Can fruit juice really screw up fat loss? Oh yes. And it screws up much more. Not one to speculate, I tested the effect of fructose in two tests, the first during a no-fructose diet (no juice, no fruit) and the second after one week of consuming 14 ounces — about 1.5 large glasses — of pulp-free orange juice upon waking and before bed. The orange juice was the only thing distinguishing diets A and B. Believe It Or Not The changes were incredible. Before (10/16, no fructose) and after (10/23, orange juice): Cholesterol : from 203 to 243 (out of “healthy” range) LDL: from 127 to 165 (also out of range) There were two other values that shot up unexpectedly: Albumin: from 4.3 to 4.9 (out of range) Iron: from 71 to 191 (out of range, aka “into the stratosphere”) Albumin binds to testosterone and renders it inert, much like SHBG (discussed in “Sex Machine” in The 4-Hour Body ) but weaker. I don’t want either to be out-of-range high. Bad for the manly arts. If you said “Holy sh*t!” when you saw the iron jump, we’re in the same boat. This result came completely out of the blue and is not good, especially in men. It might come as a surprise, but men don’t menstruate. This means that men lack a good method for clearing out excess iron, which can be toxic. The increase in iron was far more alarming to me than the changes in cholesterol. Here is just one of several explanations from the research literature : “In addition to contributing to metabolic abnormalities, the consumption of fructose has been reported to affect homeostasis of numerous trace elements. Fructose has been shown to increase iron absorption in humans and experimental animals. Fructose intake [also] decreases the activity of the copper enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduces the concentration of serum and hepatic copper.” The Forbidden Fruit The moral of the story? Don’t drink fruit juice, and absolutely avoid a high-fructose diet. It doesn’t do the body good.

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Discover how to prepare your own nutritious diet plan from my website, and learn how to develop your own array of healthy food alternatives too. Like the old saying goes, you are what you eat. If your typical diet consists of fat and a cholesterol-rich substance; you might run the chance of developing secondary diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Many nutritional high-level advisers recommend sensible nutritious healthy eating plans which begins with finding out the correct skill to eat smart. It is not simply what you consume, but exactly how much nutritious food you take in each day. The food you select to take in could lower your cholesterol and prevent you getting conditions like cancer, diabetes, heart disease in some cases.

Discover how to prepare your own nutritious diet plan from my website, and learn how to develop your own array of healthy food alternatives too. Allow me to share quite a few beneficial strategies for planning a healthy diet.Don’t start too fast, steadily reduce your nutritional consumption and behaviour over time

The quest to obtaining a healthy nutritious diet should be a gradual phase. The method for organizing and developing a healthy diet requires a reduction in quantity and not quality with small and feasible steps. Forget about the “Yo – yo” diets, they do not work and the best diet should be attempted gradually, and you will be able to obtain a healthy nutritious diet and maintain the weight loss longer.

Having said that, instead of fussing over checking calories or calculating serving sizes, place your sights on looking for the food you can appreciate, choose simple and easy nutritious recipes which include fresh products which should include plenty of bright food colours. Try adding more salads to your regular diet, or use olive oil instead of butter. Ensure That You Continually Serve Yourself scaled-down portions of food and each portion size shouldn’t be larger than your own fist. For example, an adults man’s hand will be larger and his individual portion size will also be larger than his wife or child.

These days, serving sizes get blown out of all proportion; in particular in restaurants and fast food outlets are keen to super size your order. If you are dining out, decide on a light starter or share the dish with your friend and never binge on the buffet bar, just because it is free or reduced down in price should not turn you into a pig. The crucial element to a healthy nutritious eating lies not in precisely what you consume, but in how you eat. Knowing to develop a nutritional and healthy eating behavior can quickly be reached, since eating seriously isn’t just related to gulping down large amounts of food, but in viewing food as a base of nourishment and a social interaction. try eating a broad range of fruits and vegetables daily. Most nutritionists continually stress that the brighter and deeper colors in the fruits and vegetables, contain highest concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

On top of that, ensure that you eat healthy, a good selection of healthful carbohydrates, protein, and roughage, specifically from whole grains will reduce your hunger pains and reduce the time the food takes from mouth to anus to reduce the possibility of bowel cancer in later life. Aside from being tasty and nutritional, soya and whole grains are also rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals, which in turn fortify the immunity process, and defend towards cardiovascular diseases. A range of experiments have indicated that individuals who consume sizable portions of whole grains currently have healthier hearts.

