SearchExclusive.com

Boost Your Good Cholesterol

A wax-like substance that is found in the human body cells is known as cholesterol. It has varied uses in our body, like enabling the building of the body’s cells; it is present in our bloodstreams and fixed to proteins called Lipoproteins.

Our body consists of two types of Lipoproteins,

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), i.e., the bad cholesterol and
High-density lipoprotein (HDL), i.e., the good cholesterol.

It is essential that these two types are present in the right quantities as any sort of imbalance will lead to health concerns. The idea is to raise HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol. Therefore, you need to constantly get your cholesterol levels checked by a medical practitioner who will guide you on any medications if required.

Your HDL or good cholesterol has an optimum level generally prescribed by doctors. In men and women, a level of 60mg/dL or above is desirable, anything below 50 mg/dL is considered to be a risk. It is widely acknowledged that people who have a naturally higher level of good cholesterol, i.e., HDL, are perceived to be at a lower risk of a heart attack or stroke. Herein, we list below some of the ways on how to raise HDL cholesterol.

Exercise
Get going on that exercise routine that you have been dreaming of but skipping out on for so many days. It is widely seen that physical movements and exercise have proven to raise the HDL cholesterol in your body. Take it on slowly and build it into your daily routine. If you’re new, try to jog or walk for 15-30 minutes daily and then go to traditional gyms. Aerobics, core-strength training, and high-intensity workouts are very effective for raising HDL cholesterol. Exercise will enhance the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of HDL.

Shed those extra pounds
If you follow the above advice, i.e., exercise, then you’re bound to lose some of that extra weight that you have. When an obese person loses weight, it lowers his/her LDL or bad cholesterol level and raises or boosts his/her HDL cholesterol levels. In a study of about 3000 overweight people, it was found that with every 3 kg decrease in weight, the HDL level rose by around 4 mg/dl. The way to get and maintain a healthy HDL cholesterol level also includes the right choice of diet that will also help you avoid regaining those pounds you reduced.

Diet
Your diet also has a major impact on your HDL cholesterol levels. You need to ditch the saturated and trans fats and choose polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which are healthier and can be found in nuts, plants, and fish like tuna and salmon. Include olive oil in your diet and dish out all other types of oils. Extra-virgin olive oil raises the HDL levels in your body and decreases the inflammatory impact that is caused by the LDL cholesterol. Beans and legumes, whole grains like cereals, bran, and brown rice, high-fiber fruits like apples and pears, ground flaxseeds, flaxseed oil and Chia seeds containing omega-3 fatty acids, avocado, soy and soy-based products, and red wine (in Moderation) should be included in your diet.

If you have diabetes, metabolic syndrome, or obesity, then a keto diet is suggested. Keto is a form of low carbohydrate diet that may enhance the process of weight loss and reduces blood sugar levels in the body.

Stop smoking
Apart from lung-related diseases, smoking is the cause of many heart-related diseases and a major cause of heart attacks. It also lowers the HDL levels in the body. Some studies have suggested that the HDL cholesterol level is inversely related to the potential risks of development of heart-related diseases. Nicotine-laced cigarettes alter the essential enzymes that support the transport of lipids. HDL gets oxidative alterations by cigarette smoking that makes HDL essentially dysfunctional and may lead to the clogging and hardening of arteries/blood vessels

Medication
Though it has not proven to be an extremely positive method for increasing your HDL levels, but in some cases, it may be necessary as the levels of HDL in the body may be lower than the threshold of 60mg/dl and in order to provide an immediate support to the body, the medical practitioner may prescribe Statins that may lower your LDL levels and mildly increase the HDL levels in your body. Nicotinic acid or Vitamin B3 therapy have worked well for patients and helped them in increasing the blood HDL levels by approx. 20 to 35 percent.

For athletes and gym freaks who consume anabolic drugs to boost their testosterone and stamina levels are strongly advised to get their HDL levels checked as the use of anabolic drugs is closely associated with the decrease in HDL levels in the body.

