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How to Naturally
Promote Healthy Cholesterol
and
Other Blood Lipid Levels for a Healthy Cardiovascular
System
by Charlie Skeen
With heart disease being the number one cause for death in the United States many people are obviously worried about their cholesterol levels and overall cardiovascular health. This article will explain what cholesterol is, some basic concerns and causes of high cholesterol, and alternatives to lowering cholesterol without the use of drugs.
What is cholesterol
and It’s Two Sources?
It is a fat soluble crystalline steroid alcohol produced by the liver
and found in foods of animal origin such as egg yolks, animal fats and
some oils. Cholesterol produced by the liver and carried into the blood
by low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) is called serum cholesterol. Cholesterol
taken into the body by eating foods containing it is called dietary
cholesterol. Since cholesterol is so important to the proper functioning
of the body even if no cholesterol was taken in from food sources the
liver would still produce it. However, the levels of cholesterol can
be affected by our diet and genetic makeup.
How the Body Uses
Cholesterol
While cholesterol is found throughout the body it is especially concentrated
in the bile, blood, brain, liver, kidneys, adrenal glands, and the myelin
sheaths of nerve fibers. Cholesterol is part of every cell structure
as it is a major building block of plasma membranes, helps to form bile
salts for fat digestion, precursor of vitamin D when the sun hits the
skin, required for proper brain function and nerve health, the manufacture
of sex hormones such as progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone, and
the production of various steroid hormones including cortisone, cortisol,
and aldosterone in the adrenal glands.
How cholesterol is transported throughout the body.
Cholesterol is transported to where it is needed through the blood.
Since blood is mostly water, and cholesterol and triglycerides are fatty
substances, these molecules have to be made water-soluble by combining
them with proteins called apoproteins manufactured by the liver and
intestines, thereby producing lipoproteins. While lipoproteins contain
some protein they are mostly made up of lipids, or fats, such as triglycerides,
phospholipids, and cholesterol. In essence lipoproteins are basically
transport vehicles for the various fats to and from the liver.
Three Types of Lipoproteins
There are basically three types of lipoproteins, (LDLs) known as low-density
lipoproteins, (HDLs) known as high-density lipoproteins, and (VLDLs)
known as very low-density lipoproteins.
LDLs are made up of 25% protein, 20% triglycerides, and 55% cholesterol. The LDLs carry cholesterol from the liver and are the major transporters of it.
HDLs are made up of 50% protein, 37% triglycerides, and just 13% cholesterol. The HDLs carry the unneeded, excess, cholesterol back from the cells to the liver where it is broken down for removal from the body.
VLDLs are made up of about 10% protein, 65% triglycerides, and 25% cholesterol and transport triglycerides produced or processed in the liver to peripheral tissues with the majority going to adipose (fat) cells for storage. A diet high in fat increases the production of VLDLs. After some of the triglycerides have been deposited in the adipose cells the VLDLs are converted into LDLs. An increase in LDLs above HDLs due to a high fat diet is considered one way that fatty plaque formation on the arteries is increased.
Cholesterol Levels
- Risk of Heart Disease
The National Cholesterol Education Program considers that the safe level
of total serum cholesterol is 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) of
blood. Anything above 200 is considered an increased risk for developing
heart disease. Readings of 200 mg/dl to 239 mg/dl is borderline, and
anything above 240 mg/dl indicates a high risk. With every 50 mg/dl
increase of cholesterol over 200 mg/dl the risk of a heart attack doubles.
HDL and LDL Levels
- Risk of Heart Disease
An HDL reading of 45 to 50 mg/dl is normal for adult men in the United
States, while for women it is 50 to 60 mg/dl. Higher levels such as
70 to 80 mg/dl have been suggested as a protection against heart disease.
HDL levels below 35 mg/dl are considered very high risk for heart disease.
An example of low risk for developing heart disease would be a cholesterol reading of 200 mg/dl, with an HDL to LDL ratio of 80 to 120. However, even if the cholesterol reading was to be below 200 mg/dl, but the HDL was below 35, it would be considered high risk. The potential for heart disease increases as the HDL decreases, even though the total cholesterol level may be low.
Some Basic Concerns
of High Cholesterol
While cholesterol is required for proper functioning of the body, abnormally
high levels, especially when associated with very high LDLs, is considered
to be involved in the formation of plaque in the arteries reducing the
flow of blood throughout the body including the brain, kidneys, and
genitals, and is the major contributor to heart disease. High cholesterol
levels may be involved in mental impairment, gallstones, and high blood
pressure.
