However, September is National Cholesterol Education Month, so I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t nag just a little. The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that you get your cholesterol checked every 5 years staring at age 20.

To me, five years seems like a long time to wait between checks. In a matter of three years, my cholesterol test results went from normal to very high. Talk with your doctor about your risk factors and how often you should get your cholesterol checked. Once you have a high result, you really won’t be going five years between tests.

Getting your cholesterol checked is a matter of fasting for a simple blood test referred to as a lipoprotein profile. It measures your good (HDL) and bad (LDL) cholesterol, as well as triglycerides. Your total cholesterol should be less than 170 mg/dL.

If your cholesterol is high, your doctor will likely prescribe exercise and a diet low in fat and cholesterol. Losing weight (if you need to) and quitting smoking will also help.

Why should you be concerned about cholesterol?

High cholesterol can contribute to heart disease and stroke. If you have too much cholesterol, it will build up in your arteries, causing them to narrow. Think of it like a clogged up pipe. Yuck.

If you struggle with high cholesterol, what are you doing to lower it?

(Image via stock.xchng)

Post from: Blisstree

Cholesterol Education Month

heart research

The researchers found that the older Amish people were the best test subjects. Older Amish are genetically homogenous, that can trace their families back 14 generations all the way to Europe in the 1700 hundreds. 

Amish people live a slower pace of life and eat homegrown foods that do not contain preservatives. They get more exercise and have higher levels of good HDL-cholesterol, lower levels of LDL or bad cholesterol.

"People who have the mutation all have low triglycerides," said Toni Pollin of the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, who led the study released Thursday.

Pollin and colleagues looked at the genes of about 800 Amish people, finding that about one in 20 had the mutation, and they also had lower triglycerides and less risk of cardiovascular disease.

This amazing article can be found on this MSNBC site.

Post from: Blisstree

Amish Gene Heart Research

Having a glass of wine over the holiday’s will actually be good for your heart. A glass or two of wine per day will increase the Omega-3 fatty acids in the blood.

A research study led by Dr. Romina Di Giuseppe of the Catholic University in Campobasso, Italy, found that the link is stronger among wine drinkers. The link was not as strong in those who drink beer and other alcoholic drinks in moderation.

Fish such as salmon and mackerel also lower your triglycerides. Which in turn reduces risk of heart failure due to reducing inflammation and preventing disturbances in the rhythm of the heart.

Wine also reduces the chances of blood clots by boosting the blood levels of your good HDL cholesterol.

The study will be published in the January issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

http://www.topnews.in/healthcare/content/-2359glass-wine-day-can-keep-heart-healthy

http://www.postchronicle.com/news/health/article_212194076.shtml

Post from: Blisstree

Wine For The Heart

This is the season for parties, office snacks and great holiday dinners. With a few suggestions from the sites listed below you too will enjoy the holiday season. The foods listed on the sites are heart healthy.

Everyone gets tired of trying to always eat what is best for us, because it seems as though these foods do not taste that good. Well that is behind us for I have found some snacks and good tasting alternatives.

I hope you will find these easy recipes for snacks, desserts and meals just what you have been dreaming of. Your dream has come true.

Often called nutrient powerhouses, nuts are loaded with heart healthy nutrients such as fiber and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which can help lower bad cholesterol levels. Many nuts, such as walnuts, are also a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which can help prevent clotting of blood, reducing the risk of stroke and also helps lower triglycerides, a type of blood fat linked to heart disease.

 http://www.heartandstroke.qc.ca/site/c.pkI0L7MMJrE/b.4701621/k.C929/Go_nuts.htm

http://food.thefuntimesguide.com/2008/09/healthy_junk_food.php

Post from: Blisstree

Heart Healthy Snacks

Cholesterol be warned… they are on a rampage and their coming for you. An international study of over 20,000, yes 20,000, people allowed researchers to identify 7 new genes that influence blood cholesterol levels and confirmed 11 other genes that were previously thought to influence high lipids.

Of the seven new variants, two influenced HDL, one influenced LDL, and three influenced triglycerides, which are found in fat and in the bloodstream and like LDL, are associated with increased risk of heart disease. One variant influenced triglycerides and LDL.

Will this bring us that much closer to new medications and treatments for high cholesterol? Will this aid in fighting heart disease? Yee ha science!

via Science Daily and University of Michigan

Post from: Blisstree

7 Genes Identified In High Cholesterol