7 Keys to Walk in Divine Health

Drink Water.

I recommend that you drink a cup of pure water an hour. This way you won't be running to the bathroom every 10 minutes, and you will have what you need by the end of the day. You should drink 1/2 of your body weight in ounces daily. Example: 100 pound person should drink 50 oz. of water daily. We are made up mostly of water, so it is our most vital nutrient.

Eat Whole Food Nutrition.

Think foods without labels. This is what I call "whole food nutrition." God gave it to us, and we eat it, and stay healthy. Man has not tampered with it. Eating with the seasons is very important as well. Remember that vegetables and fruits are carbohydrates and we need these carbohydrates for our energy source. Let most of the carbs you consume be from vegetables and fruits. We also need an adequate amount of protein, which should come from free range chicken, grass fed beef, wild-caught fish, free range eggs and beans. Plant proteins are believed to be healthier because of their lower fat content. Plant protein is found in beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds. The average adult needs about half a gram of protein per pound of healthy weight. Lastly, we need good fats in our diets such as avocados and olive oil for healthy skin and good brain function. Extra-virgin coconut oil is my preferred use in cooking and frying since it is the most stable at high temperatures. Olive Oil is my favorite for salads.

Take Supplements.

Supplements are not meant to take the place of good whole food nutrition, but to fill in the gaps. I recommend a whole food supplement which is not loaded with binders and fillers. I am partial at this point in time to a multivitamin called "The Vitamin Code." I personally take one for women and my husband takes the one for men. They also have a Family multi as well. In addition, I believe everyone could benefit from a good probiotic supplement such a "Primal Defense" by Garden of Life, as well as a greens supplement. We rarely get enough greens in the standard American diet. Vitamin D3 is also very important, as well as Omega 3. Additionally, if you are a woman requiring extra calcium, that should be taken at night before bed, and be sure you are taking a calcium supplement with magnesium.

Get Moving.

We all know the importance of exercise. You must exercise to get the lymphatic system moving. The lymphatic system is the drain of the body that causes toxins to be removed from the body. Be sure to move your body on a daily basis, whether it's walking, running, dancing, jumping, or any other activity that exercises the heart and muscles. Combine this aerobic activity with strength training a few days a week and flexibility exercise such as pilates or yoga, or simple stretching.

Cleanse and Detox Regularly.

I believe that keeping the body clean inside, or detoxing the body regularly is a key to life. You can cleanse your body gently by going on a juice fast, or if you are past age 40 and have never done a cleanse, I recommend a cleanse by drnatura.com. I use this cleanse myself for one month every 6 months and have found it to be wonderful. To rid your body of heavy metals, they have a cleanse on that site called Toxin Out. You can read more about it by going onto the dr.natura.com site. Juice Fasting with a Greens Powder Supplement or just green vegetables will also help with getting heavy metals out of the body.

Control Stress Daily.

Stress management is so important. Be sure to take deep breaths in and out through the nose when you feel stressed. Also don't eat when stressed because you will not digest anything. Take 5-10 deep slow breaths in and out through the nose before eating to be sure of good digestion. Also, the BEST stress buster?.... LAUGHTER. If you can watch a funny show at night and lighten up a bit, you can make a world of difference in your life. I personally believe in the power of prayer and have seen the tremendous difference in my own life as a result of staying close to God and trusting Him on a daily basis. Stay away from deadly and toxic emotions such as depression and anger. If you need to get help in these areas, do so right away.

Get Good Sleep.

Be sure to get 7-9 hours every evening. Everyone is different, so figure out what works best for you, and make an effort to get the proper amount of rest. It is important, however, to try to get to bed by 10 p.m. If you are awake after 10 p.m., chances are you will get your second wind, and it will be harder to fall asleep and you may not get a good night's sleep. Additionally, if you are awake at 11 p.m., the gallbladder dumps toxins back into the liver and your body cannot do its repair work.

Hormones - The Good, The Bad, and the Vital

Hormones are vital to your health. Hormones are a catalyst, causing reactions to happen in the body. They regulate a number of actions in your body. The pituitary gland sends messages (hormones) to your thyroid, pancreas, liver, breast, ovaries, etc. All these glands need hormones to call them into action.

Energy is created with the help of hormones. Cancer and Alzheimers are prevented when hormones are balanced properly.

Estrogen is the hormone that keeps people young. It helps the brain to function properly, helps the eyes to avoid degeneration, controls your blood pressure, protects heart health, and prevents bladder problems and cancer. Men have estrogen and their health can be compromised by the lack of estrogen. But it will be tough to convince men that they need estrogen.

