Cholesterol

by: Ric Wiley

Cholesterol, what is it? Cholesterol is a fat; well really a lipid but they are like fats. They are carried round our bloodstream and tend to be in two types, High density and low density. These are known as lipoproteins and are classed as HDL’s and LDL’s. Both these are part of your cholesterol.

Cholesterol which consists of HDL’s, try to break up fat in the bloodstream and move this to the liver to be dealt with, whereas LDL’s are the ones responsibly for clogging up your arteries and this leads to complicated health issues. For this reason it is important to ensure that you have a low level of the bad Cholesterol in your bloodstream. Whilst our bodies naturally produce Cholesterol one of the major factors in the levels of Cholesterol in our bodies is due to our diet. In other words a lot of the issues with Cholesterol are due to what you eat.

I am not planning on getting into an in-depth discussion on the range of values of Cholesterol which is best for your body, as this can vary between people. A younger person who has an acceptable level of Cholesterol but has family members who have had heart attacks when young may be classed as more at risk than a much older person who has a higher Cholesterol level depending on their fitness level and family history. There is no set rule when it comes to Cholesterol levels and advice should always be sought from your physician if you are worried about your Cholesterol levels.

What can you do about it?

One thing you have to remember is that a normal healthy body will produce all the Cholesterol that it needs without you adding to it through diet. Cholesterol is added to the body in many foods but the one major area to look at is fat intake. Unfortunately fat is in most products. There isn’t very much fat in the donut you eat, but think about what it’s been cooked in. all that fat has been absorbed during the cooking process and this can contribute to your Cholesterol level being raised. There are 3 types of fats and these are, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat, but what are they and how can they affect your Cholesterol levels.

Saturated fats are those which are usually animal based and tend to become solid at room temperature. Butter and lard are the classic examples but cream in milk is also a saturated fat. Yes I know it's not a solid but it is still a saturated fat and helps to raise Cholesterol levels. Another one is palm oil and this is widely used in pastries and cakes so watch out.

Monounsaturated fats are found in certain raw products the best known being olive oil. This is high in monounsaturated fat and has a high density of lipoproteins. Tests have indicated that people who regularly consume this type of fat tend to have lower Cholesterol levels than people who consume a lot of saturated fat. Indeed the Mediterranean countries, in particular Italy, consume a great deal of olive oil and their Cholesterols levels tend to be at lower levels than the US.

The remaining fats are polyunsaturated fats and these tend to be produced from vegetables, nuts and seeds. These have been combined with dairy products to produce products such as margarine and this was thought to be much healthier than products containing saturated fats when considering health issues surrounding Cholesterol. However, recent research has shown that the manufacturing process can cause the fats to become saturated and so they may not be as healthy as first though.

Your Target

So what is your target if you are concerned about your Cholesterol level? A regular checkup with your physician is one thing but you need to help them to help you. Watch what you eat. Always read the label first before you buy your food. Look for products containing fats other than saturated fat, or fats with HDL’s as these help to lower Cholesterol levels. You can also help your Cholesterol level by lowering your fat intake, the less you take in the less your body has to deal with which has to be a good thing. Obesity is also a problem and exercise also helps to lower Cholesterol. This also helps with weight problems in any case and has to be a good thing, but don’t overdo it at first, take it gently. Coffee drinking and a high intake of sugars are also not very good for lowering Cholesterol. Sorry, but it looks like most of the things we all enjoy, including me, are not very good for our Cholesterol levels.

About The Author Ric Wiley is an internet author and researcher. Check out his latest site at http://www.first-for-health.com.

Vitamin B2 & Migraine Headaches

by: Thomas Recker

It is estimated that up to 26 million Americans suffer from Migraine headaches and it is considered one of the top reasons for missed work and loss of production. A debilitating Migraine headache can last from 4 to 72 hours and can be accompanied by intense pain, extreme sensitivity to light and sound, vertigo, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. After affects of a migraine can leave the sufferer drained and without energy accompanied by a low grade headache with oversensitivity to light and sound and can last for another 24 hours.

Most Migraine headaches sufferers cannot identify what triggers the headaches and a long and varied list exists that differs with each individual. The same factors do not necessarily trigger a Migraine on a consistent basis either. Statistically, women are more prone to Migraines than men with claims that the decline in estrogen during menstruation is the trigger and the onset can begin immediately to a few days delay.

