The healthy cholesterol range for human beings is below 200mg/dL. These numbers are the normal total cholesterol circulating in the bloodstream, which includes LDL (bad), HDL (good) and triglycerides. Just as important as the total is the HDL amount. When it comes to HDL, more is better, with the ideal ratio of LDL to HDL to be 4.4:1.

You can check your own ratio by doing this simple calculation: divide your LDL measurement value with your HDL measurement value. If this ratio is below 4.4, you should try to raise your HDL level by exercising more.

A healthy person should have their blood profiles screening test done on a regular basis. The American Heart Association recommends testing every five years for anyone aged 20 or older. Doctors may recommend a test for younger people if they are obese or have other risk factors, such as high blood pressure and smoking (yes, smoking is a risk factor.. that's why life insurance premium is higher for smokers than non smokers).

If you smoke, controlling this habit to the stage where you can quit can be very difficult.. but you must try to stop. Your heart is at risk, because smoking causes the LDL in your blood to be oxidized, and oxidized LDL forms plaques in blood vessels quickly.. This is no new information to a lot of smokers, so make a wise decision yourself.

Some of the things that cause unhealthy cholesterol levels include obesity and excessive alcohol intake. Lack of exercise plays a role as well. Hormonal imbalances and dysfunction of the glandular system are less common causes. Certain genetic diseases and heredity are also factors.

In order to stay in the healthy cholesterol range, a diet that is very low in saturated fat is recommended. Less than 7% of daily calories should come from saturated fats, which include egg yolks, cheese, beef, pork and poultry.

Trans-fats, which are partially hydrogenated unsaturated fats, should be avoided. Total fat intake plays a larger role in blood serum levels than does the cholesterol itself. The type of fat that you eat is also important.

Plant foods, such as nuts and flax seed, contain healthy cholesterol-like substances, called phytosterols. This is the kind of fat that is a necessary dietary components. Most nutritionists recommend 25-30% of your total caloric intake should come from fat, but plant oil and fatty fish are the best choices for dietary fat.

A healthy HDL or good cholesterol range is 60mg/dL or higher.. however, if yours is higher than this, it's better. There's no "highest" limit when it comes to HDL. Just remember the 4.4 ratio mentioned above.

According to the American Heart Association, higher HDL levels provide some protections against heart disease. As HDL travels through the bloodstream, it picks up LDL particles and carries them back to the liver, thus causes the reduction of LDL concentration in your blood. This prevents the particles from building up inside the arterial walls and forming hard plaques.

LDL levels should be lower than 100mg/dL to be considered healthy. Over 190mg of LDL is considered very high risk for heart disease and stroke. It would be unusual, but if the total cholesterol level was 200mg, but the LDL number was 190, a person would still be at risk. In such case, usually doctors will resort to the use of cholesterol lowering drugs.

Total cholesterol reading below 160mg is considered low, so try to keep the balance. Balance is the key to overall good health. Try to choose foods that are highly nutritious and contain a variety of antioxidants.

Having more food which are derived from plants in your daily diet such as fruits, vegetables, nuts , cinnamon and whole grains can help you get and keep a healthy cholesterol range, which, in turn, protects your heart.

Of course there are other ways to lower cholesterol level, such as consumption of cholesterol lowering statin medicines (Zocor, Lipitor, Lescol, etc). But these are rather risky ways, since the statin drugs themselves have numerous side effects. One of the most dangerous effect of these kind of medication is "muscle breakdown", which is the "melting" of your muscle tissues.. It's very dangerous for your kidneys (can cause kidney failure), and also weakens the whole body in the process.

So, stay with natural methods to control your numbers as much as possible. Eat the right food, do the right exercise, take supplements where necessary, live the right lifestyle. It's for your own good. Resort to medicine treatment only if you can not do any of the natural approach. You are raising the possibility of unnecesarry complication if you try the medical approach too early.

A Secret Cholesterol Lowering Formula With An Amazing Result

Now come closer.. I'd like to tell you an amazing story about how I lower my total cholesterol from 376 mg/dL to 121 mg/dL in only two short months in a natural way. It was my secret.. but now I've decided to let everyone know it..

In 2008 I found out from my first ever medical checkup that my total cholesterol level was 376 mg/dL, and my doctor immediately put me on medication me with a daily dose of 20 mg Zocor (Simvastatin).

I took the medicine, and also..