What you may not know is the true cause of heart disease… the real culprits.

Is it cholesterol?
Is it saturated fats?

The AMA (American Medical Association) and the AHA (American Heart Association) as well as the food industry have been telling us so forever. Okay, maybe not forever, but a long time!

If we know what the cause is, why have heart disease escalated into becoming our nation’s #1 killer?

3 Reasons Why Cholesterol and Saturated Fats Are Not the True Causes of Heart Disease

1. How can it be that as the consumption of saturated fats and cholesterol declined sharply from the levels it used to be, heart disease increased proportionately? It appears that the statistics are telling a different story than what the AMA, AHA, and the food industry has been telling us.

2. Just look at significant role that saturated fats and cholesterol play in our bodies. It will probably surprise you to know that saturated fats comprise at least 50% of your cell membranes (every single one of your trillions of cells), giving them stiffness and integrity. Cholesterol also makes up part of the cell membrane, regulating its fluidity (what passes in and out) as well as giving stiffness and stability to the cell membrane. Additionally, cholesterol is a precursor to bile (which is produced in the liver and gall bladder to emulsify fats), Vitamin D, the steroid hormones (that help us deal with stress), and the sex hormones. Cholesterol is also very important for proper development of the brain and nervous system, so mother’s milk is very cholesterol-rich, and contains a special enzyme to help the baby utilize this nutrient. How can saturated fats and cholesterol possibly be the bad guys in light of this information?

3. HDL and LDL are NOT forms of cholesterol! That’s right, HDL and LDL are really lipoproteins, carrier molecules for cholesterol and other fats. Because cholesterol and other fats are not water-soluble, they require a carrier molecule to transport them through the blood stream. Even more interestingly, these carrier molecules have built-in cell-targeting signals, directing them to specific target cells. Don’t you wonder why?

Over Twenty Years of Research Has Established Inflammation’s Key Role in Atherosclerosis

But what’s causing the inflammation?

Is it cholesterol or saturated fats, as the AMA, AHA and food industry has led us to believe? It is NOT. We already proved it above.

The mechanism by which periodontal disease causes inflammation via free radicals produced by the immune system is well-known and accepted. But the role saturated fats and cholesterol play in inflammation is unknown to medical doctors. That’s because something else is causing the inflammation leading to atherosclerotic plaques. That something else happens to be the very polyunsaturated oils touted as “heart healthy” by the AMA, AHA, and the food industry. All of this information is well supported and detailed in my book, Revolutionizing Your Health.

How the Supposedly “Heart Healthy” Oils Are the True Causes of Heart Disease…

Polyunsaturated oils go rancid and become oxidized very easily by heat and light, which mean they become a free radical. Free radicals are very unstable molecules missing an electron. In the body, they try to stabilize themselves by “stealing” an electron from neighboring cells. This continues in a domino effect, wreaking cellular destruction and producing inflammation. In fact, the high heat used in processing these oils often creates free radicals before the oil even leaves the processing plant. Additionally, when these oils are used for cooking, and especially for frying, they produce tremendous amounts of free radicals.

Earlier, it was discussed that saturated fats make up at least 50% of cell membranes, along with cholesterol. The trouble is that our bodies don’t distinguish between saturated fats and polyunsaturated oils. A diet high in polyunsaturated oils will then be incorporated into cell membranes in place of the more stable and functional saturated fats. In effect this makes weaker cell membranes that are loaded with free radicals. This produces the inflammation that cardiologists now know to be at the root of heart disease. Cholesterol is simply the “repair substance” the body uses to repair the cellular damage produced by the free radicals in polyunsaturated oils.

Now that you know the true cause of heart disease, you’ll know exactly what to stay away from. You can beat heart disease through diet, nutrition, prevention and natural cures. To learn more, I invite you to check out my new book, “Revolutionizing Your Health”

LDL is the bad form of cholesterol, when too much of it found in a person’s blood, it can slowly build up on the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain, and together with other substances it is able to shape plaque in the body, which is a thick, hard deposit that can block these arteries; a circumstance which is known as atherosclerosis.

Then there is HDL is the good form of cholesterol, and this is due to a high level of it seems to protect against heart attacks. A low level of HDL levels in a person’s body will in fact increase the risk of having a heart attack on a human body.

There is also another factor which must be raised in this discussion, and that is in regards to triglyceride, a form of fat that comes from food and it also made in your body. The reason that it is involved in this particular subject matter is because people with high triglycerides often found to have high total cholesterol, high LDL cholesterol and a low HDL cholesterol level.

