Natural Supplements For Cholesterol, Blood Pressure And Heart Disease

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality now a days. Blood pressure can play havoc on blood vessels and internal organs, if left untreated, setting the stage for the development of a heart attack, stroke, or kidney failure.

In people with mild to moderate blood pressure, lifestyle changes; combined with helpful natural nutritional supplements, can dramatically lower blood pressure and may eliminate the need for prescription drugs as well.

There are so many Ayurvedic herbs and modern food supplements for prevention and treatment of hypertension. These can be used as an adjuvant to the drug therapy.

Vitamin C in the form of Amla Juice ( Amla Saar)

Vitamin C is one of the most important antioxidant that is required by the body for removal of free radicals. The free radicals are the substances that are formed during various metabolic processes within our body. They are also formed because of stress, pollution, smoking, synthetic drugs etc.They damage the inner lining of our arteries and are responsible for ageing, wrinkles, premature death. Stress and anxiety increase the formation of free radicals many times. Vitamin C is a very important anti-oxidant which scavenges free radicals and protects us from their harmful effects.

The antioxidant vitamin C may also help lower high blood pressure and cholesterol and helps in formation of arterioneogenesis. i.e. formation of new arteries. Recent studies found that higher blood levels of vitamin C were correlated with lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Amla is the richest natural source of Vitamin C. It has 30 times more vitamin C than oranges. Pure Amla juice

Can be consumed dailiy for prevention of complications of hypertension as well as many other dreadful diseases.

Coenzyme Q10

Co-Enzyme Q 10 is the natural vitamin like micronutrient which is required by the heart muscle for proper functioning. It provides energy to the heart muscle cells. The daily requirement for prevention of heart disease and cholesterol maintenance is between 30 to 60 mg/day.

Natural Co-Enzyme Q 10 is present in the bark of a tree "Terminalia arjuna". Ayurveda recommends Terminalia arjuna to be taken in the form of "Arjuna Ksheer pak" i.e. in a herbal tea form. This tea of Arjun should be boiled in milk and water because the Co-Enzyme Q 10 is better absorbed with milk lipids. Co-Enzyme Q 10 also helps in normalizing blood cholesterol levels.

Suggested dose: While making Arjun tea one should use 3 to 5 gm of the herb powder and boil it in milk and water to get maximum benefits.

Flaxseed and Fish Oils

Flaxseed is the only vegetarian source of Omega-3 fatty acids, very essential to keep the cholesterol levels in control. Flaxseed oil should be consumed by people suffering from disturbed cholesterol metabolism. Flaxseed oil is used in Ayurveda for prevention of heart problems, cancers and many other chronic ailments. It has been shown to reduce high blood pressure in numerous double-blind studies. Only extra virgin cold pressed Flaxseed Oil should be used for oral consumption. It should not be heated or used for cooking. The Omega-3 fatty acids get destroyed if the oil is heated or used for cooking. It should be refrigerated to ensure freshness and efficacy. For cooking purpose, Mustard oil or Olive oil can be used.

Suggested dose :

Flaxseed oil: 1 tbsp. (14 grams) a day. Take with food to enhance absorption.

Fish oils: 1,000 mg 3 times a day. Use fish oil supplements if you don't eat fish at least twice a week. Keep refrigerated to ensure freshness

Garlic

Garlic is another wonderful natural remedy to keep cholesterol and heart related problems away. It inhibits clot formation by making platelets less likely to clump, and it can help lower cholesterol levels and prevent formation of artery-clogging plaques. Garlic contains compounds which are good for digestion of lipids and heavy diets. According to Ayurveda Garlic is extremely useful for "Vata" and "Kapha" conditions and is a miracle cure for paralysis and motor nerve disorders. Garlic should be avoided in cases of high blood pressure as it may increase "Pitta". So it is recommended only in cases of high cholesterol without blood pressure.

Suggested dose: 500 mg twice a day i.e. 1-2 buds once daily. It can be taken with honey or boiled in milk to reduce the heating effect.

Ashwgandha ( Withania somnifera)

Ashwgandha is also known as "Indian Ginseng" in international herbal market. This herb has marvelous properties to alleviate stress, anxiety. It is known to possess adaptogenic properties i.e. it helps body to adapt to various stresses and cope with them. It is rejuvenates cells, relieves fatigue and gives strength to the neuromuscular system.

In Ayurveda it is used in rheumatic conditions and as a sexual stamina enhancer. It also increases the low sperm counts and is very useful in infertility. Regular use of Ashwagandha with milk is recommened in emaciation of children, protein energy malnutrition as well as insomnia in elderly due to stress and hypertension. Stress related blood pressure responds very well to Ashwagandha.

Suggested Dose : Ashwagandha root powder can be taken 3-6 gm twice daily with lukewarm water or milk.

Brahmi ( Indian Peenywort)

This slender, creeping plant grows commonly in localized swampy areas of Asia, Africa, and the tropics. The size of an old British colonial-period penny -- this is how it came to be known as Indian pennywort, marsh penny and water pennywort (with "wort" being the ancient anglo-saxon word for plant). . It is famous in western world as 'Gotu Kola'. Gotu Kola Enhances Tranquility and regulates sleep pattern. It is a wonderful herb not only for blood pressure but also for memory weakness, lack on concentration It is regarded as one of the most spiritual and rejuvenating herbs in Ayurveda. Today, this herb has become popular to promote relaxation, cleanse the blood, enhance brain function, and for strengthening the collagen fibers of the body's connective tissues and circulatory vessels.

Since so often we find high blood pressure is related to daily stress, Gotu kola is an important herb for blood pressure patients. Boiled in water or direct juice can be taken at night for sound sleep and restlessness. It effectively controls blood pressure without causing any side effects.

Suggested Dose:

Brahmi juice can be taken 20 to 30 ml twice daily with equal quantity of water.

Brahmi powder can be taken 3-6 gm per day with lukewarm water.

Aloe Vera Juice (Kumari Saar)

Aloe vera is also called " The miracle plant". It has been studied to be effective in so many illenesses. The plant has outer thick leaf and inner soft gel. Aloe gel contains active substances known as glycoproteins and polysaccharides. Glycoproteins are protein-carbohydrate compounds that speed the healing process by stopping pain and inflammation. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate that stimulates skin growth and repair. They also help control the blood sugar levels and thus very useful in treating diabetes. These substances are also thought to stimulate the immune system. Aloe vera juice lowers down cholesterol levels by acting on liver metabolism. It increases the working capacity of liver cells. In Ayurveda it is known as "Kumari". Kumari is said to possess the properties of removing endotoxins from the body. It is explained as

"Kumari bhedni sheeta tikta netrya rasayani

Madhura brahni balya vrishya vaat vish pranut"

Classical Ayurvedic Text. BPN- verse- 230. ( 1700 A.D)

i.e. Aloe vera removes endotoxins, it is soothing, bitter tonic, improves eyesight, rejuvenative (Anti-ageing), strengthens body, enhances immunity, increases vigour and vitality, relieves 'Vata' and removes 'poisons' from the body.

Cholesterol is considered as endotoxin or "Aama" according to Ayurveda. The best properties of " Kumari Saar" the inner juicy portion of Aloe vera is to remove this 'Aama' from our body. According to Ayurveda this 'Aama' is the reason for formation of uric acid crystals, Gall bladder stones, Rheumatoid arthritis, Cysts and fibroids, cholesterol deposits. So Aloe vera juice is a very useful herb in a number of diseases including blood pressure and cholesterol.

Suggested dose: Aloe vera juice can be taken 20 ml twice daily diluted with equal water.

Shankhpushpi ( Convolvulus pluricaulis)

Shankhpushpi is another useful herb famous for improving memory in children. The herb has cold, bitter tonic, relieves pitta and heat inside the body. It is also useful for high metabolic rates, wear and tear reactions. It calms down the hyperactive neurons and thus controls the blood pressure and improves memory. It also heals stomach and duodenal ulcers. This herb gives wonderful results in stress and anxiety related hypertension.

Suggested dose: 20 ml of Shankhpushpi juice or syrup can be taken twice daily for one month to get good results.Shankhpushpi powder (Buy Total Heart Support containing Ashwagandha, Brahmi, Arjuna and many other herbs for heart problems) can be consumed 1 teaspoonful twice daily with luke warm water.

