It is known that medication and drugs can be harmful to our bodies so it is natural that people prefer to learn how to lower their cholesterol naturally. When using natural methods we are learning how to take control of the problem ourselves in a more efficient way. To lower your cholesterol naturally it is important and beneficial for your life and general health. It reduces heart disease and also any other diseases which may not be good for your body.

Lower Your Cholesterol Levels With A Change Of Diet

Getting rid of excessive body fat deposits in your body which can cause you harm is important. By going on a diet to lower cholesterol is one of the best ways you can lower cholesterol naturally.

You need to begin by looking at a diet that is low in saturated fats, sodium and some carbohydrates. By including these foods in your diet you will not only lower your cholesterol levels but be able to maintain your levels as well. Look at adding omega 3 into your diet as well as it helps to reduce cholesterol as well as control bad cholesterol.

So when looking at your choices in foods you will want to avoid the foods which contribute to cholesterol such as beef, high fat dairy foods and most oils. Also look at your alcohol intake as this will effect your levels as well.

Adding Exercise Into Your Life

A good diet is important in lowering your cholesterol levels but the inclusion of exercise is a must. By exercising you can effectively remove the fat that accumulates in the body. You can also increase your cardiac capacity of your heart which in turn helps with your blood circulation. An effective exercise plan need not mean you send countless hours working out at the gym. All you need to do is go for a 30 minute walk on a daily basis to help keep the fat levels down. Look at swimming and other exercises but remember to consult your doctor first to see which exercise is best suited to you and your condition

The two methods on how to lower cholesterol are best used when your cholesterol levels have not reached high levels. For people that have extremely high levels it is best first to consult your doctor. They will advise the correct course of action for you whether it be a change in diet, increase in exercise or the inclusion of medication or may be a combination of them all.

Before listing the foods that help to lower cholesterol we must define what cholesterol is. Cholesterol is a fat like substance that is manufactured by the human body and also eaten in the consumption of animal products. Cholesterol is used to form cell membranes and process hormones and Vitamin D. High cholesterol levels contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. Both a low cholesterol level and a high cholesterol level is dangerous for human beings. Too much of the wrong type of cholesterol (HDL) in the human body is closely linked with heart disease, hypertension and cardiovascular health.

Cholesterol is a steroid alcohol found in animal fats and oils, bile, blood, brain tissue, milk, egg yolk, myelin sheaths of nerve fibers, liver, kidneys and adrenal glands. It is a necessary component of all cell surface and intracellular membranes and a constituent of myelin in nervous tissue; it is a precursor of bile acids and steroid hormones, and it occurs in the most common type of gallstone, in atheroma of the arteries, in various cysts, and in carcinomatous tissue. Most of the body's cholesterol is synthesized, but some is obtained in the diet.

The preoccupation in human medicine with the relationship between cholesterol and the development of atheromatous plaques in the coronary arteries is not reflected in veterinary medicine. The importance of cholesterol to the veterinarian is limited to the measurement of blood cholesterol levels as an indicator of liver disease or thyroid activity.

List of foods that help to lower cholesterol

1. Apples

2. Pumpkin & Pumpkin seeds

3. Salmon and other oily fish such as mackerel.

4. Soy products

5. Walnuts

6. Almonds

7. Avocado

8. Bison, venison and other lean meats.

9. Cholesterol lowering margarines

10. Collard Greens

11. Dark Chocolate

12. Beans & Legumes

13. Egg plant

14. Green Tea

15. Olives

16. Onions

17. Shitake Mushroom

18. Tomato

19. Fresh berries, particularly Blueberries

20. Brown Rice

21. Cinnamon

22. Cranberries

23. Garlic

24. Grapes

25. Oats

Many people advise the daily consumption of apple cider vinegar as being a powerful aid in reducing the levels of cholesterol and helping to maintain a healthy heart. This will also help to keep the arteries clear of plaque.