Good Cholesterol (High Density Lipoprotein)

The cholesterol test you normally take actually measures lipoproteins. These lipoproteins are sorted by their density: the measure of fat versus protein in the combination. High density means that there is more protein ratio compared to fat. High density lipoproteins (HDL) are good cholesterol. They do the necessary work assigned to cholesterol, they help to un-clog your arteries and help flush excess fat from your body.

Bad Cholesterol (Low Density Lipoprotein)

Low density lipoproteins (LDL), very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) and triglycerides (a type of fat carried by LDL and VLDL) are the main component of the bad cholesterol. If you have high number of these that they can clog your arteries thus, causing a heart attack or other heart related diseases. The normal level of bad cholesterol is 200mg/dL or less.

Bad and good cholesterol levels vary from person to person. Factors that affect cholesterol levels like being overweight, a diet with too much saturated fat and cholesterol, not enough exercise, heredity and certain medical conditions or medicines. Cholesterol tends to increase with age as well.

How you can Control and Lower Bad Cholesterol

If you have normal levels of good and bad cholesterol all you should to do is ensure that you stay that way and you can do that by taking the following steps: eating healthy and exercising. Eating healthy such as having food items that are low in saturated and trans fat as well as cholesterol.

Also, get in the habit of reading your food labels as they provide all the above mentioned data by law and hence it is easy for you to choose which food items are good and which are damaging for your health.

Some food items that contain high levels of cholesterol are: egg yolks, poultry, meat, shellfish, butter and cheese.

If you already have high levels of the bad cholesterol then the best thing to do is consult your doctor to prescribe you a drug that will help you lower it gradually. There are many cholesterol drugs that are available over the counter and many natural remedies as well. However, it is strongly suggested that you should not self medicate as some of the cholesterol drugs may have serious side effects, which only your doctor can point out as he is familiar with your medical history and conditions.

In general, you can always increase good cholesterol and decrease bad cholesterol by watching your food intake, exercising regularly and losing weight. You’ll also need your doctor’s help with the other factors. Don’t worry about having too little cholesterol. That’s un-likely to happen. Concentrate on building enough good cholesterol, less bad cholesterol and the rest will take care of itself.

Take a minute and learn about your good and bad cholesterol levels, watch closely your food intake and that of your family making them aware as well of the importance of staying below the limits of the bad cholesterol. Just a few minutes of self-education can save your life or one of your family member’s.

Author: Cindy Heller
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: WordPress plugin Guest Blogger

Your choices in diet to help lower high cholesterol are one of the most important and safest ways to control high cholesterol. In fact, planning what to eat to lower your cholesterol should be one of your first priorities even before considering consuming any kind of cholesterol-lowering medication.

Doctors usually recommend aiming to lower your level of LDL cholesterol to less than 160mg/dl. Those with coronary heart disease should target a LDL cholesterol level of less than 130 mg/dl. That is – total cholesterol of 240mg/dl and 200 mg/dl respectively.

Diets to reduce high cholesterol revolve around low fat and high fiber

There is really only one vital key in any diet for lowering cholesterol … and that every diet plan you follow includes – low fat and high fiber. It really is as simple as that. Keeping your diet low in fat and high in fiber means:

• Reducing your sugar intake: Everything you have probably heard about sugar is true. Cutting your intake of sugar is crucial to lowering cholesterol and triglycerides. An elevated triglyceride level significantly increases your risk of heart disease and studies have also shown that elevated triglyceride levels can portend the development of diabetes.
• Keep your eye out for harmful trans-fats: Trans-fats are found in margarine, sauces, salad dressing and sugary snack foods.
• Reduce your intake of animal fats, fried foods and chemically induced foods

And what about that fiber that you body so badly needs? You definitely cannot go wrong with fresh fruits and vegetables where fiber is concerned. Oats, rye, dried peas, yams, beans yogurt, and cultured foods are all great additions to your diet.

Here is a tip – if possible, consume soluble fiber. Soluble fiber is found – as already mentioned – in fruits and vegetables. But, another product soluble fiber is found in, is in one of the most effective grains that should be added to your diet to control high cholesterol …

Barley – a powerful choice in any cholesterol reducing diets

Barley has been used in traditional medicine by people thousands of years back. But, it is only recently that barley had been discovered to be highly effective in lowering cholesterol. As mentioned above, fibers are usually classified as either soluble or insoluble. And it is these water-soluble fibers like barley that have shown to reduce the risk of a cardiovascular event.