Haritaki ( Terminalia chebula)

Terminalia chebula is also commonly known as 'Harar' an age old remedy to relieve constipation. In Ayurveda, Haritaki is considered as mother of all herbs. Ayurveda considers 'Vayu' as a major culprit for hypertension. 'Haritaki' in combination with another two herbs 'Amla' and 'Bahera' makes the famous Ayurvedic preparation 'Triphala'. Triphala is best combination to get rid of hypertension, constipation and high cholesterol. Haritaki alone is very useful for lowering down blood cholesterol levels as well as controlling bouts of hypertension.

Suggested dose:

Haritaki powder or Triphala powder/ Triphala capsules can be taken 3-6 gm(1 tablespoon) once at night with lukewarm water.

This article is submitted by Dr. Vikram Chauhan ( MD -Ayurveda), Consultant Ayurveda Physician. Dr. Chauhan provides free online consultations at planetayurveda.com planetayurveda.com

Foods to Avoid High Cholesterol - List of Foods You Don't Want to Eat With High Cholesterol

High cholesterol is a serious medical problem, but there are foods to avoid high cholesterol. While some foods can help to lower your cholesterol, there are other foods out there that can make a high cholesterol problem even worse. It is time you learn the 411 on foods you should not be eating if you have high levels of cholesterol in your blood.

Foods that have trans fats and saturated fats in them can cause cholesterol to go higher. Saturated fats are usually found in foods that come from animals. Some foods even contain cholesterol and saturated fats. You should look at food labels to find out more about the content of fat and cholesterol in foods. Here is a look at foods to avoid high cholesterol to make sure you improve health and avoid any negative physical problems.

Foods You Need to Avoid

When you have high levels of cholesterol, you need to avoid eating saturated fats as well as oils. This can include coconut oil, lard, butter, palm oil, and bacon drippings. There are many processed foods that actually contain both coconut and palm oils, and they should be avoided as well. You can replace these foods with soy oil, vegetable oils, olive oil, corn oil, peanut oil, or even soft tub margarine.

Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and trans fats need to be avoided as well. This can include foods like shortenings, chips, hard margarines, cookies, and snack crackers. Fats become semi solid or solid within a process that is known as hydrogenation.

Servings of meat, fish, and poultry should be limited. Usually you should have about 3-5 ounces of these meats a day and no more. This can help you to better control your levels of cholesterol.

Foods to avoid high cholesterol include fatty meats. You need to eliminate these meats from your diet to help lower your cholesterol to a healthy level. Fatty meats you should be avoiding include bologna and other processed meats, frankfurters, ribs, corned beef, sausage, ground meat, bacon, steak, and pastrami. Instead of eating these meats that are so high in fat, start adding turkey, pork, fish, lean beef, turkey and meatless dishes to your diet.

High fat milk products should also be limited in your diet. This includes many cheeses, cream, whole milk, whipped topping, and more. Instead go for cheeses that are low fat and look for milk that has less than 1% fat in it.

Fast food should definitely be avoided. Fries, tacos, hamburgers, and fried chicken are high in saturated fat and total fat. If you do have to eat out, go with chicken sandwiches that do not have skin, choose foods that have not been fried, and try for salads with low fat dressings. Fast food can sabotage your cholesterol fast, and if you need to lower cholesterol, these are definitely foods to avoid high cholesterol.

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Low-Carb Diet Plan - An Easy Low-Fat, Low-Carb Menu Plan That Works

You simply have no choice but to face that weight gain problem and fix it as best as you can. The diet with a lower carbohydrates intake is one of the most beneficial nutrition arrangements you can possibly pick up. Still, the key to success is to devise the optimal low carb diet plan. This can be very simple, easy to stick to and extremely effective.

You need to understand how the low carb diet plan works before actually adopting it. This will motivate you to follow it even further. In its essence such a nutritional arrangement is supposed to eliminate the major reason for weight gain and to allow for the reverse process to begin. When you eat more food than you need to - that is when your body is fueled by more energy than it can actually burn, the carbohydrates, which are the main source of power for the cells are stored as fats. This process if further aided by the lack of physical activity in your life. Thus, if you restrict the intake of carbs, your body will need to supply its energy by using up the fats.

The excessive weight gain can literally ruin your life - apart from the low self esteem due to your chubby figure, you are also exposed to a higher risk of heart diseases and diabetes. But with the appropriate low carb diet plan, all this can go away. The weight loss will is achieved quickly and effectively. Your bad cholesterol levels will be reduced and your blood sugar levels optimized. It is best if you actually use this nutritional arrangement in your life in general and not only to slim down. As pointed out earlier this dietary plan should be healthy and beneficial enough to sustain you in optimal shape. Thus, in order to keep the weight loss results, you can make the low carb diet your main one.

The really great thing is that you do not have to count calories all the time. You can simply eat only foods that have no carbs and are extremely low in them. Your low carb diet plan should consist of the three main meals and two snacks in between them. The best breakfast foods are eggs that are cooked in different ways without frying and yogurt or cottage cheese with some fruit. For lunch you can have your favorite veggie salad plus some grilled or roasted chicken fillets or stewed tuna. For your dinner you can pick a low carb recipe from the Greek or French cuisines, which offer plenty of such specialties. You can plan your snacks to consist of seeds, raw nuts or cheese sticks.

It is best to put your low carb diet plan in writing so that you can make your shopping and cooking easier and stick to it. If you feel like changing something, simply follow your preference and do it. The key to success is to be motivated and enjoy your diet - in this way the most beneficial possible results will come in no time.

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Can Phytosterols Help Keep Bad Cholesterol in Check and Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease?

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, upwards of 40% of Canadian adults have unhealthy cholesterol levels. Americans are also battling high cholesterol levels, as several generations of sedentary living, processed food consumption, and lack of exercise have conspired to make heart disease a leading cause of death amongst North Americans today.

It does not have to be that way...

What are Phytosterols?

Phytosterols ("plant sterols") are natural compounds with a ring chemical structure. Some phytosterols, such as vitamin D, are already recognized as being important for our overall health and well-being. Unlike animal cholesterol, which circulates in our blood and thus increases the risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease, phytosterols do not enter the bloodstream and work to decrease the absorption of dietary cholesterol in the intestine. Their ability to lower low-density lipoproteins, LDL (i.e. "Bad cholesterol") levels has been investigated in many studies.

How do I get Phytosterols into My Diet?

Believe it or not, phytosterols can be found in small quantities in a vast array of foods, especially nuts (e.g. cashews, almonds), oils, seeds, whole grains and legumes. However, the typical North American diet - rich in protein and saturated fats - tends to ignore and omit these items.

Lately, the marketplace has been inundated with products containing phytosterols. Everything from margarine spreads, salad dressings and vitamin supplements are touting this natural cholesterol regulator. Many of these products may contain saturated phytosterols, which are known as phytostanols, or plant stanols. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has labeled some products with phytosterols as "heart-healthy".

What are the Risks?

Increased phytosterol consumption is being touted alongside statin drugs in the fight against unhealthy LDL levels. One to two grams of phytosterol extract daily, equivalent to one tablespoon, is often recommended. However, just as statin use may cause side effects, changing your diet requires careful consideration before making the final commitment. More research is required to confirm phytosterols' health benefits, especially for individuals already susceptible to atherosclerosis and vulnerable plaques that lead to heart attacks, stroke, and cardiovascular disease.

February 2010 is Heart Month, a great time to reassess your cardiovascular health and start making good choices to lengthen and improve the quality of your life. As always, consult your family physician and be cognizant of your health history.

Rahul Majumdar is an Information Marketer who has successfully lowered his bad cholesterol levels through a combination of regular exercise, healthy eating, and responsible prescription drug use.

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The Amazing Peanut Butter Diet - Review and Sample Menu

The amazing peanut butter diet is a truly well balanced diet that allows the addition of peanut butter to the menu. The cholesterol lowering effects of this sticky elixir receive praise in recent studies completed at the University of Rochester, New York and Pennsylvania State University.

The addition of peanut butter to the daily menu lowered the total cholesterol level and yet, unlike the low fat diet, did not lower the level of HDL, the good cholesterol. The low fat diet also increased triglyceride levels.

According to Dr. Penny Kris-Etherton, Professor at Pennsylvania State University, "What is important about these findings is that we have another food option beyond olive oil...peanuts, peanut butter and peanut oil...for increasing monounsaturated fats in the diet." She added that the additional option allows for variety and personal preference when planning a heart healthy diet.

