Healthy Habbits

UNDERSTANDING ABOUT CHOLESTEROL

What is cholesterol?

                                     Cholesterol is a type of fat (lipid) in your blood. Your cells need Cholesterol, and your body makes all it needs. But you also get Cholesterol from the food you eat.

If you have too much Cholesterol, it starts to build up in your arteries (Arteries are the blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart) This is called hardening of the arteries, or artherosclerosis.  It is the starting point for some heart and blood flow problems. The buildup can narrow the arteries and make it harder for blood to flow through them. The buildup can also lead to dangerous blood clots and inflammation that can cause heart attacks and strokes.

There are different types of cholesterol.

• LDl is the "bad" cholesterol. It's the kind that can raise your risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
• HDL is the "good" cholesterol. It's the kind that is linked to a lower risk of heart Disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Why does cholesterol matter?

Your cholesterol levels can help your doctor find out your risk for having a heart attack or stroke. But it's not just about your cholesterol. Your doctor uses your cholesterol levels plus other things to calculate your risk. These include:

• Your blood pressure.
• Whether or not you have diabetes.
• Your age, sex, and race.
• Whether or not you smoke.

What affects cholesterol levels?

Many things can affect Cholesterol levels, including:

• The foods you eat. Eating too much saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol can raise your cholesterol.
• Being overweight. This may lower HDL ("good") cholesterol.
• Being inactive. Not exercising may lower HDL ("good") cholesterol.
• Age. Cholesterol starts to rise after age 20.
• Family history. If family members have or had high cholesterol, you may also have it.

How is cholesterol tested?

You need a blood test to check your cholesterol.

A Cholesterol level, also called a lipid chan, measures all of the fats in your blood, including total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol.

High cholesterol levels don't make you feel sick. So the blood test is the only way to know your cholesterol levels.

Here is the Cholesterol levels it's limits would be same by all ages/times but it starts vary after the age of 20.

Cholesterol Level Chart
Blood Cholesterol Level Chart	Desirable	Borderline (high)	High Risk
Total Cholesterol	< 200	200-240	> 240
Triglycerides	< 150	150-500	> 500
Low Density Cholesterol	< 130	130-160	> 240
High Density Cholesterol	> 50	50-35	< 35

There are three ways to reduce cholesterol levels for normalized them .

1. Diet
2. Exercise &
3. Medicine

here we discussed with first two steps:

Reducing cholesterol by Diet

Oats:

If you're looking to lower your cholesterol, the key may be simply changing your morning meal. Switching up your breakfast to contain two servings of oats can lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol by 5.3% in only 6 weeks. The key to this cholesterol buster is beta-glucan, a substance in oats that absorbs LDL, which your body then excretes. Banish bland oats with this desert-worthy ginergersnap oatmeal receipe.

Here's how to make Gingersnap Oatmeal:

½ c apple juice¼ c water¼ c oats
1 gingersnap, roughly broken
1 Tbsp chopped pecans

1. BRING the apple juice and water to a boil in a small, heavy saucepan. 

2. ADD the oats, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered 5 minutes, stirring often.
3. REMOVE from heat and let stand 2 minutes.
4. SPOON into a serving bowl and sprinkle with gingersnap pieces and chopped pecans.
5. GARNISH with fresh fruit if desired. Serves 1.

NUTRITION 210 cal, 4 g pro, 35 g carb, 3 g fiber, 14 g sugars, 7 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 40 mg sodium

Salmon & fatty fish 

Omega-3 fats fats are one of the natural health wonders of the world and have been shown to ward off heart disease, dementia, and many other diseases. Now these fatty acids can add yet another health benefit to their repertoire: lowering cholesterol. According to research from Loma Linda University, replacing saturated fats with omega-3s like those found in salmon, sardines, and herring can raise good cholesterol as much as 4%.

Nuts

If you're looking for a snack food that lowers cholesterol levels, research shows that you should get cracking! In a study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who noshed on 1.5 oz of whole walnuts  6 days a week for 1 month lowered their total cholesterol by 5.4% and LDL cholesterol by 9.3%. Almonds and cashews are other good options. However, while nuts are heart healthy, they're also high in calories, so practice portion control—1.5 oz is about a shot glass and a half. Use a shot glass to measure out your portion so you can see exactly how it looks. 

5 REASONS TO EAT WALNUTS

1. They can lower your cholesterol.
About a handful of walnuts, or 2 ounces, was linked to lowering total cholesterol numbers and LDL or "bad" cholesterol as well as improved blood vessel cell wall function in a recent study of 112 people between the ages of 25 and 75. The people randomized in the study to enjoy that daily snack saw improvements to their overall diets, compared with those randomized to go without walnuts. Added bonus: When they also were given a little dietary counseling, their waistlines shrank. Walnuts are loaded with monounsaturated fats, including known heart protectors omega-3 fatty acids. 

2. They can improve your memory.

A 2012 Journal of Alzheimer's Disease report found that eating walnuts as part of a Mediterranean diet was associated with better memory and brain function. The antioxidants in walnuts may help counteract age-related cognitive decline and even reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's.

