Maintaining Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that’s found in the fats (lipids) in your blood. While your body needs cholesterol to continue building healthy cells, having high cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease.

You may have heard of different types of cholesterol, based on what type of cholesterol the lipoprotein carries. They are:

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol transports cholesterol particles throughout your body. LDL cholesterol builds up in the walls of your arteries, making them hard and narrow.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL).
HDL, or “good,” cholesterol picks up excess cholesterol and takes it back to your liver.

Triglycerides
Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in the body; they store excess energy from your diet. A high triglyceride level combined with low HDL cholesterol or high LDL cholesterol is linked with fatty buildups in artery walls. This increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

High cholesterol has no obvious symptoms but it can increase your risk for conditions that do have symptoms, including heart disease, stroke and other ailments. High cholesterol is sometimes called a ‘silent killer’ as some don’t know they even have a cholesterol problem until they develop other health problems or have a heart attack.

A blood test is the only way to detect high cholesterol. Ask your doctor if you should have a cholesterol test.

When you have high cholesterol, you may develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels. Eventually, these deposits make it difficult for enough blood to flow through your arteries. Your heart may not get as much oxygen-rich blood as it needs, which increases the risk of a heart attack. Decreased blood flow to your brain can cause a stroke.

High cholesterol can be inherited, but it’s often the result of unhealthy lifestyle choices, and thus preventable and treatable. Factors within your control — such as inactivity, obesity and an unhealthy diet — contribute to cholesterol levels. Factors beyond your control may play a role, too. For example, your genetic makeup may keep cells from removing LDL cholesterol from your blood efficiently or cause your liver to produce too much cholesterol.

A healthy diet, regular exercise and sometimes medication can go a long way toward reducing high cholesterol. Please ensure that you discuss all lifestyle changes and holistic and treatment options with your doctor.

Statins are prescription drugs that block a substance your liver needs to make cholesterol. This causes your liver to remove cholesterol from your blood. Statins may also help your body reabsorb cholesterol from built-up deposits on your artery walls, potentially reversing coronary artery disease.

Although statins are well-tolerated by most people, they do have side effects, some of which may go away as your body adjusts to the medication.

Common side effects include:
Muscle and joint aches (most common)
Headache
Nausea

Rare but potentially serious side effects
Muscle problems
Liver damage
Increased blood sugar or type 2 diabetes
Cognitive problems

As the number of people being prescribed statins continues to rise, so too does the demand for natural alternatives.

All in One – the Statin Alternative- provides a real and effective way to maintain healthy cholesterol levels naturally, with no side effects. Used and endorsed by leading US heart specialists, All In One is a unique, patented combination of 3 all-natural products, Red Yeast Rice, plant sterols and Co Q10.

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