Some Basic Causes
of High Cholesterol
Some basic causes of elevated cholesterol are; (1) over consumption
of fat, especially saturated animal fat and oxidized fats, (2) liver
distress, (3) insufficient fiber intake, and unhealthy balance of probiotics
in the digestive system, (4) obesity, and (5) sedentary lifestyle.
Abnormally High Homocysteine
Levels
Researchers have discovered that certain B-vitamins such as B-6, B-12,
and folic acid are required to prevent plaque from building up in the
arteries as they are needed to covert an amino acid homocysteine into
cystanthionine. Homocysteine is toxic and if allowed to accumulate in
the blood stream will damage the artery wall causing lesions and cracks.
In an effort to repair these damages the liver produces more cholesterol
and other repair factors such as lipoprotein A that will fill and cover
the damaged areas.
Homocysteine has also been discovered to disrupt the healthy production of collagen in the blood vessel wall which causes the stimulation of abnormal muscle cell growth around the damaged areas and activates the body’s clotting mechanism. A protein called fibrinogen, involved in the body’s clotting system, becomes activated and goes to the sites of damage to cover and fill in the lesions and cracks. Another action of the clotting mechanism is platelet aggregation where these particular cells congregate at the site of any injury to prevent bleeding. The clumping of the platelets will add to the size of the blockage in the blood vessel and reduce the viscosity, or flow, of the blood. Over time the combination of events described above produces a buildup of plaque on the blood vessel wall that if not checked will eventually reduce the flow of blood and cause a blockage that will lead to a heart attack or stroke.
Alternatives to Lowering
Cholesterol Without the Use of Drugs
This part of the educational
information will be addressed in the following categories.
1. Diet (includes the intake of proper fluids and fiber))
2. Lifestyle
Diet - Research has demonstrated that when people avoid
or reduce as much as possible sugar, candy, cakes, pies, white rice
and flour, chips, boxed sugar-laden processed cereals, and other processed
carbohydrates and baked foods, fried food, dairy products such as ice
cream and milk, cream substitutes (nondairy coffee creamers), bacon,
red meat and others high in saturated fat, mayonnaise, processed oils
and fats such as margarine, vegetable shortening, processed and fast
foods and gravies, and other processed foods and drinks that contain
unnecessary chemicals and preservatives, overall blood fats improve,
such as lower triglycerides, cholesterol and increased HDLs with lower
LDLs.
Be aware that many fast food restaurants use beef tallow (fat) to prepare their hamburgers, chicken, fish, and fried potatoes. Besides the high cholesterol levels, this type of fat when subjected to high temperatures during frying creates toxic trans-fatty acids that have an even greater potential for raising the cholesterol levels and clogging the arteries.
People who live in the Mediterranean have a much lower risk of heart disease. This type of diet consists of a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables and fish. The fish provides a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) which naturally raises HDL levels carrying cholesterol out of the blood, thereby reducing it. Fish that are especially high in Omega-3s are salmon, tuna, herring, and mackerel. As for the fruits and vegetables they provide natural sources of minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium, as well as phytonutrients and antioxidants that well help in reducing oxidation, which damages the cells that line the walls of the artery, and the cholesterol increasing its plaque forming properties. The fruits and vegetables will add fiber as well which assist in carrying the cholesterol and other fats out of the digestive tract preventing their reabsorption into the blood stream. Especially noted for this are apples, bananas, grapefruits, and carrots.
Besides fruits and vegetables, grains like brown rice, oats and oat bran, buckwheat, millet, spelt, rye, bulghur, and barley, legumes, such as lentils, and beans are excellent sources of fiber.
In a study published in the 2005 Journal of the American Medical Association, a diet where about half of the lean protein intake consisted of beans, demonstrated the ability to reduce high blood pressure and “bad” LDL cholesterol, cutting the risk of heart disease by 21%.
Nuts and Cholesterol
Almonds, walnuts, and pistachios are another excellent source of fiber
and healthy omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fat. They are also
high in the amino acid arginine which the body uses to make nitric oxide,
a smooth muscle relaxer, which helps to dilate the blood vessels increasing
blood flow to the heart and throughout the body.
A study conducted with Japanese men and women who consumed one-fourth to one-third cup of walnuts daily were able to lower their “bad” LDL cholesterol levels by up to ten percent.
In the 2003 June issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition it was discovered that substituting almonds for other foods may lower and maintain healthy cholesterol levels and promote heart health.
In a study using the National Cholesterol Education Step 1 diet to compare the results, they divided people into two groups. One group replaced 10% of the calories of the Step 1 diet with almonds and another group substituted 20%. While both groups experienced a decrease in total and bad cholesterol the group that ate the most almonds had the best results. It was also discovered that neither group gained weight from eating the almonds.
