Interesting Facts About Good and Bad Cholesterol

Some interesting facts we need to know about good and bad cholesterol.

photo link

What is bad and good cholesterol?

The cholesterol flowing in your blood vessels is not actually the dreadful character medical science pictured it to be, particularly if good cholesterol offsets bad cholesterol. The truth is, in order to have a healthy body, our body should avoid the bad cholesterol known as LDL (low-Density Lipoproteins), at the same time our body needs sufficient amount of the good cholesterol known as HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein). Read on to learn more about the difference between the two:

Both LDL and HDL are important to our body–LDL injects cholesterol to the bloodstream needed in the production of hormones and bile salts in the liver. Also, LDL aids in the distribution of fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamins A, D, E, K through your bloodstream. While HDL main function is to deliver cholesterol back to the liver for disposal.

Since LDL ferries cholesterol to the blood, there is a big risk that increase in cholesterol level might trigger plaque be deposited in the arteries and blood vessels walls. These plaque will eventually blocks blood from flowing to the heart. This is the reason why LDL is commonly referred to as bad cholesterol. The liver produces LDL and the food we eat have nothing to do with the production of LDL. In contrast, HDL brings cholesterol to the liver, in the process be broken down and excreted. Like LDL, the liver produces HDL and does not directly come from food sources.

To make it easier to understand, LDL transports cholesterol from the liver to the blood while HDL ferries cholesterol from the blood to the liver.

How to keep bad cholesterol (LDL) at a safe level:

* Watch your total fat intake. Stay away from eating visible fat, like visible fat found at the end of the barbeque.
* Design and apply new cooking techniques. As an alternative for frying, why not try steaming or grilling your food.
* Since cholesterol is only found in animal product, prefer vegetables over meat.
* Limit your intake of chips cookies, donuts, muffins, and croissants.
* Eat lots of fiber. * Watch your weight by ridding off unnecessary weight.

How to increase good cholesterol (HDL):

* Stay physically active.
* Quit smoking.
* Use cooking oils higher in monounsaturated fats such as canola oil or olive oil.
* Substitute your protein source with soy-based foods.
* Choose lean meats.
* Keep a healthy weight.

The Bible’s Seven Wonder Foods

Are there wonder foods mentioned in the Bible? The answer is Yes! In Deuteronomy 8:8, God promised the Israelites as they reached the Promise Land that it was “a land of wheat and barley, and vines, and figs trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive trees and honey.”

At that time, the word “antioxidant” might have been a strange word for them, but they were about to add into their diet a list of biblical “super-foods.” Read on to know more details about these wonder foods.

Wheat

photo link

Considered the World’s most important grain, wheat offers tremendous health benefits. Wheat is a major ingredient in making bread, cakes, crackers, pasta and muffins. This grain is rich in vitamins A, B, E, K, D, manganese, magnesium, calcium, potassium, zinc, cobalt, sodium, among others. Adding whole-wheat products to your diet ensures a diet rich in proteins. Regular consumption of 100% whole-wheat food items offer 30% of the body’s daily fiber need. Also, these products have high amount of magnesium and manganese.

Below are some more health benefits from eating wheat-based food:

* Whole-wheat has fat essential acids helpful in lowering cholesterol level and blood coagulation, which decreases the risk of heart-related diseases.
* A whole-wheat rich diet regulates the body’s blood glucose, which decreases the risk of type-2 diabetes.
* Consuming whole-wheat products prevents visceral obesity.
* High in fiber contents, whole-wheat consumption decreases the risk of cancer.

Barley

photo link

Barley is another type of healthy whole grain, found in cereals and bakery items such as breads, pastry and cakes. Since ancient times, barley is used for medical purposes. Barley is rich in vitamins, proteins, amino acids minerals as well as fiber that is vital to our health.

Below are some health benefits of barley:

* A regular diet of barley aids in lowering cholesterol level, thus reducing the risk of type-2 diabetes and colon cancer.
* Regular consumption of barley prevents rheumatoid arthritis and obesity.
* Barley also helps in weight loss thus prevents obesity.
* Regular intake of barley, reduces high blood pressure and other heart diseases.
* Barley alleviate asthma, fever, stomach pains and ulcers.

Grapes

photo link

Aside from the healthy red wine and grape juice, grapes have other health benefits. High in falconoid and antioxidants, grapes reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and blood clots. Grapes are rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and other essential minerals as well as vitamins like A, C, B6; nutrient the body needs.

Here are other health benefits of grapes:

* Grapes ease asthma.
* Grape juice alleviate migraine, eases constipation and dyspepsia.
* Grape juice is also a good energy booster and boost immune system.
* Regular consumption of grapes reduces the risk of muscular degeneration and impairment of vision caused by aging.
* Grapes have anticancer properties since grapes contain resveratrol
Red wines have antiviral properties that prevent infections.

Figs

photo link

These sweet but seasonal fruit, is a good source of vitamins including A, B1, and B2, as well as mincemeats like calcium, potassium, sodium, manganese, iron, chlorine and phosphorus, manganese, sodium, potassium and chlorine. Since figs are also rich in dietary fiber, adding figs to your diet aids in weight loss.

Below are other health benefits of figs:

* Figs boosts memory power.
* Figs prevents indigestion, constipation, cough, sore throats, asthma, anemia and diabetes.
* Figs contain Pectin that helps in reducing cholesterol level and prevents hypertension.
* Prevents heart diseases, breast cancer and colon cancer.
* Prevent vision loss and macular degeneration caused by aging.

Pomegranate

photo link

These reddish-pink fruits are also pack with several health benefits. Among the health benefits are:

* Pomegranate is good in treating sun burns, sore throats, colds, cough, skin disorder and urinary infections.
* Pomegranate is rich in antioxidants that stop blood clots and lowers the risk of Alzheimer’s.
* Pomegranate juice lowers cholesterol levels and prevents heart attacks.
* Pomegranate is also good in the treatment of anemia, arthritis and diabetes.
* Studies showed that pomegranates prevent breast cancer.

Olive Oil

photo link

When picking fats, olive oil may come first in the list of good oils. It has monounsaturated fat that lowers LDL levels in the blood helpful in reducing the danger of heart disease. Olive oil is also rich in vitamin E that reduces the risk of colon cancer.

Other health benefits of olive oil includes:

* Relieve gastritis and ulcer.
* Prevents gallstone formation.
* Lowers blood pressure.
* Lower blood sugar level.
* Ease asthma and arthritis pain.
Promote normal body weight.

Honey

photo link

Since a good source of carbohydrates, raw honey provides the body the energy it needs as well as boosting the immune system.

Drinking or adding honey to your diet offers other health benefits such as:

* Honey is a common home remedy for treating sore throats, asthma, arthritis pain and even athlete’s foot.
* Honey also prevents swelling and inflammation from wounds, cuts, or burns
* Honey is a good cleansing tonic that helps maintain a healthy digestive system.
* Studies showed that honey can prevent hair loss.