Progesterone balances estrogen and is a feel-good hormone. Progesterone and testosterone increase your physical desire. Testosterone helps build muscle and decrease fat, while improving motivation and energy. Estrogen and testosterone convert the bad cholesterol (LDL) to good cholesterol (HDL).

There is also good and bad estrogen. Type E2 is a good estrogen and protects against cancer of many kinds including colon and breast cancer. Not enough good estrogen will grow fibroids in the uterus. The good estrogen also acts like an antidepressant.

The wrong/bad estrogen, as in synthetic, will cause problems such as cancer, blood clots, etc. This includes birth control pills, which give you synthetic hormones to make your body think that it is pregnant for 3 weeks, then not pregnant for a week, which is when you get your period, though it's a false one that is really like the bleeding that takes place after child birth.

The newer birth control pill that goes in 3 month cycles just holds the pregnant phase longer and gives your body less often to flush out the uterus and vagina.

E4 and E16 are two types of bad estrogen and will cause cancer. This is the type of estrogen given in synthetic medications for hormone replacement. These should be avoided. If you are currently taking these, talk with your doctor about alternatives, or find another doctor.

The brain loses cells when estrogen is low. This can be reversed. The brain can heal and regenerate, if given the right nutrition and hormones. An example is a woman who had Alzheimers at age 70 and is now driving at age 90. This is a documented case, by Dr. Nasr, where nutrition and hormones were used to regain health.

Calcium without estrogen will not work to prevent osteoporosis. Sometimes only 10% of the calcium consumed is absorbed into the bones. Estrogen helps get the calcium into the bones. If no egg is released in the middle of a woman's menstrual cycle, no progesterone will be produced. This gives an overabundance of estrogen, which can cause problems. This is very common in women with PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) involving bloating, night sweats, being easily irritated, and mood swings.

Men make their own progesterone, so they rarely have a deficiency. That's why men don't have PMS and mood swings. Women use lots of progesterone and are often deficient, which is why PMS is increasingly common in women.

Men and women both get low on the hormone testosterone. A woman's level of testosterone is much less than a man's level, but still vital to overall health. Symptoms of low testosterone in women are lack of motivation, extreme fatigue after exercise (tired for 2 days), and overall fatigue, loss of body hair and lack of interest in sex.

When a man has low testosterone, he may go into what society calls a mid-life crisis. In reality, age 14-20 is when males have their highest levels of testosterone. The inability to hold an erection can also be related to heart disease, so men need to talk to their doctor. Please don't look for the quick fix of erection drugs. Your body is telling you something. Fix the source of the problem.

Interferon is another substance important to health. It is produced when you are happy, exercising, laughing, during a good night's sleep and through good nutrition. This fights disease. Interferon levels go down when a person is depressed, opening them up for disease. This is the substance that was working when the now famous man cured himself through laughter while watching The Three Stooges.

So, hormones (the good ones) are vital to excellent health. And hormones (the bad ones) can set you up for some serious health problems.

How do you get the Good without the Bad and stay Vital? Balance between all of the many factors that affect your health like diet, exercise, attitude, passion, fun, family and friends for starters.

Achieving Optimal Health - The Truth

Symptoms Are Just the Tip of The Iceberg

We grow up believing that when we are not unwell, we are healthy. However, in reality there is a large gap between optimal health and vitality and ill-health.

In fact, most disease processes take 10-20 years to develop. Symptoms are merely one of the final stages of the disease process. If you already have the symptoms, the body's fundamental metabolic control systems have been out of balance for some time and are now demanding attention.

It is true that there is place for every type of healing. However, in some instances people taking medications are just masking their symptoms. Therefore, the disease is still there, but the symptoms are just being masked by the medication. That is why some call the current medical establishment a 'disease management' service, not a health service.

Now, I am not suggesting for one second that you stop taking any medications you may be using. You should only ever alter your medication dosage in consultation with your Doctor.

I'm not sure if you are aware, but Doctors don't cover health in their syllabus. The majority of a Doctor's studying includes pathology (illness and disease) and pharmacology (drugs). Many Doctor's receive no more than 4 hours of training on nutrition during a 5 year degree.

Now let me put it this way. If you were rowing a boat and it sprung a leak, would you try to plug the hole or just tip the water out as it fills the boat? Well building health is like plugging the hole. Treating symptoms is like tipping the water out.

