Cholesterol - LDL, HDL, Heart Disease

Our bodies need omega-3 fatty acids for numerous normal functions, such as controlling blood clotting and building cell membranes in the brain, and since our bodies cannot make omega-3 fats, we must get them through food.

There are 3 main omega-3s in foods. The shortest is alpha-linolenic acid, with 18 carbons and 3 double bonds. It is the only omega-3 found in plants. The richest sources are the oils of flax seed, canola, and walnuts or seed oil capsules.

The other major omega-3s are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA and DHA are sometimes described as “long-chain” because they have 20 or more carbons. They are found mainly in fish ? particularly deep water fish or fish oil capsules and some types of marine plankton.

In 2002, the American Heart Association released a scientific statement, ?Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease,? on the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on heart function (including antiarrhythmic effects), hemodynamics (cardiac mechanics) and arterial endothelial function. The link between omega-3 fatty acids and CVD risk reduction are still being studied, but research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids can amongst a wealth of other benefits:

? Decrease risk of arrhythmias
? Decrease triglyceride levels
? Decrease growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque
? Slightly lower blood pressure
? Lower cholesterol

What do documented medical epidemiological and observational studies show?

Epidemiologic and clinical trials have shown that omega-3 fatty acids reduce CVD incidence. Large-scale epidemiologic studies suggest that people at risk for coronary heart disease benefit from consuming omega-3 fatty acids.

The ideal amount to take isn?t clear. Evidence from prospective secondary prevention studies suggests that taking EPA+DHA ranging from 0.5 to 1.8 grams per day (either as fatty fish or supplements) significantly reduces deaths from heart disease and all causes.

The most compelling evidence for the cardiovascular benefit provided by omega-3 fatty acids comes from three large controlled trials of 32,000 participants randomized to receive omega-3 fatty acid supplements containing DHA and EPA or to act as controls.

These trials showed reductions in cardiovascular events of between 19% and 47%. Overall, these findings suggest that intake of omega-3 fatty acids, whether from dietary fish sources or fish oil supplements, should be increased, especially in people with or at risk for coronary artery disease.

The evidence that omega 3 short chain fatty acids had a beneficial effect was inconclusive. This may be attributed to the poor conversion of alpha-linolenic acid in the human body.

Now here comes the problem.

We know that it is always preferential, where possible, to gain our vitamins and minerals directly from our diet, and although with some vitamins and minerals it is not possible to get therapeutic amounts simply from our diet, this is not the case with omega 3.

It is relatively easy to consume enough ?oily? fish from 3 or 4 servings per week, to get all of the health benefits associated with DHA and EPA.

So where is the problem!

Mercury poisoning

Mercury is a heavy metal that occurs in several forms, all of which can produce toxic effects.

Symptoms typically include impairment to vision, hearing and speech, disturbed sensory sensation and a lack of coordination.

The type and degree of symptoms exhibited will depend upon the individual toxin, the level of poisoning, and the duration of exposure.

The consumption of fish is by far the most significant source of ingestion-related mercury exposure in humans.

Nearly all fish contain some amounts of methylmercury.

How does this element get into our fish supply?

Mercury occurs both naturally and from man-made sources. Some of it can be traced to coal-burning power plants. Smokestacks release toxic mercury emissions which rain down into rivers, lakes, and oceans. Bacteria convert the mercury to a form that’s easily absorbed by insects and other small organisms. Mercury moves up the food chain as small fish eat the small organisms and big fish eat the smaller fish. The highest concentrations accumulate in large predators such as shark, swordfish and tuna.

In 1969, the FDA first set an action level for total mercury in fish; 0.5ppm (part-per-million) was considered the maximum safe limit. (Action levels represent the limit at or above which FDA will take legal action to remove a product from the market.)

In 1979, the action level was raised to 1ppm.

In 1984, there was another major change. The FDA stopped measuring on a basis of total mercury and instead started checking levels in terms of methylmercury only.

In 1998, the FDA stopped widely testing for mercury in fish. I wonder why!!!

If you think that mercury poisoning of humans rarely happens, or it never happened to anyone you heard of - read on:

In December 2008 Jeremy Piven, actor and star of the HBO series “Entourage,” unexpectedly pulled out of the Broadway revival of “Speed-the-Plow” due to high levels of mercury in his body following a high-fish diet.

According to Piven’s doctor, blood tests showed the actor had a Methylmercury level “six times the upper limit typically measured.”

What began as a health dietary regime caused extreme fatigue and exhaustion and could have ended with heart and cognitive problems, kidney failure and even death.

