Blame it on the numbers: Controlling your cholesterol

There you are, slumping guiltily in your seat as the peppy waitress brings you a double cheese burger, dripping with all the right condiments, onion rings (with ranch dressing no less) and a big slice of Boston cream pie. Your palms sweat and your head swims. Are you worried about beach season? Confessing your gluttony to your spouse? No. What you’re really worried about is your doctor’s appointment next week. How can you explain your erratic, irresponsible behavior to her? She’ll only shake her head and hand over your cholesterol test results. And they won’t be pretty. Can you really have your pie and eat it too? Well, sort of.

Good health can be a gift you give yourself everyday. Even with a health condition like high cholesterol, there are many proactive things you can do to help mitigate undesirable levels, though eating pie isn’t usually one of them. Admittedly it can be very challenging to keep committed to healthy lifestyle choices but the results are oftentimes their own reward. And once you’ve changed old bad habits and seen those test numbers go down, there’s still a little room for pie-but only once in a while.

Omega-Gel®

Get the benefits of fish oil with our powerful omega supplement with Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E.
Learn More

• $18.95

  Add to Cart

Level with me: The skinny on cholesterol management
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance made in the liver and is abundant in certain foods such as dairy products (like whole milk), eggs and meat. Our bodies need only a little cholesterol to function properly, so if there is a build-up of cholesterol in the body, it can precipitate health risks including heart disease. Plaque can form in the body’s arteries, which may eventually lead to heart problems or other concerns. There are two main types of cholesterol, Low density lipoproteins (LDL) or “bad cholesterol” and High density lipoproteins (HDL) also called “good cholesterol.” LDL can be responsible for the buildup of plaque on the walls of arteries and therefore it is desirable to keep the LDL number low. Conversely, HDL helps the body rid itself of bad cholesterol in the blood. Thus higher HDL levels are very beneficial and there is cause for concern if HDL levels are too low. The lower the number, the greater the risk of heart disease and other health complications.

Blame Aunt Mabel: The hereditary factor and other risks
That’s right. Unfortunately, the tendency for higher cholesterol levels can run in families, and that part of the health equation is out of our control. But that is only one of the risk factors associated with high cholesterol. Some other risk factors can include poor diet and being overweight, lack of exercise, age and gender, having certain diseases like diabetes, and taking some medications that can cause a rise in cholesterol levels.

Consuming foods high in saturated fats can send LDL levels higher. A heart healthy diet rich in omega 3’s and antioxidants can actually help lower LDL levels and contribute to higher HDL levels. Losing weight and exercising can really boost the important HDL levels as well as enhance overall health. As a general rule, women tend to have lower cholesterol than men, but after menopause LDL levels seem to rise in women. One excellent way to maintain normal cholesterol levels and help lower high cholesterol naturally is to take supplements with cholesterol lowering properties.

Omega Gel® has many antioxidant benefits and and may help raise “good” HDL levels. Supplementing Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet may lower triglyceride levels and support cardiovascular and circulatory health.

Taking supplements like Omega Gel®, along with eating a well balanced low fat diet and exercising regularly can make a big difference in those cholesterol numbers. So put down that piece of pie, stop blaming your aunt and start enjoying a healthier life today.

Statin Drugs Patients: It’s also important to note that anyone taking statin drugs to lower their cholesterol should talk to their health care practitioner about the potential benefits of taking a CoQ10 supplement such as our Super QNol® Ubiquinol CoQ10 and our Q-Gel® CoQ10. Statin drugs have been found to suppress the body’s natural production of CoQ10. And in some studies low CoQ10 levels in patients on statins have been correlated with the side effects of muscle and joint aches and even serious muscle damage (rhabdomyolysis). ¹