Cholesterol imbalances and a healthy heart are just about infeasible. I’ve finished a series of posts on six topics, each of which is a concern when considering heart health. Cholesterol was one of those topics, along with weight/diet, exercise, diabetes, high blood pressure, and smoking. As I looked into these topics individually, I found cholesterol to be a common factor in all of them. It was thought provoking to realize how integrated and reciprocal all these facets of heart health are. Read my posts to find out how unhealthy cholesterol levels and each of these other influences interact to promote or be a detriment to a healthy heart.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Smoking, Cholesterol, Healthy Heart
Most of us accept that there is a link between cholesterol levels and a healthy heart. I certainly didn’t expect to find smoking tied to that link. Comprehending that something I inhale influences a waxy, fat-like substance in my blood to the point that it has a negative impact on my heart was difficult. And, I found that cholesterol was not the only way smoking affects the heart.
When I looked into this I had and “aha!” moment—a connection between unhealthy cholesterol levels and smoking that should have been obvious: Because smoking adversely affects the lungs, it decreases tolerance and inclination for exercise. While exercise has a positive influence on the levels and quality of both good and bad cholesterol, inactivity allows the presence of (bad) LDL cholesterol to increase and (good) HDL to decrease. Also, both of these lipoproteins tend to be smaller in people who do not exercise regularly. (And, in this case smaller is, definitely, not better.) Smaller means more LDL is likely to stick to arterial walls, hardening into a plaque that narrows the passageways for blood flowing away from the heart. It takes time for this plaque to form, but as it develops the heart has to work increasingly harder to keep blood moving. This effort elevates blood pressure, another detriment to a healthy heart—one that can end in a heart attack. I did a post on this topic recently.
In addition to setting the body up to develop long-term high blood pressure there are chemical compounds in tobacco products that produce much the same effect immediately: In the first minute of a smoking session the heart starts to beat significantly faster. Other compounds cause blood vessels to constrict. Together these two effects increase the heart’s workload. Another consequence to this dual problem is that the over stimulated heart can push enough blood into a constricted artery to make it balloon. Small injuries may result and these are ideal places for more cholesterol to settle. (A really big tear would be an aneurism, which can quickly result in death.)
The heart will, also, be working in a debilitated state because carbon monoxide in the tobacco smoke fills the lungs and steals the place of oxygen in the blood on the way to the heart as it passes through them. Oxygen deprivation leads to a buildup of carbon dioxide (a poisonous waste product) in all parts of the body, including the heart. One of the ways the body tries to compensate for oxygen deprivation is to produce more red blood cells (blood cells that have the function of carrying oxygen and removing carbon dioxide). An over abundance or these cells creates a sticky environment conducive to forming blood clots—which can lead to a heart attack.
The heart is not the only organ affected by smoking. It infiltrates the whole body—and, ultimately, every body function has a connection with the heart. I might look into some of these, but the focus for this post was how smoking interacted with cholesterol to affect heart health. I’ve shown the relationship to be significant. And, the only way I understand to diminish the influence is to quit smoking. (There is a lot of information on the web and from anti-smoking organizations about how quickly a body begins to restore itself after a person quits smoking.)
Smoking exacerbates the buildup of cholesterol in arterial walls. It causes the heart to work harder and slowly poisons it. It is detrimental to a healthy heart.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
High Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, Healthy Heart, Diabetes
Talk of high blood pressure (hypertension) is not heard in connection with a healthy heart. It’s often heard in association with unhealthy cholesterol levels and diabetes—conditions that contribute to the likelihood of heart disease. Hypertension is an arterial disease resulting from constant elevation of blood pressure. This occurs when blood flowing away from the heart places an excessive amount of force on the vessel walls.
When they’re healthy, your artery walls are elastic; they stretch to let blood flow easily. However, if too much pressure is put on them for too long, they lose that elasticity and become prone to tearing. The tears are very small, but as with many wounds, there is some scar tissue left after healing. These tiny scars are places for LDL cholesterol to settle. The cholesterol that gets stuck in the arterial walls hardens into a plaque. (This condition is called arteriosclerosis.) The plaque narrows the channel through which the blood flows and your heart then has to work harder to push your blood along. A subsequent consequence is that the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to any and all parts of your body becomes compromised.