A sample menu for the amazing peanut butter diet shows a well-balanced food selection that creates not only nutritious menus but also delectable choices. Each day contains three yummy meals, a mid afternoon snack and a treat after supper.

Use this daily menu as a guide to some of the sumptuous meals that the amazing peanut butter diet contains.

Breakfast:

A scrambled egg with chopped green pepper and onion fried in a tablespoon of canola oil is the main course at this breakfast. 2 mandarin Clementine oranges and one half of a whole grain English muffin accompany the egg.

Lunch includes a summer favorite, the open face cheese and tomato sandwich. Simply toast a piece of whole wheat bread, put on one thick slice of tomato on top and a piece of reduced fat cheddar cheese to top it off. Grill in a broiler until the cheese melts. Accompany this sandwich with a medium banana.

The mid afternoon snack on this sample of the amazing peanut butter menu is a stalk of celery filled with two tablespoons of peanut butter. An easy way to measure two tablespoons of peanut butter is to compare the size to a golf ball. A scoop that size is two tablespoons. You may substitute an apple for the

celery.

Dinner consists of the cooked equivalent of a cup of dry whole-wheat macaroni. Top the macaroni with a low-fat mushroom and pepper sauce. Add 12 steamed shrimp and top the pasta dish off with 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. Make a salad of 2 cups of lettuce with a dressing of a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil.

Daily treat for this menu are 4 large dates stuffed with peanut butter. The menus for the amazing peanut butter diet vary widely. This menu is just a sample of many for the diet and contains all the nutrients necessary for not only heart-heath but also overall good nutrition.

The diet doesn't promise quick weight loss but slow steady loss of two pounds a month. Its purpose is to change bad eating patterns to healthy ones. If you add exercise to the diet, the

weight loss is far more dramatic.

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How to Lower Bad Cholesterol and Raise Good Cholesterol

How to lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol is an important question and one that can be answered in a number of different ways. But before we get down to the brass tacks of how to lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol first we must gain a better understanding of exactly what we are dealing with here.

Cholesterol is a wax like substance that floats around your bloodstream guided only by the lipoproteins known as LDL and HDL. LDL stands for low density lipoproteins and HDL is short for high density lipoproteins. Low density lipoproteins play an important role in transportation vital blood cholesterol to your cells. Nevertheless, despite its noble pursuit it is considered to be bad cholesterol, mainly because it drops some of its payload along the way, producing coronary artery deposits know as arterial plaque. On the other hand HDL is the knight in shining armor that comes along to save the day by cleaning up the mess LDL has left. Most experts agree that regardless of how high overall cholesterol readings are, if enough HDL is present to clean up the mess, the overall risk of atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke generally considered to be very low.

So as you can see the second part of the question as how to lower bad cholesterol and RAISE GOOD CHOLESTEROL is indeed the key.

The most often mentioned way as how to lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol is through the use of prescription statin drugs. Lipitor, Crestor, Lescol, Pravachol, and Zocor have become household names with millions of prescriptions written annually. These drugs work by inhibiting the livers ability to turn carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into cholesterol thus reducing both LDL and overall cholesterol reading. While most agree they do increase HDL levels the clinical evidence to support this is somewhat ambiguous. Nevertheless, we do know that statin medication have a profound impact on high cholesterol.

Exercise is another example of how to lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol. According to the AMA (American Heart Association) exercise can alter your cholesterol levels, pushing up your HDLs (good cholesterol) and pushing down LDLs (bad cholesterol). This is a tricky one especially for those who have serious physical concerns and should be discussed with your doctor before you go into training for the next iron man/woman competition.

Foods are another example. Certain foods are amazing in their ability to improve cholesterol. While the list is really long as to food that can lower bad and overall cholesterol it is relatively short when it come to raising good cholesterol. Examples would be apples, pears, pomegranates, dark grapes, olive oil, foods containing plant sterols, and possibly cranberries and cranberry juice.

Herbs are our fourth and final stop on the road headed towards how to lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol. Once again we have no shortage of possible candidates. Examples would include red yeast rice, garlic, guggul, and rooibos.

Note: It should not go without mention that niacin is a very important cholesterol buster and may merit some additional research. Also, there is anecdotal evidence to support the notion that garlic enhances the benefits of any remedy for high cholesterol.

In the end how to lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol can be answered in many different ways. For some natural health minded individuals the combination of lowered-cholesterol.com natural cholesterol reducing remedies combined with diet and exercise has proven to be a powerful formula for success. If you have been searching for a side effect free way to give cholesterol the boot this powerful three step approach is certainly one worth considering.

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Lower Cholesterol Information

There's been a lot of talk about lowering cholesterol for many years. There are a lot of misconceptions about cholesterol in general. Here is some general information about what cholesterol is and how to lower cholesterol.

Kinds of Cholesterol There are different kinds of cholesterol in your body. Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL) is the bad guy in our story. One of the side affects of having too much LDL in your body is the build up of plaque on the walls of your arteries. Plaque is a thick, hard substance that can build up over time and slow, and eventually block, the flow of blood.

High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) is the good guy. This type of protein aids in the removal of the LDL (like a good sheriff keeping the town clean). The higher your HDL levels, the better. There's more "lawmen" to keep the streets clean. You can imagine if you had more lawmen than outlaws that the streets would be safe. That's true of HDL versus LDL.

There are a couple of other types of cholesterol that I should mention. Very Low Density Lipoproteins (VLDL) is like the bad brother of LDL. Like LDL, it too is not good for your body. It's made up of mostly fat, with very little protein. The other type of cholesterol is called Triglycerides. This type of fatty protein is carried by the LDL family. Some of the factors that can lead to an increase of the "bad" cholesterol are excess calories, alcohol, and sugar - all are turned into Triglycerides (in the liver) and then stored as fat in your body. Some diabetics see an increase in Triglycerides when their blood sugar levels are elevated (I know, I'm a diabetic).

Health Risks of High Cholesterol There are many health risks associated with high cholesterol. First, let's define "high cholesterol". High cholesterol is when the body either doesn't have enough HDL to keep the peace in the streets (get rid of LDL) or there's just too much LDL for the HDL to handle.

High cholesterol can lead to heart disease and stroke. Remember the plaque I talked about earlier? This is what can cause heart disease. The increased build up of plaque reduces the amount of blood flow to the heart. This build up (known as Atherosclerosis - hardening of the arteries) can lead to heart attack and stroke. This happens because the arteries can't carry enough oxygen-rich blood to the heart. Early signs of this can be Angina (a heart attack like feeling caused by the reduction of blood flow to the heart). When the coronary arteries (the big ones around your heart) are completely blocked, this is when heart attacks can occur. The sudden closure of an artery (from a clot stuck on top of the plaque) causes the heart to strain for more blood.

Causes of High Cholesterol So now you know what cholesterol is and what an unhealthy amount of LDL (or too low amount of HDL) can do. You may be wondering "what causes high cholesterol?" A major factor that causes unhealthy levels of cholesterol is diet. When a diet is high in foods that convert to LDL, this leads to higher levels of LDL. Sometimes just adjusting your diet to a happinesslifetime.com low cholesterol diet can do the trick. In others, a doctor may prescribe medication to help your body reduce it's LDL or Triglyceride levels. The trick is to get your body to get rid of the LDL faster than it produces it (this is where a higher HDL level comes into play).

Your genetics can play a role in your body's control of cholesterol levels. There is a specific form of high cholesterol that is inherited called Familial Hypercholesterolemia. This affects 1 in 500 people. This type of high cholesterol can lead to early heart disease.

There are other factors, other than diet and our genes that increase our risk of high cholesterol. Age and gender play a big factor as well. As we get older, cholesterol levels get higher. Women will often have lower LDL levels than men. When they reach menopause, their levels can rise (until about age 60 to 65). Often women age 50 will have higher cholesterol levels than men age 50.

Now you know a) what cholesterol is, b) what "high cholesterol" can do to your body, and c) what factors can cause the rise in the overall levels. You should consider you daily habits and adjust them to reduce the risk of high cholesterol. Of course, you should ALWAYS consult your doctor or medical practitioner for specific treatments. This article was only to give you more information and make you aware of some of the risks and some of the solutions.