Like in oats, beta-glucan (a complex sugar) is also found in barley. Studies have shown that those who include a high intake of beta-glucan in their diets, are more successful in lowering their LDL cholesterol.

So, here is a short list of water-soluble fiber that should become part of your natural remedy for lowering cholesterol:

• Apples
• Grapes
• Oranges
• Peaches
• Squash
• Corn
• Carrots
• Nuts and seeds (psyllium seeds are best)
• Peanuts
• Lentils
• Peas
• Beans
• Oats
• And of course, barley.

Maintaining low cholesterol includes starches

‘Complex carbohydrates’ or natural starches are needed by your body to burn fat. It is wise to include starches in your diet to control high cholesterol. Natural starches are found in breads, potatoes, pasta and cereal. Being naturally low in fat and high in fiber (everything that a diet to lower high cholesterol needs), these foods should be added to your dietary list.

Bear in mind, it is what you pile on to these foods that adds to the fat. A rising cholesterol level is due to the consumption of fat. Don’t get me wrong. Fat is a great source of energy for your body. It also helps absorb certain types of vitamin and nutrients.

But for those who are using diets to lower cholesterol, they should attempt to keep their fat consumption between 25 and 35 percent of their calories. That is the secret to maintaining a perfect dietary plan – eat less fat than your body burns everyday.

Keep in mind that just as important as the amount of fat you consume, is the type. Stay away from saturated and trans fats. These are the types of fat that are true enemies of good cholesterol. Cut that saturated fat from your diet and you lower your cholesterol.

If you’re wondering about good fats, then these are monounsaturated fats, and omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fats. Fish contain polyunsaturated fats, which are the best kind. Little wonder that so many dieticians recommend fish in many dietary plans.

So, if you are serious about lowering and maintaining low cholesterol and fighting heart disease, pay attention to your diet. Make this your first step towards combating bad cholesterol.

To sum up, your diet to control high cholesterol should and preferably incorporate these foods:

• A diet rich in natural starches, fiber and protein.
• Keep your diet low in bad fats as well. Preferably, stay off bad fats completely. This combination gives you a diet rich in nutrients such as potassium, calcium and magnesium, which, aid in the lowering of blood pressure and can add years to your life. Think, more vegetables fruits and whole-grain foods such as oats, brown rice (instead of white rice) and whole-grain bread (instead of white bread). This combination also keeps your diet low in calories – which means – no extra pounds. Besides keeping you in good shape, this combination prevents any build-up of toxins in your intestines. You can get the necessary proteins from beans, eggs and fish. Protein aids in rebuilding your muscle cells and tissues. A diet involving this combination will not only form a natural source to reduce cholesterol, but will also improve your cardio-vascular system and prevent arthritis.
• And remember, keep off deep-fried foods like French fries and if possible, keep off baked potatoes too. Replace white potatoes with yams and sweet potatoes.

Maybe, there is a best diet for high cholesterol after all!

Author: Rafael Todorini
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Guest blogger

“Your LDL cholesterol is 181–it’s down only 7%. That’s still too high, Phil,” the doctor said, sighing. “At your age (46 years old), you can’t afford to walk around with an LDL that high. You’ll end up with a heart attack. Here’s a prescription for —–, a statin drug. This’ll drop your cholesterol like a stone.”

Phil took the doctor’s prescription but never filled it. He’d read somewhere about the muscle and liver side-effects of the so-called “statin” cholesterol drugs. Despite his doctor’s reassurances, he was more scared of the drug than of the prospect of a heart attack in his life. Instead, he embarked on a program that included several readily-obtainable foods and included them in his daily routine for several months.

On his return to the doctor, Phil’s LDL was down to 112–a 38% drop. “Wow! That’s a great result on your medicine,” the doctor declared. But Phil informed him of his reluctance to take the medication and how he used foods instead.

Mention fiber and nearly everyone thinks of the dry, cardboard-like breakfast cereals found in the grocery store. It’s as if healthy ingredients come at the cost of taste. But the majority of fibers these products contain really provide limited benefits. Wheat-fiber based products like these have essentially no effect whatsoever on cholesterol in your body (though it’s good for your bowels.)

Fiber comes in a broad variety of shapes and sizes that you can incorporate into your nutritional program in interesting, delicious ways that can deliver powerful health benefits. With knowledge of superior sources of fiber in food and supplements, you can create a smorgasbord of fiber to substantially lower cholesterol.

But I already eat whole wheat bread!

