Tips ON MANAGING YOUR CHOLESTEROL

by Lynell Cavner, Owner & Master Certified Bowen Practitioner, Lynell & Company

Did you know that if you are 10 pounds overweight, your body produces an extra 100mg of cholesterol every day?

Cholesterol is a waxy, odorless substance made by the liver. It is used to build cell walls, helps the nervous system and plays an important role in digestion and hormone production.

LDL (“bad” portion) is low density lipoprotein and is the carrier of cholesterol through the bloodstream for cell-building, but it can be sloppy by leaving behind excess baggage of fatty deposits on the artery walls. (Think about carrying an oversized load of laundry in your arms and dropping a few items along the way to the washing machine.)

When too much is dropped along the way, disrupting a clear path, then things like dizziness, heart palpitations, leg cramps, dry skin/hair, cold hands/feet and/or difficulty breathing can occur.

HDL (“good” portion) is high density lipoprotein and is the “path clearer.” It helps prevent narrowing of the artery walls by transporting the excess LDL that was dropped along the way. It takes this to the liver to be excreted as bile.

Triglycerides are waxy fats carried in the blood from the food we eat that gives us energy. Most of the fats we eat are in triglyceride form. Extra calories, alcohol and sugar in the body turn into triglycerides and are stored in fat cells.

Here are some tips to assist in keeping your circulatory system clean:

1. Reduce your body weight.

2. Exercise is a high cholesterol preventative (even if you cut your fat, you must exercise to lower your LDL).

3. Eliminate tobacco of all kinds; nicotine raises these levels.

4. Practice stress reduction techniques. If you are emotionally repressive you may have higher cholesterol levels.

5. Eat small colorful meals; even add an egg a day. Eggs are a whole food with phosphatides to balance the cholesterol.

6. Grapefruit helps trap and eliminate excess cholesterol consumed through other foods.

7. Pineapple’s bromelain content aids in digestion of proteins and fats and helps prevent excess to linger in the blood.

The biggest contributor to high cholesterol is saturated fat and over-eating. Be wise, reduce the amount of food you ingest.

Reduce sugar and bad fats; add a little extra natural fiber to your diet. And...keep your body moving.