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12 Facts About the Ornish Diet - Know Its Descriptions and Effectiveness in Losing Weight

Doctor Dean Ornish, M.D., developed his own diet that was first published in his book A Program for Reversing Heart Disease. Its scientifically-proven program aims to become a part of the person's lifestyle to help reverse heart disease. The Ornish diet, named after its creator, was designed after the regimen of Nathan's Pritikin. It fights heart disease as it puts emphasis on foods that are very low in fat but complete with nutrients that help make dieters feel full. In moderation, dairy and processed foods are allowed.

There are two Ornish diets: Reversal Diet which suits those who want to reverse or lower the risk of a heart attack, and Prevention Diet which is recommended for people who do not have heart disease but have a cholesterol level beyond 150, or total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein ratio of less than 3.0.

These two diets are vegetarian. They provide 10% of calories from fat, excluding cholesterol and saturated fat and including all animal products with the exception of egg whites and non-fat dairy products; nuts, avocados, seeds, olives, chocolates, and coconuts. Canola oil for cooking is allowed in small amounts. The Ornish diets totally prohibit caffeine. They tolerate slight consumption of alcohol, sugar, and salt. For as long as the calorie value is within the recommended foods, these are not restricted.

Dr. Ornish admitted that his diet is not sufficient to help treat and prevent heart disease. It should be combined with yoga, meditation, stress reduction, and lifestyle adjustments. To summarize, the 12 facts of the Ornish diets are as follows:

1. Foods with cholesterol, including saturated fats, are not allowed.

2. The percentage of fat in the diet must only be at 10% of the total calories.

3. These are vegetarian diets. No meat is allowed.

4. Egg whites and non-fat dairy products are allowed in small amounts.

5. These are diets with 10% fat, 20% protein and 70% carbohydrates.

6. The major component is complex carbohydrates mainly from fruits, vegetables, beans, and grains

7. They place great emphasis on high-fiber content.

8. The diets are a little lower in protein compared to the typical American diet.

9. Adequate provision of complete protein from vegetable sources is important.

10. There are no limitations on amount or portion as long as it has only 10% calories from fat

11. Eating in small meals is preferred to eating three big meals.

12. It restricts on simple carbohydrates such as sugar, alcohol, and honey.

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The Importance of Knowing Your Cholesterol Level

It is absolutely important to understand your fatty acid (cholesterol) level and for many

reasons. One of the most obvious reasons would be because having a high cholesterol level of the

wrong type can make you extremely prone to such things as cardiac diseases and strokes.

Although

excessive obesity is one of the plainest symptoms of high cholesterol, just because you are below

the correct weight for your height this does not mean that your cholesterol level is proper.

Sorting out Your Cholesterol Level

There are some considerations that you need to think about when you are trying to understand your

cholesterol level especially when put against your body type and mass index, such as for instance

the fact that there are both good and bad types of cholesterol. There is LDL cholesterol, which

is considered as being the bad type of cholesterol, and then there is HDL cholesterol which is

actually considered as being desirable to the body and it's systems.

You can be put into either one of three categories: satisfactory, low danger level, or higher

danger level. If your total cholesterol is less than 205mg/dL, then you are considered as being

in the satisfactory category, and your risk of heart attack is low, but there may be other

factors that raise that risk, such as smoking, drinking or other lifestyle choices.

If your cholesterol is in between 206 and 245mg/dL, then you are considered as being in the low

danger level category, and about 33% of all people fall into this category. If it turns out that

you are in this category, you should see a doctor or nurse to have your cholesterol levels

checked annually, or more often if your HDL is less than 41mg/dL and you consider that other

factors may increase the risk factors of cardiac problems.

Finally, if your levels sit at 245mg/dL plus, then you are likely to be in the high risk category

and your risk of cardiac attacks and strokes are incredibly raised. As well, you have a far more

than average risk of other heart problems, and so you must take immediate steps towards reducing

those risks and decreasing the likelihood of future heart and blood problems.

The underlying message to remember here is that the lower your LDL (the bad one) cholesterol, the

lower your overall cholesterol level will be and it is the easiest one to control. You should

take all of the precautions that you can to lower your LDL cholesterol to the safer end of the

scale. If necessary there are medications that can be taken to help, but in the end dietary and

lifestyle changes will almost certainly be recommended by your health practitioner or adviser.

Steven Lucas

Hampshire, UK

cholesterol.know-all.info cholesterol.know-all.info

Important Facts Of A Low Carbohydrate Vegetarian Diet

When beginning a low carbohydrate vegetarian diet, we have to follow the same guide lines as most conventional diets. This is a matter of taking care what we eat, reducing our food intake and exercising more. By balancing an increased exercise routine coupled with a reduction in our food intake, we will shed our excess pounds much quicker than following either a diet plan or exercise programme alone.

As we know, a vegetarian diet can leave us with essential vitamin and mineral deficiency. Of course we can take supplements to replace any deficit. There are many vegan and vegetarian types available, which can replace iron and B vitamins to name a few that are commonly deficient in a this type of diet.

Many of us have the impression that we cannot fail to lose weight on a vegetarian diet. This is a possibility, although this is dependent on what we eat, if we eat a lot of dairy produce and high fat cheeses for example, this could lead to weight problems. As vegetarians, we still enjoy fattening foods such as takeaways, sweets and treats. We cannot presume that eating plenty of vegetables equates to being healthier than meat eaters.

If we are dedicated to following a reduced carbohydrate diet, our cholesterol levels will be improved, benefiting our health and well being. Also our skin nails and hair will also benefit, due to extra the fruit and vegetables we are eating. Although we begin to show signs of improvement in our health and well being, we have to make sure that we are eating a good combination of various different foods to provide a supply of vitamins and minerals which we would normally find in animal products. Eating a diet of fruit and vegetables alone will not fulfill our total dietary needs.

The advantage that vegetarians have over non vegetarian dieters is the way that we study food labels carefully. By reading labels to ensure there are no animal products, we are more able to notice added sugar, salt and hidden fats, and can therefore avoid them. Although becoming increasingly popular, the ready made food market for vegetarians is fairly limited. They have a tendency to be quite uninspiring and bland. This leads many of us to cook more at home where we have more control over the quality of our ingredients, and can monitor any bad fats, sugar and salt.

Soya is an ideal substitute for either dairy produce or animal protein. As vegetarians we probably already include soya in our diet, but experts agree that it is so beneficial to our health and well being that we should consider increasing the quantity we eat.

As vegetarians we do not have any difficulty eating plenty of fruit and vegetables. We can however give benefits to the ones that we eat a boost by adding colour and variety in our choices. Many red berry fruits are known to be high in antioxidants and fresh leafy green vegetables such as spinach, kale, watercress and broccoli are rich in the nutrients we need.

The principles of a low carbohydrates vegetarian diet are almost the same as other diets. We still need to stop drinking alcohol and sweet soda drinks until we have achieved our weight loss goal. By eating fresh fruit we will be consuming less sugar than if we were to drink fruit juices, not only beneficial to our diet but also to our teeth.

Try to restrict tea and coffee consumption to cut down on our caffeine intake, and use skimmed milk rather than full fat. We will still have the benefit of calcium but be taking in fewer calories. If we allow ourselves to eat dairy produce, we should choose a low fat option in conjunction with our low carbohydrate diet.

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Lower Cholesterol by Controlling What You Can

If being healthier is your goal, one of the first things you must do is understand that there are things you cannot control relating to your health, and that there are things that you can control.

The "cannot control" list is pretty short. You have no control over how old you are, whether you are a girl or a boy, your ethnicity and heredity, or family medical history.

The "can control" list is much longer. You do have control over cholesterol, blood pressure, smoking, exercise, stress, alcohol or illegal drugs, weight, and diabetes. Even though controlling some of these factors may require medical help, you have the power to correct others by modifying your lifestyle.

It is important to know what cholesterol is and what it is not. It is not without benefits. In fact cholesterol is a substance found in the blood and is an essential part of our cell membranes as well is being required to manufacture bile acids and some fat-soluble vitamins.

Cholesterol becomes a killer when there is too much of it. When that happens, it builds up in the blood vessels and arteries and restricts the blood flow. If left untreated, it will form clots that completely block an artery. If the blocked artery feeds the heart, it causes a heart attack. If the blocked artery feeds the brain, it causes a stroke.

There are no warning signs of high cholesterol. You must have a blood test to know what your specific risks are.

If you discover that your LDL ("Low Density Lipoprotein, or "bad" cholesterol) levels are too high then you must work on your cholesterol and diet by adopting meals that are low in saturated and trans fats, as well as low cholesterol. Do some research online and make a list of the foods to avoid high cholesterol.