Most Americans take in a meager 14 grams of fiber a day. Processed foods created for convenience and temptation (and profit) are generally stripped of fiber content. Sugary, dried, instant, microwavable, just-add-water foods in glitzy packaging are therefore miserably deficient in fiber.

The benefits of fiber begin when you take in at least 25 grams every day. This is the level of fiber intake recommended by most national organizations like the American Heart Association. But something unexpected happens when your fiber intake is 50 grams or more a day: cholesterol plummets, blood sugar is lowered, diabetes can be prevented–and you can lose weight, too.

The diet advocated by the American Heart Association lowers cholesterol around 7%. (Yawn.) Compare this to a diet with more stratospheric quantities of fiber (>50 grams per day): cholesterol is lowered 30% or more– that’s as good as the statin cholesterol medicines. (Imagine what would happen if you combined a cholesterol-lowering medicine and super-high fiber intake.)

Oat bran

Beta-glucan is a soluble fiber that avidly absorbs water and transforms into a gooey gel. This gel, as it traverses the twenty-some feet of intestines, is an efficient absorber of cholesterol. Beta-glucan is responsible for the cholesterol-lowering properties of oatmeal that you’ve likely heard about. You know what’s even better than oatmeal? Oat bran. Ounce for ounce, oat bran has twice the soluble fiber of oatmeal. You can buy oat bran in bags and boxes in most grocery stores. Oat bran is also more versatile. You can use it as a hot cereal microwaved in skim milk or soy milk (add raw sunflower or pumpkin seeds, fresh berries, or sliced fruit), or you can add it to yogurt, fruit smoothies, or protein drinks. Like oatmeal, you can also use it in your baking.

One ounce of oat bran (1/4 cup) contains 4 grams of fiber, of which 3 grams are soluble. Including ¼ cup of oat bran a day in your diet can powerfully lower cholesterol.

Pectins

Pectin is the soluble fiber found in abundance in apples and citrus fruits, especially grapefruit. In citrus, the pectin is most concentrated in the white rinds, not the pulp, so don’t do such a good job when you peel. The quantity of pectin in a single piece of fruit is relatively modest (around 1.5 grams), but when reaching for a piece of fruit, an apple or citrus fruit can be one way to add modestly to your net daily soluble fiber intake.

Flaxseed

Flaxseed is an ancient food, described in Egyptian writings dating back thousands of years. When the seeds are ground, the lignans, a structural fiber, are exposed and available as soluble fiber. (In addition to powerful cholesterol-lowering properties, the lignans are being intensively investigated for their cancer-preventing properties.) Flaxseed is available both as whole seeds and already-ground. Whole seeds need to be ground (e.g., in your coffee-grinder) to release the fibers. Don’t confuse flaxseed oil with the seed itself. When the oil is extracted from flaxseed to produce flaxseed oil, it can be a source of linolenic acid, which in turn is converted by your body to a small quantity of omega-3 fatty acids (as in fish). But the bulk of benefit from flaxseed is found in the lignan, or fiber, content, and the ground seeds are therefore required, not just the oil.

Use flaxseed just as you would oat bran: Mix with skim or soy milk, raw seeds, and berries to make a warm cereal; mix with yogurt, fruit smoothies, protein drinks. Two tablespoons a day provides 17 grams of fiber, of which 6 grams are soluble.

Beans

Beans are an excellent and easy addition to most dinner menus. A ½ cup serving of starchy beans–pinto, Spanish, black, red, white–provides around 2 grams of soluble fiber and 4 grams total fiber. (Green beans are great for many reasons but are not a significant source of soluble fiber.) Vegetarian chilis and bean soups are among the many ways you can use these tremendous sources of fiber. Although beans are a carbohydrate source, the glycemic index (sugar-raising effect) is relatively low.

Psyllium Seed

Psyllium seed is the main ingredient in the familiar Metamucil, as this seed has the capacity to absorb many times its weight in water, making intestinal contents bulkier and softer. But it also lowers cholesterol 7-10%, just like oat bran and flaxseed. Psyllium is useful for its convenience: Just dissolve a teaspoon in 8-12 oz of water and drink. However, it is much less versatile than oat bran and flaxseed in that you really can’t conceal it in yogurt or fruit smoothies or protein drinks. A teaspoon of psyllium (containing 2.4 grams of soluble fiber, 3 grams total fiber) is most useful when you are unable for one reason or another to use another soluble fiber source (e.g., when you’re traveling). Taken 30 minutes prior to meals, you can also use it to produce satiety, or the feeling of fullness that discourages you from overeating. Many people use this as a helpful weight-loss strategy.