The latest scientific research said get the delicious recipes that incorporated that cholesterol lowering food.

Cholesterol is a blood fat needed by the body in moderate amounts. However, high cholesterol levels can lead to atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD) and heart attack. Methods for increasing good cholesterol or lowering bad cholesterol levels include cholesterol reducing drugs such as statins, fibrates, and nicotinic acid and bile acid resins.

Apart from the cholesterol lowering food there are many cholesterol reducing drugs such as:Cholesterol-reducing drugs are medications that lower the levels of fats (lipids) in the blood, including cholesterol and triglycerides. High levels of these fats in the bloodstream increase the risk of coronary artery disease (atherosclerosis), heart attack, stroke and other heart-related conditions. Therefore, cholesterol reducers and other antilipemic medications are often prescribed for people with high cholesterol levels (hypercholesterolemia) or other elevated lipid levels (e.g., high triglycerides).

There are five main categories of cholesterol reducers: statins, bile acid resins, nicotinic acid, fibrates and ezetimibe. Most are available only by prescription, while nicotinic acid, a form of vitamin B3 (niacin), is available over-the-counter. However, niacin should only be taken under the care of a physician to monitor any side effects that could arise, such as severe upset stomach (nausea) and flushing.

So, the big question is this! If you can lower your cholesterol levels by eating the great food a listed above, and if you can supplement this by taking cholesterol reducing natural products, why would you inflict pharmaceutical drugs upon your system? People do, but I will never understand them!

If you have recently been diagnosed with high cholesterol, you are probably looking for ways to lower it. Keep in mind that there are two types of cholesterol: LDL and HDL. LDL, or bad cholesterol, causes heart disease and atherosclerosis, a condition which affects proper blood flower. HDL, or good cholesterol, works to combat against the possible damage that LDL cholesterol can do. A good diet to lower cholesterol will help decrease your LDL cholesterol, while increasing your HDL cholesterol.

There are many foods that may help lower cholesterol that you will want to incorporate into your regular diet. For starters, you will want to think about adding fruits and vegetables to your diet. Since they are known to be very healthy, it is not surprising that they are also known to lower cholesterol. Whole grains, oatmeal, nuts and legumes are all known to reduce cholesterol. A diet to lower cholesterol should contain a decent amount of all of these foods.

When looking for sample diets for lowering cholesterol, be sure to choose a diet that avoids foods which are high in trans fat or saturated fat. Greasy, fast foods should be avoided if you want to lower cholesterol. Fatty junk foods, such as potato chips, which may also contain unnecessary amounts of trans or saturated fat should also be avoided.

A diet to lower cholesterol should not contain excessive amounts of red meat or organs such as liver and dairy products. Although chicken, turkey and fish can also be very bad choices for someone who is trying to reduce their cholesterol, the way that you prepare these foods can make them healthier. Removing the skin and either baking, grilling or broiling these meats instead of frying are such healthier alternatives.

If you are still unsure of where to find sample diets for lowering cholesterol or what should be on them, you may want to think about asking your primary care physician. He or she should be able to give you a good idea of what foods can be eaten to reduce cholesterol, as well as which ones should be avoided and perhaps suggest some sample diets. Since a diet to lower cholesterol is very important, it is a good idea to make sure that you follow the doctor's instructions and reduce the amount of unhealthy foods that you choose to incorporate in your diet.

Achieving good heart health is way easier by diet than by the use of drugs like statins. Although if you are looking for ways to lower your cholesterol, and need some help doing so beyond diet, there are some very good natural alternatives that can be added to a good diet to lower cholesterol to improve your success rate.

And one company making some extremely effective and organic cholesterol management products too, and you've probably never heard of them.