In a recent post I talked about diabetes increasing the likelihood of imbalances in cholesterol levels. When diabetes is present it can contribute to high blood pressure. Diabetes predisposes arteries to arteriosclerosis in two ways: First, diabetes allows excess sugar to be present in your blood. When that excess sugar reaches your liver it stimulates the production of more cholesterol than your body needs. This overage, along with dietary cholesterol, in the blood tends to be mostly (bad) LDL—the kind that builds up in arteries. Second, the excess sugar that remains in a diabetic’s blood can actually damage/wound vessel walls, creating places for LDL cholesterol to settle. (And amazing as it sounds, and as much bad PR as it gets, this is one of the functions of cholesterol—to repair/fill in—small tears in vessel walls. But, when the same spot is repaired over and over, the repair material builds up and creates the scars on which excess cholesterol gets caught. This build-up hardens, suppresses arterial elasticity, narrows the blood flow channel, makes the heart work harder and leads to high blood pressure.)
As I look at the information on heart health I begin to see how integrated and responsive body functions are. High blood pressure can be the result of the liver responding to a blood imbalance by creating another. And, of course, I wonder how this can be corrected. One answer is food and exercise. I’ve discussed these in relation to cholesterol in my posts. Proper eating and regular, dedicated activity can influence both the type and size of lipoproteins (cholesterol)—which changes the amount of LDL that settles and remains in artery walls. Good habits in these areas can also help control diabetes. However, if you have any of these conditions—dangerous cholesterol levels, diabetes or high blood pressure—you should be working with your doctor to control them. (And you should also know that they are not necessarily the only contributors to high blood pressure.) Also, the heart is not the only organ affected. Among other problems, kidneys (which filter blood) have a role in regulating blood pressure and have to work harder than normal when it is high. So, not only is heart failure a possibility, but so is kidney disease. Another possibility is that blood vessels in the brain could weaken and burst, resulting in a stroke.
In this post on high blood pressure I’ve discussed cholesterol as a contributing factor. Controlling it is essential to a healthy heart.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Give Me Your Suggestions
In last few posts I have talked about cholesterol levels and other issues that have to do with a healthy heart. There’s still a couple of more coming. But, I’d like to move on to something else soon. I’d welcome your suggestions for a new topic. (Keep’em clean!)
If you have any ideas just leave them in the form of a comment. All suggestions will be considered.
Thank you,
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Health heart cholesterol diabetes
The focus of my recent blogs has been about controlling cholesterol levels to maintain a healthy heart. As I looked into this, I noticed that a concern about cholesterol in relation to diabetes kept coming up. I thought this was odd—like many people I tended to think of diabetes as the sugar disease. But?... Cholesterol occurs as a fat-like substance in our blood. However, with just a little bit of study it became apparent that the leading cause of death for people with diabetes is heart attack and stroke. (Unhealthy cholesterol levels do contribute to these.) What is the connection?
Diabetes looks like it would make an interesting study of its own. I might explore it more thoroughly in the future. But, I’ve been trying to make these blogs on cholesterol and heart health sort of information capsules and that’s what I’d like to do this time also.
Diabetics have trouble metabolizing sugar (especially breaking it down to pass out of the body). So, they tend to have it in excess, circulating in their blood. In an effort to balance this, the pancreas makes insulin. An insulin/sugar bond occurs and the body can store that as fat. But, since the pancreas is responding to an excess of sugar, it produces an excess of insulin (more than is needed to remove the sugar from the blood). Now extra insulin is circulating in the blood and when it reaches the liver, the liver is stimulated to up its production of cholesterol, which it releases into circulation. (By the way, the liver also functions to break down returning cholesterol,) Now, the body will use some of this cholesterol, but the excess attaches to certain proteins and makes the fatty lipoproteins—LDL (bad) or HDL (good)—which I’ve discussed in other blogs. Ultimately, there is always more LDL than HDL which (even without the concerns of diabetes) can lead to heart disease.