Therefore, you need to be very aware of your own body. If you have symptoms, it is a warning sign to you that your bodily systems are out of balance and need attention. You need to consistently be building and maintaining health to avoid and even reverse illness and disease.

Symptoms are just the tip of the health iceberg.

o The absence of symptoms doesn't reflect true health

o Symptoms are the consequence of a long series of events (lifestyle choices)

o Symptoms are the last phase to develop

o You can't judge true health by looking at symptoms

o Symptoms are the last phase to develop and the first phase to improve during the
regression of a disease.

Therefore, it is important that once symptoms subside, you continue to move further towards optimal health and vitality. If you don't continue to improve health, you are skating on very thin ice with your health.

There are five stages in the progression of disease:

1. Excretions:

o Phlegm, dandruff, skin conditions

o Not painful

o symptoms may come and go

2. Inflammation:

o Burns nerve endings and causes pain

o Usually self-treated with anti-inflammatory medications (covers up pain/problem)

3. Deposits:

o Cellulite, cysts, tags etc.

o Compensation systems are failing and body is depositing things it can't get rid of so as not
to compromise cell function

o Patients may have them removed

4. Impregnation:

o The enzyme pathways of the cells are being interfered with and energy pathways are being
upset.

5. Cell Degeneration:

o Organs may now need to be removed

6. Neoplasm:

o Cancer, the body is in the process of being recycled.

To achieve optimal health, energy and vitality, you need to consistently use the Foundation of Health Principles to build health from the ground up. The Foundation of Health principles are:

o Positive Thoughts

o Breathing correctly

o Proper hydration

o Eating right for your metabolic type

o Exercising right

o Drink plenty of good water

o Get plenty of good quality sleep.

Only through consistent healthy lifestyle habits will you achieve your true potential in life.
I you wish you well in your quest to build amazing health using the Foundation Principles. Building health will also reduce your chances of illness and you will feel great all the time.

Osteoporosis/Loss Of Bone Mass

The cause of osteoporosis is generally due to bone resorption and the malfunction of the body to renew the formation of new bone tissue. Factors that play a role start in our early formative years and can be traced to poor dietary habits and a sedentary lifestyle. Habits such as smoking, excessive use of alcohol and caffeine drinks such as coffee and colas will deplete the bones of healthy bone mass. Osteoporosis is more common in women than in men; generally in middle-aged individuals, and is greater in whites than in blacks. In women the bone loss is greater during the 4 or 5 years after menopause.

A hormonal factor may play a significant role at this crucial time. The fact that at this time in their lives the individual reduces their activities and becomes more sedentary places them at risk. An individual with osteoporosis may not have symptoms during the onset of the disease. Should the individual become aware that something is wrong, there may only be the hint of an ache in the bones, most often in the back. It could be at this time that a crush fracture in a vertebra may be caused by a minor trauma, seemingly of no consequence and usually around the mid, or lower vertebrae. Should crush fractures occur in more than one vertebra, the individual will develop a dorsal hyperlordosis (a rounded back), and an exaggerated curve of the neck.

At the onset when this occurs, the individual generally complains of an acute pain lasting for several days which later becomes a dull chronic ache in the mid and lower back. "Hip and Colles'" fractures, when occurring in an elderly individual, is generally due to a pre-existing osteoporosis. Other frequent sites of fracture are the wrists and ribs. During early childhood and up to age 35, the bone mass is regenerated faster than bone mass is lost. After age 35 especially, it is necessary to correct any factors that may be important in alleviating the things that cause the loss of healthy bone tissue and the rebuilding of new bone tissue faster than the loss. This rate of bone loss and the rate that osteoporosis develops are related to many factors as previously stated, and faulty body chemistry. Hormonal factors, the body's ability to absorb and utilize calcium, and the amount of physical activity, play a most significant role. Our eating habits and the amount of exercise in our early years, help to strengthen the bones and thus prevent the formation of osteoporosis.

Smoking and drinking large amounts of alcohol, coffee and colas that contain large amounts of caffeine as previously mentioned are risk factors that play a negative role. Fortunately, many factors that have predisposed the individual to develop osteoporosis can be alleviated to a great extent. Dietary factors that have been neglected in the early years should be improved. A diet rich in calcium-rich foods must be included in our dietary regime. Foods such as milk, yogurt, cheese, green leafy vegetables are such foods. For those who are lactose intolerant, there is lactose free milk and other dairy foods. And again I must advise that smoking be entirely eliminated, along with large amounts of alcohol and caffeine drinks. A small amount of coffee and alcohol may be permitted. At this time a good calcium supplement (1000 to 1200mgs) along with vitamin D (1000mgs) should be included in the daily diet, also aids in Bone & Connective Tissue repairs.

