Q. What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a soft, waxy fat found in the bloodstream. It’s an important component of a good health because it’s used to make cell membranes and certain hormones. But too much cholesterol in the blood — hypercholesterolemia -- is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attacks.

Q. How does High Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease?
When there is too much Cholesterol in your blood, the excess gets trapped in the walls of your arteries. When the level exceeds the ability of your antioxidants (Vitamins A, C, E and bioflavonoids such as those found in grape seeds and skins) to prevent it,* the excess Cholesterol gets oxidized and becomes hardened. This forms plaque that builds up in the arteries causing narrowing and reduced blood flow. When the narrowing becomes severe, blood supply and oxygen to the heart muscle becomes restricted. This causes damage to the heart muscle, which in turn causes chest pain (Angina). If the blood supply gets completely blocked by plaque or a blood clot, a heart attack results (Myocardial Infarction). If a blood clot stops the flow of blood in a narrowed artery in the brain a Stroke results.

High Cholesterol build up occurs gradually over time without causing any symptoms until the narrowing is so advanced that it finally chokes off the supply of oxygen to the heart causing pain or death. You can however, reverse the process by lowering your bad LDL Cholesterol and raising your good HDL Cholesterol.

Q. What is a good Cholesterol level?

Current guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Program recommend that people keep total cholesterol to 200 mg. per deciliter (mg/dl). If your Total Cholesterol level is between 200 to 239 mg/dl, you are at an “Increased Risk” for developing coronary heart disease. If your Total Cholesterol Level is 240 mg/dl or above, you are in the “High Risk” category for developing heart disease. Persons with Total Cholesterol levels over 260 mg/dl have four times the risk of developing heart disease than those with levels of 190 mg/dl or below.

Q. I have been told that my Chol/HDL Ratio is HIGH. What does that mean?
The most important indicator of heart disease risk is the ratio of Total Cholesterol to HDL Cholesterol (Chol/HDL). The optimal level for HDL (the good cholesterol) is 50+ mg/dl for men and 60+ mg/dl for women. The optimal ratio for Chol/HDL is 2.7 –3.0. The average male victim of Heart Disease has a Chol/HDL ratio of 5.5-6.1. The average female victim of Heart Disease has a Chol/HDL ratio of 4.6-6.4. You need to get your ratio down.

Q.Where does Cholesterol come from?
We get way too much Cholesterol from saturated fats in our diet. We have also recently discovered that the most significant cause of elevated Cholesterol is perhaps due to refined carbohydrates and sugars that trigger the liver to produce excessive amounts Cholesterol. This leads to excessive Cholesterol build up in the arteries. That is why I developed CHOLESTRED™ to enhance your body’s ability to normalize your Cholesterol by reducing the excessive tendency to produce more Cholesterol than is needed.

*Note: In addition to CHOLESTRED™ to help lower your Cholesterol, I recommend taking PEAK ADVANTAGE – High Potency Multi Vitamin Mineral, which contains all of the nutritional antioxidants I mentioned above, including 400 I.U. of Vitamin E, which has been shown to reduce your risk of heart disease by 75%.

High Cholesterol leads to hardening and narrowing of the arteries (Arteriosclerosis). It is the number one cause of death in America, leading to 1.5 million heart attacks every year in the U.S. - more than all other causes combined, including cancer, AIDS, diabetes, and all accidents. More than 500,000 Americans die from heart attacks every year. For 50% of those who die from a heart attack the crushing pain that caused their death was their first warning that they had a heart problem.

Q. How Your Body Controls Cholesterol Naturally
Most of the body’s supply of Cholesterol (approximately 80%) is produced in the liver. This natural supply of Cholesterol is used to make cell membranes and many hormones. The manufacture of Cholesterol is regulated by an enzyme in the liver called Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA-reductase (HMG-CoA reductase). When the liver senses that it needs more Cholesterol, the body makes more of this enzyme which in turn stimulates the production of more Cholesterol. Additionally, Insulin stimulates and increase in Cholesterol production by stimulating more HMG-CoA reductase production. When you have sufficient Cholesterol for your needs, your body reduces the amount of HMG-CoA reductase, which reduces the amount of Cholesterol produced.

CHOLESTRED™ contains two natural ingredients that when taken together may significantly lower your Total Cholesterol / HDL Ratio. In more than 20 clinical trials, Red Yeast Rice (Monascus purpureus) has been shown block the action of HMG-CoA reductase in the liver and thereby significantly reduce the production of Total Cholesterol, LDL Cholesterol, and Triglycerides, but does not raise HDL Cholesterol. Red Clover contains specific isoflavones that have been shown to raise the healthy HDL Cholesterol.

Q. What is LDL cholesterol?
Low density lipoprotein is the major cholesterol carrier in the blood. When a person has too much LDL cholesterol circulating in the blood, it can slowly build up within the walls of the arteries feeding the heart and brain. Together with other substances it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog those arteries. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. The formation of a clot (or thrombus) in the region of this plaque can block the flow of blood to part of the heart muscle and cause a heart attack. If a clot blocks the flow of blood to part of the brain, the result is a stroke. A high level of LDL cholesterol reflects an increased risk of heart disease. That is why LDL cholesterol is often called "bad" cholesterol.

