Anyone who has had a gallbladder “attack” knows how uncomfortable it is. They would also like to know how to prevent having another gallstone, avoiding the pain and discomfort.

A new study, just presented at the Digestive Disease Week annual meeting, has found that moderate alcohol intake reduces the cholesterol in bile and may decrease the chances of developing gallstones by as much as one third.

Gallstones are small stones that develop in the gallbladder, which is a small pear-shaped organ in what is called your right upper abdomen. Bile, which is made in the liver, helps your body digest fats, but the liver makes too much to use all at once. Leftover bile is stored in your gallbladder. When your body needs more bile, the gallbladder releases it into the intestine where the bile can do its job.

The problem happens when the bile hardens into one of two types of stones: cholesterol or pigment. The most common type of gallstone, up to 80% of them, are cholesterol stones.

Gall stones can cause problems for both the gallbladder and the liver because of the shared role.

Who is at risk?

• More women than men develop gallstones
• Older people get more gallstones than younger ones
• People who have high fat diets are more prone to them
• High fat, high cholesterol diets contribute to gallstone formation
• Rapid weight loss can trigger gallstone formation

What is moderate alcohol intake?

When studies come out that say alcohol may help prevent certain types of health problems, it’s important to understand the difference between moderate alcohol intake and unhealthy intake.

According to the Centers of Disease Control (CDC) :

There is no one definition of moderate drinking, but generally the term is used to describe a lower risk pattern of drinking. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans , drinking in moderation is defined as having no more than 1 drink per day for women and no more than 2 drinks per day for men. This definition is referring to the amount consumed on any single day and is not intended as an average over several days.

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Image: Stock.xchng

What is usually thought to be a funny quirk in some dogs — chasing their own tail — is now being thought to have a more serious link.

Researchers are discovering that tail chasing might be a sign of high cholesterol, which adds one more symptom to a list of behavioral issues that they already feel can be attributed to high cholesterol in humans, such as panic attacks and OCD.

They tested 30 dogs — 15 who chased their tails and 15 who didn’t — to come up with their data. The tail chasers had higher HDL and LDL cholesterol numbers. As for why it happens, the researchers say:

“The reason could be that high cholesterol levels glob up cell membranes at the microscopic level, affecting the flow of brain hormones such as serotonin that are involved in mood and behavior.”

Physical trauma to the dog is also thought to contribute to the quirk, and bull terrier and German shepherd breeds are more likely to do it.

[source; image: flickr]

Do you know what Statins are? Perhaps you’ve heard the word a few times but never had enough interest to look in to it. Maybe you do know what statins are, but just in case, I’m going to fill you in.

Statins (Pronounced “Stat-ins) are drugs used to lower cholesterol by inhibiting enzymes called HGM CoA Reductase , which contributes to the synthesis of bad cholesterol.

Many people take Statin drugs such as Lipitor , Zocor , Crestor , etc. to reduce their LDL Cholesterol. The University Of California, San Diego conducted a study of people in their 50’s between 200 and 2005 in which they divided 1016 people in to three separate groups. One group was given Placebo while the other two groups were given 20 milligrams of the Statin drug Pravachol and Zocor. The study showed that the ones that were given Zocor had reduced levels and activity and energy while the group that used Pravachol had reduced energy levels. Read more

Cherries have powerful antioxidants, known as anthocyanins that are thought to help fight inflammation and risk of heart disease.

A study conducted by Dr. Steven F. Bolling at the University of Michigan, shows that eating cherries may lower body fat, weight, cholesterol and inflammation.

Our bodies use inflammation to fight off infection and injury. A chronic state of inflammation can raise your risk of heart disease.  With 2 out of 3 people overweight or obese in the United States, especially around their middle, this problem is more prevalent.

In the study rats were feed a (Western Diet) which was high in fat and moderate carbohydrates.  The study added tart cherry powder to some of the rat’s diet, which caused them to maintain lean muscle mass as well as a decrease in fat and body weight.

Listed below you will find some important facts you need to know about cherries.

  Antioxidant Levels of Cherries

• Cherry Juice Concentrate: 12,800 ORAC units
• Dried Cherries:                    6,800 ORAC units
• Frozen Cherries:                  2,033 ORAC units
• Canned Cherries:                 1,700 ORAC units

Below you will find three interesting articles on cherry nutrition, cherry reports and cherry recipes.

Nutrition Facts, Cherry Report, Cherry Recipes

In today’s fast pace, fast food world even our children have high cholesterol. It is more important than ever to know your cholesterol levels.

Good cholesterol HDL levels for men should be higher than 40 and 50 for women. When the levels are over 60 it lowers your risk factors for heart disease.

The HDL removes cholesterol from the arteries, taking it back to the liver where it passes from your body.

Bad cholesterol or LDL builds up in the walls of the arteries. The walls of your blood vessels will narrow over time, due to the build-up of the fatty deposits. The fatty build-up will slow the blood flow, eventually causing heart failure.

It is wise to have a complete physical once a year, this will aid in preventing problems such as high cholesterol.

To learn more about cholesterol levels click Understanding Cholesterol.

CRP or an inflammatory marker is a protein that is made when there is inflammation present in the body. CRP inflammation can be caused by high blood pressure, high blood sugar or smoking, it is also the way your body reacts to injury or infection.

CRP(C-reactive protein) inflammation encourages plaque to form in the blood vessels. This plaque will eventually cause the blood vessels to rupture causing a heart attack or stroke.