3.They can reduce inflammation.
You've likely heard of the inflammation-fighting powers of those all-mighty omega-3s. And while the most powerful of them all—docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)—come from fish, the plant variety, alpha-linolenic acid or ALA, shouldn't be totally written off. Walnuts are one of the richest sources of ALA, which may not carry all the health effects of its fishy compatriots but does still seem to fight inflammation Exeprts link a diet higher in omega-3s may simply mean we're not eating as many inflammation-provoking omega-6 fatty acids.

4.They tackle PMS symptoms.

Just an ounce of walnuts—that's about 14 halves, if you want to get ultra specific—contains nearly 50% of your daily recommended intake of a mineral called manganese  and about 11% of your allotment for the day of Magnesium. Both have been examined in preliminary research that suggests they can help temper some of your worst PMS symptoms, including mood swings, insomnia, stomach discomfort, and low back pain.

Eariler research suggests this mineral magic might be due to the way levels of both naturally fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle.

5.They can lower blood pressure.

In studies of how people respond to stressful situations—like plunging your foot into an ice bath or delivering a speech in front of your peers—those who eat walnuts seem to have lower blood pressure , both in response to that stress and when not under stress. Since walnut oil, as well as flax oil, produced similar results, researchers believe the perks may be due to that same ALA that reduces inflammation, this time exerting its do-good properties on BP.

The best news: Getting an additional ounce of walnuts a day happens to be crazy easy. Wendy Bazilian, DrPH, RD, author of The SuperFoodsRx Diet, likes to add chopped walnuts to her oatmeal, sprinkle them on salads, add them to a bread-crumb crust for fish or chicken, and throw walnut halves in the blender with her smoothies after soaking them in water.

More of a baked goods lover (and really, who isn't)? Enjoying walnuts in baked items like banana bread still has health benefits and could help with critical thinking, according to research in the British Journal of Nutrition. (Add them to one of these quick bread recipes) The study found that eating half a cup of walnuts per day (ground up in banana bread!) for 8 weeks led to an 11.2% increase in inferential reasoning skills (the ability to deduce info based on prior experiences) among college students.

To keep shelled nuts from going rancid, store them in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer for up to a year.

Tea

While tea has become well known for its cancer-fighting antioxidants, it is also a great defense against high LDL cholesterol levels. According to research conducted with the USDA, black tea has been shown to reduce blood lipids by up to 10% in only 3 weeks. These findings were concluded in a larger study of how tea may also help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. 

1. Watch your water.
Your perfect cup deserves more than tap water. Filtering tap water reduces your exposure to carcinogens and hormone-disrupting chemicals. Just ask the experts: the President's Cancer Panel suggests that home-filtered tap water is a safer bet than even bottled water, which can even be the same—or worse—than water from municipal sources, according to an investigation by the Environmental Working Group. (Are you doing the 20 other everyday things that prevent cancer?)

2. Choose the right herb.
Got an ailment? There's a tea for that—you just need to know which one is best for what.
For a cough: Make it “tea thyme.” Thyme helps relax the bronchial spasms that cause you to cough. Use 2 teaspoons of dried thyme per cup of boiling water, steep for 10 minutes, and drink three times a day.
For glowing skin: Choose green or white. Both have double the antioxidants of black tea and contains EGCG, a type of antioxidant that protects skin from sun damage and pollutants.
For all-around health: Grab green. From fighting breast cancer to helping you lose weight, it's all-powerful. Check out the 5 best benefits of green tea if you still need convincing.
For a tummy ache: It's chamomile and peppermint all the way. Chamomile herbal tea contains oils that relax and smooth muscles in the stomach. Use 1 tablespoon of flowers per cup of boiling water, and drink three cups a day to ease indigestion, irritable bowel problems, and colitis.
For stress: Go black. A study from University College London showed that adults who drank black tea four times a day for six weeks had lower levels of cortisol after stressful situations than their non-tea-drinking peers.

3. Brew it yourself.
Tea is tea, right? To find out, Prevention sent iced tea samples to a lab: stuff we'd brewed on our own, and bottled teas we picked up at the store. The results? Home-brewed tea has more antioxidants than bottled convenience tea. (But just by a bit—unsweetened convenience iced tea almost as many antioxidants as the home-brewed variety and even outscored blueberries, so don't go tealess if you're in a pinch.)

4. Skip the milk.
Tea is packed with antioxidants but a simple splash of milk addition can negate their benefits, studies find. One study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that dietary proteins, such as those found in milk, reduce the availability of antioxidants in tea. A 2007 study in the European Heart Journal found that the heart-protective antioxidants in tea were completely inhibited by milk—so skip the milk to get the most from your tea.

5. Add the unexpected.
A scoop of sugar might be your first instinct, but the tide is turning against the sweet stuff. It's the basis for the most addictive foods (see our list of the top 10 most addictive foods list here) and may be damaging to your health under all of it's many guises . Adding spice, however, can just as nice—with no negative side effects. Stir with a cinnamon stick, which may help control blood sugar and lower cholesterol Or try twisting in a vitamin C-laden lemon.

