Lower Your Cholesterol by Dan Ho

Heart disease is the number one killer in the Western world today. More than 40% of men will die from it. What is particularly disturbing is that strokes and heart attacks are becoming much more common in younger men.

Witness the recent death of St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Darryl Kile, who was felled in his prime, only 33 years

old. Although it seems counterintuitive, athletes, in

fact, can be even more vulnerable than the average person.

When men engage in vigorous exercise, they create an excess of free radicals. These free radicals cause tremendous amounts of damage to the body with devastating effects, one of which is elevating their cholesterol.

But taking a powerful antioxidant such as Total Balance, available at http://www.InstantEnergyBoost.com,

will help neutralize these free radicals before damage occurs. Nowadays, due to lifestyles, diet, and the deeper understanding in the role that genetics plays, younger men

should be acutely aware of the importance of keeping their

cholesterol at optimum levels.

As an indication of this importance, one of the major pharmaceutical companies is even in the process of seeking FDA approval to provide a statin drug to children to lower

their cholesterol. Elevated cholesterol is considered the best "marker" for potential heart disease and it is a

condition that 1 in 4 people have.

In order to prevent future problems, it is widely recommended that you check your cholesterol levels and if they're "out of line," take action to normalize them -- regardless of your age.

Are you at risk?

A common misconception is that people with high cholesterol must be overweight or subsist on a diet of greasy burgers and fries. The truth is that the amount of cholesterol you

have in your bloodstream is not directly related to your

diet. I will explain why momentarily.

Another prevailing and incorrect view is that only older people need worry about their cholesterol levels. The reality is that having a predisposition to high cholesterol and heart

disease are genetically influenced factors.

Elevated cholesterol levels can stalk even young men and women who are in seemingly good shape and otherwise take care of themselves. Indeed, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood

Institute advocates that the young, middle-aged, and old lower their cholesterol, whether it be to prevent heart disease, or because they already have it.

Therefore it's important to know your family history and, accordingly, take prevention to ensure the health of your

heart for many years to come. But first, what exactly is this "silent killer" known as cholesterol?

What is cholesterol?

It is important to understand that cholesterol itself is essential to good health. Cholesterol is a non-soluble waxy substance that your body needs for making hormones, cell walls and nerve sheaths. However, there are two forms of

cholesterol. One form is called LDL -- or the "bad" cholesterol -- and the other is HDL -- or the "good"

cholesterol.

LDL transports the cholesterol to your cells, whereas HDL travels around in your bloodstream picking up excess

cholesterol and taking it back to your liver for reprocessing, functioning as a "garbage collector" of sorts. Too much LDL creates the risk of clogging up your arteries, which can lead to heart failure or stroke; not enough HDL will result in the same problem due to inadequate "housekeeping."

Therefore, the most important figure to examine is not your total cholesterol per se, but the ratio between the LDL and HDL readings, and the levels of each type. You want the LDL as low as possible and the HDL as high as possible.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends that everyone over 20 have their cholesterol checked every 5 years. For optimal health, total cholesterol should be less than 200,

whereas the LDL cholesterol remains at less than 100, and the HDL greater than 60.

Go to Page 2

BIO:

he Xtend-Life Natural Cholesterol Formula uses only the genuine policosanol extracted from sugar cane wax. When it comes to your heart's health and longevity, don't settle for
sub-par supplements.

Xtend Life Natural Cholesterol Formula is available at ...
http://www.InstantEnergyBoost.com

Some Aditional Articles you may enjoy

Summer Skin Care by Lori Stryker

And You Thought It Was For Decorating Your Plate by Lena Sanchez

Winning My Battle With Anxiety by Ellen M. DuBois

The Internet could be a beacon of light when all seems hopeless. by Jesse S. Somer

Staying lean weightloss diet routine by Boeafitness.com

Click a Number to go to an article index page
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39