Modifying your diet in this manner will also help you lose weight. If you are heavier than you want to be take the opportunity to deal with both issues at the same time. In addition to changing your diet now is the perfect time to begin to get more exercise which will help with the weight loss as well.

Most experts recommend 30 minutes of moderate activity each day for optimum heart health. This does not have to be in a gym, it can be achieved by adding exercise to your normal daily routines.

You might want to try parking in the back of the lot instead of fighting for the place closest to the door. Or, try taking the stairs instead of the elevator for a trip of just a floor or two. There is no "secret" to this, it is simply exercising your heart and body.

Adding smoothies to your daily diet is a great help in achieving these goals. Smoothies can be made with an almost unlimited variety of fruits, vegetables, yogurt, and other healthy foods like nuts. A quick search on the web will undoubtedly turn up a number of sites offering free smoothie recipes. When made correctly, these recipes will certainly help you maintain a healthy diet and lower your cholesterol.

If you visit bestfruitsmoothies.com Best Fruit Smoothies.com you will find a huge number of free smoothie recipes. We post a new one each week day Monday through Friday so there is always something new. Almost all of our recipes are developed to help maintain a healthy lifestyle. You are certain to find a number of recipes to your liking.

In addition to the basic recipe, a smoothie can be instantly made into a super cholesterol fighter by adding a tablespoon of Mila Chia Seed to the mix. Mila is a super source of omega-3 fatty acids critical to a healthy heart and low cholesterol as well as other nutrients like Iron, Potassium, Manganese and Selenium. Check out milahealthyliving.com Mila HealthyLiving.com and read more about this miracle seed

Bad Cholesterol - How to Contain It

More and more people are getting worried about the increasing levels of bad cholesterol (low density lipoprotein - LDL) in their bodies. So, it has become very important to know the measures through which one can keep the level of LDL cholesterol under control. The best way to achieve this is to regulate what you eat regularly. Below is given some important tips that can help you lower your bad cholesterol level.

Visit Your Physician

The first and foremost thing, before starting a happinesslifetime.com low cholesterol diet, is to seek the advice of your physician and try to know if there is any risk involved in going with the happinesslifetime.com low cholesterol diet.

Include Fruits and Vegetables in Your Diet

Include plenty of green leafy vegetables and raw fruits in your diet regimen. You should try to start using the organic foods because they don't contain any chemicals. But if you don't want to go with the organic foods then at least make sure that you wash each of your food items before cooking or eating. This is necessary for getting rid of any chemical residues.

Drink Plenty of Water

Don't forget to supply your body with ample amount of water. If you regularly drink plenty of water then this habit can help you sleep better, lose weight faster and improve your metabolism, digestion and blood circulation. It will also help your body clean the accumulated toxins.

Drink Fresh

Avoid drinking soft drinks or any other artificial drinks that contain high levels of sugar, artificial additives and coloring. Instead, you can start drinking fresh fruit juices.

Eat Raw

Avoid eating processed foods, which contain lots of harmful additives, life extenders and coloring. Instead, you should start eating raw foods, like the natural root crops.

Cut Down the Consumption of Eggs and Butter

You need to cut down on your daily consumption of butter, eggs and margarine. But if you are insistent on eating the eggs then you should only eat egg white and not the egg yolk.

Use Palm Oils

Try to use palm oils and olive oils only for you cooking, which would help you in decreasing the level of bad cholesterol.

Start eating Garlic

Start eating lots of garlic and try to include it in all of your dishes. This is very important if you want to lower your bad cholesterol level.

Understand the Importance of Polyunsaturated Fat

Replace all of the saturated fat sources with the polyunsaturated ones. You can do this by cautiously choosing your chicken, meat and the whole milk products.

Avoid Refined Carbohydrates

Try to avoid consuming refined carbohydrates, usually found in bakery products, sugar added foods, pastas, etc. If you are really a fan of baked foods then you should eat only those baked foods that are made from whole wheat. You can also eat noodles, if it is made from cereals.

Take Your Supplements

You can further boost the process of lowering the cholesterol level by having Vitamin C and B3 supplements regularly.

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A Diabetic Diet You Can Follow

You can't have that!

Diabetic foods don't have any taste!

Diabetics shouldn't eat those kinds of things!

If it looks too good to eat, you probably shouldn't eat it!

Do these horrible rules come to mind when you think of your diet? Well, I have some good news for you: Some rules are made to be broken!

That's right, you'll find foods you can and want to eat. So, come with me on this fantastic and delectable journey of foods you can enjoy!

What's on the diabetic menu?

While diabetics should consider what they're eating, they should also have fun with their food! You can find hundreds of healthy and delicious recipes that will suit your diabetic diet. You don't have to eat bland, tasteless foods anymore! Here are a few menu ideas you will find at The Mayo Clinic:

From the main course

-Marinated portobello mushrooms with provolone

-Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Sun Dried Tomatoes

-Caribbean Beef Ragout with Coconut Rice

-Baked Red Snapper in Parchment with Julienne Vegetables

-Grilled Salmon Steaks with Tarragon Sauce

-Pizza with Onions and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

-New Mexican Chicken-Cilantro Sausage Strata

-Easy Vegetarian Lasagna

-Chicken quesadillas

-Chicken strips with honey mustard sauce

-Asparagus, tomato and red pepper French bread pizza

To crisp Salads

-Arugula Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Shaved Parmesan

-Lobster and Shrimp Salad with Fresh Vegetables

To refreshing drinks

-Fresh Fruit Slush

-Strawberry Lemonade

To sinful desserts

-Strawberry shortcake

-Creamy Cheesecake with Fresh Raspberries

-Fresh Peach Cake

-Fruit Chiffon in a Chocolate Cookie Crust

-Chocolate Popcorn

Those are just a few of the hundreds of delicious recipes that you can eat!

Moderation

This word is sometimes despised in any diet world. But, wouldn't you rather have a longer life to eat those delicious and healthy foods? Diabetics don't always have to omit desserts and sweets from their diet; they just have to be careful not to eat excessive amounts more than once or twice a week.

Choice

Everybody loves to have choices. And guess what? Diabetics have choices, too! Some tips on how to choose foods that ensure the health of diabetics are:

-Diabetics should eat the same amount of food around the same time each day to ensure stable blood sugar levels.

-Diabetics should use a system called "Carbohydrate Counting." This means counting the total number of grams of carbohydrates you eat at a meal or planned snack time based on your healthy exercise habits and medication.

-Diabetics should choose smaller portions of deli meats, poultry and fish, and low or fat-free dairy products.

-Diabetics should watch their cholesterol level.

Work

I know, I hear the complaints, "Look at all the stuff I have to do just to prepare a meal!" Well, friend, wouldn't you rather have the choice of what to eat instead of having someone else make the decisions for you while you're helpless in a hospital bed? Not only do you have the power to live a healthy life, you can live it with flavorful diabetic foods!

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Cholesterol Lowering Diet to Maintain Your Cholesterol Level

Below are some simple foods that can be included in diet as they are cholesterol lowering.

Apples: Pectin present in the apple is a soluble fiber that helps draw cholesterol out of the system. The flavonoids (Quercetin) present in apples act as a strong anti-oxidant which disrupts the formation of Low Density Lipoprotien cholesterol that is bad for our body.

Beans: Beans and vegetables are an admirable source of soluble fiber and high in vegetable protein. By correctly combing beans with brown rice, seeds, corn, wheat you can make a complete protein. Appropriately combined beans become an exceptional substitute for red meat protein that is high in saturated fat.

Brown Rice: The oil present in brown rice, not its fiber, lowers cholesterol levels. Brown rice can be joint with beans to form an in-expensive complete protein low in saturated fat. In totaling, this whole grain also supplies good doses of heart-healthy fiber, magnesium and B vitamins.

Cinnamon: A research published in the journal Diabetes Care found that half a tablespoon of cinnamon daily can significantly low blood sugar levels in people with type II diabetes. It also reduces triglyceride, Low Density Lipoprotien, the bad cholesterol and the total cholesterol level.

Garlic: Garlic or Allium sativum contains the chemical allicin that has been shown to kill bacteria and fungi, and ease certain digestive disorders. It also lowers the blood clotting properties of blood. But the most prominent notice garlic has received over recent years is its potential usefulness in lowering cholesterol levels.