So, excess sugar (especially, refined sugar) as well too much dietary cholesterol, contributes to unhealthy cholesterol levels and can be detrimental to a healthy heart. To combat the imbalances a good eating plan—something like the AHA food pyramid—is essential. Proper exercise is also important. (Regular and moderate are good guidelines for this.) Of course, if you are going to make significant changes to your diet and activity levels, you may want to consult your doctor so you can devise a plan that is tailored for you. And, certainly, if you have been diagnosed with cholesterol, diabetes or heart problems you will need to follow your physician’s council—especially if medicine has been prescribed.
I’ve presented the relationship between diabetes and unhealthy cholesterol levels as simply as I could. Since both are results or products of body functions there are other processes involved, but either condition can contribute to the presence of the other. Minimizing the threat of both is essential to having a healthy heart.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Cholesterol Healthy Heart
Almost like the reverse side of a coin, exercise goes with diet to improve unhealthy cholesterol levels and maintaining a healthy heart. Just as the foods we eat affect both LDL and HDL, so does activity. Regular exercise will help lower the level of (bad) LDL in your blood and increase your (good) HDL level.
Reasons why exercise helps control cholesterol:
1) It helps you lose weight. And, after you’ve lost any extra weight, it helps you
keep it off. Being overweight tends to increase the amount of LDL (the kind
of cholesterol associated with heart disease) in your blood. It’s also
overworks your heart as a muscle and all your other muscles as well.
—Remember it doesn’t really work to take any one facet of your body and try
to regard it without considering its relationship to the whole. The human body
is an integrated entity.
2) It stimulates your body to makes enzymes that help cholesterol “move along” in the blood stream. Keeping it moving keeps LDL from settling on artery walls and hardening—gets it to the liver where it’s broken down to be expelled from your body. (So, the more that gets there, the better.)
3) It causes your body to increase the size of the carrier proteins to which cholesterol is attached in the blood. The combination of the cholesterol and its carrier is called a lipoprotein: there are two basic forms—LDL (bad) and HDL (good). This increase in size is significant especially with regard to LDL. Molecules of LDL cholesterol are smaller and more compact than those of HDL. Its small size lets LDL settle into creases and irregularities of your artery walls where it hardens into a plaque that creates an environment conducive to heart disease. Increasing the size of the carrier decreases the risk of LDL finding a place to stick and so contributes to a healthy heart.
Even without knowing the specifics of how or why it lowers cholesterol risk and promotes heart health most of us hear that we need to exercise so often that we at least will give it lip service as being true. What you may not know (or fear to learn) is what kind of exercise and how much of it you need to do. Therefore, it may come as a surprise that activities of even moderate intensity help reduce your risk of heart disease—if done daily. These kinds of activities include walking, yard work, swimming, dancing, biking, etc. You may already enjoy doing some of these… And you don’t have to do the same thing everyday. In fact, it may be better to vary your exercise from day to day. (Variety helps some people stay interested.) As for the commitment of time, health oriented organizations recommend a minimum of 30 minutes a day—most of us can surely find that amount of time.
In addition to changing cholesterol levels, exercise yield other heart healthy benefits. It helps control weight, diabetes, and high blood pressure. It works and, therefore, strengthens your heart (and lungs).
Of course, there’s a catch. Like almost everything else, when exercising to change cholesterol levels, it can be said, “You get out of it, what you put into it.” Moderate activity for a minimum amount of time is good; vigorous activity for longer periods of time will yield more impressive results and it’s wise to seek advice from your health care professional so you can devise a plan that fits your needs.
Physical inactivity adds to the risk factor for heart disease. Exercise contributes to a healthy heart in more ways than just controlling cholesterol levels.
Reasons why exercise helps control cholesterol:
1) It helps you lose weight. And, after you’ve lost any extra weight, it helps you
keep it off. Being overweight tends to increase the amount of LDL (the kind
of cholesterol associated with heart disease) in your blood. It’s also
overworks your heart as a muscle and all your other muscles as well.
—Remember it doesn’t really work to take any one facet of your body and try
to regard it without considering its relationship to the whole. The human body
is an integrated entity.
