Managing Cholesterol

Dear Reader,

Before writing theoretical and conceptual fact about cholesterol I am sharing you my own experience. I am a type 2 diabetic along with hypertension.

Few month back my total cholesterol was very high and doctor prescribed me some drugs to control it.

Through my friends i had impression that there are so many side effect of this drug(I can’t say that whether it is true or not).In one of the episode of Yoga  Guru Swami Ramdev i heard   him claiming that Cholesterol level is being controlled by KapalBhati Prayanam.

Now I have started this prayanaam along with Garlic(Lehsuna) pearls of Ranbaxy. After 20 days i had rechecked my lipid profile and to my surpise all the parameters(LDL,Trglicides , Total Cholestrol etc.) are lower than even Lower prescribed limit.

So my personnel advice to control cholesterol is practice Kapalbhati for 15 minutes daily and garlic(natural or medicine). I am notable to chewing natural pills of garlic that’s why i prefer it in medicine form.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance, also called a lipid, that’s produced by the liver. It’s also found in foods high in saturated fat, like fatty meats, egg yolks, shellfish, and whole-milk dairy products. It’s a vital part of the structure and functioning of our cells. However, too much cholesterol in your blood may lead to a serious, progressive disease of the arteries, called atherosclerosis.
A Closer Look

So how can something your body needs be harmful? Well, not all cholesterol is considered bad. There are actually three main components doctors evaluate when you have a blood test to check your cholesterol. They look at LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol, and another substance called triglycerides.

The fact is that cholesterol can be harmful to your health when there’s too much cholesterol in your blood. Whether you have high cholesterol may depend on your lifestyle. Eating a lot of fats and not getting enough exercise can cause cholesterol levels to rise. It’s also, in part, a result of your genetic makeup. Some people inherit genes associated with elevated levels of cholesterol. One type is called familial hypercholesterolemia. People with this genetic makeup can eat a healthy diet and exercise, and still have high cholesterol.

Everyone with high cholesterol needs to keep it under control, but it may be even more important for some groups of people, such as

* People with a family history of early heart disease
* People with high blood pressure
* People with diabetes
* Males over age 45
* Females over age 55
* Smokers
* African Americans
* Hispanic Americans

If you fall into any of the categories above, ask your doctor to discuss how your cholesterol goals may be affected.
What’s Your Cholesterol Goal?

Managing high cholesterol may be different for you depending on your medical history and your health. Your doctor will look at the results of your cholesterol test, also known as a fasting lipid profile, and, using this information along with your medical background, establish a cholesterol goal for you. Always ask what your cholesterol numbers mean, based on your complete health history so you can work together to manage your cholesterol.
Cholesterol Guidelines

National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) guidelines recommend that all adults over age 20 have their cholesterol checked at least once every 5 years. Take a look at the guidelines below to get a better idea of where your cholesterol numbers should be.
Total cholesterol level

* Less than 200 mg/dL        * Desirable

* 200-239 mg/dL               * Borderline high

* 240 mg/dL or higher        * High

Total cholesterol is based on your LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) and HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) counts. Generally, a lower number is better.
LDL-C

* Less than 100 mg/dL       * Optimal

* 100-129 mg/dL              * Near optimal / above optimal

* 130-159 mg/dL             * Borderline high

* 160-189 mg/dL             * High

* 190 mg/dL or higher    * Very high

LDL-C is considered the “bad” cholesterol because if you have too much LDL-C in your bloodstream, it can lead to the buildup of plaque in your arteries known as atherosclerosis. Generally, lower is better.
HDL-C

* 60 mg/dL or higher             * High

* Less than 40 mg/dL               * Low

HDL-C is considered the “good” cholesterol because it helps return cholesterol to the liver, where it can be eliminated from the body. Generally, higher is better.

Triglycerides

* Less than 150 mg/dL            * Normal

* 150-199 mg/dL                    * Borderline high

* 200-499 mg/dL                      * High

* 500 mg/dL or higher              * Very high

Triglycerides, like cholesterol, are another substance that can be dangerous to your health. Like LDL-C, you want to keep your triglycerides low.

Source: National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP)

Depending on your overall health profile – which takes into consideration factors such as cigarette smoking, hypertension, low HDL cholesterol, a family history of early heart disease, and age (over 45 for men and over 55 for women) – your doctor may recommend that you have your cholesterol followed more closely.

It’s important to manage your cholesterol and reach your goals because if you don’t, your high cholesterol may contribute to the progression of atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque in your arteries.

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Suffering from hypertension? Well, a daily dose of garlic could help save your life, for a study has revealed that it lowers high blood pressure as effectively as modern medicines.

A large number of people across the world have high blood pressure, but an even larger number are believed to have been suffering from the condition without knowing it. Without effective treatment, it can trigger heart attacks and strokes.

Doctors usually recommend sufferers to slash their daily intake of salt, losing weight and getting fit, apart from taking medicines if required to reduce blood pressure readings to the safe level of 140/90.

Now, a team at Adelaide University has found the role of garlic in reducing high blood pressure. In fact researchers have based their findings on an analysis of patients suffering from hypertension, who consumed garlic supplements every day for up to five months.

They found blood pressure levels of the participants dropping significantly. The higher a person’s blood pressure was at the beginning of the study, the more it was reduced by taking garlic.

“In some cases, the effects were similar to those achieved with common anti-blood pressure drugs,” the ‘Daily Mail’ quoted lead researcher Karin Ried as saying.

According to the researchers, the 600 mg to 900 mg dosage used in the study was equivalent to 3.6 mg to 5.4 mg of garlic’s active ingredient, allicin. A fresh clove of garlic contains 5 mg to 9 mg of allicin.

“(However) more research is needed to determine whether garlic supplements might have a long-term effect on heart disease risk,” the researchers said.

The findings have been published in the latest edition of the ‘BMC Cardiovascular Disorders’ journal.

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