Grapes: Flavonoids in grapes protect Low Density Lipoprotien cholesterol from free radical damage and reduce platelet clumping. The Low Density Lipoprotien lowering effect of grapes comes from a compound that grapes create normally to resist mold. The darker the grape, the better it is.

Walnuts: Walnuts can considerably reduce blood cholesterol because they are rich in poly-unsaturated fatty acids. Walnuts also helpful in keeping blood vessels healthy and elastic. Almonds appear to have an alike effect, resulting in a marked improvement within just four weeks. A cholesterol-lowering diet with a little less than one third of a cup of walnuts/day may reduce Low Density Lipoprotien cholesterol by 12 %.

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How to Get Rid of Love Handles - Beware of These 3 Dieting Myths!

If you want to know how to get rid of love handles, the right diet is crucial. You may have tried or may be considering one of the following dieting myths -- let's take a look at each one and see why they won't work, and afterwards learn what will work...

Myth #1 -- Low Calorie Diets Are a Great Way to Lose Weight

A low calorie diet is not only ineffective but also unhealthy. As you eat less calories, you may lose a little bit of weight at first but your body will quickly go into "starvation mode" and start to expend fewer calories since you are taking in fewer calories. Soon you will reach a weight loss limit and find yourself lacking energy. Also you'll be depriving yourself of the necessary amount of nutrients your body needs. You'll be susceptible to eating binges, which when combined with a slower metabolism, often leads you to put on more weight than when you started the diet. Let's go on to myth #2...

Myth #2 -- You Will Lose Fat with Low Fat Diets

It is very difficult to get rid of those love handles using low fat diets. The food industry and grocery stores have been promoting low fat foods for the last two decades, but yet Americans are getting more overweight as the years go by. This is because most low fat foods have an excessive amount of unrefined carbohydrates and are full of unhealthy processed ingredients that slow the metabolism and prohibit fat loss. Healthy fats that actually aid in fat loss and help reduce cholesterol are also restricted. So a low fat diet is not the answer to losing weight and getting rid of love handles. Now for myth #3...

Myth #3 -- Low Carb Diets Are an Easy Way to Drop the Pounds

A low carb diet is probably the most difficult diet there is. This is because it is very strict and you are depriving the body of an essential macronutrient. Carbohydrates are necessary to maintain energy and keep the body functioning optimally. This type of diet limits many healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, and a variety of whole grains. This diet is nearly impossible to maintain, which is why the majority of people who go on this diet end up gaining back all the pounds they lost (and in many cases more).

So if none of these myths work then what will work?

If you want to learn how to get rid of those love handles, eating less food or restricting any type of food will not help you lose weight. It is actually beneficial to eat throughout the day when you are hungry, and the key is to eat the right foods in the right patterns. When you do this you will turn your body into a fat burning machine and get rid of those love handles easily...

Avoid these myths to lose weight this holiday season.

Lowering High Cholesterol Levels

Raised cholesterol level equals increased risk of heart disease and in many cases diabetes and many forms or cancer. There are two main causes of high cholesterol levels:

- Saturated fats - found mostly in animal products

- Hydrogenated fats - found mostly in pastries, cookies, margarines and other processed foods.

You can take an action and lower your cholesterol levels significantly by introducing some changes into your diet and exercise patterns. These are the main steps you can take:

- Eat plenty of fibre rich whole grains, vegetables, fruit and organic soy products

- Introduce more movement and exercise into your everyday life

In general, the higher the intake of fibre (found in whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits) in your diet, the lower the level of cholesterol you will have in your blood. Scientific evidence indicates that a diet based on plant food with a minimal amount of foods derived from animals is the ideal diet for human beings.

The best diets are those in which every calorie comes packed with nutrients. When you eat foods low in healthy nutrients, you body still feels starving and you want to eat more.

Avoid processed foods and empty calories. Foods to avoid:

- Sugary soft drinks

- Fatty burgers and fries

- Creamy deserts, including most of the cheese cakes

- Snacks with a large quantity of sugar or high fructose corn syrup

Introducing more movement and exercise into your everyday life is also a huge step towards lower cholesterol levels. Start with some light exercise 3-5 days a week and gradually increase the exercise intensity and frequency as far as it feels comfortable. If you have high blood pressure or any heart problems please consult your GP before starting your exercise programme.

In conclusion, try avoiding processed foods and foods with empty calories and low nutritional value. Eat a varied diet which includes a lot of plant based products, whole grains and a small quantity of lean meat and other foods derived from animals. Move more and exercise more, ideally 5-7 days a week and you will see significant results.

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Diet to Lower Triglycerides - Do You Need It?

A high level of triglyceride reading means that you have too much "bad" fats in your body. High triglyceride levels are bad for the heart and dietitians have long recommended certain foods to lower triglycerides and promote better health and stronger hearts.

Triglycerides 101

Triglyceride is body fat which when combined with cholesterol forms plasma lipids in the body. High levels of triglyceride in the body equates to high levels of bad cholesterol and low levels of good cholesterol.

Considered normal triglyceride level is less than 150 mg/dL; borderline to high level is from 150 to 199 mg/dL; high level is from 200 to 499 mg/dL; and very high level is 500 mg/dL or higher.

Factors that may affect the amount of triglyceride in the body

Factors that affect the presence of high triglycerides in the body include age, medications, illness, heredity and excessive intake of fatty foods. You may not be able to fully control the first four factors but you can control excessive intake of fatty foods through diets that lower triglycerides.

The age factor

Triglycerides in your body increase as you age. Triglyceride levels would be different for a person when he is in his teens, middle age and old age.

The disease factor

Certain illnesses that can increase the level of triglycerides are diabetes, kidney and liver diseases. Hyperthyroidism can also affect the amount of triglycerides in the body.

Medication factor

Medicines such as steroids and birth control pills can increase the amount of triglyceride in the body. Diuretics or water pills can also induce high triglyceride level in the body.

Genes and heredity factor

If high triglyceride levels run in the family, family members will tend to inherit it.

Food that you eat

Fatty foods remain a major contributor in increasing the level of triglycerides in your body. A nutritious diet that is low in fat is a factor that you can fully control to lower your triglyceride levels.

Diet to lower triglycerides

* Maintain ideal weight by controlling calorie intake.

You should be aware of your ideal BMI (BODY MASS INDEX) which uses your height and weight to indicate if your weight falls within a healthy range. Monitor the amount and type of your food intake so that you maintain a healthy BMI and weight.

* Start eating low-fat foods and avoid high-fat foods.

Examples of low-fat foods are dried beans, peas and lentils; whole grain breads, cereals and pasta; egg whites, without the egg yolk; skim and non-fat milk; cheese such as parmesan and ricotta; low-fat cottage cheese and yogurt. There are also low-fat meats like fish, poultry meat (with skin removed), and lean meats from sirloin and flank.

* Reduce saturated fats in the foods you eat.

Avoid taking too much of saturated products present in oils like coconut oil, and palm and palm kernel oil; margarines and products made from these oils; coffee creamers; shortening, lards and butter. You should also refrain from eating fried pork skins and chitterling from pig intestines; red meats with fat; and poultry with fat and skin.

* Refrain from eating sugars and sugar in different forms.

Sugar is transformed into triglyceride when detected by the liver. The more sugar found in the blood stream, the more triglyceride is formed. Refrain from eating foods packed with sugar such as jam, jelly, soft drinks, fruit drinks, cookies, cakes and candies.

* Limit intake of alcohol which increases the level of triglycerides in the blood.

Alcohol such as beer, wines and hard liquor can increase the level of triglycerides in the blood directly. Calories from alcohol can also trigger the formation of triglycerides in the body.

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What Is Cholesterol And How To Control It?

Introduction

Cholesterol is an interesting substance found in the human body. It is a fatty substance that is found in the blood. Too much can be unhealthy but to little can be bad for your health also. So where does cholesterol come from, what is it, and how to keep it in check?

Where Does Cholesterol Come From?

Cholesterol comes from the body and your diet. In your body it is manufactured and removed by the liver. On a daily bases, the liver will produce about 1,000 mg per day. This is about all you need to have a healthy body, but you can also get an excess amount from your diet.

Cholesterol can be found in animal products that you eat especially in saturated fats. Saturated fats including the man-made trans-fats can be found in red meat, oils, such as hydrogenated vegetable, coconut or palm oils.

A healthy intake of cholesterol should be less than 300 mg per day.

