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There are three kinds of blood cholesterol: HDL, LDL, and VLDL. HDL, high density lipoprotein, is often referred to as "good" cholesterol. HDL helps rid the body of excess cholesterol by carrying it to the liver where it is broken down and excreted. The essential function of LDL, low density lipoprotein, is to carry cholesterol to the cells. (Remember, cholesterol is essential to life). It is called "bad" cholesterol because when there is too much of it for HDL, to clear out it is deposited on the artery walls. (VLDL, very low density lipoprotein, is dietary fat before it because LDL.)

According to the American Heart Association, fat should be no more than 30 percent of daily caloric intake. I am not going to discuss the controversy around this. Suffice it to say that if you like fat, it is not easy to keep levels at this percentage. There is a great case to be made for being sure that fats you do eat are processed as little as possible. For example, get your oils from nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil in tins or dark bottles, and raw dairy fats. Overly processed fats change from their natural form (cis) to an unnatural form (trans) and becomes difficult for the body to metabolize. This causes the fat and cholesterol problems I am discussing. Trans-fats/oils include those that have been "purified" at very high temperatures (most commercial cooking oils), hydrogenated (made saturated by the introduction of hydrogen and found widely in the shortening used for commercial baking, snacks, and in some peanut butters), exposed to light (we want to see what we're buying, but, light oxidizes the oils), air (opening and not refrigerating), and heat (especially reusing for frying). In my opinion, low-fat (>30 percent) and very low fat (>20 percent) diets should only be used therapeutically. Following the 30 percent of food calories is a good first step toward health. This 30 percent should be no more than 10 percent saturated fat. Saturated fats are generally from animals and usually solid at room temperature. They include meats, poultry skin, lard, and dairy fats. Monounsaturated fats (which should make-up 10 percent or more of total fats) found mainly in olive and canola oil, and polyunsaturated oils such as safflower, sunflower, and corn oils help the body rid itself of excessive, newly formed cholesterol. Monounsaturated have been shown to reduce LDLs, lower blood pressure, and perhaps play a role in lowering blood stickiness. All fats, saturated and unsaturated, have more than twice the calories contained in protein and carbohydrate: (fat) 9 calories per gram compared with (protein and carbohydrate) 4 calories per gram. At 30 percent, the maximum allocation for a person eating 2,400 calories a day would be 720 fat calories or 80 grams. Although this is about 7 tablespoons of fat, that entire amount is contained in one 8 oz. bag of potato chips. Be heart smart. Substitute fresh fruits and vegetables for fatty snacks. As cholesterol declines, the risk of heart attack and stroke drops significantly and plaque already narrowing the arteries may shrink. Dietary changes lower cholesterol an average of 10-15% over several months. Reductions of this size drop the risk of heart attack by 20-30%. Selective supplementation, working in tandem with proper diet and exercise, can lower cholesterol levels.

Cardio Supplements

Antioxidants keep LDL from turning rancid (oxidizing) in the body. Oxidized LDL becomes plague in the arteries. Plant antioxidants are immensely powerful antioxidants, Initially, Plant antioxidants such as: grape seed, Garlic, Pycnogenol, Red wine, Ginkgo Biloba, and Gugulipid help protect against free radical damage to fats and cholesterol. When oxidized, these substances injure the blood vessels. Secondly, animal studies show that these antioxidants lower cholesterol levels, reduce existing plaque size (the stuff the body lays down in the arteries to keep damaged walls smooth and which, with time, stiffens and narrows the vessels, eventually clogging them, making them susceptible to complete closure by blood clots), and inhibition of platelet aggregation (the sticking together of blood cells resulting in potentially fatal clots).

Garlic: Garlic has often been recommended in place of aspirin for heart health because it inhibits the tendency of blood clot, and it doesn't have any side effects. (Aspirin can cause stomach irritation). Plus, garlic makes two other important contributions: 1) it helps normalize high blood pressure, and 2) it lowers cholesterol and triglyceride.

Gugulipid is a medicine plant used in India for over 2,000 years. The Indian Journal of Medicine has reported that participants taking standardized ("potency guaranteed") Gugulipid daily increased their HDL (good cholesterol) by 35% in 16 weeks. It also acts as an antioxidant and may inhibit clotting.

