Most may not be aware of the fact that the human body requires cholesterol for normal functioning. Though normal levels of cholesterol are essential for proper functioning, any fluctuations in these levels can lead to disorders like hyperlipidemia and hypolipidemia.

Cholesterol, a soft, fat-like substance helps in building new cells and secreting hormones. While 80% of the cholesterol is produced by the liver, 20% is obtained from the food you eat. The cholesterol sticks to a protein called the lipoprotein and along with it travels through the bloodstream. Among these lipoproteins, HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) is good for the body, and the other four namely LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein), VLDL (Very Low-Density Lipoprotein), and Triglycerides are bad for your body.

Complications
While high blood cholesterol can lead to complications such as heart attack or stroke, low blood cholesterol would indicate the presence of an underlying condition and in either case, proper treatment and management are essential.

Managing high cholesterol

Diet and exercise: The first line of treatment begins with an active lifestyle and a healthy diet. Choosing healthier fats, avoiding trans fats, limiting dietary cholesterol, including whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, and limiting alcohol consumption along with adequate exercise should reduce the levels without medication.
Medication: If the cholesterol levels do not reduce despite m lifestyle changes, the physician will prescribe a combination of medications, considering several factors such as the individual s age, present health condition, and the side effects of the medication. The common drugs used to reduce high cholesterol are statins, bile-acid-binding resins, cholesterol absorption inhibitors, and injectable medications.
Managing low cholesterol: In the case of being diagnosed with low cholesterol, the treatment focus would be handling the underlying condition. 
Irrespective of the type of cholesterol disorder, it is essential to follow the doctor s advice in both cases to avoid the risk associated and lead a healthy life.

Dealing with Cholesterol Disorders

Cholesterol is either ingested in the food (about 25% ) we eat and some of it is produced by our body (remaining 75%). Cholesterol is needed by the body to produce steroid hormones and bile acids. It is an aspect that is required by the body and if in too much quantity, the same can cause havoc in the body. The best is to maintain the right balance of cholesterol in our diet. The same requires lifestyle and dietary modifications.

The first step in creating your low cholesterol diet plan is to eliminate foods high in saturated fat and bad cholesterol.

Low cholesterol foods diet mainly includes:

1. High-Fiber Diet- Soluble fiber reduces bad cholesterol. Good food sources are oatmeal, fruits and vegetables.

2. Cooking oil- Fats makes about 30 % of your days intake. A combination of oils works the best. Foods rich in saturated fats are butter, ghee, cream, and cheese. These need to be taken in moderation or avoided. Avoid fried foods. Not more than 10% of total calories should be from Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA) and the remaining should be from Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFA). The best sources of PUFA are plant based oils, sunflower, corn, soybean, cottonseed and safflower. MUFA are found in the largest amounts in olive, canola, mustard, almond and peanut oils.

3. Avoid Trans fats- Read labels carefully and do not reuse oil used for frying.

4. Go lean- Choose lean meat and fish. Fish is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Foods high in omega 3 help you lower down the risk of cardiovascular disease. Tuna and salmon are a good source of omega-3 to name a few.

5. Eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables- This will help ensure that your body meets all the vitamins and nutrient requirement. Fruits and vegetables are relatively low in calories. Apples and pears are known for soluble fiber, which reduces bad cholesterol levels. It is best that you eat good quantities of the same.

6. Include low-fat dairy products- avoid ghee, cheese, cream, paneer and butter. Opt for lighter and healthier options.

7. Exercise well - Exercise at least 30 mins per day. Workout will help you burn extra fat resulting in lowering cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol - How To Manage It?

5 natural ways to control your blood pressure

Blood pressure rises with each heartbeat and falls as your heart relaxes. The normal blood pressure should be less than 120/80 mm hg. An increase or decrease on either end can cause various problems.

Here are some of the natural ways to control your blood pressure.

1. Having a diet low in sodium

In the event of a high blood pressure, curtail the consumption of foods that are rich in sodium. However, research reveals that sometimes it is not just enough to cut down on sodium in your diet. A person suffering from high bp should consume foods rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium and potassium as well to keep his/her bp in check.

2. Drink plenty of water and curtail the consumption of alcohol

In case a person suffers from low blood pressure, it is advisable to drink plenty of water as low blood pressure is usually accompanied by bouts of dehydration, and consumption of water can help increase your blood pressure. Also, health drinks, which are rich in electrolytes, help your raise blood pressure. But one should avoid drinks that are high in sugar, and abating your alcohol consumption also helps to quite an extent.

3. Burn extra calories and exercise regularly

Blood pressure usually increases with weight. Being overweight can lead to sleep apnea, which is marked by disruptive breathing while you sleep, which in turn condition can lead to increased blood pressure. Studies have found that weight loss is one of the most effective ways to control high bp. Regular physical activity is also advised to maintain a stable blood pressure.

4. Avoid long, hot showers

The hot water in showers and spas can expand your blood vessels, which can often lead to a drop in blood pressure. A common sign of this would be dizziness and fainting while taking a bath. Therefore, for people suffering from this condition, using warm water rather than hot water is advisable.

5. Completely avoid stress

One of the contributing factors of high blood pressure is chronic stress. Stress tends to affect blood pressure in indirect ways. Many react to stress by overeating, consumption of alcohol and smoking, all of which can increase your blood pressure. Try to know what triggers your stress and take steps to avoid it.


If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: Got High Blood Pressure? Eat These 5 Foods!