Related Reading

Tips for Buying the Best Dog Food

Most of the dogs do not have a food fuss and may eat almost anything that you feed them. Dogs are not choosy at all when it comes to food and nutrition. Hence, it is important to make sure that the food that you are purchasing for your dog is healthy. The landscape of dog food has been developing by leaps and bounds in recent times. There is a wide variety of options to choose from in the online and offline market. Given the wide range of options that are available today, buying the best dog food might seem to be a confusing task indeed. All the commercial pet food that is available in the market today is regulated by the FDA. Therefore, most of the products do contain nutritious, healthy, and safe ingredients. But it does help to know certain basic factors you should look for while buying food for your dog. Prioritize on the nutritional guarantee The best dog food, which meets the dog’s needs adequately has a statement written on the label of the product, from the Association of American Feed Control Officials. Buy from some of the best dog food brands, such as Fromm Family Foods, Earthborn Holistic, Nature’s Variety Instinct, and The Honest Kitchen.

Different Types of Kitchen Cabinets Available for Your Home

The most important aspect when designing your kitchen is deciding on the type of cabinets. In addition to functionality, kitchen cabinets score on aesthetics as well. Once the layout is planned, you can go ahead with choosing the cabinets. If you’re remodeling your home or just the kitchen, what you need to consider are the types of cabinets that furnish your kitchen. Here are a few types of kitchen cabinets that you can choose from. Base cabinets These kitchen cabinets are mounted on the floor and they are placed after checking out the floor plan. A major part of your job in the kitchen is on these base cabinets, which hold and support the countertops. These base cabinets are combined to carve out kitchen islands. A number of base cabinets are fused/set against one another and installed on site. The base cabinets, in addition to supporting the countertops, serve as drawers to hold your cutlery and appliances. Wall cabinets Mounted on the walls, these cabinets can store everything, right from your cookware to cookbooks. In terms of design, they offer utmost flexibility. Wall cabinet kitchen is available in varying heights, multiple widths, and custom depth options. This customization helps you to fit in your stuff of varying shapes and sizes into the wall cabinets.

How to Pick the Right Dog Food for a Sensitive Stomach

In today’s world, where you are presented with over a dozen choices for every item you would purchase for your own kitchen, it is not surprising that you have an equal number of options for your dog’s food. However, choosing the perfect brand and formula for your dog out of a range of options in the market is not an easy job. Your pet depends on you and trusts you to make the right choice for them. Therefore, it is imperative that you do your research about the products available in the market, understand what your dog needs, know what might be your pet’s problems, and then make a sound decision. What is a sensitive stomach? Dogs are known to have voracious and large appetites. Keeping that in mind, it is normal to assume that they have strong stomachs. They can eat close to anything be it sweets, bakes, chewy gum, hard leather or even woolen socks for that matter! It always so happens that the strongest of them are prone to allergies and can develop a disorder which is medically translated as a sensitive stomach. This might be due to a sudden change in the food habits or even due an infection picked up from somewhere.

All You Need to Know about Cat Food

For cat owners, cat food is a hot topic. You need to think about it in different aspects. The best thing is to know which ingredients are good for cat food and which are harmful. If you are aware of this, you can get an idea about the quality of the cat food just by going through the label. It is always sensible to stick to one brand of cat food. However, you may also want to try and prepare cat food yourself. There are also various options for wet cat food as well. Cat’s love for fish is universal, so you can do without going for expensive cat food. Nevertheless, whether you buy it or prepare cat food at home, you need to ensure that the food contains enough nutrition and calories. You would need to have some idea about the ingredients that must be present in cat food and make a worthy selection for your cat. Basic ingredients present in good cat foods Cats need a variety of nutrients to stay healthy and active; they need various vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins, and oils. The following is a brief explanation of the basic ingredients that should be present in cat foods.