Is high cholesterol a symptom of something else? It is not actually a disease, but a metabolic derangement that can be caused by other diseases and can contribute to other diseases. The biggest danger of hypercholesterolemia (higher than normal cholesterol levels) is heart disease.

The most common kind of age-related heart disease is atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. There are several kinds of particles that transport cholesterols around the body. They are all called lipoproteins, but they are broken down into groups according to the number of proteins and the number of lipids (fats) that make up the particle.

The number of proteins and lipids affects the density and buoyancy of the particles. The range of density varies from very low to high.

The high density lipoproteins (HDL) are sometimes referred to as "good", while the low density LDL particles are often referred to as bad. The reference has to do with the fact that the LDL particles can penetrate the endothelium of the blood vessels and become stuck. Eventually, the particles can become oxidized or hardened.

The more LDL particles and total triglycerides in the bloodstream, the greater the chance that some of them will become oxidized. Thus most doctors consider high cholesterol a symptom of something else: atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis, known colloquially as hardening of the arteries, is one of the most common heart diseases among elderly people. As the LDL particles build up and become hardened, blood flow to the extremities is reduced.

Blood pressure increases as the heart begins to work harder. Eventually, the passage ways become narrow. They can close off completely or a chunk of the hardened mess can fall off and get stuck in the heart, causing a heart attack. If the chunk travels to the brain and forms a clot, it will cause a stroke. Understandably, some doctors consider high cholesterol a symptom of something else, an increased risk of heart attack or stroke.

Diseases that contribute to imbalanced cholesterol-levels include diabetes and hypothyroidism. Anything that affects the liver's function could ultimately affect the blood profiles. Kidney disease, anorexia nervosa and Zieve's syndrome are among the diseases that can cause higher than normal cholesterol-levels. Type II diabetes is relatively common and the incidence is expected to increase in years to come, despite evidence that it is preventable.

Is high cholesterol a symptom of something else? It could be a symptom of too many simple carbs in the diet. Although initial research focused only on dietary sources of cholesterol, there seem to be other factors to consider.

Ideally, the modern diet would be as it was thousands of years ago, but it has changed greatly. We should eat meat or vegan protein, fruits, vegetables, seeds and whole grains like wild rice. We should not eat all of the simple refined carbohydrates; sugars and junk foods.

Is high cholesterol a symptom of something else? It could be a symptom of a lack of nutrients in the diet. So, a good dietary supplement could help.



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If your doctor has suggested medications for your cholesterol, it is important that you compare cholesterol drugs before agreeing to any prescription medications. It is important to discuss all medications and side effects with your health care provider. Never change your dosage levels or stop taking your medication without first checking with your doctor.

Statins - Statins work in the liver to help lower cholesterol. They are widely considered to be the most effective at lowering LDL cholesterol while also lowering triglycerides. This drug is not recommended for people with liver disease. Side effects can range from mild to severe. Some patients experience extreme muscle weakness and nausea while taking statin drugs.

Resins - Resins, sometimes referred to as bile acid-binding drugs, work in the intestines. Resins will increase the amount of bile your liver produces. Cholesterol helps make bile. If the cholesterol in your body is busy making more bile, then there will not be any bile left to clog your bloodstream. Most of the side effects of Resins are digestive related.

Niacin - Niacin is primarily targeted at lowering triglycerides and raising levels of HDL cholesterol. Niacin is currently an over-the-counter vitamin (Vitamin B6), and it is most effective when used in immediate release forms in high dosages.

When your doctor or physician recommends medication to lower your cholesterol, make sure you compare cholesterol drugs for all harmful side effects. Remember that all prescription medications are synthetic, and it is important to look for alternative supplements too.

The best treatment methods for cholesterol are all-natural supplements, and I recommend checking out natural supplements before investing in expensive medications prescribed by your physician.



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Whenever you talk about maintaining a healthy lifestyle, there are certain topics that always arise. Physicians will ask about your blood pressure. They will ask you about your weight and the percentage of body fat in your body. Some doctors will want to check your normal cholesterol range. Do you really understand cholesterol and how it works in your body? Do you understand what cholesterol is used for?

Cholesterol is not just a dirty word. Many people think of cholesterol as something that builds up in the body that can cause a heart attack. Others just know that cholesterol comes from animals.

Cholesterol is actually a necessary product in our bodies. Cholesterol serves a vital purpose for human beings. Cholesterol is a waxy material that is produced in your liver. You can find cholesterol in many products including meats and dairy products. The body uses cholesterol to help it burn fat, produce vitamin D, and help digest fat. Unfortunately, most people eat way too much cholesterol. As a result, cholesterol begins building up in the blood stream.

Just like many things in life, you can have too much of a good thing. Cholesterol is no exception. The real question becomes how do you cut back on the cholesterol in your diet. I always recommend doing all of the things that the health experts recommend.

Eat healthy foods, exercise thirty minutes a day, and buy cholesterol control supplement remedies. Do not worry about what cholesterol is used for in the body. You should only concern yourself with how to get healthy!

There is almost an epidemic going on today. People have weak hearts and a lot of health problems. The big pharmaceutical companies want you to buy their drugs so they can keep their business running.

The truth is that there are very effective natural alternatives out there if you do your research. Look for ingredients such as d-limonene, theaflavin and beta-sitosterol. They have been proven to lower your cholesterol without causing side-effects.



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If you suffer from low HDL cholesterol, it is pretty imperative that you increase it as soon as possible. As you are probably aware there are two types of cholesterol in your body the HDL (which is classed as the good cholesterol), and the LDL (which is classed as the bad cholesterol). The fact is that neither of them are the good guy or the bad guy, in fact both of them are needed in the right balance for your body to function properly. Ultimately what you want is reasonably low levels of LDL and reasonably high levels of HDL. The reason for the high levels of HDL cholesterol is because you want this one to be mopping up the LDL to take it back to the liver for reprocessing. If there is too much LDL in your system then it is possible that this can lead to cardiovascular problems.

How to Raise Low HDL Cholesterol

* Increase Your Omega3's - Most people are lacking omega3 in their diets, in fact omega3 deficiency is now the sixth most common form of preventable death in the United States. While the Omega threes from walnuts can be good for your heart, you ideally want to be increasing the Omega threes from oily fish such as salmon and tuna. The reason for this is because the essential fats in them are known to help raise low HDL cholesterol, decrease LDL cholesterol and also help reduce high triglyceride levels.
* Exercise - Exercise can play a key part in getting the correct balance in your cholesterol levels. Most people when they hear the word exercise conjure up vivid pictures of intense workouts and expensive gym memberships, fortunately this does not have to be the case. Researchers now recognize that when it comes to exercise helping to raise low HDL cholesterol levels it is the duration that is important not the intensity. So by doing something as simple as walking briskly for 30 minutes a day 5 to 7 days a week would be extremely beneficial.
* Lifestyle Changes - There are certain things that you can cut out that would also be helpful. For instance if you are a smoker quitting the habit would be a great start. Food wise you ideally want to cut out as best as you can foods that contain trans fats; these kinds of foods are normally fast foods or ready made meals that contain hydrogenated vegetable oil. In addition to this you could also increase the amount of soluble fiber you eat from foods such as oat bran as this is also known to be beneficial in helping with cholesterol levels.

By making the simple lifestyle changes such as watching the amount of fast or ready made food that you eat, increasing your omega-3's and exercising more then you will be able to raise your low HDL cholesterol levels. In an ideal world these are the kind of actions you want to be taking to avoid going on medications being prescribed to you for the rest of your life such as statins.



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