supplements available for each kind of health problem or concern. For controlling hypertension, you can find heart care herbal supplements. These heart care herbal supplements contain ingredients that are known to improve the heart’s health and even treat different heart problems. Tribulus Terrestris (Gokharu Ghana) is one of the ingredients contained in herbal supplements as this is believed to help lower pressure. It is also used as a rejuvenation tonic. This herb is also used in addressing problems such as urinary disorders, kidney diseases, impotence, gravel, gout, and a lot more. It is also very helpful in addressing diseases of the heart and a lot more other conditions.

However, it’s when an imbalance of levels accurate, is when the problem begins. There are three factors to consider.

The first; Low-density lipoproteins (LDL’s) high blood fat levels. These levels are a major cause of cholesterol build-up in important arteries, and can be serious, as it may lead to damage to the lining of the vessels, known as atherosclerosis. This, in turn, can lead to the restricted blood flow linked to coronary artery disease, ischaemic cerebrovascular disease (stroke),

The second consideration is; High-density lipoproteins (HDL’s) that are ‘good’ cholesterol, that removing unwanted debris and plaque from the arteries via way of the liver.

The third in the equation is Triglycerides; Triglycerides are blood fats and keeping these levels low is recommended as higher triglycerides can contribute a greater risk for heart disease, stroke and even diabetes.

The bulk of cholesterol is actually made in your own body, specifically in the liver. And some of cholesterol comes from the foods you eat. The Tran’s fats and saturated fats found in many processed foods can give a rise in the levels of cholesterol.

Heart attacks claims hundred and thousands of lives every year in North America alone. And the major contribution to these figures has been high cholesterol levels. In short, the risks of high cholesterol condition is not to be taken lightly

Unfortunately, as we age the arteries naturally start to harden and narrow, and it is a wise precaution to have you blood pressure and cholesterol levels check regularly, say ever three to five years.

Improving on your lifestyle can go a long way in influence cholesterol levels. You can lower your “bad” cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, or LDL) and even raise your “good” cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein, or HDL) with a few lifestyle changes – diet, exercise, and weight loss – can make a great difference to cholesterol levels.
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Lifestyle alteration however, may not be enough to help lower the risks of high cholesterol… You may have to consult with your doctor to find a treatment plan that’s best for you.
Be sure to visit 360 Degree Health.org for more detailed advise on the risks of high cholesterol levels and treatments without harmful drugs or drastic diet changes.