In severe cases check with your physician who will do a complete physical, with x-rays, blood tests, etc. If a hormonal insufficiency is found, hormonal therapy may be instituted. Even if hormonal therapy is instituted, vitamin and mineral supplementation is very important. If sudden severe episodes occur, with acute onset of back pain, such as when a crush fracture or sprains and strains, falls or other trauma may develop in a disabling condition, we must institute supportive measures. The use of an orthopedic support can be a very valuable adjunct. Other very valuable measures are analgesics, and when muscle spasm is present, heat and massage can be of great value. At this time you must avoid heavy lifting (nothing over 5 lbs.), or stretching for objects above your head. Getting in and out of your car in the proper way is important in not adding insult to injury.

At this time I would be remiss in not mentioning the role of exercise. For those who live a sedentary lifestyle, this can be THE MOST important decision you can make. A good exercise program will help strengthen your muscles, especially your back and abdominal muscles that support your back. Strengthening the flabby back and abdominal muscles can be the greatest factor in the prevention of future fractures and lifelong pain and suffering. It will also restore your balance, flexibility and vitality. When you have decided that it is time to start an exercise program, you must also decide to dedicate yourself in continuing with the program. Then, your health will improve; you will feel more vital and vigorous. The exercise will also add normal bone tissue and strengthen the entire skeletal structure of the body.

More Energy - Here Are 7 Things I Do That Gives Me Lots of Energy

I enjoy looking up the meaning of words in the dictionary even the simple ones and I recently looked up Energy. It gave me about nine definitions but the one that I liked best which applies here defined energy as "any source of usable power."

For the sometime now I have been following a regimen that I developed for myself which gives me a great source of usable power. These 7 simple things I do provide me with great energy which I then channel to achieve the things that I want in my life.

1. Diet

Common sense dictates that if I want energy and lots of it, I had to retool my diet. Awhile back I read a book which compared an acidic body vs. alkaline body. What I got out of it is that you want your body's ph balance to be neutral or at least leaning towards more alkaline. Having an acidic body invites diseases, viruses and bacteria and if left in that state serious illness can develop.

It also made me aware of the signals to watch out for that tells me if my body is leaning towards being acidic such as being sluggish, gassy, skin problems, unable to concentrate and irritability to name a few. So I started eating alkaline rich foods and minimizing acidic foods (you can search in Google or Yahoo for a list of alkaline rich foods) which help keep my body's ph balanced. My overall goal is to help my body in the development of red blood cells. This is vital because without a quantity and quality red blood cells in the body optimal health and energy production is not possible.

2. Exercise

I don't think I need to tell you the benefits of exercise. The problem is finding the time do it. I found that 20 minutes of exercise a day works for me. Push-ups, crunches, skipping rope and a 25 lbs. and 30 lbs. dumbbell are all I need to get a good workout going.

3. Liquids

The right kinds of liquids I should say. I still drink coffee but not as much as I use to. I substituted green tea for most of it. Green tea with brown rice from Genmaicha is my favorite. The rest of my liquids are made up of water, juices and health shakes.

4. Supplements

Just like my goal with retooling my diet, I want to help my body develop lots of quality red blood cells. I take Total Balance Men's plus supplement made by Xtend Life (see resource link). In addition, I also take Omega-3 fish oil and other key supplements that I determined is right specifically for me.

5. Sleep

I try to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Many underestimate the power of sleep. Sleep helps repair your body from the wear and tear you give it, it reduces stress which contributes to an acidic body, improves your memory and overall recharges your body.

Just like your cell phone, laptop and any other wireless device you own needs to be recharged every night so that you can use it to its full capacity, you need to recharge your body in order for you to use it in its full capacity.

6. Habits

I had a habit of eating a lot of sweets. I love cakes, pies, cannolli and ice-cream. Now I didn't give up all that stuff but I did have to reduce the amount and frequency of eating too much sweets. Learn this word - Moderation. It is your friend.

Personally, I don't smoke and if you do, I am sure you already know the answer. If you need help in this I suggest reading the book The Motivated Mind by Jason M. Gracia. He explains how you can change your internal motivation to best serve you.

7. X-factor

The last of the 7 things I do which I named the "X-Factor" and helps give me tremendous amount of energy or energizes me is having a worth while goal - A BIG DESIRE.

