By Jim Morham
You've probably heard it a hundred times but, safe cholesterol levels in your body are essentially like having free- flowing fuel injectors in your car engine. The tricky part is cutting through all the noise on the subject and getting the facts in order to stay healthy!
Safe cholesterol levels are something that will promote good health. Literally, unsafe or high levels of bad cholesterol can cut decades off your life. The catch is that most people can't tell when they are feeling run down due to cold or flu.
They basically know what to do to fix the problem. With cholesterol, good or bad, there are no warning signs to tell you if there is a problem. Safe cholesterol levels are simply presented to you when you get a checkup. Typically, your doctor tells you everything looks fine.
To be a good health care consumer you need to be the proactive one and look under the hood so to speak.
What should I look for?
First step to becoming better informed is to ask specifically what your cholesterol numbers are the next time you have a checkup. Here are the facts about safe cholesterol levels according to the American Heart Association.
The first measure of safe cholesterol levels is the overall cholesterol level in the blood. Your total cholesterol number which represents the combination of LDL, HDL and Triglycerides should never exceed 199 mg/dl.
Unfortunately, most people stop there and think they are home free. Total cholesterol is only one indicator and not the most important one. For instance, you could have a total at 199 mg/dl and still have excess LDL which is the bad cholesterol.
To maintain safe cholesterol levels, LDL has to be below 99 mg/dl. In addition, your Triglycerides should be kept below 149 mg/dl. Together these two types of cholesterol are the cause of bad health in the form of heart disease and potential stroke.
Why is cholesterol so harmful?
Cholesterol comes from the foods we eat. Secondarily, cholesterol is created from our liver as we digest what we eat. While we sleep, the liver makes cholesterol. Besides diet, stress can be a cause for excess LDL and triglycerides. This fatty based waxy substance causes a plaque buildup in the arteries and restricts blood flow to the heart and brain.
This restriction of blood flow is responsible for ailments from heart disease and stroke to high blood pressure. As you can see, any disruption from the pumping and flow of blood by the heart have serious implications for the organs of the body like the kidneys.
What can I do to protect myself?
Going back to the automobile analogy, clean fuel injectors keep fuel going to the engine. Clean oil keeps the parts of the engine working and in top shape. The same is true for your heart.
By eating foods rich in omega 3 oils, you can provide your heart with an all natural lubricant that helps keep the arteries clear and the blood flowing. Why is this so you ask? Omega 3 oils are derived from cold water fish like salmon and sardines.
Contained within these omega 3 oils are powerful and essential fatty acids known as DHA or docosahexaenoic acid and EPA, which is eicosapentaenoic acid. These omega 3 oils and the fatty acids that come from them are a powerful cleansing agent.
DHA and EPA promote safe cholesterol levels by increasing levels of HDL in the blood. HDL or good cholesterol helps to remove excess particulate LDL that builds up along the artery walls. Think of HDL as Drano for unclogging pipes. In this case, the HDL is clearing the arteries leading to the heart.
Omega 3 oils have been clinically proven to increase HDL; which according the heart association should be at 39 mg/dl or higher, for optimal health.
In addition, more doctors are now recommending omega 3 oils as a supplement for a healthy heart and in order to maintain safe cholesterol levels. As opposed to drugs to lower bad cholesterol, omega 3 oils are all natural and come in gel cap form for those that aren't fish eaters.
Conclusion
Put this to the test right away! Safe cholesterol levels are essential for a healthy heart! You can take the first step today on the journey toward better heart health. Here's to your good health.
Safe cholesterol levels are something that will promote good health. Literally, unsafe or high levels of bad cholesterol can cut decades off your life. The catch is that most people can't tell when they are feeling run down due to cold or flu.
They basically know what to do to fix the problem. With cholesterol, good or bad, there are no warning signs to tell you if there is a problem. Safe cholesterol levels are simply presented to you when you get a checkup. Typically, your doctor tells you everything looks fine.
To be a good health care consumer you need to be the proactive one and look under the hood so to speak.
What should I look for?
First step to becoming better informed is to ask specifically what your cholesterol numbers are the next time you have a checkup. Here are the facts about safe cholesterol levels according to the American Heart Association.
The first measure of safe cholesterol levels is the overall cholesterol level in the blood. Your total cholesterol number which represents the combination of LDL, HDL and Triglycerides should never exceed 199 mg/dl.
Unfortunately, most people stop there and think they are home free. Total cholesterol is only one indicator and not the most important one. For instance, you could have a total at 199 mg/dl and still have excess LDL which is the bad cholesterol.
To maintain safe cholesterol levels, LDL has to be below 99 mg/dl. In addition, your Triglycerides should be kept below 149 mg/dl. Together these two types of cholesterol are the cause of bad health in the form of heart disease and potential stroke.
Why is cholesterol so harmful?
Cholesterol comes from the foods we eat. Secondarily, cholesterol is created from our liver as we digest what we eat. While we sleep, the liver makes cholesterol. Besides diet, stress can be a cause for excess LDL and triglycerides. This fatty based waxy substance causes a plaque buildup in the arteries and restricts blood flow to the heart and brain.
This restriction of blood flow is responsible for ailments from heart disease and stroke to high blood pressure. As you can see, any disruption from the pumping and flow of blood by the heart have serious implications for the organs of the body like the kidneys.
What can I do to protect myself?
Going back to the automobile analogy, clean fuel injectors keep fuel going to the engine. Clean oil keeps the parts of the engine working and in top shape. The same is true for your heart.
By eating foods rich in omega 3 oils, you can provide your heart with an all natural lubricant that helps keep the arteries clear and the blood flowing. Why is this so you ask? Omega 3 oils are derived from cold water fish like salmon and sardines.
Contained within these omega 3 oils are powerful and essential fatty acids known as DHA or docosahexaenoic acid and EPA, which is eicosapentaenoic acid. These omega 3 oils and the fatty acids that come from them are a powerful cleansing agent.
DHA and EPA promote safe cholesterol levels by increasing levels of HDL in the blood. HDL or good cholesterol helps to remove excess particulate LDL that builds up along the artery walls. Think of HDL as Drano for unclogging pipes. In this case, the HDL is clearing the arteries leading to the heart.
Omega 3 oils have been clinically proven to increase HDL; which according the heart association should be at 39 mg/dl or higher, for optimal health.
In addition, more doctors are now recommending omega 3 oils as a supplement for a healthy heart and in order to maintain safe cholesterol levels. As opposed to drugs to lower bad cholesterol, omega 3 oils are all natural and come in gel cap form for those that aren't fish eaters.
Conclusion
Put this to the test right away! Safe cholesterol levels are essential for a healthy heart! You can take the first step today on the journey toward better heart health. Here's to your good health.
Jim Morham is a vocal advocate for healthy living and products that promote good health. Due to personal needs, Jim strives to find the very best quality products that aid good health, in order to share them with others. Visit his site at http://purest-omega-3.com/
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