You may not know that Magnesium plays a very important role in treating heart disease.
All muscles require magnesium to function properly. If the levels of magnesium is too low in your body, you might have irregular heartburn and/or calcification of heart muscle cells that causes the development of scar tissue. Also it can cause the damage of arterial lining and allow fat to accumulate in your body's blood vessels. Magnesium deficiency accompanies the major heart disease risk factors including:

1.High cholesterol level:
Magnesium deficiency increases triglycerides and bad cholesterol levels, while decreasing the level of good cholesterol.

2. High blood pressure:
Study suggests that high blood pressure could be significantly lowered by a diet high in magnesium, potassium, and calcium, and low in sodium and fat. Diets that provide plenty of fruits and vegetables which are good sources of potassium and magnesium are consistently associated with lower blood pressure.

3. Diabetes.
If you have low magnesium levels in you blood, study shows that magnesium deficiency can cause insulin resistance and eventually type 2 diabetes.

4. Abdominal obesity
If you are magnesium deficiency, you are probably carrying extra weight around your mid-section. That's one of the hallmark signs of metabolic syndrome that causes fat to be stored in dangerous areas, such as deep in the abdomen or around the liver, muscle, and heart tissues.

In order to prevent all problems caused by magnesium deficiency in your body, supplements of magnesium is recommended or natural foods that contain high amounts of magnesium such as nuts, legumes, and leafy greens should be eaten regularly. Please consult with your doctor before adding magnesium supplement in your diet.

If you are taking calcium supplements, be sure to check your magnesium levels. Magnesium and calcium intake ratio is 2:1. Otherwise it might increase risk of heart disease.

Have you managed to catch the most recent drug commercial? The one about a guy moving down a spiral staircase with numerals printed on the steps and the numbers decreasing in value as he goes down the stairs.

It portrays how your physician may have told you that you have to lower your cholesterol levels lower than ever before to have a healthy body. Unfortunately, it is a myth and a potentially fatalistic one as well. Let us begin with a few known facts on the issue at hand, Cholesterol.

What really is cholesterol?

Is it something that is harmful for your body?

Should cholesterol levels in our body be kept as low as possible?

Let's take a moment to consider those questions.

First though, what is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a soft waxy fatty substance that can be found in our bloodstream and cells of our body. It is also present in the food that we consume daily, in meat and dairy products. It is produced in our liver for important body functions such as cell formation, hormone, vitamin and bile acid production.

Cholesterol is needed by the body to form cholic acid that is then used to produce bile salts to digest fat. Also, cholesterol is essential to the production of adrenal and reproductive hormones such as progesterone and testosterone. Cholesterol can also make our skin impenetrable by water and other harmful substances.

In addition, it can cause toxins in our bloodstream, to be bound together, reducing inflammation and protecting our nerves and organs at the same time. So, now that we know how important cholesterol is to us, the question is, why does it have such a bad name?

Rumors began when scientists and researchers made a finding correlating blood cholesterol, cholesterol in our bloodstream, with heart disease. However, if one were to return to research classes in school, they would find out that correlations are of no big importance. When two things are correlated, it just means that two things are present at the same time, or as the American Heritage Dictionary puts it; a correlation is a causal, complementary, parallel, or reciprocal relationship, especially a structural, functional, or qualitative correspondence between two comparable entities.

In plain English this means that just because a person is caught holding a gun, it does not mean he pulled the trigger.

However, where the confusion really lies is because there are two types of cholesterol. One good for you, and one bad for you. The good type is called HDL Cholesterol, and the bad type, LDL Cholesterol.

LDL Cholesterol stands for Low Density Lipoprotein, and when too much of this circulates in our bloodstream then it is bad news. Because it builds up on the inner lining of our arteries, and can cause us to have heart attacks. A bit like a kettle when it gets clogged up with limescale.

HDL Cholesterol on the other hand seems to have protective capabilities. It makes up approximately a fourth to a half of the blood cholesterol that is carried around our bodies, and seems to have a protective effect against heart disease, as it seems to be able to carry LDL cholesterol away, and hence stop it forming against the walls of our arteries. Acting a bit like a kettle de-scaling solution.