- I stopped eating meat, fat and poultry altogether for 2 months

- I stopped taking dairy products

- I began to eat more fish to increase HDL

- I began eating more fruits and vegetables

- I started jogging 4 miles every weekend, and walk 10,000 steps a day

- I started eating more cereal which contains high fiber

BUT..

here's the truth: what kind of vegetables, fruits and vitamins I took was the most important key in my success. Eat the wrong kind of them, and you won't be reducing your cholesterol levels at all. To find out exactly what kind of diets will produce my kind of result, check out the guidelines on Good Cholesterol Foods. On this site you will also find a free booklet on cholesterol management and a free cholesterol chart to monitor your levels.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandon_Hearts

There are two types of cholesterol in our body. They are Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL) or bad cholesterol and High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) or good cholesterol. Natural cholesterol reducers decrease the amount of LDL and help our body to promote HDL.

Excess Low Density Lipoprotein can cause heart attacks and diabetes. They are extremely harmful for our body because they clog our arteries and blood vessels. HDL helps in the removal of LDL from blood vessels and they also stimulate blood flow.

Foods That Reduce Bad Cholesterol Level

- In order to prevent heart diseases and diabetes, we should increase the intake of natural cholesterol reducers. There are various foods, which naturally remove LDL and provide you a disease free body.

- Consumption of fishes can be beneficial for reducing Low Density Lipoprotein. They are the greatest source of protein and omega3 fatty acids. They lower LDL levels and increases HDL levels in our body.

- Doctors usually recommend high soluble fibers for reducing LDL levels. They greatly reduce the chances of heart attacks and also promote High Density Lipoprotein. Foods like oats and cereals are rich source of high soluble fibres. Natural Cholesterol Reducers such as orange juices and salads can lower the bad cholesterol's levels. They are also rich in fibres and plant sterols.

- It is also advisable to take soy-based products. They can be best eaten with rice. Another miracle foods for promoting high-density lipoprotein are nuts. People generally like consuming them. They are very effective in terms of preventing your body from heart diseases and diabetes. You should have a moderate intake of nuts in your diet because they are high in calories and are Natural Cholesterol Reducers.

Excessive weight & Toxins in the Colon are two major reasons for high Cholesterol. Dr Oz, Oprah Winfrey & Rachel Ray have all endorsed the Dynamic Duo! for Weight Loss, Reduce LDL and Total Body Detox.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kate_Willson

Many people think that cholesterol is bad for the health. Actually our body needs a minimal level of cholesterol and beyond that it is hazardous. It keeps up the strength of the intestinal walls and converts the sunlight into vitamin D while the skin is in direct contact with the sun. To be precise there are two types of cholesterol; i.e. Good & Bad. Good is HDL (High Density Lipoproteins) and Bad is LDL (Low Density Lipoproteins). When it comes to reducing its level in the body, the diet is all about good and bad cholesterol foods. You should focus your diet on lowering the LDL and increasing the HDL.

Here are some basic fact of Good and Bad Cholesterol Foods

· You must avoid trans fat. This gives a boost to the good cholesterol. For this you must avoid fried foods as much as possible.

· Another basic tip is to do the cardiovascular workouts on daily basis

· You must never smoke or take alcohol as it is the bad cholesterol food that gives adverse effect on the health

· You must increase the intake of monounsaturated & polyunsaturated types of fat. The foods that are rich in these types of fat are olives, canola oils, fish (some particular types), nuts, avocados, etc.

· Omega 3 fatty acids also help in improvising the HDL & LDL ratio thereby checking the effect of good and bad cholesterol foods. There are several fishes rich in these for instance tuna & salmon. You should take them a couple of times in a day.

· Other foods rich in Omega 3s are fish oil, leafy green vegetables, soybean products, acai berries, etc need to be taken.

· Taking 1 1/2 cups cooked oatmeal gives you 6 grams fiber everyday. You might also like to add fresh fruits like bananas to this. This would add 4 grams more fiber to the diet.

· You can also try taking steel cut oatmeal, cold cereal made along with oatmeal, oat bran, walnuts, almonds, etc which are considered to be the good cholesterol food items.

Excessive weight & Toxins in the Colon are two major reasons for high Cholesterol. Dr Oz, Oprah Winfrey & Rachel Ray have all endorsed the Dynamic Duo! for Weight Loss, Reduce LDL and Total Body Detox.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kate_Willson