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Posted on July 12, 2010
Filed Under Exercise | Leave a Comment

AHA Scientific Position

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found among the lipids (fats) in the bloodstream and in all your body’s cells. It’s an important part of a healthy body because it’s used to form cell membranes, some hormones and is needed for other functions. But a high level of cholesterol in the blood — hypercholesterolemia — is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attack.

Cholesterol and other fats can’t dissolve in the blood. They have to be transported to and from the cells by special carriers called lipoproteins. There are several kinds, but the ones to focus on are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL).

What is LDL cholesterol?

Low-density lipoprotein is the major cholesterol carrier in the blood. If too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the walls of the arteries feeding the heart and brain. Together with other substances it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog those arteries. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. A clot (thrombus) that forms near this plaque can block the blood flow to part of the heart muscle and cause a heart attack. If a clot blocks the blood flow to part of the brain, a stroke results. High cholesterol reflects an increased risk of heart disease. If you have heart disease, your LDL cholesterol should be less than 100 mg/dL and your doctor may even set your goal to be less than 70 mg/dL. That’s why LDL cholesterol is called ‘bad’ cholesterol. Lower levels of LDL cholesterol reflect a lower risk of heart disease.

What is HDL cholesterol?

About one-third to one-fourth of blood cholesterol is carried by HDL. Medical experts think HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it’s passed from the body. Some experts believe HDL removes excess cholesterol from plaques and thus slows their growth. HDL cholesterol is known as ‘good’ cholesterol because a high HDL level seems to protect against heart attack. The opposite is also true: a low HDL level (less than 40 mg/dL in men; less than 50 mg/dL in women) indicates a greater risk. A low HDL cholesterol level also may raise stroke risk.

How Many Meals Do You Eat a Day?

Posted on July 3, 2010
Filed Under Diet | Comments Off

I don’t know many people that don’t enjoy eating. Unfortunately, they may eat the wrong things throughout the day and they don’t eat enough meals during the day. Traditionally, there are three meals during the day, breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is very rare that people actually take advantage of this. Typically, they either eat two meals a day and skip breakfast or they may even only eat one meal a day and end up skipping lunch. This can be very bad for you and for your metabolism. Not only are you depriving yourself of nourishment, you are robbing yourself of good health.

The best way that you can possibly eat is to have five or six small meals spread throughout the day. This is not too difficult to do with some careful planning. The day should always start out with a good breakfast as this should be your best meal of the day. Your body has been fasting throughout the night while you were sleeping and that is why you need breakfast, which actually stands for breaking a fast. You don’t need to eat the instant that you get up but you should make sure that you have a nutritious breakfast that includes some kind of protein and some vegetables in order to get your day started right.

Snacks can typically consist of fruit or perhaps a vegetable. Some people like to put peanut butter on celery sticks and carry them with them wherever they go. It is always a good idea to at least have a small snack available with you in case you are stuck in a situation where you are unable to get to one. This can help to keep your blood sugar stable so that you do not end up binging on sugary snacks.

It may take a little bit of adjustment for you to get used to this new way of eating but you would be surprised at how well your health will respond to it. People often don’t realize exactly how much of an impact their blood sugar levels have on their overall health. If you aren’t eating consistently, your blood sugar may be low and you may not have the energy and focus that is necessary to get through the day. Keep your body fed and you will keep your body fueled.

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Skin Care–Making Your Skin Glow Naturally

Posted on July 1, 2010
Filed Under Natural Medicine | Comments Off

Natural ways to keep healthy, glowing skin is to get into the regular habit of skincare. The skin is the largest organ of the body so taking care of it makes sense.

Fresh fruits and vegetables–The vitamins, oils and antioxidants in having a good range of colorful fresh foods to eat provides everything the body needs to produce great skin. Build up of waste in the colon can provide places for bacteria, such as Candida, to hide which is directly linked to some types of acne. Many fruits, vegetables and herbs can applied directly to skin.

Stay Hydrated–drink enough water so you are not thirsty but apply regular moisturizers and oils to your skin to keep it supple and hydrated. Many foods can be applied, chemical free moisturizers are best, but remember the body is made up of chemical compositions so some are okay. Try to avoid the heavily scented ones. The majority are based on fruits and vegetable extracts and vitamin compounds such as Vitamin E.

Avoid Too Much Sun–Don’t go overboard our bodies need the sun to manufacture Vitamin D. But too much of anything isn’t good so take precautions against burning. Use a good moisturizer based sunscreen and apply before you even think about going out into the sun. Reapply at regular intervals as well. The sun makes the skin hard and leathery and sets those deep wrinkles we all do not want. Take good care of your skin and protect it from the sun.

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