Be good to your heart
CHOLESTEROL, the “silent killer”, is something that so many of us fight against. We don’t see it as it attacks our heart and we don’t feel it until it can be too late. There are two types of cholesterol – HDL, “good cholesterol”, and LDL, “bad cholesterol”.
Too much LDL can increase the risk of a heart attack and stroke as it builds up in the artery wall, restricting blood flow to the heart, brain and body.
The body does produce some cholesterol itself but most of what affects us comes from eating fatty foods.
There are a number of other factors that are involved in how it affects us: inherited genes, diet, lifestyle, weight, age and whether you are male or female.
While cholesterol is a big problem it’s one that can be sorted.
There are two ways to deal with it, whether that be by reducing your high cholesterol levels or keeping them low in the first place. LIFESTYLE Changing your diet and doing more exercise are recommended by NHS experts. A balanced diet low in saturated fats is good – doctors often advise steering clear of meat, butter, cream, cheese, cakes and biscuits. Fats found in oily fish, nuts and seeds (omega-3 DHA fatty acids) can also help.
The weather’s improving so now is the time to help your body help itself with anything from a simple stroll to a gym workout, although any exercise such as swimming, rowing and, of course, gardening is important. MEDICATION The most commonly prescribed drug, statins, block the enzyme in the liver that helps to make cholesterol.
Yet for all their positive action, statins can cause side effects, notably the depletion of key nutrients Co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10), vitamin E and zinc, often causing us to feel lifeless and lethargic, with muscle pains. This can be simply solved with the dietary supplement Bioglan Stat-Guard which works alongside the statins, replenishing the nutrients.
Stat-Guard capsules contain: CoQ10, found in almost every cell in the body and highly concentrated in the energyintensive cells of the heart; vitamin E, a natural antioxidant that protects heart cells; zinc, which helps process fatty acids as well as helping vitamin E protect the heart and maintaining overall health and vitality including boosting the immune system and supporting our brain, bones, hair, skin and nails; vitamin B1 which, by daily supplementation, can help heart health and energy production.
The result is a supplement that not only helps see off any statin side effects but which is full of vitamins and nutrients to bolster you and your body for everyday life whether you are taking statins or not.
However cholesterol sneaks up on you – have regular checks with your doctor to make sure your levels are healthy. INFORMATION: Available from Holland & Barrett, Boots and Amazon as well as bioglan.co.uk