Nuts

Nuts are little powerhouses of beneficial nutrients. Unfortunately, manufacturers will roast them in oils (often hydrogenated), add salt, or coat them in sugar and other less healthy additives (“honey-roasted”). Stick with the raw variety for greatest benefit. In particular, raw almonds and walnuts pack the greatest punch when it comes to lowering cholesterol. A ¼ cup serving of either each day lowers cholesterol 8%. The route by which nuts accomplish this is not entirely clear, but the content of fiber, phytosterols (in almonds and similar to that found in butter-substitutes Take Control and Benecol), and other phytonutrients likely all contribute to the effect. Nuts are also rich in monounsaturated oils (similar to that in olive oil) and this may contribute to cholesterol-lowering. What’s more, the generous fiber content of nuts has been shown to lower blood sugar and can even lower the effective glycemic index of carbohydrate foods (slows sugar release into the blood). This effect can help prevent diabetes. The wonderful satiety effect (feeling full) of raw nuts will permit you to eat a handful of nuts and feel satisfied. Up to a ½ cup a day is advised for full benefits.

Phytosterols

Phytosterols (also known as stanol and sterol esters) are found in abundance in many plants and closely resemble human cholesterol in structure. But when 2 level tablespoons are taken orally each day, they lower cholesterol around 15%. Curiously, phytosterols need to be “esterified”, or bound, to a chemical side-group that gives them an oily consistency in order to exert their full cholesterol-lowering effect in the intestine. This is the reason that phytosterols come in oil-based forms as butter substitutes (Take Control, Benecol) and more recently as a mayonnaise-substitute. You can find the butter substitute products in the dairy aisle of the grocery store. Beware of their calorie content, as excessive quantities can still cause you to gain weight despite the cholesterol-lowering effect.

Soy protein powder

Soy beans have many beneficial nutrients. Among them are isoflavones, which are believed by many to help relieve menopausal symptoms in women, as isoflavones resemble estrogen. However, it is the protein we’re interested in for cholesterol-lowering properties. The protein has been shown to lower cholesterol 15-20% by shutting off the liver’s production of cholesterol. Soy protein, in fact, is one of the foods endorsed by the FDA to lower cholesterol.

The easiest way to get the 25 grams (3 tablespoons) of soy protein required for full cholesterol-lowering benefit is through powders that you can purchase in canisters at grocery and health food stores. Use the powder as part of health shakes (with yogurt or kefir, fresh fruit, oat bran, skim milk, soy milk, etc.) Other sources of soy protein include soy milk, textured-vegetable protein used as a meat substitute, soy nuts, soy cheese, low-carb pasta, and soy butter.

Create a smorgasbord of fiber

Including just a little of one or two of these strategies will help lower your cholesterol. But if you’re looking for a super-charged benefit, combine several of these foods and nutrients. It is entirely possible to lower LDL cholesterol a full 30% or more when you put several together each and every day. A sample approach might be:

o Raw almonds–½ cup per day (total fiber 5.8 g; soluble 0.6 g)

o Oat bran–¼ cup per day (total fiber 4 g, 3 g soluble)

o Psyllium seed–2 tsp per day (6 g total fiber; 4.8 g soluble)

o Citrus fruit–e.g., 1 orange (around 1 g soluble fiber)

o Beans–1/2 cup per day, cooked (4 g total fiber; 1 g soluble)

o Soy protein powder–3 tbsp in protein shake (25 grams protein)

The fiber content of this regimen alone–over 20 grams added–packs a powerful effect on cholesterol. Most people lose a modest quantity of weight, as well, because of the feeling of fullness that fiber-rich foods provide. If you are diabetic or have “borderline” or “pre-” diabetes, blood sugars are often lower on this regimen. (Discuss this with your doctor to avoid excessively low blood sugars if you take oral diabetic medications or insulin.)

But beware. . .

Start with too much fiber all at once and you may–paradoxically–end up with constipation. The safest way to proceed if you begin with an average low-fiber American diet is to add one or two fiber sources at a time, and add another form only after two weeks. This permits your intestines to accommodate to the increased bulk. Also be sure to take in plenty of water, as these fibers will draw water into the intestine and can actually cause you to be dehydrated if you do not drink enough. If the fiber cannot draw enough water into the intestine, you can end up with a very nasty case of constipation. Not pretty! (Consult your doctor if you have a history of congestive heart failure, kidney or liver disease, edema, or have been advised to follow a fluid restriction before you embark on a program that requires greater fluid intake.)

