Cholesterol Awareness

Article ID : 57
Created on 2007-11-05 at 12:04 PM
Author : Rahul Bhanot [rahulbhanot@yahoo.com]

Online URL : http://www.knowledge-gallery.com/article-57.html

Cholesterol is present in the diet of all people, and it can be absorbed slowly from the gastrointestinal tract into the intestinal lymph. It is highly fat soluble but only slightly soluble in water and is capable of forming esters with fatty acids. Food rich in nucleic acids and nucleoprotein e.g. meat, fish, organ meats also should be avoided. Cooking in olive oil, safflower, sunflower is good for people with high cholesterol.

Factors that affect plasma cholesterol concentration. The important factors that affect plasma cholesterol concentration are as follows:

An increase in the amount of cholesterol ingested each day increases the plasma concentration slightly.
A highly saturated fat diet increases blood cholesterol concentration 15 to 20 percent
Ingestion of fat containing highly unsaturated fatty acids usually depresses the blood cholesterol concentration in slight to moderate amount.
Lack of insulin or thyroid hormone increases the blood cholesterol concentration, whereas excess thyroid hormone decreases the concentration.
Normal blood cholesterol varies between 150 –200 mgm per 100 ml, which is equally distributed between plasma and cells. But in the cells it is present chiefly in the free form, while in the plasma the major part remains occurs in the combined form as esters. The rise of blood cholesterol is associated with the rise in bile cholesterol. There is also rise in blood cholesterol when cholesterol rich diet is not ingested which indicates that this is due to increased absorption of cholesterol derived from bile.

Arteriosclerosis or atherosclerosis are the results of diet containing high cholesterol. In hypothyroidism blood cholesterol rises. In diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis, blood cholesterol is often found to be high.

The most important factor in causing atherosclerosis is a high blood plasma concentration of cholesterol in the form of low-density lipoproteins. The plasma concentration of these high cholesterol low-density lipoproteins is directly increased by increased saturated fat in the daily diet. To a lesser extent, it is also increased by increased cholesterol in the diet. Therefore, both or either of these dietary factors can contribute to the development of atherosclerosis.

Familial hypercholesterolemi a is a hereditary disease in which the person inherits defective genes for the formation of low-density lipoproteins receptors on the membrane surfaces of the body cells. In the absence of these receptors, the liver cannot reabsorb either the intermediate density lipoproteins or the low-density lipoproteins.

HOME REMEDIES FOR CHOLESTEROL TREATMENT

Walking also helps to reduce cholesterol levels to a great extent. Moreover it also helps to increase the good cholesterol, which helps to prevent the heart disease. Regular physical exercise also plays an important role in lowering LDL cholesterol and in raising the level of protective HDL.
Prepare a mixture of 1 tsp. of roasted chicory root, 1 tsp. of lime flowers, ½ tsp. of fenugreek seeds,½ tsp. of ginger rhizome, 1 quart of water. Boil all ingredients, let it cool, strain. Drink 2 cups a day.
Chromium also helps in the formation of cholesterol, fats and protein. Chromium maintains stable blood sugar levels through proper insulin utilization and can be helpful for people with diabetes and/or hypoglycemia.
Ginger reduces cholesterol and thins the blood and thus improves the circulation.
Guggul decreases LDL by 35% increases HDL by 20 % in 12 weeks, and helps to prevent arteriosclerosis.
Take 2-3 cloves of garlic daily to reduce the cholesterol. This is an effective home remedy for cholesterol treatment.
Take finely chopped small onion and mix it with 1-cup buttermilk along with 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper powder and drink.
Fenugreek seeds help to control high serum cholesterol.
Turmeric helps by lowering serum cholesterol and by preventing the formation of the internal blood clots improves circulation and prevents heart disease and stroke.
Onion juice can be taken as cholesterol diet to reduce cholesterol, clean the blood, and regulate the heart.
Mix a teaspoon of powdered methi seeds in a glass of water and take in the morning on an empty stomach for a month.
Bran cereals are a very good source to reduce cholesterol. Eat some bran after each meal.
Lecithin is a fatty food substance and is found mostly in the phospholipids, is beneficial in case of increase in cholesterol level. It breaks up cholesterol into small particles, which can be easily digested by the body. With sufficient intake of lecithin, cholesterol cannot build up against the walls of the arteries and veins.
Vitamins B6, choline, and inositol are effective in reducing the level of blood cholesterol. The patient should take sufficient quantities of vitamin E-rich foods such as sunflower seeds, safflower, soyabean oils, butter, and sprouted seed and grains.
Regular drinking of a decoction of coriander seeds helps lower blood cholesterol.
Ishabgul has been found vary useful in the treatment of high cholesterol level.
Persons with high blood cholesterol level should drink at least eight to ten glasses of water every day.
Another home remedy for cholesterol treatment is -prepare a mixture of a glass of water & 1-2 gms of powdered cinnamon. Filter this mixture & add a spoon of honey to it. Drink this solution once a day for 15-25 days. This would control cholesterol.
Prepare a solution by adding cactus and lemon and garlic. Drink one cup every day in the morning and in one-month cholesterol will go down.

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