His recovery took over six months.

So what is the solution to getting enough of the correct omega 3 to maintain or improve your health without the risk of mercury poisoning?

Quite simply use a supplement, but not just any supplement. Make sure that the supplement that you use is certified pure by NSF International.

The link below will help you if you want to find an omega 3 supplier registered with NSF International.

cure blocked arteries

There are foods that you need to avoid that are high in cholesterol. Go to your local supermarket you can find all kinds of yummy looking snacks such as chips and greasy or heavy bucket of ice cream. Eating of them will certainly hard to lower cholesterol naturally and add a few pounds.

Other types of foods to avoid are foods that you probably thought that was okay, but internally they are really unhealthy and full of cholesterol. Yes, eating red meat is good if done in moderation. But if you continue to eat them and do it in a more than moderate basis, it can lead to high cholesterol. Pork is rich in cholesterol. Many people love to roast meat in lard. It is extremely high in cholesterol. Your blood cholesterol level is measured in units called millimoles per liter of blood, often shortened to mmol / L.

But how do you know what cholesterol is? Blood test does not reveal the level. Sometimes you can buy them myself, but most people have their doctor or nurse can perform this simple painless procedure. You should have these tests regularly and to take corrective action, if you look at the level rises, so you can catch it and treat it early.

Are you still skinny eat all this? Well I have news for you, just because you are skinny and thin on the outside, does not mean you are healthy on the inside. Here are some important factors that you must be aware and pay strict attention. Clogged arteries, high blood pressure, unwanted fat stored and the list goes on. High metabolic rate does not mean you are not high cholesterol. And if you have high levels, you should take action now, while you can, to reduce the bad cholesterol - your health depends on it.

That is why it is so important to maintain normal cholesterol levels in the body. You must have enough good things to deal with bad stuff. You can do this and make sure that you will not be attending many fatty foods in your body, and by exercising regularly to burn up any excess fat that you can store. In general, a healthy diet and lifestyle should itself maintain normal cholesterol levels in the body.

With this in mind, it is important to start thinking about how to reduce cholesterol, as soon as possible. Children can start a healthy lifestyle when they are young, so when they are adults, then it is less risk of developing heart problems. Here are some tips to get the right foot on the road of healthy cholesterol.

Over the years, cholesterol has a bit of a bad rap. In and of itself is cholesterol not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, there is also a good type of cholesterol that we want in our bodies. Cholesterol is a type of fat, and we actually need fat in our bodies to give us a little mass and maintaining a healthy body temperature.

Get important things to know in the sphere of how to lose weight fast - please read the site. The times have come when proper information is truly at your fingertips, use this opportunity.

Lowering cholesterol naturally - As we all know, our well being is related to good nutrition and activity habits. What we eat and how active we are is what makes the difference between feeling great and feeling awful.

Cholesterol affects the human body and because of it we need to pay attention to our eating and exercise habits every day. If we don’t, it can have an effect on us later in life because increased cholesterol levels lead to hardening of the arteries and coronary artery disease (CAD) which leads to heart attacks. According to the American Heart Association Heart attacks are the number one killer in America.

Reducing cholesterol in your organism can be a challenge due to the life style changes that require to be made. These changes include diet, exercise, quitting smoking, and perhaps taking cholesterol lowering drugs if your cholesterol level is way up. Research demonstrate that diet alone can cut LDL cholesterol levels by 35 percent in only a few weeks. So if you’ve discovered that your cholesterol is sky high, or if you’ve been working to get your LDL and HDL in balance without success, there are a number of programs out there that can help get your cholesterol to normal levels.

Working hard and being persistent may help you get off cholesterol lowering drugs if you are currently taking them, or it may help you avoid taking them all together.

Lowering cholesterol numbers means consuming less foods that have low fat and low cholesterol. You need to find out which foods have high fat and high cholesterol and you have to start reading labels. Pay special attention to the quantity of saturated fats on labels of the foods you eat. Saturated fats are solid or almost solid at room temperature. Processed foods and fast foods also contain saturated fats. Saturated fats are types of fats that come from animals and are the main sources of extensive amounts of cholesterol.

The experts recommend you incorporate more fish in your diet because they provide a type of fish oil called omega-3. Research have found that omega-3 not only contributes to lower cholesterol, but also helps to lessen the probability of blood clot formation and protects against irregular heartbeats, which can cause heart attacks and sudden cardiac death. The American Heart Association recommends the consumption of about 3 ounces of fish at least two times a week or more. Fish oil supplements are also an alternative that can help you lower cholesterol.