I am sure just like me you have a lot of things you want to accomplish. I have goals in 5 key areas of my life - Financial, Physical, Mental/Intellectual, Social and Spiritual. You see having something worthwhile to strive for gives you purpose. Purpose provides for a huge source of energy you can draw from.

The attainment of your goals and desires is where you want to direct most of your energy and without it is like being in a powerful car with no steering wheel.

Well that's it. These are the 7 things I do that provide me with lots of energy everyday. They are simple and based on common sense. But someone told me a long time ago unfortunately, common sense is not common.

Significant Deficiencies Of Dietary Magnesium Are Surprisingly Common

Magnesium is one of the most important minerals for human health and is required throughout the body; but by far the largest quantities are found in the bones and muscles.

Almost all the body's enzymes are dependent to some degree on adequate supplies of magnesium, and these enzymes are essential for several hundred vital metabolic reactions; amongst the most important being the production of energy within cells through the metabolism of dietary proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Magnesium is also needed for the synthesis of protein, the activation of genes and the transmission of impulses between nerve cells.

In addition to the above general functions, magnesium is a vital element in the complex of nutrients required for the production of glutathione, one of the body's most important fat-soluble anti-oxidant enzymes. Glutathione protects those parts of the body's cells which are composed of fat, such as the membranes, by neutralising any free radicals attacking these delicate structures.

Magnesium may therefore be regarded as an important anti-ageing nutrient in its own right, but it has also been the subject of extensive research into a number of more specific health functions.

Adequate levels appear to be particularly important in ensuring the proper take up of calcium by the bones, and low levels of blood magnesium have been shown to be linked with correspondingly low levels of calcium; and to have an inhibiting effect on the action of vitamin D, which is itself essential for the proper functioning of calcium. Logically enough, therefore, some research has suggested a link between supplements of magnesium and increases in bone density.

There is some research evidence to suggest that low levels of blood magnesium may be a risk factor for the development of high blood pressure, and also that magnesium supplements can be of benefit for reducing blood pressure in sufferers who have inadequate intakes of dietary magnesium, but orthodox medical opinion maintains that more work is necessary before this link can be definitively established.

Low levels of magnesium intake are also associated with a significantly increased risk of diabetes, but there have been conflicting results from research studies into the question of whether supplements of magnesium may be useful in managing the disease.

Likewise, the benefits of the use of high doses of intravenous magnesium in the immediate aftermath of heart attacks remain a matter of controversy, but there is good evidence that oral supplements of magnesium may reduce the risk of dangerous blood clots in individuals suffering from cardiovascular disease.

There is also a known association between low levels of blood magnesium and recurring migraine headaches, and there is some evidence that supplementation may reduce the frequency of attacks.

Supplementation has also been shown to help alleviate the symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome in more than 70% of women.

Unprocessed whole grains such as brown rice or cereals are the best food sources of magnesium. A serving of oats or bran, for example, may typically provide as much as 90 mg or more of magnesium per serving; a cup of brown rice a little less, and a serving of wheat cereal perhaps 60 mg or so. Dark green vegetables such as spinach may provide up to 80 mg; and beans and nuts are also a useful source, a single ounce of hazelnuts or peanuts, for example, supplying almost 50 mg of magnesium. Milk may also supply around 30 mg.

But despite these apparently widespread and rich sources, there is evidence that many people do not obtain sufficient dietary magnesium and that the diets of older people, in particular, are likely to be inadequate. The European Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for magnesium is 300 mg, but in the US higher levels of 420 mg for men and 320 mg for women have been prescribed. Given the importance of magnesium within the body, these findings are a cause for concern, and indicate that most adults should be considering supplementing with magnesium.

However, some caution needs to be exercised when taking extra magnesium in this way; because 350 mg per day has been established in the US as the upper safe limit for supplemental magnesium for adults. Below this level there should be no risk of the relatively minor, albeit unpleasant, gastric side effects, principally diarrhoea, which have sometimes been noted when higher dose supplements have been taken.

It's important to note, however, that more serious consequences of excess magnesium have been observed in those already suffering from kidney problems. Such individuals appear to have a higher sensitivity to concentrations of the mineral, and may suffer further deterioration in kidney function and possibly blood pressure problems as a result.

No such problems have been observed to arise from high levels of magnesium consumed in the diet, and it needs to be remembered that like all other nutrients, magnesium does not operate in isolation within the body and interacts closely with other vitamins and minerals.

