High Cholesterol + Original Articles

How good will the care you receive be if you're sick or injured? The answer may depend partly on where you live. Find out how your state stacks up. If you tripped and fell and needed to go to the emergency room to have your leg examined, how quickly would you be seen by a doctor? When was the last time you had your cholesterol levels checked? Do you and your neighbors have health insurance? The data for these questions and more helped to reveal how good healthcare is in various locations in this country.

Learn to manage your cholesterol where you spend the most time. Once you’ve come to terms with the fact that you’re among the 17 percent of Americans over the age 20 whose total cholesterol has been clocked at or above 240 milligrams per deciliter, you need to make a plan as to how you’re going to reverse this number and put a stop to the heart disease that is now encroaching upon your arteries with clogging plaque.

The human genome was successfully mapped in April 2003, a relatively short time ago. In the wake of the map’s completion, we have learned much about the link between genes and disease, but research is still in a nascent stage—our genome is composed of 3 billion base pairs and 30,000 genes, after all. For years, scientists suspected that heart disease had a genetic component, making observations like people with a parent who developed coronary artery disease before the age of 55 faced a much greater risk of becoming afflicted with it themselves. Now the evidence written in our genes is coming to light on an almost daily basis.

When your total cholesterol level climbs above 240, it’s time to take action to decrease your risk for a stroke or a heart attack. Quitting smoking, engaging in aerobic exercise at least three times a week, and eating a diet high in fiber and rich in fruits and vegetables will all contribute to the maintenance of a healthy balance of good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL); if the former is 60 or above, it actually prevents heart disease, while a level below 100 for the latter is desirable for people who have a higher likelihood for developing heart disease.

Not all fats are created equal. Choose those that are best for your heart. Fat has gotten a pretty bad rap, and in all fairness, much of it is well deserved.  Consuming too much saturated fat can up your LDL (or bad cholesterol) level, while trans fat, once considered to be a healthy alternative to animal fat, not only raises your LDL level, it also lowers your HDL, or good, cholesterol level.

Long known to help your digestive system, fiber is good for your heart health, too. Find out why, and how you can incorporate more of it in your diet. As the saying goes, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." And for those who have high cholesterol or high blood pressure,  this may very well be true. Apples are good sources of fiber, and experts believe that the more fiber you eat, the less likely you are to develop heart disease, which can lead to a heart attack.

Spice up your diet with these foods that you might not have known are good for your heart. By now, you probably know that salmon and blueberries are good for your heart. In fact, you're probably sick of hearing that salmon and blueberries are good for you. Fortunately, you can keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels low and still enjoy a more varied diet.

When your total cholesterol level climbs above 240, it’s time to take action to decrease your risk for a stroke or a heart attack. Quitting smoking, engaging in aerobic exercise at least three times a week, and eating a diet high in fiber and rich in fruits and vegetables will all contribute to the maintenance of a healthy balance of good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL); if the former is 60 or above, it actually prevents heart disease, while a level below 100 for the latter is desirable for people who have a higher likelihood for developing heart disease.

Spice up your diet with these foods that you might not have known are good for your heart. By now, you probably know that salmon and blueberries are good for your heart. In fact, you're probably sick of hearing that salmon and blueberries are good for you. Fortunately, you can keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels low and still enjoy a more varied diet.

Read on to find out how stress can be a burden on your body. In the movies, traumatic news is enough to trigger a heart attack. On TV shows, a dramatic mother tells her rebellious teen son that he's going to give her a heart attack. As it turns out, these situations may not be too far from the truth. Research shows a direct link between stress and an unhealthy heart.

Poor diet and lack of exercise aren't the only factors that can damage your heart. Your stress levels also play a huge role. In the movies, traumatic news is enough to trigger a heart attack. On TV shows, a dramatic mother tells her rebellious teen son that he's going to give her a heart attack. As it turns out, these situations may not be too far from the truth. Research shows a direct link between stress and an unhealthy heart.

This decadent dessert does more than just please your taste buds—it could benefit your health as well. It may be hard to believe that something as delicious as chocolate could actually be good for you? But it's true. According to a growing body of research, America's favorite sweet treat comes with a host of surprising health benefits-from regulating your blood pressure to reducing your risk of dementia.

Early steps in childhood to keep cholesterol low can help reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke later in life. High cholesterol is often thought of as an adult's health concern. However, research shows that parents may need to start thinking about the cholesterol levels of their children. In fact, it's now believed that coronary artery disease, which is caused by a buildup of cholesterol and plaque in the arteries and leads to heart disease and stroke, begins in childhood.

Learn what you can do to protect yourself from this debilitating health threat. According to the American Heart Association, stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States. And although many people survive these medical emergencies, the disease can have a devastating impact, not only on the survivor, but on everyone who cares about him or her.

