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Health & Fitness

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Cholesterol!

Lowering your cholesterol naturally.

So, how is your cholesterol? The good, HDL, the bad, LDL, and the ugly, UGL, ok, I made that last one up.....but seriously folks, do you have elevated blood pressure or cholesterol? Or think you might? High blood pressure and elevated cholesterol are 2 of the most common risk factors for chronic disease and health in general. These “silent” conditions may have no symptoms at all until they have progressed over time. Or developed into more serious diseases (metabolic syndrome, heart disease, type 2 diabetes) or cardiac events. Until then, you may “feel” perfectly healthy...even though your blood pressure and lab test numbers say otherwise.

Cholesterol can't dissolve in the blood. It has to be transported to and from the cells by carriers called lipoproteins. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as "bad" cholesterol. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is known as "good" cholesterol. These two types of lipids, along with triglycerides and Lp(a) cholesterol, make up your total cholesterol count, which can be determined through a blood test. 

The lifestyle connection for reversing chronic illness. While genetic factors play a role in their development, high blood pressure and cholesterol are often referred to as “preventable” conditions because they can be strongly influenced by food choices, exercise habits, stress, and other lifestyle choices like smoking. Fortunately, they’re also 2 of the most “reversible” conditions. And best of all, it’s never too late to do something about them.

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Nutritional support can help. One product that my customers seem to feel is extremely effective in lowering their cholesterol levels is red yeast rice. Red Yeast Rice, has been a staple of some Asian countries for more than 1,000 years. In fact, it was reportedly the toast of the town during the roaring 1330's in the Yuan Dynasty in China. As food coloring, it gives Peking Duck its signature red glow, but as herbal medicine, it lowers cholesterol levels...

"It works much the way a statin would work,  by reducing the amount of cholesterol that the liver makes, but in a much gentler level," said Dr. Christopher Cannon a cardiologist at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital.

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 Additional nutritional recommendations, such as fish oils, botanicals, vitamins/minerals, and medical foods—can be used strategically with simple lifestyle recommendations for eating healthier, exercising more, and managing stress a little better. Enjoy the good, just say no to the bad & the ugly!

Please visit us on online at: www.vibranthealthcompany.meta-ehealth.com or, our retail store at: Innovative Nutrition, 206 Rt. 25A, East Setauket, NY

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