The study’s lead author, Joan Sabate, M.D., Dr.P.H, had this to say, “Many cholesterol-lowering diets are restrictive, allowing for little total and saturated fat, and are difficult to maintain in the long run. This research shows that just a handful of almonds a day supplies healthy monounsaturated fats and other beneficial nutrients for a healthy heart.”
Facts About Almonds:
Almonds are a good source of magnesium, which helps regulate blood pressure,
and iron to prevent anemia. You can eat almonds by themselves or with
foods rich in vitamin C to increase the absorption of iron. Chopped
almonds can be sprinkled over a salad or steamed broccoli.
Caution: Almonds contain oxalic acid which should be restricted by people who are prone to developing calcium-oxalate stones.
Allergy Alert: Nuts can be highly allergenic causing hives, headaches, and other allergic reactions. People who are allergic to aspirin may react to the natural salicylates found in almonds.
Please Note: The average person in the United States eats only about 12 grams of fiber a day. It is recommended by the National Cancer Institute that people consume 20 to 30 grams of fiber everyday, the same amount eaten in 1850. While fiber has demonstrated to normalize blood cholesterol levels, it is also proven beneficial in reducing risks of heart disease, blood pressure and certain forms of cancer. If you have been on a low fiber diet for some time it best to introduce fiber slowly to allow your digestive system allowing it to adapt.
Olive Oil and Other
Healthy Fats
The Mediterranean diet also consists of a high intake of olive oil.
Olive oil is a source of monounsaturated fat which demonstrates the
ability to raise the “good” HDL cholesterol and lower the “bad “LDL
cholesterol, and helps to keep the arteries fluid and supple. Olive
oil also naturally contains other heart healthy ingredients such as
vitamin E, carotenes, magnesium, chlorophyll, and phytosterols. To obtain
these positive health building, components however, only extra virgin
olive oil, meaning unrefined and not heated, must be used.
Other oils can that can be used are flaxseed, primrose, and black currant seed, but they must be unrefined and cold-pressed. These types of oils can be taken in supplement form as well.
Water and Other Fluids
Since the body is made up of about 70% water it is most beneficial to
take in adequate amounts of clean healthy water daily. The water should
be free of contaminants especially chlorine and fluoride. Chlorine has
demonstrated the ability to destroy B vitamins, C, and E, nutrients
that protect and keep the cardiovascular system healthy. B vitamins
are also required for production of energy through the conversion of
carbohydrates into glucose, metabolism of fats and protein, healthy
nervous system, and maintenance and repair of soft and hard tissues
such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones through amino acid utilization,
and healthy liver, hair, eyes, and skin.
Vitamins C, also known as an antioxidant, promotes healthy gums and teeth, absorption of iron, converts L-proline and L-lysine into the hydoxy forms for the production and maintenance of healthy connective tissue throughout the body, including the blood vessels, supports wound healing, immune system, and adrenal gland function.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant, protects the cells from oxidative damage, assists in the formation of red blood cells, use of vitamin K, and prevents lipids, or fats, from becoming damaged from oxygen creating oxysterols, oxidized fats that can harm the arteries and be more prone to plaque buildup.
Good Source of Drinking
Water
Distilled water is a good source as the distillation process removes
these contaminants. You can later add minerals to the distilled water
by using supplements such as liquid trace mineral drops by Trace Minerals
Reserach. Other healthy sources of water intake would be to drink fresh
juiced fruit and vegetable juices, especially carrot, beet, and celery.
The natural juices will are also excellent sources of easy to absorb
vitamins and minerals.
Other drinks and beverages such as sodas and other carbonated drinks, alcohol, teas that are high in tannic acids such as Lipton Tea, and coffee cause the body to lose water (dehydrate) and cause the loss of minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Also, Coffee has shown the ability to raise cholesterol levels when used in large amounts doubling the risk of heart disease. This was based on a study of 15,000 coffee drinkers by the New England Journal of Medicine where it was noted that as the intake of coffee increases the cholesterol levels rise. Herbal teas that are caffeine and tannic acid free are fine to drink.
Lifestyle
Besides healthy eating and drinking pure water the lifestyle should
consist of doing things that promote and maintain a healthy cardiovascular
system.