2) It stimulates your body to makes enzymes that help cholesterol “move along” in the blood stream. Keeping it moving keeps LDL from settling on artery walls and hardening—gets it to the liver where it’s broken down to be expelled from your body. (So, the more that gets there, the better.)
3) It causes your body to increase the size of the carrier proteins to which cholesterol is attached in the blood. The combination of the cholesterol and its carrier is called a lipoprotein: there are two basic forms—LDL (bad) and HDL (good). This increase in size is significant especially with regard to LDL. Molecules of LDL cholesterol are smaller and more compact than those of HDL. Its small size lets LDL settle into creases and irregularities of your artery walls where it hardens into a plaque that creates an environment conducive to heart disease. Increasing the size of the carrier decreases the risk of LDL finding a place to stick and so contributes to a healthy heart.
Even without knowing the specifics of how or why it lowers cholesterol risk and promotes heart health most of us hear that we need to exercise so often that we at least will give it lip service as being true. What you may not know (or fear to learn) is what kind of exercise and how much of it you need to do. Therefore, it may come as a surprise that activities of even moderate intensity help reduce your risk of heart disease—if done daily. These kinds of activities include walking, yard work, swimming, dancing, biking, etc. You may already enjoy doing some of these… And you don’t have to do the same thing everyday. In fact, it may be better to vary your exercise from day to day. (Variety helps some people stay interested.) As for the commitment of time, health oriented organizations recommend a minimum of 30 minutes a day—most of us can surely find that amount of time.
In addition to changing cholesterol levels, exercise yield other heart healthy benefits. It helps control weight, diabetes, and high blood pressure. It works and, therefore, strengthens your heart (and lungs).
Of course, there’s a catch. Like almost everything else, when exercising to change cholesterol levels, it can be said, “You get out of it, what you put into it.” Moderate activity for a minimum amount of time is good; vigorous activity for longer periods of time will yield more impressive results and it’s wise to seek advice from your health care professional so you can devise a plan that fits your needs.
Physical inactivity adds to the risk factor for heart disease. Exercise contributes to a healthy heart in more ways than just controlling cholesterol levels.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Save Money Save On Your Electric Bill
One significant way to save money is by trimming your utility bills—especially your electric bill. Here are ten tips that will help you save on your electric bill:
1) House temperature—how cool or how warm do you keep your house? What’s the setting for your thermostat? It is recommended you set your thermostat at 78 degrees or higher in the summer and around 65 or cooler in the winter. You will save an estimated 3% on your electric bill for each degree you raise your thermostat in the summer and each degree you lower it in the winter.
2) Use an electronic thermostat. Because it is programmable, you really can set it and forget it. While you are away from home or asleep the house can be maintained at an economical temperature, then automatically prepared for comfort when you awake or come home.
3) Turn down the temperature of your water heater to a maximum of 120 degrees F. That temperature is warm enough for bathing, laundry, and cleaning dishes.
4) Vacuum the coils and check the door seals of your refrigerator. A running refrigerator uses a lot of electricity, but a little maintenance will let you save money. Also, minimize the number of times you open the door to your refrigerator and/or freezer.
5) In summer and spring use fans instead of the air conditioning. Moving air makes you feel cool and you will find you save on your electric bill if you aren’t running the air conditioner all the time.
6) Use electric appliances with discretion. Use your clothes dryer only if there is no way to let your clothes hang to dry. And, if you must use your dryer make sure you have a full load of clothes and only run it long enough for drying: Not only will you save on your electric bill, but did you know over-drying makes your clothes wear out faster? Another appliance to take control of is the television—turn off that TV if no one is watching it.
7) Replace standard light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs. They burn less electricity and you save money.
8) Turn off lights you are not using. Just turn off the lights when you leave a room—if no one is in the room, why keep the lights on? This is one of the easiest ways to cut power usage and save on your electric bill.
9) Reduce the number lights you use. Rooms are often much brighter than the task at hand requires.
10) Use your windows. They are a natural source for daytime light and often can be used to maintain your home at a comfortable temperature naturally.