If you want to know the level of cholesterol in your blood, you have to go through cholesterol blood test. This test would give you a good estimate of how much cholesterol is present in your system. It is also the test that doctors use as a guide so that they can provide the right type of medications for you. Cholesterol blood test can be performed in most clinics that have the necessary equipments. With the many health centers in operation today, getting your cholesterol tested becomes as easy as buying fruits from a grocer.

And it gets even better still. Right now, there are cholesterol blood test kits that can be bought from pharmacies. These tests can reveal your cholesterol count in a matter of minutes. These at-home tests allow patients to test their cholesterol level whenever they want and where they want, even at the comforts of their own homes. Aside from these kits, there are also devices that can read your cholesterol level, including other information relevant to your condition.

With more and more people getting concerned with their cholesterol count, many are getting alarmed about the increasing instances of heart problems. Heart diseases can strike anybody. It is a disease that is very common to people 50 years old and above. This is because of the fact that at such point in their life, their heart had worked long enough to show signs of wear and tear. The people who failed to take care of their hearts and check their cholesterol levels are the ones who are more likely to develop heart concerns.

Cholesterol is one of the unwanted substances present in the bloodstream. It finds its way inside the body through the foods that you eat. Cholesterol is contained in your meals. And there are foods that are unmistakably rich with cholesterol that when eaten, could elevate your count drastically. It is quite easy to tell yourself not to eat foods high in cholesterol. But actually doing it is the hardest thing. Changing your lifestyle and your diet can't happen overnight. It even takes a lifetime for some people to change a single detail about their life, even if it is as simple as neglecting the food they love eating.

This is where cholesterol blood test comes into play. As these tests are getting more and more accessible, people are slowly getting aware of their condition, enough to leave them alarmed at a certain point. Knowledge of your condition and its implication is very important to motivate yourself to initiate some major changes. This is one of the reasons why taking a cholesterol blood test on a regular basis can help a lot.

When your cholesterol level is checked, the total number of cholesterol shows up. Generally, the ideal number is below 200 mg/dL. That's for people who don't possess any risk of developing heart problems. You might want your number lower if you have history of heart diseases or if any member of your family had suffered from it. The number of LDL or bad cholesterol should be kept below 100 mg/dL. Your HDL level or your level of good cholesterol should be at 40 to 60 mg/dL.

All individuals aged 20 years old and above should regularly go through cholesterol blood test. Checking your cholesterol level once every five years is good enough if you are not diagnosed with any type of heart disease. Of course, it gets more frequent if you are under the direct care of a physician due to heart problems. This test is medically referred to as the lipoprotein profile test. Your doctor should know how to interpret the results and provide you with the right medications, including lifestyle and dietary changes when needed.

Don't go through life with high levels of cholesterol in your blood. Not only that condition can be very risky for you - it can also stop you from living a life like you want it. Eventually, you will feel that you have less tolerance for extraneous activities. And so your movements and your actions get restricted over time. If you have your cholesterol blood test now, heart problems can be diagnosed early on. And at its initial stages, any problem with the functions of the heart can be very treatable. You may not realize it, but this simple test can actually save your life.

There are many people that have been diagnosed with high cholesterol that choose to take their treatment into their own hands. Changing their diet along with adding a regular exercise routine can go a long way to help control high cholesterol levels. There are a number of natural remedies for lowering cholesterol and when you do the proper research you can find many tools that will help you to achieve your cholesterol goals without having to resort to traditional pharmaceutical methods.

Herbs and Natural Nutritional Substances

There are many herbs that are said to be natural remedies for lowering cholesterol. They can be found in any natural market or on many sites online. They are often not expensive and can go a long way in helping you lower your cholesterol in a natural way. Often there are other ingredients contained in a supplement which you are considering, so be sure you speak to your health care provider to ensure that all ingredients will safely interact with any other type of medication you may be taking at present.

