Overview

A vitamin is an organic compound required as a nutrient in tiny amounts by an organism. A compound is called a vitamin when it cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities by an organism, and must be obtained from the diet. Thus, the term is conditional both on the circumstances and the particular organism. For example, ascorbic acid functions as vitamin C for some animals but not others, and vitamins D and K are required in the human diet only in certain circumstances.

Vitamins are classified by their biological and chemical activity, not their structure. Thus, each "vitamin" actually refers to a number of vitamer compounds, which form a set of distinct chemical compounds that show the biological activity of a particular vitamin. Such a set of chemicals are grouped under an alphabetized vitamin "generic descriptor" title, such as "vitamin A," which (for example) includes retinal, retinol, and many carotenoids. Vitamers are often inter-convertible in the body. The term vitamin does not include other essential nutrients such as dietary minerals, essential fatty acids, or essential amino acids, nor does it encompass the large number of other nutrients that promote health but are otherwise required less often.

Friday, March 28, 2008

10 Tips to Reduce Your Cholesterol

Reducing your cholesterol can increase your health. High cholesterol can you have an increased risk for a variety of diseases and conditions. By lowering your cholesterol, you can reduce your risk and increases the health to enjoy. These ten tips will help you get there.

1. Know your target cholesterol level. It is important to know that your target cholesterol levels, so you know where you stand. It can give you a guideline to follow to know how far you need to go and what you need to do to there.

2. Select the "good fats". Polyunsaturated fats, including corn, cotton, safflower, sesame, soybean and sunflower oils are the "good fats" should be in your diet. Stay heavily saturated fats that are in fat beef, butter, cream and lard, and a variety of other foods. Do your homework and learn which foods are good fats and they are nothing more than trouble.

3. Change your cooking habits. Pack away your deep fryer. Better still, it is gone. Stick to baking, broiling and boiling food, the way is healthier.

4. Trim the fat. Trim any fat from the outside meat or pork, and remove the skin from chicken and turkey before you cook.

5. Go for the omega-3 fatty acids. Here are the omega-3 fatty acids in fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines. Try to eat at least two servings per week, for your weekly dose and steer away from the supplements. The jury is still out on the benefits of fish oil supplements, and in high doses can cause them harm.

6. Make some changes and substitutions. Choose low-fat or skimmed milk over whole milk, choose low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese instead of mayonnaise and sour cream in your recipes and throw your high-fat seasoning with lemon juice and vinegar. Limit your egg consumption to four or fewer a week. If you cook with eggs, but with all the other yolk and replace the discarded egg yolk with a white.

7. Use your medications to lower cholesterol. There are medications that reduce your cholesterol. Your doctor can give you one that is right for you. However, no medication get out of jail free card. You have to go in the sense of your diet and health practices.

8. Increase your HDL cholesterol. Follow some healthy behaviors, such as diet and exercise. If you smoke - stop. If you are overweight, lose weight. Also, add your diet on glass fiber. All these things, your HDL cholesterol increase your "good" cholesterol.

9. Try some natural treatments. There are some vitamins and herbs, believed to reduce your LDL, or "bad" cholesterol. A few of these natural treatments include B vitamins, carnitine, chromium, garlic, grape seed extract, pantothine, royal jelly and soy. Please consult your doctor before taking any of these.

10. Exercise can make a difference. They can exercise the cholesterol in a variety of ways. It can of course help your LDL-cholesterol lowering, help you lose weight and keep your organs function more effectively, all very positive for your health.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristi_Patrice_Carter

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