Essential Fatty Acids : You need Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's) to live. While most people are not so deficient they are facing a life or death situation, many people are in a state of chronic low levels of essential fatty acids. EFA's are needed for maintaining proper cell membrane structure--which allows the proper distribution of nutrients throughout your body. They are needed for proper prostaglandin formation and maintenance, and most notably for the efficient metabolism of cholesterol. It has been repeatedly noted in population studies that people who consume more fish (Omega-3's) consistently have a lower incidence of heart disease. Protaglandins are one of four families of eicosanoids. (The other three are prostacyclins, thromboxanes, and leukotrienes). They are the end result of the essential fatty acids cascades which begin with Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, omega-3) and linoleic acid (LA, omega-6). Both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are necessary for health. Although these fatty acids cannot convert from one to the other, they draw from the same pool of enzymes to produce their prostaglandins. So, an excess of one fatty acid family can interfere with the metabolism of the other. The result is lower tissue levels for the losing fatty acid and altered, undesirable biological effects all around. A balance is necessary. We consume Omega-6 (e.g. corn, soy, safflower, sunflower oils) fat more so than Omega-3 (e.g. flaxseed oil, marine oils, perilla oil). As a result our fat ingestion is way out of balance

CoEnzyme Q10 & Ester-C: Have you ever heard of "Vitamin Q" or "Vitamin CoEnzyme Q10"? The startling fact is that CoEnzyme Q10 is a vitamin essential to our very lives. Yet, very few have ever heard about it until recently. Discovered in 1957 by Dr. Fred Crane at the University of Wisconsin, CoEnzyme Q10 is a nutrient necessary to the functioning of every cell in our bodies. Our bodies could not survive without CoEnzyme Q10. If body levels start dropping, so does our general health. Scientists have estimated that once body levels of CoQ10 drop below the 25% deficiency levels, many health problems begin to flourish, including high blood pressure, heart attacks, angina, immune system depression, periodontal problems, lack of energy, weight gain, and even early death! A 75% drop in CoQ10 levels is fatal. Vitamin C is required by your body to produce Collagen (along with Sulfur). Collagen is the substance that repairs connective tissue and blood vessel walls. Humans, unlike most animals, cannot manufacture their own Vitamin C. Ester-C is a patented pH-neutral form of Vitamin C.

Product Recommendations

	Cardio Tonic Heart Support helps to maintain cardiovascular health - with Vitamins, Minerals and Herb Including Standardized Garlic Extract, Hawthorn berry, Gugulipid and Antioxidant Supplement On Sale Now
Healthy Heart Multivitamins	Complete Longevity It's about time, a multivitamin & mineral with real heart. Clinical potency of homocysteine control nutrients: 25 mg Vitamin B-6, 400 mcg Vitamin B-12 and 800 mcg Folic Acid. Herbal blend with standardized Hawthorn extract and organic Hiratke mushoom. Extra Vitamin E, Selenium & Lutein. One daily.
	Garlicin HC supports healthy cholesterol levels and helps maintaining circulatory efficiency. Hawthorn improves blood and nutrient flow to the heart muscle. And, Vitamin E has been shown to help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol.
	In clinical studies garlic has been shown to lower serum cholesterol and help maintain circulatory efficiency. The greatest effect resulted from garlic products with standardized amounts of allicin release in doses of 5,000 mcg per day.
	Daily supplements of 30 to 100 mg. daily have been known to restore health by re-establishing steady and efficient energy production to heart tissue. CoQ10 is also used for Health, Immunity, Aging, and Athletic Performance. CoQ10 can possess up to a five times greater antioxidant effect in certain tissues, specifically heart tissue.

Minerals: You need your minerals! Everyone does, but bodies under more stress need them even more. Adequate amounts of potassium, calcium, and magnesium are known to normalize blood pressure. These minerals are associated with heart health and are part of a group of minerals called electrolytes. Electrolytes support nerve transmission are needed to move all our muscles, including keeping the heart beating. Besides high blood pressure, a deficiency of electrolytes, particularly magnesium can contribute to irregular heart beat, congestive heart failure, and other heart problems, including sudden cardiac death. Over the last 30 years, a great deal of research has shown that inadequate levels of chromium may be a primary risk factor for heart disease. Chromium helps prevent plaque buildup by decreasing harmful LDL and increasing HDL. New research suggests that chromium adds to niacin's effectiveness in lowering cholesterol levels. It is very difficult to get enough chromium from food sources. One type of chromium supplement is formulated with niacin in a form called chromium polynicotinate.

MSM : MSM is an organic sulfur--the type your body can absorb and use. Sulfur is the fourth most plentiful mineral in the body. And, it is found in every cell of every animal and plant. Sulfur is necessary for making collagen which is needed to repair and replace damaged tissue. Collagen provides the structural support for your blood vessels. Cholesterol, the substance of which atherosclerotic plaques are made, is not by itself dangerous (it is, in fact, what your brain is made up of). It is the presence of cholesterol on the arterial walls that is dangerous, because as it builds up on the walls of the arteries, the diameter of the vessel wall is constricted, placing greater and greater strain on the heart in its effort to pump blood through the shrinking tube that is your blood vessel.