Q. What is HDL cholesterol?
High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) carries about one-third to one-fourth of the Total blood Cholesterol. HDL carries cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it’s eliminated from the body. Some experts believe HDL removes excess cholesterol from atherosclerotic plaques and thus slows their growth. HDL is known as "good" cholesterol because a high level of HDL seems to protect against heart attack. The opposite is also true: a low HDL level indicates a greater risk.

Q. What about cholesterol and diet?
Cholesterol comes from two sources. It’s produced in your body, mostly in the liver (about 1,000 milligrams a day). And it’s found in foods that come from animals, such as meats, poultry, fish, seafood and dairy products. Foods from plants (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds) do not contain cholesterol.

Saturated fatty acids are the chief culprit in raising blood cholesterol, which increases your risk of heart disease. But dietary cholesterol also plays a part. The average American man consumes about 360 milligrams of cholesterol a day; the average woman, between 220 and 260 milligrams.

Some of the excess dietary cholesterol is removed from the body through the liver. Still, the American Heart Association recommends that you limit your average daily cholesterol intake to less than 300 milligrams.

People with severe hypercholesterolemia may need an even greater reduction. Since cholesterol is present in all foods from animal sources, care must be taken to eat no more than six ounces of lean meat, fish and poultry per day and to use skim and low-fat dairy products. High-quality proteins from vegetable sources are good substitutes for animal sources of protein.

Q. What foods can I eat that lower Cholesterol?
The most important dietary change you can make is to replace butter, margarine, and unhealthy oils with Olive oil or Grapeseed oil. Grapeseed oil is light flavored oil that doesn’t overpower the flavor of your foods, so you’ll want to use it rather than Olive oil unless you are cooking Italian dishes. Grapeseed oil is rich in antioxidants, especially vitamin E, and shares Olive oil's ability to raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Besides cooking with it, you should sprinkle it on your toast, baked potato, vegetables, etc. Putting an oil on foods may take some getting used to, but even butter once its melted is also a liquid. Grapeseed oil tastes great and its great for you.

Other foods that lower Cholesterol include: almonds, artichokes (without butter), avocados, buckwheat, garlic, soybeans, soymilk, tofu, and walnuts.

Q. How does exercise (physical activity) affect cholesterol?
For some people, exercise affects blood cholesterol level by increasing HDL level ("good" cholesterol). A higher HDL level is linked with decreased risk of heart disease. Exercise can also help control weight, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Exercise that uses oxygen to provide energy to large muscles (aerobic) raises your heart and breathing rates. Regular exercise such as brisk walking, jogging and swimming also condition your heart and lungs.

Physical inactivity has been established as a major risk factor for heart disease. Even mild activities, if done daily, help reduce your risk. Examples are walking for pleasure, gardening, yard work, housework, dancing and prescribed home exercise.

How does cigarette / tobacco smoke affect cholesterol?
Cigarette and tobacco smoke is one of the six major risk factors of heart disease that you can change, treat or modify. Smoking has been shown to lower HDL or "good" cholesterol levels. Smokers' risk of heart attack is more than twice that of nonsmokers. Cigarette smoking is the biggest risk factor for sudden cardiac death: smokers have two to four times the risk of nonsmokers. Smokers who have a heart attack are more likely to die and die suddenly (within an hour) than are nonsmokers. Available evidence also indicates that chronic exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (second-hand smoke, passive smoking) may increase the risk of heart disease.

For a Natural Alternative to help you quit smoking Dr. Hansen recommends: Quit Now and Quit for Life. To learn more click here

Q. How does High blood pressure relate to High Cholesterol?
High blood pressure increases the heart's workload, causing the heart to enlarge and weaken over time. It also increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and congestive heart failure. When high blood pressure exists with obesity, smoking, high blood cholesterol levels or diabetes, the risk of heart attack or stroke increases several times.

Q. Does Stress Effect Cholesterol levels?
Individual response to stress may be a contributing factor. Some scientists have noted a relationship between coronary heart disease risk and stress in a person's life, their health behaviors and socioeconomic status. These factors may affect established risk factors. Stress causes the release of hormones that are thought to cause oxidation of Cholesterol. Additionally, people under stress may overeat, start smoking or smoke more than they otherwise would. To help you deal with stress, Dr. Hansen recommends Tranquil Clarity – Stress Relief Formula. To learn more click here:

Q. Will losing Weight help me reduce my Cholesterol?
People who have excess body fat are more likely to develop heart disease and stroke even if they have no other risk factors. Obesity is unhealthy because excess weight increases the strain on the heart. It's directly linked with coronary heart disease because it influences blood pressure, blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and makes diabetes more likely to develop. If you can lose as little as 10 to 20 pounds, you can help lower your heart disease risk. To help lose weight Dr. Hansen recommends SUCCEED – Weight Loss Formula. To learn more click here .