What Is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is divided into three different types LDL (low-density lipoproteins), HDL (high-density lipoproteins) and trigs (Triglycerides).

LDL - LDL is also sometimes referred to as the "bad cholesterol" because it can form plaque in your body's arteries. When this happens your arteries are restricted which can block blood flow to your heart.
HDL - HDL is called the good cholesterol because they carry cholesterol back to the liver where it is removed from the body.
Trigs - This is a fat in your body, which is also produced by your liver or received from your diet. These too can restrict blood flow in your arteries.

Cholesterol is important for your body because it helps the cell produce fluid cell walls and protects the cell. Fluid cell walls are important to the cell to allow nutrients to get in and wastes to be discharged.

How To Keep It In Check

Though cholesterol is good for the body to develop fluid cells, too much can lead to plaque build up in your arteries, leading to potential deadly heart problems. The healthy range for cholesterol is

Total Cholesterol - LDL - HDL - > 40 mg/dL and Trigs -

So how do you keep it in check? Some times people have high cholesterol levels due to genetics and must be controlled by medication. But if it is not genetic, then there is action you can take to reduce your cholesterol levels. These actions include:

Fats - Avoid saturated fats and use polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats instead. One of the best fats you can use is Omega-3 fat. Omega-3 fats have a number of health benefits.
Diet - Eat low-calorie and low-fat foods and increase your consumption of complex carbohydrates, and fiber.
Exercise - Get into the habit of performing a regular exercise routine.

Conclusion

Cholesterol is needed by the body to produce fluid cell walls, but too much may be harmful to your health. There are measures you can take to keep your cholesterol at healthy levels such as reducing your intake of saturated fats.

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A Diet For Lowering Cholesterol Includes Fish Oil For Cardiovascular Health

Cholesterol is a fat that the body produces and is actually need for us to be able to function healthily. The problem with cholesterol however is that due to the change in our diet in recent years, we are now consuming too much fatty foods and therefore creating too much cholesterol.

Having too much cholesterol in your body is detrimental to your health and increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

When diagnosed with high cholesterol, before issuing medication, doctors sometimes advise the patient to lose weight as this will reduce the amount of cholesterol in your diet.

If you are going to attempt to reduce your cholesterol, you need to be reducing the overall amount of fats that you eat on a daily basis. The only good fats for you at this time are the omega 3 and 6 fish oil for cardiovascular health.

It has been recommended that no more than thirty percent of your daily calories come from fat. This means that if you are eating 1,250 calories a day, you should not be eating in excess of 42g of fat.

There are three main types of fats. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats can actually help lower your cholesterol and these are usually great alternatives to saturated fats. Fish is an important low calorie meal that also provides you with the required fish oil for cardiovascular health.

If you don't like eating fish or you tend to eat on the run most working days and don't want to stop to cook your meals, just take the capsules of fish oil for cardiovascular health.

Certain fibres can also help lower your cholesterol. The best type of fibre can be found in oats and pulses, as well as in some fruit.

Here is an example diet plan for reducing cholesterol:

Breakfast:

Grapefruit, half a cup

Piece of fruit (Apple, banana)

Egg white, quarter of a cup

Wholegrain cereal

Whole wheat toast 2 slices

Lunch:

Homemade vegetable soup

A lean hamburger

Wholemeal bread roll

Salad

Fresh fruit salad

Dinner:

Fruit juice

Steamed skinless chicken breast

Brown rice

Broccoli

Wholemeal bread roll

Salad

Low fat yogurt

If after you have lost weight you still have high cholesterol you may be prescribed statins which is a drug that helps to reduce your level of cholesterol which helps prevent the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

However, there has been some concerns about whether this drug is linked to cancer, and although the risk is minimal and out weighed by the benefits the drug offers, prevention is better than cure, and so start lowering your cholesterol now.

Along with your diet change remember to include some fish oil for cardiovascular health in your daily food plan. This is one way to help your heart without needing to take possibly dangerous medication.

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How Prescription Diet Pills Can Solve Obesity

Aside from diet and exercise, some happinesslifetime.com prescription diet pills are recommended by doctors in order to treat obesity. However, your doctor will conduct several tests before he will prescribe a diet pill for you.

One of the factors that your doctor will have to consider is your BMI or your Body Mass Index. Basically, if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and sleep apnea, your doctor will recommend diet pills for you if your body mass index is greater than 27. Also, even if you don't have any underlying condition, your doctor may recommend diet pills if your body mass index is greater than 30.

What is the Body Mass Index?

Body mass index (BMI) refers to the ratio of body fat in our body based on our height and the corresponding weight for it. It is one of the most accurate ways to determine if your extra weight will result to increased health risks. BMI measurements should be taken into consideration in assessing the health of men and women, especially adults. The higher your BMI, the greater risks you have in getting more and more health problems.

To compute for your body mass index, you will just have to determine your weight in kilograms and divide it by the square of your height. If you BMI is less than 18.5, then you are categorized as underweight. If your BMI is anywhere between 18.5 and 25, then you have a normal weight. In excess of 25 but lesser than 30, you are considered to be overweight. However, if your BMI exceeds thirty, then you are already obese and happinesslifetime.com prescription diet pills can be recommended by your doctor.

Prescription weight loss drugs

There are two prescription drugs that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for weight loss management.

Sibutramine (Meridia)

The sibutramine happinesslifetime.com prescription diet pills work by altering your mind chemistry. These pills help you lose weight by making you think and feel that you are already full. These can also prevent feelings of hunger and thirst.

These pills will eventually help you lose fat more quickly that diet and exercise. In fact, studies show that people who use sibutramine lose ten pounds more than people who just follow a low calorie diet. However, taking this pill can result to some side effects. This list of side effects includes headache, high blood pressure, constipation, and insomnia.

Orlistat (Xenical)

Orlistat pills are happinesslifetime.com prescription diet pills that reduce the body's ability to absorb fat. When the fat and cholesterol are not absorbed, they are eliminated in the stool. That is why, you can have oily spotting when taking orlistat.

The average weight loss for orlistat regimen is at least six pounds for a year. However, you can definitely lose more weight if you engage in diet plans and exercises. Aside from oily spotting and lose bowel movement, the use of orlistat diet pills may result to a decreased absorption of nutrients from the food that you consume. As a countermeasure, your doctor may ask you to take a multivitamin before bed time.

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Staying Healthy on a Low Carbohydrate Diet

It is estimated that about 32 million Americans are following some type of low carbohydrate diet. This is the result of fad diet authors claiming that carbohydrates are the cause for America's rising obesity problems. The backlash against carbohydrates is a result of the low fat craze that started in the 80's.

When consumers started cutting down their fat intake, manufacturers figured out that they could create low fat processed food products that the public would buy. Because these products claimed to be 'fat free', Americans didn't pay attention to the fact that they were not also 'calorie free', and as a result, the total amount of daily calories has slowly been increasing. In fact, although the total percentage of calories from fat has decreased, the actual amount of fat intake has increased by 10# per year since 1975! The increase of carbohydrate has also increased, at a rate of 20# per year, mostly as a result of highly processed foods.

It is estimated that 3800 calories are now produced for every American man, woman and child. We have evolved from a world of feast or famine, but we're in a state of perpetual feast, although our bodies have not changed. We have no defenses against excess calories: Every year, 300,000 to 400,000 deaths in the US are attributed to obesity.

Meanwhile, Asian and Middle Eastern populations consume 50-75% of their calories from rice and have some of the lowest rates of obesity and heart disease in the world. People living in the Mediterranean also have fewer health conditions commonly seen in the US. This diet consists of whole grains, vegetables, legumes, nuts and fruits. Their diets are rich in fish and low in meats and poultry. Although their fat intake is about the same as in America, the type of fat is primarily monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, where Americans eat primarily saturated animal fats.

Regardless of the actual advantage or disadvange to following a low carbohydrate diet, there are three recommendations for maintaining good health while following such a diet. The first is to choose healthy fats over the unhealthy, saturated fats, when considering fat intake. Examples of healthy fats would be plant fats that have not been 'hydrogenated', which makes the fat more solid at room temperature. It is believed that hydrogenation is actually more harmful to health than saturated fats found naturally in animal products. Plant fats would include nuts, avocados, and olives. Oils such as olive oil, canola oil and peanut oil are better choices than fats that come from animal sources, such as butter, lard or bacon grease.