Reduce cholesterol by eating a healthy diet and by including an exercise plan to your every day routine. Lowering cholesterol immediately can help conducting a healthy life in the future by preventing dangerous complications such as a heart attack or a stroke. Lots of people suffer from a heart attack every day and many of them die. Natural lowering cholesterol is suggested before trying cholesterol reducing medications because they can cause serious side effects.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

Did you know that Stress and heart disease are related !
Stress increases the risk of heart disease ?FACT !

Stress is a normal part of life however, if left unmanaged, stress can lead to emotional, psychological, and even physical problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, chest pains, or irregular heart beat and ultimately the need for heart bypass surgery.

The mechanisms of exactly how stress increases the risk of heart disease are not yet fully understood. Stress itself might be a risk factor, or it could be that high levels of stress make other risk factors (such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure) worse. For example, if you are under stress, your blood pressure may go up, you may overeat, you may exercise less, and you may be more likely to smoke.

If stress itself is a risk factor for heart disease, it could be because chronic stress exposes your body to unhealthy, persistently elevated levels of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. Studies also link stress to changes in the way blood forms clots, which can in turn increases the risk of heart attack.

Stress can be caused by a physical or emotional change, or a change in your environment that requires you to adjust or respond. Things that make you feel stressed are called “stressors.”

Stressors can be minor hassles, major lifestyle changes, or a combination of both. Being able to identify stressors in your life and releasing the tension they cause are the keys to managing stress.

These are some common stressors that can affect people at all stages of life:

? Illness - personal or a family member or friend.
? The death of your friend or a loved one.
? Problems in a personal relationship.
? Work overload.
? Starting a new job.
? Unemployment.
? Retirement.
? Pregnancy.
? Crowd situations.
? Relocation of home or work.
? Daily irritations.
? Legal problems.
? Financial concerns.

There Are the Warning Signs.

When you are exposed to long periods of stress, your body gives you warning signals that something is wrong.

These warning signs should not be ignored. They are telling you that you need to break the pattern.

If you continue to be stressed and you don’t give your body some relief from these tensions you are more likely to develop health problems which can include heart disease. You could also worsen any other existing illnesses.

Below are some common warning signs and symptoms of stress.

Physical signs mayinclude:

Dizziness - general aches and pains - grinding teeth - clenched jaws - headaches - indigestion - muscle tension - difficulty sleeping - racing heart - ringing in the ears - sweaty palms - constant tiredness or exhaustion - trembling unexplained weight gain or loss.

Mental signs may include:

Constant worrying - difficulty in making decisions ? forgetfulness - inability to concentrate - lack of creativity - loss of sense of humor - poor memory.

Emotional signs may include:

Anger ? anxiety ? crying ? depression - feeling powerless - frequent mood swings ? irritability ? loneliness - negative thinking - nervousness and sadness.

Behavioral signs may include:

Compulsive eating ? excessively critical attitude towards others - explosive actions or reactions - increased use of alcohol or drugs - withdrawal from relationships or social situations.

Coping With Stress

If you have identified some causes of stress in your life, the next step is to learn some of the techniques that can help you cope. There are many techniques you can use to manage stress.

Some of these you can learn yourself, while other techniques may require the guidance of a trained therapist. If your stress level is severe, then it will usually be better to seek the help of a qualified health practitioner.

Some simple techniques for coping with stress include:
Eating and drinking sensibly at set regular times. Indulging or bingeing with alcohol and food may seem to reduce stress, but it actually adds to it.

Try to be more assertive. You do not have to meet others’ expectations or demands. It’s OK to say “NO!” Remember, being assertive allows you to stand up for your rights and beliefs but you must remember to respect those of others.

If possible, quit smoking. Aside from the obvious health risks of cigarettes, nicotine acts as a stimulant and increases stress levels.

Exercising regularly really does help. Choose non-competitive exercise and set reasonable goals. Aerobic exercise has been shown to release endorphins (natural substances that help you feel better and maintain a positive attitude.)

Take time to relax every day. Most stressed people find it difficult to find enough time to carry out all that they need to do, but this is just a stress related illusion.

Make the time and gradually you will find that you really did have time after all. Learn to control what you can and accept what you cannot.

Make sure you get enough rest. Even with proper diet and exercise, you can’t fight stress effectively without rest.

You need time to recover from exercise and stressful events. The time you spend resting should be long enough to relax your mind as well as your body.

Some people find that taking a nap in the middle of the day helps them reduce stress, but this may not be ideal for everyone.

By making small but positive changes, a little at a time, you will find that it is possible to reduce stress and improve your overall health.