Author: William Davis,MD
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Get my ex back

Heart disease is Americas number one killer and probably, the number one killer in the industrialized world. The myth being perpetuated that cholesterol is never high before the age 40 is exactly that a myth. Dont believe a word of it.

The facts necessitate a quick guide to lowering your cholesterol quickly preferably opting for a natural and alternative treatment for high cholesterol.

But first for some good news. Cholesterol contrary to popular belief is not the cause of heart disease. The inflammation of arteries does that. Heart attacks occur in people with normal cholesterol levels. Thats right. There’s a lot of misinformation being passed around that cholesterol is bad – that cholesterol is the cause of heart disease. That’s so far from the truth. In fact, your body needs cholesterol to stay healthy. Your body uses cholesterol to produce hormones, vitamin D and bile acids to digest fat. And the truth of the matter is – your body requires only a small amount of cholesterol in the blood to meet these needs.

So why should you worry about lowering your cholesterol levels and maintaining it preferably at less than 200mg./dl.? Because failure in doing so can lead to the inflammation of your arteries … and that is when cardiovascular events like heart attacks will occur. It’s only when you have too much cholesterol in your bloodstream (referred to as hypercholesterolemia) that problems start to arise. And this is where you need to pay attention. Because a high cholesterol level … let’s say north of 250, can and will lead to problems such as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis clogs arteries including your coronary arteries (arteries that feed the heart) and if left unchecked overtime, will lead to heart disease like angina and heart attack.

This is why you need to lower your cholesterol level and why it’s so important to keep those levels in check. Statins such as Zocor and Lipitor may be powerful, cholesterol-lowering drugs and helps to some extent, but … whether you believe it or not … these can cause more damage (liver toxicity is a common side effect) than good to your body in the long run. You don’t need these ill-effects creeping into your life just as you’re about to kick back and enjoy your retirement.

Don’t get me wrong … I’m all for taking prescriptions drugs under doctor’s orders if no other alternatives are made available. I’m sure you’ll agree with that.

But Im about to show you 5 tips you can go about lowering your unhealthy cholesterol levels without drugs right now and fast!

Heres how to lower your cholesterol the natural way:

Consume more healthy” fats

You must have heard of monounsaturated fats. Usually found in some types of nuts like almonds and walnuts, olive oils, canola oils and avocados. These healthy” fats lower bad” cholesterol (LDLs Low-Density Lipoproteins) but at the same time, help maintain the good” cholesterol (HDLs High-Density Lipoproteins).

Your doctor can vouch for the fact that consuming monounsaturated fat instead of saturated fat can lower your cholesterol levels quite drastically. You would have probably come across health advice about lowering cholesterol such as, Replace whole milk with skim milk,” Cut down on that refined sugar,” or Dump butter for margarine.” Most of that information is true except for dumping butter for margarine. Margarine increases the bad cholesterol and even worse, lowers the good cholesterol almost tripling the risk of a coronary heart disease.

Dont believe the TV ads and stay away from margarine. Dr. Allan Spreen calls margarine, plastic butter.” And he has a point. Why? Because being hydrogenated, margarine is in fact one molecule away from actually being plastic no kidding! To put it mildly, youre actually about one molecule away from eating Tupperware. Youre more than welcome to carry out a simple test to prove this. All you have to do is leave a container of butter and a container of margarine out for a while and watch. It will only be a matter of time when you see flies hovering your container of butter – avoiding the margarine altogether. If it’s not good enough for flies, you know you’re in trouble!

Lower your intake of bad” fat

Lowering cholesterol without drugs begins with this very important step simply limit your consumption of saturated fat. Saturated fat is said to stimulate your liver to produce LDLs or bad cholesterol that would simply clog up your arteries. According to Dr William Castelli, co-author of Good Fat, Bad Fat, he recommended that a smart diet to help lower cholesterol would take into consideration the amount of bad” fat consumed per day ideally being 20 grams a day. And thats just for those who are healthy.

A good idea would be to simply check your food labels when grocery shopping to get a sense of how much fat grams will be going into your body at any given day. Make this a habit because a simple precautionary measure like this can mean a lot to your long-term health.

Also, take note of trans-fatty acids. The name probably already gives it away it is another bad fat. Trans-fatty acids are chemically processed and will not only raise your total cholesterol levels but can also lower your HDLs. These acids are usually found in deep-fried fast foods, biscuits, shortenings and packaged pastries. Theyre not usually indicated on food labels so be extra prudent about your food choices.

