How much do we love our heart? Do we know that the first two symptoms of the heart disease that comes to my mind is, often aimed at the higher cholesterol level and higher blood pressure in our body. However, how much do you understand these two terms? Do we know that the heart disease will not only threaten males? It will also threaten females! The heart disease may trigger the breast cancer illness.


Caption: heart disease

We can read more about high blood pressure here (click HERE for part 1 and HERE for part 2).


Caption: love your heart

Many people talk bad about cholesterols. However, how much do we understand the "cholesterol" term? Cholesterol is soft and waxy substance. There is an article written that 90 per cent of our body tissues and cells, particularly the brain and nervous system, liver and blood contains cholesterol. There are 2 types of cholesterols; bad and good cholesterols. Bad cholesterols refers to the low-density lipoproteins (LDL). The LDL will carry cholesterols to our brain and body cells and this process can damage our arteries. Good cholesterol refers to the high-density lipoproteins (HDL) that carry out of our body. In other words, cholesterol is not a problem, the only problem is the amount of LDL and HDL, because too much cholesterols will subsequently destroy our artery walls and good cholesterols will deposited on the artery wall. This is also a reason of why most doctors will suggest us to reduce bad cholesterols BUT maintain the good cholesterol in our body.


Caption: the cholesterol figure

Higher risk of heart disease depended on risk factors. The LDL will determine these risk factors. When you visit a doctor, he will usually look at your LDL level first to determine the risk of heart disease. They will also create a plan to help lowering down your excessive LDL cholesterol level.


Caption: some foods that reduces high cholesterol risk

There are several factors that raises the bad cholesterol in our body. This include saturated fats (i.e. coconut and coconut oil, butters BUT NOT margarines), excessive amount of sugar, excess carbohydrates, alcohol, stress and the lack of exercising. Factors that raise the good cholesterol ratios include olive oil, garlic, onions, oats, varieties of fruits, pulses, nuts and oils and seeds (i.e. almond, hazelnuts, cashews, appricot, macadamia, pumpkin seeds, walnut, avacado, omega-6 fats), fish (i.e. mackerel, salmon, trout, sardines and halibut), animal products (i.e. chicken eggs, organic white meats and other organic dairy products) and plenty of exercises.


Caption: tasty foods we should avoid

I will continue expanding the food sources here. There are things you may wish to reduce in order to avoid high cholesterol level. Here are some examples; margarines, heated fats, junk foods, processed foods (process foods such as chocolates may produce long term depression), palm oil, fried foods (such as french fries). They all can negatively affect your cardio-vascular health. Also try to avoid excessive amount of sugar, white flour, white bread, white rice and white pasta. They will contribute in high cholesterol level. Try reduce alcohol, coffee and fizzy drinks consumption. These drinks may worsen your stress level.


Caption: a figure of the cell membranes

Here are some stories of cholesterol that we may wish to know. Cholesterol is essential for building up our health. We also need cholesterol for other cell membranes and steroid hormones in our body. Steroid hormones include testoterone, progesterone and oestrogen. The cholesterol level in our body also depend on family background (genetically). This means that a fat father and mother will usually give birth to a fat daughter. To date, there are no obvious symptoms of high cholesterol, a part from obesity (fatness), high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes and gallstones. For vegans (vegetarians who cannot consume diary products such as egg and milk), their entire cholesterol were built up by their liver. Thus, they should not consume too much oily or high cholesterol foods although foods may only account 20 per cent of our total cholesterol, the rest is made in our liver.


Caption: relaxation

Remember, we can only find cholesterol from animal products and NOT from plant foods. Few studies suggested that stress may directly increase your cholesterol level. Therefore, please reduce the amount of stress by drinking plenty of plain water and take daily, moderate exercise (i.e meditation such as yoga). It is beneficial to improve heart function, lowering blood and cholesterol level and reduces weight. Breathing exercise is also important, that will contribute to relaxation. Last but not least, stop worrying about the past and future lives in order to avoid over pressure and stress.