The way herbs and natural products work to lower cholesterol is by getting rid of fat in the blood. There has been much research done into which of the herbs and natural remedies work, but science is still unsure about exactly why they work to lower cholesterol as effectively as they do.

Natural Products Shown to Effectively Lower Cholesterol

Chromium is a natural product that has been proven effective in raising the good cholesterol HDL and lowering the LDL or bad cholesterol. Carnitine has shown that it will increase the levels of HDL resulting in an overall cholesterol reduction. B-Vitamins help to control cholesterol levels by decreasing oxidization that is the most damaging to LDL cholesterol.

Adding more fiber to your diet is another important natural substance that can help you to lower your levels of damaging cholesterol. You can incorporate fiber either through diet or fiber supplements. Vegetables and whole grains are excellent sources of fiber and some fruits are as well such as apples.

Coenzyme Q10 has had wonderful effects in total cholesterol reduction. Garlic as well has been touted for its cholesterol lowering effects. Grapeseed extract, red yeast rice, and panthothine are also part of natural remedies for lowering cholesterol. Vitamin C, soy and royal jelly are also good at lowering cholesterol. Royal jelly helps to reduce the effects that nicotine has on cholesterol elevation if you smoke.

What You Can Do ?

Before taking the drastic step of going on a pharmaceutical regime, try some natural alternatives that have proven records of helping to fight and reduce high cholesterol. There are many products available that can do what conventional medication can without the risks. Cholesterol is directly related to good cardiovascular health and finding the right natural supplement to add to your routine will help you to rid your body of dangerous toxins as well as aid in the fight against high cholesterol. Look into the ingredients of many natural supplements and find the ones that specifically target cholesterol health. OC-Max is an excellent product as it has many of the ingredients in one convenient pill to combat high levels of cholesterol.

There are some obvious tips to keeping a healthy heart. Diet is probably one of the first things you think of, with exercise being the second. There are several other things to consider. Stress can play a huge roll in how healthy your heart is. When trying to maintain your health it is important to consider all factors into the equation. Then you can make a plan to get and remain healthy. The secret to staying healthy is to know what you are doing and how you plan to keep it up. Once you have that figured out then you are all set.

What Your Diet Does For You

A diet for a healthy heart is very important. A low fat diet can protect your heart from dying young. When you reduce fat you are reducing your risk of clogged arteries, stroke, and heart attack. Low fat foods are simple to find and are an easy way to control your diet. Most people do not complain about feeling unsatisfied when they go on a reduced fat diet. Most foods today are geared towards a healthy heart anyway. Another consideration to think about is low sugar. Carbohydrates can cause many issues. The largest common issue is weight gain. Excess carbs leads to being over weight, which comes with a host of other health problems. It can be difficult to cut down on refined sugars, but it can be very beneficial in the long run to your health. The most important thing you can do for your heart is to eat a well balanced diet from all the major food groups.

Exercising Your Heart For Life

A healthy heart is a strong heart. The heart is a muscle, and like any other muscle it needs to be exercised to stay toned and healthy. When you do not get proper exercise you can end up with a much weaker heart. Even just small amounts of exercise are enough o help maintain your heart properly. A simple walk or bicycle ride can be just what your heart needs. When you make sure to get enough exercise you are ensuring that your heart is in the best condition it can be in. That will help to keep you feeling great for a long time. A well-exercised heart is one that will serve you well for your whole life.

Stress Reduction Goes A Long Way

Stress is one of the number one ways to fail fast when it comes to your heart. A healthy heart can be greatly affected by surmounting stress. Once the body enters a flight or fight mode it goes through a biological process that can cause organs to eventually fail. Most times you are not eating, sleeping, or taking care of yourself well when under lots of stress. This can weaken the heart tremendously and put you at risk for diseases such as high blood pressure. If you feel you may be under any type of stress, work hard to find out the source and get rid of it. If you cannot just rid yourself of it be sure to have an outlet to be able to cleanse and relax from it.