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is often shortened to CPR. When your health care provider is explaining your disorder they will usually use the term CRP.  You will see CRP in written articles also.

If you are experiencing any health problems related to your heart make an appointment with your health care provider immediately. Be sure to tell them at the time of your appointment, you would like your cholesterol and CRP levels checked.

People who are otherwise healthy but have high CRP levels are more likely than those with low CRP levels to have heart disease and its complications, such as heart attacks, strokes, sudden cardiac death, and peripheral arterial disease (hardening of the arteries in the legs, which causes leg cramps and poor circulation in the legs and feet). In fact, people with high CRP have 2 or 3 times the risk of heart disease compared to people with low CRP levels.

You can find more informative on this site Heart Health.

From 1999 to 2006 the death rate of heart attacks and strokes fell about 30%. A cardiologist from UCLA said this is one of the outstanding achievements of modern history.

Even with this amazing news, the death count for Americans in 2006 from heart attacks and strokes was still at 829,072.

On an average one American dies from heart disease every 37 seconds.

A study on cholesterol levels in men men over 40 and women over 60 showed a 2% improvement. The same study showed no improvement in younger people.

We also have a rise in children with high cholesterol, due to their eating habits and little or no exercise. Obesity is a major factor in children with high cholesterol, 4% of the children from 1971-74 were considered obese. The same study showed from 2003-06 a remarkable rise to 17%, of children that are obese.

Results from two National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute studies show that in adults ages 33 to 45, 15% of men and 5.1% of women already had calcification and 1.6% had a calcification score above 100, which may indicate a significant burden of plaque.

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/medicine/la-sci-heart16-2008dec16,0,4082880.story

Statin drugs are herald as the wonder drug of the 21st. century. These wonder drugs block the substance that will potentially cause cholesterol and will in time block your arteries.

Health care providers also believe that the statin drugs may help to eliminate the plaque over time, that is already present in your arteries.

The belief is that in time, health care providers will see benefits to their patients from these drugs, other then just lowering cholesterol. The statin drugs are already showing promise in other areas.

Your cholesterol level and other risk factors for heart failure will determine whether statin drugs are needed or not. Some of the risk factors for high cholesterol are as follows.

• Family history of high cholesterol or cardiovascular disease
• Lifestyle
• Blood pressure
• Age
• General health
• Presence of diabetes
• Excess weight
• Smoking
• Peripheral vascular disease — narrowing of the arteries in your neck, arms or legs

You will find more important information on the Mayo Clinic web site.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/statins/CL00010

Who’s at risk of developing statin side effects?

Not everyone who takes a statin will have side effects, but some people may be at a greater risk than are others. Risk factors include:

• Taking multiple medications to lower your cholesterol
• Being female
• Having a smaller body frame
• Being age 65 and older
• Having kidney or liver disease
• Having type 1 or 2 diabetes

Statin side effects may be linked to genetics. More research is needed before a genetic test is widely available to determine if you may have side effects from taking a statin medication.

 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/statin-side-effects/MY00205

In countries around the world (Trans Fats) have been eliminated in most foods. Some traces of trans fats are found in some dairy and meat products, which are formed during the manufacturing process.

Limiting the intake of saturated and trans fat in your daily diet can lower your risk of cholesterol or plaque buildup which causes coronary and artery disease.

Most of us acquired our eating habits while we were young and these habits are different through out the world. If you have been eating unhealthy most of your life and are thinking you need to take control of your diet, maybe this article may give you a jump-start.

When selecting meats lean meat, poultry such skinless chicken and fish are best. Skim milk instead of whole milk is a great low fat choice.

Foods rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals; are vegetables and fruits; they are also high in soluble fiber and low in calories. These foods will help to lower your cholesterol level as well.

Another way of lowering your cholesterol and blood pressure may be accomplished by adding whole grains to your diet. Adding fiber to your diet can be as easy as eating whole grain cereal or a whole grain muffin for breakfast each morning.

Cutting your salt intake to 2,300 milligrams daily or about one teaspoon will aid in the fight against heart disease.

Cutting the portions on your plate will aid in keeping your weight down, as well as the fat intake and cholesterol levels.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/heart-healthy-diet/NU00196

During the holidays we find ourselves attending more social events, at these events there is always an abundance of food and alcohol. Before attending these events it is always wise to ask your health care provider some questions. Ask them if consuming alcohol could cause any problems with your heart or interfere with any medication that you are presently taking.

Research that has taken place suggest that moderate alcohol consumption my actually be beneficial for your heart. Drinking one drink a day for women or lightweight individuals and two drinks per day for men is suggested. Some examples are 12 ounces of beer or wine coolers, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.

Some of the benefits of alcohol on your heart are it may raise your good cholesterol level HDL. Alcohol may also help prevent artery damage caused when your LDL is higher then normal. You may also find that your blood pressure will become lower.

Drinking the recommended amounts of alcohol may also prevent blood clots, which is a benefit in some cases, but there is also an increased risk of bleeding. This is why you need to discuss alcohol consumption with your health care provider.

Drinking alcohol can be harmful for some people. Those who have heart failure, cardiomyopathy, high blood pressure, diabetes, arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm), a history of sudden cardiac death or stroke, obesity, high triglycerides, or are taking medications should speak to their doctor before drinking alcohol. Also, if you are pregnant or have a history of alcoholism, you should not drink alcohol.

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/heart-disease-alcohol-your-heart