Cessation of Smoking : Besides adding deadly toxic chemicals to the body, smoking tobacco in any form produces oxidation which oxidizes the fats such as cholesterol. The cholesterol becomes harder to remove and is more prone to stick to the arterial wall producing a blockage. Oxidation also damages the cells that make up the wall of the arteries. That causes the body to try and repair the damage by applying fibrin, a protein that acts like a tire patch. Over time this process will cause an accumulation of trapped material as the blood flows past the fibrin such as minerals, cholesterol and other fats, and amino acids gradually reducing the flow of blood and possibly increasing the blood-pressure. Also, the liver produces more LDL cholesterol and other lipids such as lipoprotein A to try and repair the damage, and the other clotting mechanisms cited earlier become activated and contribute to the size of the blockage.
Regular Physical Exercise: Studies from all over the world prove time and again the value of a consistent exercise program. Besides helping to increase healthy HDL cholesterol and lowering it, it has been found to improve blood-pressure and blood-sugar levels, circulation of blood and lymph fluid, pulmonary function, flexibility, range-of-motion, balance, muscle and motor unit loss due to inactivity and aging, digestion and elimination, bone-density, joint health, mental outlook, immune system, healing, energy and strength, sleep, stress, metabolism, appetite control, weight loss and healthy body weight.
The exercise program should consist of aerobic activity, examples would be fast walking and swimming, for the cardiovascular system and lung and heart health, and some form of resistance, or strength, training for maintaining healthy muscle, tendon, ligament strength and flexibility, and bone.
Moderate exercise, such as walking daily, can be enjoyed by most anyone, but needs to be done on a consisted basis. One way to increase exercise and calorie burning is to look for opportunities in your daily routine. Park further away when shopping, take the stairs instead of the elevators, and try to use part of your time during lunch at your place of employment to take a walk, or if your place of employment has a fitness center, use one of their aerobic exercise machines. If your work place does have their own fitness center, or other affiliate program with a facility, take advantage of it and begin an exercise program.
Strength Training
The following list of benefits is meant to encourage everyone to take
advantage of strength training.
FAT BURNING
Many people try to burn off excess fat from their bodies by engaging
in a lot of aerobic activity. While it is true that prolonged and frequent
aerobic activity does burn fat, it is not the most efficient way. In
fact, excessive aerobic activity which causes muscle loss, can slow
down your metabolism.
By the time most people are in their forties they may have lost between 5 and 10 pounds of muscle due to physical inactivity. As they age further, they continue to lose muscle. This loss of muscle will result in a substantial reduction in their body's ability to burn calories. As a result, these unused calories are then stored as fat throughout the body. The only way to reverse this situation is to restore this lost muscle simply by engaging in a properly designed strength training program a minimum of 45 minutes three days a week. On the days that you don't strength train you can do some form of aerobic activity for no more than 1 hour at 55 to 60% of your heart rate max for your age. Any higher than this will force your body to burn more sugar and less fat.
BODY SHAPING AND MUSCLE
TONING
Strength training combined with the right amount of aerobics and a healthy
diet is the safest and most efficient way to tighten up those lose and
flabby muscles. The muscles are designed to be used, so use them and
keep your body trim and healthy inside and out.
IMPROVED MAX VO2 UPTAKE
(OXYGEN ABSORPTION)
Dr. Mike Stone, head research scientist at Appalachian State University
in North Carolina, discovered that increases in max VO2 uptake averaging
up to three milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of bodyweight per minute
could be attained with Olympic style strength training in just five
weeks.
INJURY PREVENTION
AND REHABILITATION
Strength training can be used to strengthen the muscles, tendons, and
ligaments so the joints can withstand the stresses of the various activities
or sports we engage in. On the other hand, if you do get an injury,
it can be used to speed recovery.
One area that really needs to covered in this section is back problems. Treatment of back pain in this country costs billions of dollars. One of the main reasons why people suffer back pain is from lack of proper exercise. Even those who do engage in some form of exercise neglect the all important back muscles as well as the abdominal area. A well designed strength training program can help to prevent and reverse this national malady.
IMPROVED CARDIOVASCULAR
FUNCTION
Stroke Volume
A properly designed strength training program contributes to a more
efficient stroke volume. This is the ability of the heart muscle to
be more efficient at pumping oxygen rich blood out of its left ventricle
into the body with each beat.
Ejection
Fraction
Whenever the heart contracts, not all of the blood in the ventricles
is ejected. The portion of blood that is pumped out is called the ejection
fraction. In a healthy person the amount of blood ejected is 50% or
more. Strength training can improve this percentage which increases
the overall function of the heart pump.
Heart
Rate
Since a properly designed strength training program improves the stroke
volume and ejection fraction, carbon dioxide can be eliminated more
efficiently and oxygen rich blood can be pumped to the body with fewer
contractions per minute. This results in less stress to the heart.