Get a blood test

You will want to get a blood test if you find yourself gaining weight, losing hair, feeling depressed, feeling more tired than usual, more sensitive to cold than usual and sudden stiffening of your joints. These could be symptoms of an underactive thyroid medically termed as hypothyroidism. Diagnosing this condition with a blood test could nip the problem in the bud and save you from a rising cholesterol level.

While youre at it, ask your doctor to check your homocysteine level as well. Recent studies are pointing towards homocysteine as a better predictor of cardiovascular events. And there is a connection between hypothyroidism, homocysteine and heart disease. If you have an underactive thyroid, this prevents the absorption of B vitamins causing homocysteine levels to shoot up. The result is a 300 percent risk of a heart attack.

A good homocysteine level is under 8. Anything above that and your doctor should be able to prescribe you some supplements. These supplements would usually center around vitamins B2, B6, B12 and folate.

Can I have my eggs back?

Yes, you definitely can. According to the British Nutrition Foundation’s Nutrition Bulletin, dietary cholesterol in eggs “has no clinically significant impact” on heart disease. In fact, eggs are such a rich source of nutrients that avoiding them could cause more damage than good to your health.

I mentioned homocysteine. Well, according to a study from Harvard Medical School, choline may be effective in managing homocysteine. And where is choline found? You guessed it. Eggs. In fact the best source of choline is egg yolks. But if youre someone with elevated cholesterol or heart disease, you should check with your doctor about the number of eggs you can consume per week. Such cases are usually limited to two eggs per week.

Stop smoking and get moving!

Those are two obvious actions to take to keep your body in good working order. If youre overweight, you can be sure that your HDL readings will be low. Shed the weight and watch your HDLs rise. Its quite difficult to raise HDLs by dieting alone. You will need the combination of regular exercising and watching what you eat. Exercising helps in lowering your triglycerides (a blood fat linked to heart disease) as well. If you are serious about lowering your cholesterol levels, pay attention to triglycerides. Because apart from clogging up your coronary arteries, high triglycerides can lead to kidney disease and pancreatitis.

There is not much to be said about smoking that has not been said already. Its just bad. Smoking depresses HDLs considerably. It is a cause of heart and blood-vessel disease and basically causes irreversible damage to your overall health. There are no two ways about it. Smoking kills.

Here is a rough checklist to monitor your cholesterol levels and as always, consult with your doctor.

LDLs

Keep it less than 130mg./dl. Anything above 160mg./dl. is high.

HDLS

The higher the better. 35mg./dl. or less increases the risk of heart-disease.

Triglycerides

Keep it less than 150mg./dl. Anything above 200mg./dl. is high.

Total cholesterol

This is the combined measure of all blood cholesterols. Keep this less than 200mg./dl. Anything above 240mg./dl. is high.

Author: Rafael Todorini
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Electric Pressure Cooker

HDL stands for high density lipoproteins and is often referred to as “good” cholesterol. These proteins transport cholesterol in the blood. If your levels are too high, your risk of heart disease decreases, and likewise, if your levels are low, you risk increases.

There are certain foods that can have a positive effect on your HDL levels. Dark chocolate, salmon, berries, eggs and whole grains are five food items that can help you boost your good cholesterol levels.

A study conducted at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, suggests that eating dark chocolate (the gourmet kind that is 70% cacao) can raise your HDL levels significantly. Eating small daily doses (1/2 ounce) over an extended period of time should help raise your good cholesterol.

According to a Loma Linda University study in California, high density lipoprotein levels rose 4 percent in people who ate two 4-ounce servings of salmon a week for four weeks. Researchers also say that eating other fatty fish, such as, mackerel, herring and sardines should deliver similar benefits.

Eating berries, especially the darker varieties, seem to also help raise HDL levels. It doesn’t matter if the berries are fresh or frozen. Eat about a cup of frozen berries a day to crank your levels higher.

Healthy adults who ate a whole egg every day for 12 weeks increased HDL levels as much as 48 percent in a study from Thailand. Eggs are rich in lecithin, which raises your lipoprotein levels.

Don’t forget to eat some fiber on a daily basis as well. Eating oats, whole grain and oat bran can also to raise HDL levels.

These foods provide you with a natural way to increase HDL levels. If however your HDL level is very low and your family has a history of heart disease, your doctor might suggest medication as well as improving your diet.