Any supplementation should therefore be taken as part of a comprehensive multi-mineral. And for the maximum anti-oxidant effect through the production of glutathione, this should be taken alongside a good quality multi-vitamin preparation.

What You Really Need to Know About Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a word which we are familiar; mostly through its link to cardiovascular disease (disease of the heart and blood vessels known as CVD), and through advertising campaigns promoting cholesterol-lowering products. It appears to be a straight-forward subject; avoid cholesterol for a healthy heart. However, acquiring a deeper understanding of cholesterol will contribute to an improvement in health, and decrease chances of developing problems such as CVD.
Cholesterol surprisingly, is vital to good health; a major component of cell membranes, essential to the functioning of certain hormones, and important in digestive processes. There are two types; dietary cholesterol found in food, and blood cholesterol found in blood- no surprises there. It is found in significant amounts in several foods such as eggs, beef products, shellfish, butter, cream, liver and kidneys. However, only around a quarter of the cholesterol found in our blood comes from our diet; the rest is produced naturally by the liver and intestine.
The amount of cholesterol in our diet does not reflect the amount of cholesterol in our blood. High blood cholesterol levels are more closely associated with a high intake of bad fats, rather than a high intake of dietary cholesterol. This means that you do not have to completely avoid healthy foods such as lean beef, eggs and shellfish because they are high in cholesterol; they are valid parts of a healthy diet. It is important to avoid the deep-fried chips, the fatty sausages, or dubious sauces that go with them, which contain the damaging fats (more on this to follow). Blood cholesterol levels are also raised by smoking, consuming unhealthy amounts of alcohol, being overweight, and being under exercised.
Cholesterol is transported in the blood attached to substances called lipoproteins, which are divided into two groups; low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). It is the LDLs (known as bad cholesterol) which are associated with health problems. Levels of blood cholesterol are not necessarily meaningful on their own, but become meaningful as a ratio of LDL(bad cholesterol) to HDL (good cholesterol). It is desirable for health to have a higher amount of HDL than LDL. It is therefore beneficial to increase levels of HDL and decrease levels of LDL. In simplistic terms, there are three ways in which we can do this;

o Diet; Mono and poly unsaturated fats (vegetable oils liquid at room temperature) lower LDL and raise HDL, saturated fats (mostly animal fats) both raise LDL and HDL, however trans fats (hydrogenated fats) raise LDL and may lower HDL. It is important to avoid hydrogenated fats, eat moderate amounts of saturated fats, and include olive oil, sunflower oil, and natural oils found in avocado, nuts and seeds in your diet. A second important dietary influence is fiber; it is thought that a high fiber diet may reduce levels of bad cholesterol. A great way to include fiber in the diet is to breakfast on cereals such as bran flakes or oats (put the chocopops back), also eat your fruits and vegetables with the skin on to increase fiber intake. Eat plenty of beans and pulses such as lentils and peas.

o Alcohol/smoking; alcohol in amounts above the suggested limit of 2-3 units per day for women, and 3-4 for men (preferably with 2-3 alcohol-free days per week) increases levels of bad cholesterol, as does all smoking.

o Exercise: all exercise will help lower bad cholesterol, and raise good cholesterol levels. Exercise will also keep the heart and blood vessels in good working order, and lower blood pressure, which will decrease the risk of developing CVD. Exercise will help control weight; maintaining a healthy weight will contribute to a healthy blood cholesterol profile.
There are many products available now which claim to lower bad cholesterol levels, such as yoghurts and margarines. These may be effective in helping reduce LDL levels, but should be used along side the above points; consuming a special drinking yoghurt every day does not mean you can stuff sausage butties with no consequence to your health!

High blood cholesterol presents no symptoms until the damage is done. Anyone over the age of 35 should have their cholesterol checked by a doctor if they are at risk of heart disease for one of the following reasons (risk factors); family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, or if they smoke. An unhealthy profile increases the chance of erectile dysfunction, disorders of the veins and arteries, stroke, and potentially fatal heart disease. If you are concerned, it is best to obtain a blood cholesterol profile from your GP as home testing kits may not be reliable or accurate. People at high risk of cardiovascular disease may be prescribed drugs to alter their blood cholesterol profile, but should also change their lifestyle where possible.
To ensure that you live a happy, long and independent life, do what you can to lower those LDL levels and raise the HDL; exercise every day, snack on fruit and nuts, eat a healthy diet avoiding all hydrogenated fats, drink moderately and don't smoke.