Vitamin E: is a excellent anti-oxidant choice for those who exercise in the city. Vitamin E supplementation protects the heart and lungs. It takes 400 IU of vitamin E per day to protect against heart disease. sadly, studies show 70% of Americans don't get the recommended amount of vitamin E. In fact, a 1991 report by Swiss and Finnish researchers on heart disease showed a person's vitamin E intake to be a stronger indicator of heart health than cholesterol levels. In the United States, the Nurses' Health Study showed that women whose intake vitamin E daily had a 36% lower risk of heart attack than women with an intake of less than 30 IU. University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center tests show that high does of vitamin E staunch the first step of hardening of the arteries. Further, vitamin E is the primary antioxidant responsible for preserving heart tissue from free radical damage during heart attacks, chest pain, and coronary artery surgery. Doctors speculate that giving the vitamin to patients during or shortly after a heart attack might help preserve heart muscle, plus it appears to speed recovery in patients who have had coronary by-pass operations.

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CARDIO-NUTRIENTS

Ask the Expert about Cardio-Nutrients (click)

Nutrient	What is does	How it Helps
Vitamin A, Beta Carotene	Free-radical fighting antioxidant, especially in its "precursor" form of beta-carotene, which the body can convert into vitamin A.	It binds with and protects LDLs from forming plaque; seems to work synergistically with other nutrients to prevent LDL oxidation, a major cause of arterial blockages and cardiovascular disease.
Bioflavonoids	Plant pigments that enhance absorption of vitamin C; works with C to preserve structure of capillaries (small blood vessels).	Promotes circulation and may help lower cholesterol.
Vitamin B-1	Takes part in metabolism of carbohydrates; helps convert fatty acids into important hormones such as cortisone and progesterone.	Supports function of heart muscle cells; intensive exercise may boost your requirements due to increase energy needs.

Vitamin B-2	Used in energy metabolism; helps convert the amino acid trytophan into niacin.	Supports heart muscle function.
Vitamin B-3	Extremely important in metabolizing fats; decreases cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol.	Normalizes cholesterol over extended; also acts as a vasodilator, relaxing and widening blood vessels.
Vitamin B-6	One of the most extensively utilized vitamins; participates in the metabolism of amino acids. May lower homocysteine levels (substance which can raises heart disease risk). Helps metabolism of fatty acids	Studies indicate it may prevent atherosclerosis by restricting the effects of homocysteine (amino acid that damages arterial tissue); deficiencies may increase risk of heart attack.
Folic Acid	Works with B6 and B12 in metabolizing amino acids including homocysteine.	Recent research demonstrates its considerable ability to suppress homocysteine, especially in collaboration with vitamin B12.
Vitamin C	A powerful antioxidant that prevents the free radical damage leading to cardiovascular disease; operates in conjunction with other antioxidant vitamins, including A and E.	Believed to move cholesterol from the arteries to the liver, where cholesterol is converted to bile acids and eliminated from the body; may help repair damaged arterial walls.
Calcium:	Activates enzymes used in fat and protein digestion and energy production; aids absorption of vitamin B12; helps regulate smooth muscle function.	Has been shown to reduce blood pressure; lowers cholesterol levels; takes part in muscle contractions; may lower risk of colon cancer.
Magnesium	Appears (with sodium, potassium and calcium) to affect muscle tone of blood vessels.	Lowers some types of high blood pressure; may help control angina (chest pain) caused by shortage of blood supply to the heart muscle; may help alleviate arrhythmia (irregular heart beats).
Selenium	An under-appreciated antioxidant that activates the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which prevents free radical damage, especially when combined with vitamin E.	Helps moderate plaque accumulation by limiting oxidation of lipids (fats) in the bloodstream.
Vitamin E	A versatile antioxidant that protects cell membranes, especially in synergy with selenium; protects vitamin A and C, as well as omega-3 fats, from oxidation.	Improves blood flow to extremities; aids angina, atherosclerosis, thrombophlebitis (blood clots); some evidence that vitamin E helps raise HDL (good) cholesterol, lowers total cholesterol.
Potassium	Aids chemical reactions and fluid balance in cells; utilized in nerve transmission, muscle contraction.	Associated with lower blood pressure and reduced rate of stroke.

Product Recommendations

	Each Capsule of Mega Carotene provides Vitamin A 83,000 IU (100% as beta carotene) = 50 mg Beta-Carotene
	One Tablespoon contents: Vitamin C (from calcium ascorbate) 2000 mg, Rose hips 1450 mg, Cranberry fruit 1000 mg, Lemon bioflavins 500 mg ,Calcium (from calcium ascorbate) 230 mg, Hesperidin 25 mg, Rutin 25 mg
	(B-3) Each Capsules contains: 100 mg of Niacin
	Daily Multiple Vitamins & Minerals Liquid Nutritional Supplement with 100% Aloe Vera & Ginseng. High Absorption Rate. Natural Cherry Flavor.

Manganese	Small quantities help fat metabolism; required for utilization of vitamin B1 and E.	Works with enzymes to help regulate fat and carbohydrate metabolism.
Choline	Aids fat and cholesterol metabolism	Helps reduce hypertension and cardiac difficulties.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid	Enhances antioxidant functions of vitamin C and E and glutathion	Protects cellular tissue against oxidation by free radicals; can protect cell membranes from oxidation.