As you begin to use these money saving tips you may think to yourself, “There is not one tip here that saves me a lot of money.” You are right. However, by routinely using as many of these tips as you can with practicality, you will save on your electric bill and that will allow you to save money.
1) House temperature—how cool or how warm do you keep your house? What’s the setting for your thermostat? It is recommended you set your thermostat at 78 degrees or higher in the summer and around 65 or cooler in the winter. You will save an estimated 3% on your electric bill for each degree you raise your thermostat in the summer and each degree you lower it in the winter.
2) Use an electronic thermostat. Because it is programmable, you really can set it and forget it. While you are away from home or asleep the house can be maintained at an economical temperature, then automatically prepared for comfort when you awake or come home.
3) Turn down the temperature of your water heater to a maximum of 120 degrees F. That temperature is warm enough for bathing, laundry, and cleaning dishes.
4) Vacuum the coils and check the door seals of your refrigerator. A running refrigerator uses a lot of electricity, but a little maintenance will let you save money. Also, minimize the number of times you open the door to your refrigerator and/or freezer.
5) In summer and spring use fans instead of the air conditioning. Moving air makes you feel cool and you will find you save on your electric bill if you aren’t running the air conditioner all the time.
6) Use electric appliances with discretion. Use your clothes dryer only if there is no way to let your clothes hang to dry. And, if you must use your dryer make sure you have a full load of clothes and only run it long enough for drying: Not only will you save on your electric bill, but did you know over-drying makes your clothes wear out faster? Another appliance to take control of is the television—turn off that TV if no one is watching it.
7) Replace standard light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs. They burn less electricity and you save money.
8) Turn off lights you are not using. Just turn off the lights when you leave a room—if no one is in the room, why keep the lights on? This is one of the easiest ways to cut power usage and save on your electric bill.
9) Reduce the number lights you use. Rooms are often much brighter than the task at hand requires.
10) Use your windows. They are a natural source for daytime light and often can be used to maintain your home at a comfortable temperature naturally.
As you begin to use these money saving tips you may think to yourself, “There is not one tip here that saves me a lot of money.” You are right. However, by routinely using as many of these tips as you can with practicality, you will save on your electric bill and that will allow you to save money.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
How To Buy A Used Appliance
Every day we use appliances: fridge, stove, washer, dryer… These devices make routine household tasks less burdensome. And—they are quite expensive. Because they cost so much, we want to believe they will last forever. But—they do not. What can we do when we need to replace a major appliance?
Buy a used appliance. Done correctly, it’s a smart, economical strategy. And, as with any other smart move, it requires research and planning.
Where to find good used appliances:
1: Many furniture stores have a section of used appliances. People trade in old appliances for credit towards new ones. These machines are usually sold "as is", but the seller can give you a good idea as to their condition.
2: Watch the classified ads in your local newspaper. Make an appointment to see an item that interests you. A motivated seller might even let try it out so you can see how the appliance works.
3: Go online to find used appliances. Some of these offerings will be from individual and some will be from businesses—you might be able to negotiate a guarantee. Be sure to ask what the return policy is.
4: Garage sales can be a good place to find used appliances. If the sale is in your neighborhood, you might be acquainted with the seller. This person would probably be honest with you and tell you if the machine has any problems. —Go ahead and ask, “Why are you selling this?”
5: The flea markets are another good source.
Just remember: A good deal does not mean that you just spent less. It also means you got quality. When you buy a used, you still want to buy good. You want something that will last a while. Also, think about the functions you desire. Just as you would shop around for a new appliance, do some homework before buying a used one.