Multiple studies over the years have shown that excess animal fats lead to higher risks of cancer, heart disease and other inflammatory disorders. Saturated fats have been linked to increased cholesterol, LDL (the 'bad') cholesterol as well as to increased LDL cholesterol oxidation. In fact, in January 2004, an Atkins representative put out a press release advising the public to decrease their amounts of steak, eggs, and saturated fast to less than 20% of their total fat intake.

The next recommendation to ensure good health is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Although fruits and most vegetables are restricted in the initial phase of some low carbohydrate diets, they are then allowed back in limited amounts. The phytonutrients that come from a diet rich in fruits and vegetables have been shown to decrease blood pressure, as well as protect against cancer, heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity. It's easy to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet, once you get in the habit. Examples are; add some berries to breakfast, eat a tomato at lunch, include broccoli with dinner, drink some vegetable juice with snacks, and have a large salad with your meal.

The final tip to ensure good health is to eat a diet of whole foods, rather than fall back on the 'easy' snack, convenience foods of today. If American's had just cut down their amount of fat intake in the 80's, without finding new ways to snack, we may not be seeing the epidemic of obesity we see, today. When people started going on the low carbohydrate diets, they eliminated a large number of calories by eliminating snacking, especially at night, where common snacks are chips, crackers, and other high fat, high refined carbohydrate foods, such as ice cream. Today, though, much like in the 80's, manufacturers are now developing 'low carb' and 'low net carb' snack foods. We can now find 'low net carb' chips, crackers, ice cream, popcorn, even low carb pizza! As Americans start to increase their intake of these foods, we will soon see a slowing of the weight loss many had seen initially.

In order to call themselves a 'low net carb' food, manufacturers subtract the fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrates in the product, rather than produce products without carbohydrate. There is no actual FDA standard for what a "low net carb" food is, yet, though, so right now it's anything the manufacturer wants to say it is. These foods also are very high in fat and saturated fat, usually through hydrogenation. So, not only will calories be added back into the diet through resuming unhealthy snack habits, but they will be calories consisting of high amounts of the unhealthy fats.

So, while following a low carbohydrate diet, in order to ensure continued good health, follow these three recommendations: 1) Make most fats you eat the healthy, plant fats, rather than eating a diet high in animal or hydrogenated fats, 2) Eat plenty of nutrient rich fruits and vegetables, which are high in disease-fighting antioxidants, and 3) eat mostly whole, fresh foods and very little processed snack foods, even if they say 'low carb', in order to avoid hidden and unnecessary fat and calories.

About The Author

Marjorie Geiser has been teaching health, fitness and nutrition since 1982. She is a nutritionist, registered dietitian, certified personal trainer and life coach. As the owner of MEG Fitness, Marjorie?s goal for her clients is to help them incorporate healthy eating and fitness into their busy lives. To order her 30-Day Health & Fitness Challenge e-course and learn more about Marjorie, go to her website at megfit.com megfit.com or email her at

Alternative Treatments to Lower Cholesterol

Modern science is creating, and is in the process creating, hundreds of medications aimed at helping those suffering from cholesterol-related diseases. These medicines can range from useful to hazardous. For those that are tentative to take these medications, or are in search of natural or alternative treatments for their cholesterol-related diseases, there are a few very handy and very effective treatments available.

Cholesterol, and avoiding it, has become an obsession for many people around the world today. While the palette of the collective modern world finds it hard to stay away from foods that are low in cholesterol, it remains a challenge to lessen this detriment to anyone's health.

There have been dozens upon dozens of medical treatments all aimed at helping reduce the effects of cholesterol in the body. Unfortunately, treating someone at this stage becomes more or less too late, or too hard to do because cholesterol has already made its mark in the body and as taken its toll on the person's health.

The best way to keep one clear from this problem is to treat it early. And there are a few treatments that are handy in this battle against cholesterol. Here are a few of them.

1. The Asian diet. Before Asia became increasingly westernized in both diet and in lifestyle, they used to have a far lesser incidence of cardiovascular disease as opposed to their European or American counterparts. One reason for this is their traditional diet.

Traditional Asian diet consists of lean meat and vegetables with a hefty serving of rice. Also, the Asian diet consists of the use of traditional spices such as ginger, garlic, turmeric, chilies, and others. Also, most Asian fare shies away from too much beef or pork, and focuses instead on chicken, and fish.

This kind of diet has lesser cholesterol content than most Western food. It is also a good diet treatment for those suffering from high cholesterol diet.

2. Garlic. The consumption of garlic has been proven by science to lower cholesterol content in the blood by around 10%. This is proven this study which involve garlic capsules be taken daily. Also, if you feel that garnet capsules are hard to obtain, you could try seven cloves of garlic per day instead. This has the same effect as taking four capsules of garlic essence.

3. Cholestin. The intake of Cholestin as a food supplement has increased in popularity in the past few years. For centuries, it has been used as an herbal remedy by ancient Chinese. Studies have shown that taking Cholestin can decrease cholesterol in the blood by as much as 30%.

Although the FDA banned the use of this substance as a medication in the early 90s, it has been reinstated since it was in fact a dietary supplement more than a prescription. This substance is pretty safe to use, although you would want to consult with a doctor before going on this treatment.

4. Niacin. Niacin has been proven to lower LDL and raise HDL levels as well. It can reduce LDL by as much as 20%, an increase HDL by as much as 35%. Niacin is commonly known as vitamin B3. However, to accomplish this you will need a very high dosage of this vitamin. This could cause some side effects. This problem makes it imperative that you consult a doctor before you undergo this treatment.

5. Soy protein. Soy protein contains isoflavones. This substance helps reduce bad cholesterol by as much as 10%. To obtain this result, one will need to consumer about 62 mg of the substance. Fortunately, it is easy to incorporate soy protein into one's diet. It can be used as a meat replacement too.

Dr. Michael Lee is a board certified physician who has counselled thousands of patients on lowering their cholesterol. To get free tips on lowering your choleseterol naturally without harmful drugs, please check out

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Low Cholesterol Recipes - For Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

There is nothing better than using low cholesterol recipes not only for controlling your cholesterol levels, but also for a healthy diet overall. Such recipes are found below.

Breakfast- healthy and tasty

Tortilla Wrap is one of the most famous breakfast designed for people who are on a happinesslifetime.com low cholesterol diet. The recipe for this breakfast is:

Sliced turkey bacon

White tortilla, which could be warmed

Tomato-1/2 of it

Egg product- you can choose what to put in it

Green sweet pepper

Another good meal is the breakfast pizza. This is one of the most delicious low cholesterol recipes. You will need:

Brown potatoes

Onion

You can use up to 6 white eggs (discard the egg yolk) to make the pizza but they have to be beaten

You can use up to one teaspoon salt

mozzarella cheese- up to 4 ounces

Sliced tomatoes

Fresh basil

Oil and black pepper

Lunch

One of the best meals, designed for lunch for people who are on a happinesslifetime.com low cholesterol diet is Pasta with Vegetables found in the garden. It is easy to make and you will find it very delicious. The ingredients needed for this recipe are:

Pasta

Olive oil

Cheese-feta or any other type

Canned tomatoes

Sweet pepper

You can add any vegetables you want- basil, herbs, parsley etc

Sea salt

Dinner is very important for maintaining good cholesterol levels

Low cholesterol levels are applied mostly for dinner meals. You can make your own Potatoes wedges. You need about 15 minutes and you will have 4 servings of this meal. The ingredients are:

Potatoes, you can even use sweat potatoes

Garlic, minced

Oil

Paprika- teaspoon

Salt- only one teaspoon

Black pepper

Water-add till you feel satisfied

Another meal is Beef and Barley Stew. You will need only 35 minutes to prepare it and you will be very happy with the results. You will need:

Beef stew meat

Purpose flour

Onion- till you feel satisfied (most people do like onion chopped)

Garlic- teaspoon minced

Carrots

Thyme

Fresh parsley

Potatoes- peeled and sliced

Tomatoes

Peals

Barley

Mushrooms- if you like mushrooms, you can add some.

The above is only part of you need to know about all-about-lowering-cholesterol.com/low-cholesterol-recipes.html low cholesterol recipes. To learn more about low cholesterol recipes and all-about-lowering-cholesterol.com how to lower cholesterol naturally visit all-about-lowering-cholesterol.com. Remember to get your Free Cholesterol Lowering Secrets Report at the website.