Beans

Beans, beans—they really are good for your heart. Researchers at Arizona State University Polytechnic found that adding ½ cup of beans to soup lowers total cholesterol, including LDL, by up to 8%. The key to this heart-healthy food is its abundance of fiber, which has been shown to slow the rate and amount of absorption of cholesterol in certain foods. Try black, kidney, or pinto beans; each supplies about one-third of your daily fiber needs.

Chocolate

Yes! This powerful antioxidant helps build HDL ("good") cholesterol levels. In a 2007 study published in AJCN, participants who were given cocoa powder had a 24% increase in HDL levels over 12 weeks, compared with a 5% increase in the control group. Remember to choose the dark or bittersweet  kind. Compared to milk chocolate, it has more than 3 times as many antioxidants, which prevent blood platelets from sticking together and may even keep arteries unclogged.

Margarine

Switching to a margarine with plant sterols, such as Promise activ or Benecol, could help lower cholesterol. Plant sterols are compounds that reduce cholesterol absorption; a study published in AJCN found that women who had a higher plant sterol–based diet were able to lower total cholesterol by 3.5%.

Garlic

Aside from adding zing to almost any dish, garlic makes the list of foods that lower cholesterol; it's also been found to prevent blood clots, reduce blood pressure, and protect against infections. Now research finds that it helps stop artery-clogging plaque at its earliest stage by keeping cholesterol particles from sticking to artery walls. Try for 2 to 4 fresh cloves a day.

Olive oil

Good news: This common cooking ingredient can help your health. Olive oil  is full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which lower LDL cholesterol—and have the welcome side effect of trimming belly fat. Use it to make your own salad dressings, marinate chicken and fish, or roast vegetables.

Spinach

This popular green food contains lots of lutein, the sunshine-yellow pigment found in dark green leafy vegetables and egg yolks. Lutein already has a reputation for guarding against age-related macular degeneration , a leading cause of blindness. Now research suggests that just ½ cup of a lutein-rich food daily also guards against heart attacks by helping artery walls "shrug off" cholesterol invaders that cause clogging. Look for bags of baby spinach leaves that you can use for salads or pop in the microwave for a quick side dish. 

Avocado

 Avocados are a great source of heart-healthy MUFAs, which may actually help raise HDL cholesterol while lowering LDL. And, more than any other fruit, this delectable food packs cholesterol-smashing beta-sitosterol, a beneficial plant-based fat that reduces the amount of cholesterol absorbed from food. Since avocados are a bit high in calories and fat (300 calories and 30 g of fat per avocado), use them in moderation.

Love avocados so much that serving it on salads, sandwiches, and for guacamole just isn't enough, anymore? We hear you—which is why we created these 8 ridiculously easy, delicious recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, starring everyone's favorite source of healthy fats: the creamy avocado.

 1. Chocolate, Coconut, and Avocado Pudding

In a blender combine 2 ripe avocados, ¼ cup each cocoa powder and maple syrup, and ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk. Blend until smooth. Serve topped with unsweetened coconut. Serves 4.

2.Baked Sweet Potatoes with Avocado Mash

Split a baked potato and fill with ½ a mashed ripe avocado. Top with a dollop of plain yogurt, cilantro leaves, and pepitas; season with salt and pepper and serve with lime wedges. Serves 1.

3.Avocado Pineapple Salad

Top arugula leaves with diced pineapple, diced avocado, chopped scallions, and mint leaves. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil; season with salt, pepper, and ground cumin. Serves 1.

4.Avocado Chicken Salad
In a bowl combine 1 diced ripe avocado, 2 tablespoons plain yogurt, 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1½ cups shredded chicken and 2 tablespoons diced shallots; serve over greens. Serves 2.

5.Banana, Kale, and Avocado Smoothie

In a blender, combine 1 ripe avocado, 1 cup stemmed and torn kale leaves, 1 banana, 1 to 2 tablespoons honey, 1 heaping cup ice cubes, and ¾ cup orange juice. Blend until smooth. Serves 2.

6.Avocado-Mint Pops

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup plain yogurt and 1 tablespoons honey. In another small bowl, mash up 1 ripe avocado with 2 teaspoon lime juice, and 1 tablespoon honey. Layer into 4 three-ounce pop molds. Freeze until firm. Serves 4.

7.Avocado-Cardamom Lassi
In a blender combine 1 ripe avocado with ¾ cup plain yogurt, 1¼ cup milk, 2 tablespoons each honey and lime juice, and ¼ to ½ teaspoon ground cardamom. Blend until smooth. Serves 2.

8.Egg and Avocado Tartines

Mash 1 ripe avocado and spread onto 2 pieces of whole grain toast, top with 3 scrambled eggs, and sriracha sauce. Serves 2.

 Still To Be Contineu.......

Refrences: Prevention, Everey day health & Webmed