ARTICLES

Your Diet Won't Lower Cholesterol As Much As You Think!
By Phil Beckett
Copyright ฉ Physique Concepts Inc.

Your diet doesn't impact your cholesterol levels as much as you think it does.

It doesn't increase it as much as you've been led to believe and it certainly doesn't help to lower cholesterol like the so- called diet experts tell you.

It's not that extra egg you have for breakfast that raises your cholesterol appreciably. This is because around 80% of your blood cholesterol is manufactured by your liver.

To lower cholesterol levels, you must both slow down the manufacture of cholesterol, and reduce the oxidation of LDL while raising your HDL.

Apart from normal, sensible lifestyle improvements such as better nutrition and more exercise, there are a couple of proven strategies to return lower cholesterol to its optimal level.

Option 1: Prescription Drugs

A range of drugs known as "statins" are widely used in the U.S. and other Western countries. In fact, they are currently the most prescribed medicine in the world.

These drugs work by blocking an enzyme that the liver needs for the manufacture of cholesterol. They have been proven effective in reducing levels of LDL, but unfortunately they will not raise levels of HDL (the good cholesterol).

The downside is that there are a large number of negative side effects such as liver damage, fatigue, upset stomach, abdominal pains and cramps, gas and constipation, and, in the case of a statin drug called Baycol, a large numbers of deaths.

An investigation into the side effect of statin drugs is being conducted by the National Institutes of Health.

Discuss the pros and cons of this medication very carefully with your physician in the event that a statin drug is prescribed to you.

There Is Another Treatment Very Beneficial With Only Positive Effects...

Option 2: Natural Treatments

Even though the general public hears very little about them, there are effective natural alternatives to lowering one's cholesterol, and such therapies exhibit no side effects.

The fascinating aspect of some of these natural options is that some of the natural ingredients being used have been proven to consistently lower cholesterol and significantly outperform the statin drugs in dozens of double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trials and studies.

And with no negative side effects! (The only side effect reported was weight loss.)

What You Really Need To Lower Cholesterol:

Two key ingredients to look for in any natural cholesterol product used to effectively lower cholesterol are policosanol and guggulipid extract.

Policosanol is an extract from sugar cane wax and has been the subject of multiple clinical trials, all of which have outperformed the statins.

Guggulipid, on the other hand, is an ancient herb from India extracted from the guggul tree.

Studies have shown an interesting added benefit from guggulipid: it has been more effective than prescription tetracycline when used orally for treating nodulocystic acne.

It also assists in the lowering of triglycerides and weight loss.

What You Need To Know In Order To Lower Cholesterol:

With all of these benefits, it would seem that finding any natural formula containing these two ingredients is a sure bet.

But take caution; there are many products currently on the market claiming to use policosanol to lower cholesterol, but are in fact using octacosanol, which is an incomplete form of policosanol.

Octacosanol does not exhibit the same results as true policosanol in clinical trials.

Any product formulated to lower cholesterol must be manufactured at a pharmaceutical GMP compliant facility and its ingredients verified with a certificate of analysis to confirm the potency.

This is very important because studies completed by private and government institutions have shown that consumers only have a 1 in 5 chance of actually buying a product, to lower cholesterol, with the actual amount of ingredients stated on the label, or one that isn't contaminated.

Only one company, providing solutions to lower cholesterol, has the strictest regulatory environments in the world for the manufacture of dietary supplements, far exceeding U.S. FDA standards.

For more information on how to lower your cholesterol, please visit:

http://www.man-health-fitness-solutions.com/lower-cholesterol.html

Phil Beckett is the President & C.E.O of Physique Concepts Inc. and is the author of 3 very popular and successful health & fitness books and designs customized strength training, flexibility training, weight loss and cardiovascular exercise programs. He has trained and educated more than 3000 clients all ages, interests, and limitations, in health, fitness and nutrition, both on-line and off-line for more than 15 years.