Considered a vascular headache, Migraines start with the enlargement of the temporal artery which is located between the skin and skull at the temple. This enlargement stretches the nerves that coil around the temporal artery causing these nerves to release chemicals into the system. A snowball effect takes places since these chemicals cause inflammation and pain which further enlarge the temporal artery and stretching the nerves further. A Migraine will often activate the sympathetic nervous system which is reported to react to stress and pain. This increased activity affects the intestines causing vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea and contributes to the sensitivity to light and sound.

Due to the inconsistency of triggering factors and the headaches themselves Migraines have been difficult to treat. Many prescription drugs are available including the controversial and highly expensive use of Botox that is claimed to interrupt the pain pathways but these medications offer treatment and not prevention.

With prevention being the goal it appears that Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) may prevent Migraines in almost 40% of sufferers. In clinical studies patients taking 400mg of Vitamin B2 daily displayed a 37% decrease in Migraine headaches and a drop in the number of days the headache affected them. The effects of the increased Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) ingestion begin in as little as 30 days and appear to work best after 3 months and benefited those who suffer from moderate Migraines 3 to 4 times a month.

Vitamin B2 is required for proper cell mitochondria function and when a deficiency occurs it is suggested that this may trigger Migraines in many individuals. This low cost alternative may not work for every Migraine sufferer but to knock out 30% to 40% is a big plus.

Other inroads into preventing this complex interaction of genetic, environmental, and neurological variables include stress release since anger or frustration is being narrowed down as one of the key triggers, again with a delayed action of one to two days. Wheat, sugar, and some grains are also being held responsible for Migraines but more often this appears to affect individuals with specific blood types other than sufferers in general. But, diet is quite possibly playing a major role with many avenues that need to be explored. Another effective therapy may be administering bright light in 30 minute doses every other day, much like treating seasonal disorders, where a clinical reduction in Migraine headaches was reported. This treatment may sound surprising since Migraines sufferers usually avoid light during the onset of a headache. The bright light is claimed to possibly elevate concentrations of several neurotransmitters, including serotonin, in the brain.

With Migraine headaches costing $18 Billion in drugs, emergency room and doctor visits, time off work and loss of productivity, not to mention the loss of quality lifestyle a cure or prevention may only be a Vitamin B2 supplement away.

About The Author Thomas Recker is a contributing editor for www.iwantvitamins.comhttp://www.iwantvitamins.com.

Smoking Bans And Heart Attacks

by: Mike Cliff

LAST YEAR RICHARD John Singer Sargent and Robert Alan Shepard, two physicians World Health Organization had campaigned for a smoke prohibition in Capital of Montana, Montana, announced that their efforts had paid off more dramatically than anyone could have imagined: The ordinance had led to an astonishing 60 percentage drop curtain in spirit attacks in the six months after it took effect. By the time their study, co-authored by anti- activist Stanton Glantz, was published in the April 5, 2004, issue of the British Medical Journal, the drop cloth they attributed to the proscription had become 40 per centum--not quite as impressive but distillery remarkable. And hush preposterous, even if you accept the anti- movement's claims approximately used fastball and mettle disease.

According to the American Heart Association, heater is responsible for(p) for close to pct of nerve disease deaths. Even a Bachelor of Arts in Nursing that completely eliminated photograph to hummer (which 's didn't, since it did not apply to private residences) could not achieve anything like the effect described by , Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr., and Glantz, WHO in any case made no attempt to measure photo. Hedging their bets, et al. noted that a BAN not only reduces pic to bullet but besides encourages smokers to give up or cut back.

But even if 's ordinance caused every smoker in town to fall by the wayside (which it assuredly didn't), it stillness could not be creditworthy for a 40 dip in spunk attacks. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accounts for just about 20 of pump disease deaths.

An immediate 40 fall in ticker attacks across the whole population too implies a much quicker and larger risk reduction than is seen in studies of people drop by the wayside .

In response to educators' need for better ways to deal with teens World Health Organization smoke, the American English Lung Connection developed a new gender-sensitive, schoolhouse-based adolescent smoke surcease programme called Not On Baccy (N-O-T). N-O-T is intentional to provide an effective, easy-to-manipulation, and usable method for helping adolescents drop out . The plan is especially configured for 14 to 19-class-old youthfulness WHO ar regular smokers likely to be addicted to nicotine; volunteer to enter (whenever potential); and wish to give up exploitation a grouping platform.

About The Author Mike Cliff http://www.informationkiosk.net