5 Tricks that Control Your Blood Pressure, Naturally

For a long time cholesterol in totality was seen as a bad thing for your body although the truth was a little more complicated than that. Cholesterol primarily is divided into two types, one of which can be categorized as bad cholesterol and the other as good cholesterol. Let's have an in-depth look at both the categories.

LDL or Low Density Lipoprotein aka bad cholesterol: Cholesterol is a wax like chemical, which is found all over the body and it has important functions to perform. Cholesterol is carried all over the body by Lipoproteins. The low density lipoproteins are denoted as bad cholesterol as they can accumulate on the walls of the blood vessels and cause blockages resulting in many ailments. LDL levels of 190 and above are considered dangerous. 

Some of the risks associated with it are:
1. Heart disease
2. Stroke
3. Atherosclerosis
4. peripheral artery disease among many others

HDL or High Density Lipoprotein aka good cholesterol: This is a form of cholesterol which is usually desired in higher quantities as it removes LDL from the system by dislodging it from the arteries and then carrying it through the blood stream into the liver. The liver then breaks it down and removes it from the body. Thus, higher number of HDL cholesterol is always desirable. 

Some of the ideal numbers for HDL cholesterol within the body are:

Women - Ideal: 60 mg/dl, dangerous: 50 mg/dl or lower
Men - Ideal: 60 mg/dl, dangerous: 50 mg/dl lower

The role of triglycerides
Good and bad cholesterol levels also depend on the levels of triglycerides within the body and not just LDL or HDL cholesterol. Triglycerides are another type of fat which are used to store energy within the body but can also affect your health. It is most associated with atherosclerosis when the levels of triglycerides are high within the body. 

Some habits that contribute to high levels of it are:
a. Lack of physical activity
b. Obesity or being overweight
c. Excesses in alcohol consumption
d. Smoking
e. Bad diet and others

Thus the good cholesterol versus bad cholesterol war also includes other factors, most of which can be easily changed by making subtle changes in lifestyle and incorporating healthier habits. This will increase the good cholesterol and the other relevant elements and reduce the bad.

Good Cholesterol Vs Bad Cholesterol and Factor involved in It

Dandruff is not a major health concern but it can affect your self-confidence and self-image. This condition is most often the result of a dry scalp or type of dermatitis. It could also be caused by a yeast infection or eczema. Common forms of treatment for dandruff include medicated shampoos that fight the fungus or slow down the ageing of skin cells on the scalp. Some ways of treating excessive dandruff are:

Neem- Neem is renowned for its anti-fungal properties that help in the treatment of dandruff. It is also well known for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Neem can be used on its own by applying a paste of boiled neem leaves on your scalp or used as a hair mask made of dried and crushed neem leaves and olive oil. Your scalp may itch a little on the application of this paste but this is temporary.

Coconut and Honey Scrub- Coconut helps preserve proteins in the hair and lessens dandruff. Honey is also used to treat dandruff as it has well known anti-microbial properties. To benefit from this, apply and massage a mixture of 2 teaspoons of honey or coconut oil and 3 teaspoons of yogurt to your scalp for about 10 minutes before washing your hair. Wait for about half an hour before rinsing it out. Dry with a towel and massage a few drops of coconut oil into the scalp. However, do not rinse your hair more than twice with shampoo while washing off the paste as it can strip your hair of its moisture.

Banana and Apple Cider Vinegar- Bananas are a good source of vitamin B that helps improve circulation and keeps skin healthy. Apple cider is also a known fungicide that helps treat dandruff. If you suffer from acute dandruff, massage a paste of 1 whole banana and 2 cups of apple cider vinegar into your scalp and leave for 20 minutes on a daily basis for a week. Once dandruff reduces, you can apply the paste once a week.

Yogurt- Yogurt is rich in healthy bacteria that helps reduce yeast in the body and prevents the scaling of dead skin cells. To use yogurt as a form of treatment for dandruff, apply a cup of fresh yogurt to the scalp and leave for 15 minutes before rinsing off. You could also add two spoons of freshly ground pepper to the yogurt as pepper also has antifungal properties.  

How To Deal With Excessive Dandruff?

6 Bodily Pains You Must Never Ignore

Any pain in the body is an indication and demands attention. Some pains go away by themselves or by home treatment, while few need medical attention. 

Here are 6 types of pains which should never be ignored.

Chest Pain - Chest pain that doesn't go away and is accompanied by shortness of breath can prove to be fatal if not treated at the earliest. Do not wait for it to subside, nor should you try self medication. Consult the doctor immediately.
Abdominal Pain - While abdominal pain could be because of various smaller reasons, if it is unbearable, consult a doctor at the earliest. This pain could be because of ruptured appendix, stomach ulcer, problems in your pancreas or gallbladder or even intestinal blockages.
Severe Headache - Normally we tend to take headaches lightly, believing that all we need to do is pop a medicine or rest it out. However, if the pain is excruciating, consult the doctor as soon as possible.
Prolonged Backache - If you are experiencing pain in the back with tingling in your toes, this could be associated with your discs. Give it medical attention at the earliest, as it could turn fatal.
Lower Abdomen  - Appendicitis' indicator is sharp pain on the side. If you feel a sharp pain in your lower abdomen on the right side along with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, fever, shaking, constipation and diarrhea, reach out for medical assistance as soon as possible.
Leg Pain - Yet another pain one should not ignore is deep vein thrombosis which is blood clots in the legs? deep veins.

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6 Bodily Pains You Must Never Ever Ignore

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