High Cholesterol

High Cholesterol is considered one of the best “marker” for potential heart disease.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the Western world today, for both men and women.

Though high cholesterol is considered a serious problem, most people don't realize that cholesterol itself is essential for good health. Cholesterol is a substance that your body needs for making vital cellular material, hormones, and nerve sheaths.

There are two forms of cholesterol. One form is called LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) –- this is the “bad” cholesterol.

The other is HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) –- or the “good” cholesterol.

LDL carries cholesterol to your cells, whereas the vital role of HDL is to "clean up" excess high cholesterol levels and take it back to your liver for reprocessing.

Too much LDL can lead to the clogging of your arteries, and eventually result in heart disease. Too little HDL will result in the same problem due to inadequate "housekeeping."

Although knowing if you have high cholesterol is vital to avoid or reverse heart disease, the latest research is showing there is another factor just as important: homocysteine.

Homocysteine is an amino acid that can lead to the buildup of plaque in blood vessels; therefore, having a high level of it can markedly increase heart disease. Indeed, research has shown that individuals who have a problem breaking down homocysteine in their bodies had a significantly higher risk of developing coronary heart disease. This study, and an extensive one conducted by Tulane University, suggests that certain B vitamins, in particular folic acid, vitamin B6 and B12, are extremely important in countering high homocysteine levels.

1. Eliminate or reduce all trans-fats. Trans-fats are man-made, and do not occur naturally in foods. As such, our bodies are not evolutionarily equipped to metabolism them. Read labels: anytime you see partially hydrogenated that means trans-fat. Numerous studies have shown that trans-fats are associated with high cholesterol, arterial damage, and higher risk of heart disease.

2. Eat more monounsaturated fats, which can help lower high cholesterol (it lowers LDL and raises HDL): examples include extra virgin olive oil and flaxseed oil.

3. Reduce consumption of coffee, which can raise homocysteine and create high cholesterol levels.

4. If you smoke, quit.

5. Include more fiber-rich foods in your diet: vegetables and nuts such as almonds.

6. Drink at least eight 8-oz glasses of water daily -– that is, pure water, and not in the form of fruit juices, etc.

7. Incorporate 30 minutes of brisk walking everyday.

Some supplements have been extensively studied and proven to lower high cholesterol. Although one should not use nutritional supplements to replace a healthy diet and lifestyle, they can be a powerful component of an overall heart healthy regimen. Here are the most promising (the ones with the most scientific evidence of efficacy):

1. Policosanol: an extract from sugar cane, proven in numerous clinical trials to lower LDL (by up to 20%) and raise HDL (by up to 10%)

2. Guggulipid: an ancient herb used traditionally in India’s Ayurveda medicine for thousands of years to treat high cholesterol. Its effectiveness is now being recognized by Western medicine.

3. B Vitamin Complex, especially, as mentioned above: B6, B12, and Folic Acid to counter elevated homocysteine.

4. Vitamin C and E, powerful antioxidants that act to neutralize free radical damage.

5. Coenzyme Q10: a crucial nutrient that is found in high concentrations in the heart muscle, and is often depleted in those with cardiovascular disease.

After extensively surveying the market for products that contain all of the crucial aforementioned nutrients, we finally settled on a product produced from Xtend-Life Natural Products.

First, as long time consumers and researchers of Nutritional Supplements ourselves, we know that a product has to be produced at a pharmaceutical GMP compliant facility and its ingredients verified with a certificate of analysis to confirm its potency. toxic contaminants. Xtend-Life is one of the few companies that meets these requirements.

Xtend-Life's product contain every nutrient listed above. Their blockbuster Cholesterol Formula contains Policosanol, Guggulipid, Coenzyme Q10, and vitamins B6, B12, and Folic Acid to lower homocysteine, along with many other important heart healthy nutrients that have been indicated to help with high cholesterol.

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