REDUCES RISK OF CORONARY
HEART DISEASE
Lowers Cholesterol and Triglycerides
Recent studies have shown that strength training can reduce the bad
LDLs, low density lipoproteins, and increase the good HDLs, or high
density lipoproteins. Lipoproteins transport cholesterol in the blood.
The HDLs carries cholesterol from the body cells to the liver reducing
plaque build up on the arterial wall, while the LDLs carries cholesterol
from the liver to the cells increasing plaque on the arterial walls,
resulting in heart attack or stroke.
Participants have shown a reduction of cholesterol of 10-15%, and a lowering of triglycerides of up to 30%, with three 45-60 minute strength training sessions per week.
Lowers
High Blood Pressure
The 1994 Journal Of Pediatrics reports that three teenagers suffering
from hypertension were able to lower their blood pressure slightly by
the use of endurance training. When put on a strength training program
three times a week their blood pressure went down even further. The
program consisted of six exercises for three sets of 5-8 repetitions.
One reason stated for this effect is that strength training involves most of the muscles, not just the ones used for running. The peripheral circulation becomes more efficient because of the improved muscle tone and elasticity of the arteries.
PREVENTION AND REVERSAL
OF OSTEOPOROSIS
In order for your bones to be healthy they must have continual stress
or resistance placed upon them. If not, as we grow older, our skeletal
structure becomes thinner and weaker. Strength training is of paramount
importance for proper bone health as demonstrated by Dr. Chow and his
colleagues at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Toronto, Canada.
Dr. Chow put several healthy postmenopausal women on a strength training program combined with aerobics. In one year the women increased their bone mass by about 8%. This was accomplished without estrogen therapy and no calcium supplementation!
In order to continue to derive this kind of result, a strength training program must be incorporated into our lifestyle for life. If this is not done, then the bone tissue begins to deteriorate all over again.
STRESS REDUCTION
Life today can be very stressful. This increased stress can be quite
damaging to the body causing tension headaches, indigestion, high blood
pressure, impaired thinking abilities, excess hormone secretions, spastic
colon, depression, irregular heart rate, high anxiety, and mood swings.
Research has shown that a regular program of strength training can reduce
stress allowing us to cope with everyday life more effectively.
REDUCES THE RISK OF
BOWEL AND BREAST CANCER
Researchers have found that people who strength train on a regular basis
have lower rates of colon and breast cancer.
MAINTAINING STRENGTH
FOR EVERYDAY LIFE
If we don't maintain a good program of strength training throughout
our life we may have problems later on. For example, you could lose
as much as 30-40% of your strength by age 65. Today in America more
than one-fourth of the men and two-thirds of the women age 74, can't
lift an object greater than 10 pounds. Besides having difficulty lifting
an object such as a sack of groceries, it would also become more difficult
to climb stairs and rise from a chair. Needless to say, this can make
everyday life very uncomfortable.
All of this can be prevented with the regular use of a strength training program. Even those who have become advanced in years and have neglected this aspect of their life can get make improvements and overcome their present weakened condition.
Note one study done in 1990. Ten very frail test subjects, 86 to 96-years old, with one or more combinations of coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, osteoporotic fractures, and osteoarthritis, were involved in an 8-week progressive resistance strength training program while under close medical supervision. Only one muscle group was involved - the knee extensors. They performed three sets of knee extensions at 80% of their one max repetition. Average increase in strength on the right leg was 174% and 180% on the left leg. Strength gains continued during the 8-week period and had not reached a plateau by the end of the program. The 90 and older subjects improved their gait speed by 48%. Two other subjects were able to eliminate their walking canes and another was able to rise from a chair without the use of their arms.
As can be seen from this one study, it is never too late to start a strength training program.
So strength training is indeed a very valuable and versatile tool. It can be used not only to improve our degree of fitness, as well as make us stronger physically, but it can help us to have happier and healthier lives.
Please Note: If you have not exercised for some time, are over 35, take medication, or have not had a physical within the last two years, you should have a physical before beginning any exercise program. Also, if you are unsure of how to put an exercise program together seek out the assistance of an exercise professional.
Based on the research as outlined in this article of combining a healthy eating program, with a positive lifestyle change, which includes a safe and properly designed exercise program performed consistently, an individual can safely reduce their cholesterol and improve their blood lipids resulting in an overall healthy cardiovascular profile, reducing their risk of a heart attack or stroke.
References:
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2. Holford, P. (1999). The Optimum Nutrition Bible. Berkley, CA: Ten
Speed Press
3. Lipski, E. (2000) Digestive Wellness (2nd ed.). Lincolnwood, IL:
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