These nine foods simply aren't fair to your diet. A day at the fair conjures up ideas of friends, family, fun...and very possibly, fried foods. Although the fair has much to offer in the way of rides and activities, the truth is, many people come mostly for the food. Some stands may offer healthy choices, but they're often overshadowed by the seemingly endless supply of funnel cakes and corn dogs.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, killing more than 2,500 Americans each day. Here, a look at heart health by the numbers. Heart disease, known as a silent killer, claims the lives of millions of Americans each year. An umbrella term for multiple conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels, heart disease includes coronary artery disease, pulmonary heart disease, and hypertension.

Along with a healthy diet and exercise regimen, certain medications can help get cholesterol levels in a normal range. It seems as though medications for lowering cholesterol are constantly being developed, tested, and enhanced. As a result, it can be difficult to keep them all straight, especially as new research comes out to show that drugs once thought effective don't actually work the way doctors had hoped.

Do you know the facts about cholesterol? Test your knowledge now. High cholesterol affects an estimated 100 million Americans, or roughly one-third of the U.S. population, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). But despite its prevalence, most people are so unaware of the condition's risks that they don't even know their own cholesterol levels.

High cholesterol puts you at a higher risk for serious health conditions, including heart attack and stroke. Here, a look at cholesterol by the numbers. Cholesterol is found in every cell of the body. This fat-like substance is an important component of cell membranes and a building block in the formation of certain hormones. Too much cholesterol in the blood, though, can cause fatty deposits to develop in blood vessels, making it difficult for blood to flow through the arteries.

Heart disease is the nation's number one killer. Learn what you can do to prevent a heart attack. This year, 1.2 million Americans are expected to have a heart attack. Of those, about 452,000 will die, making coronary heart disease the nation's single leading cause of death, according to the American Heart Association. Heart disease can affect anyone, but certain factors put you at greater risk.

You might be tempted to try home cholesterol tests purchased from a pharmacy or online. But are they safe and accurate? When the heart's blood vessels become clogged with cholesterol, it sets the stage for a heart attack, and this year, nearly half a million Americans will die from heart disease, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). What's more, due in part to rising obesity rates and the popularity of fast food, heart-attack victims are getting younger and younger.

These delicious superfoods can help to lower your levels. If you have high cholesterol, that doesn't mean you have to resign yourself to a bland diet. In fact, a tasty salmon entree, a handful of sweet berries, or even a glass of red wine can all help to lower your levels and improve your heart health. The next time you go grocery shopping, look for these cholesterol-lowering treats recommended by the American Heart Association.

Do you know your LDL, HDL, and triglyceride numbers? Learn how to decipher these terms and reduce your disease risk. At this point, it's no secret that high cholesterol levels can lead to heart disease or stroke. But according to the American Heart Association, only about 13 percent of Americans know their cholesterol numbers or what they mean. In addition to keeping your levels in check by making healthy lifestyle choices, follow these guidelines to learn what your cholesterol levels are and what they mean.

Following these simple tips can help you lower your cholesterol levels and your health risks. Everyone needs a basic amount of cholesterola waxy, fat-like substance found in all cells of the body to function. But if your cholesterol is at an unhealthy level, it could mean you have an increased risk of developing heart disease. What can you do to keep your cholesterol at or reduce it to healthy levels? Try these nine tips: Eat a hearty bowl of oatmeal for breakfast.

These simple tests can help detect common health conditions before they escalate. In today's busy world, medical exams often take a backseat to work, family, and other commitments. In fact, 28 percent of women don't go for their annual Pap tests, and only 32 percent know their cholesterol numbers. Could this behavior be compromising your health? Here's a list of five exams you can't afford to put off another day.

These numbers could potentially save your life. Your phone number, credit-card pin, social-security digits—these are all crucial numbers to remember. And according to health experts, you should also commit another set of numbers to memory. Why? These numbers could potentially save your life: Total cholesterol LDL bad cholesterol HDL good cholesterol Total cholesterol is, of course, the total of your low-density (LDL) cholesterol, high density (HDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides.

Follow these simple strategies to get your cholesterol levels where you want them to be. You're working hard to eat right so you can lower your cholesterol levels. You're reading nutrition labels, buying fewer pre-packaged foods, and testing yourself often. But you're still struggling to keep your cholesterol down. What are you doing wrong? The answer may surprise you.

A new study reveals that women are far more likely to remember their high-school weights than their cholesterol levels. Adult women are more than twice as likely to know how much they weighed in high school than they are to know their current cholesterol number, and only half have had their cholesterol tested in the past year, according to results of a nationwide survey released today.

While experts continue to debate the safety of Avandia, they urge type 2 diabetes patients to talk with their doctors. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration this week issued a safety warning for the diabetes drug Avandia after a new study indicated a potentially significant increase in the risk of heart attack and heart-related deaths linked to taking the medicine. ...