Here are some tips to help you buy a used appliance:
1: Ask the seller why the appliance is for sale. Most people will be honest with you, but not all. Ask questions like, why are you selling? How old is it? Was it new when you bought it? Has it ever been repaired? **Warning! Warning! —If a seller says he knows nothing about the machine and / or discourages physical inspection, don’t even consider buying it.**
2: You definitely should do a physical check. If you’ve owned something, you have a good idea as to what it should look like. Are all the On/Off knobs or buttons and other control functional (or even there)? Is the appliance safe and easy to use? —Are the seals in place and in good condition? (Cracked seals are not good. They allow the device to be ineffective, which means costly and possibly dangerous.) Holes at the bottom of the oven and cracked the plastic in the refrigerator door or sides make the oven or refrigerator very inefficient and should not be bought. Missing seals and cracks in a dishwasher are sure sighs of trouble. Is the electric cord and plug in good shape? Look for signs of abuse: scratches, bends and broken parts. Be aware that a little cosmetic work can go a long way toward hiding evidence of abuse. Inspect carefully.
3: Turn it “ON”. You are looking for something that works well! The best way to inspect an appliance is when it is in operation. If the seller will not allow you to try it out, he may be hiding something. Be very cautious: I don’t think I would proceed with this purchase.
4: Make sure the device will fit where you hope to install it. Measure your space before you start looking for something to put in it. Carrying a tape measure for checking is a good idea and do write yourself a reminder note. Also, make sure the colors will work for you.
Transportation is another consideration. If you buy from a store, delivery is often available. Otherwise, you may be responsible for arranging it. (And, sometimes—as a prerequisite of the sale—this needs to be done quickly.) Do your research in advance. Make sure you can move your purchase to where you want it without damaging it.
One last thought: Some people, as a matter of pride, always want to buy a new and they are willing to pay the price for it. However, once you've used something, it is "Used" (and if you have it very long it’s going show signs of that use). Would you rather be proud of your new thing? Or, proud of your financial wisdom? If you are willing to buy a used appliance, you will have your need met and save some money, too.
Buy a used appliance. Done correctly, it’s a smart, economical strategy. And, as with any other smart move, it requires research and planning.
Where to find good used appliances:
1: Many furniture stores have a section of used appliances. People trade in old appliances for credit towards new ones. These machines are usually sold "as is", but the seller can give you a good idea as to their condition.
2: Watch the classified ads in your local newspaper. Make an appointment to see an item that interests you. A motivated seller might even let try it out so you can see how the appliance works.
3: Go online to find used appliances. Some of these offerings will be from individual and some will be from businesses—you might be able to negotiate a guarantee. Be sure to ask what the return policy is.
4: Garage sales can be a good place to find used appliances. If the sale is in your neighborhood, you might be acquainted with the seller. This person would probably be honest with you and tell you if the machine has any problems. —Go ahead and ask, “Why are you selling this?”
5: The flea markets are another good source.
Just remember: A good deal does not mean that you just spent less. It also means you got quality. When you buy a used, you still want to buy good. You want something that will last a while. Also, think about the functions you desire. Just as you would shop around for a new appliance, do some homework before buying a used one.
Here are some tips to help you buy a used appliance:
1: Ask the seller why the appliance is for sale. Most people will be honest with you, but not all. Ask questions like, why are you selling? How old is it? Was it new when you bought it? Has it ever been repaired? **Warning! Warning! —If a seller says he knows nothing about the machine and / or discourages physical inspection, don’t even consider buying it.**
2: You definitely should do a physical check. If you’ve owned something, you have a good idea as to what it should look like. Are all the On/Off knobs or buttons and other control functional (or even there)? Is the appliance safe and easy to use? —Are the seals in place and in good condition? (Cracked seals are not good. They allow the device to be ineffective, which means costly and possibly dangerous.) Holes at the bottom of the oven and cracked the plastic in the refrigerator door or sides make the oven or refrigerator very inefficient and should not be bought. Missing seals and cracks in a dishwasher are sure sighs of trouble. Is the electric cord and plug in good shape? Look for signs of abuse: scratches, bends and broken parts. Be aware that a little cosmetic work can go a long way toward hiding evidence of abuse. Inspect carefully.
3: Turn it “ON”. You are looking for something that works well! The best way to inspect an appliance is when it is in operation. If the seller will not allow you to try it out, he may be hiding something. Be very cautious: I don’t think I would proceed with this purchase.
4: Make sure the device will fit where you hope to install it. Measure your space before you start looking for something to put in it. Carrying a tape measure for checking is a good idea and do write yourself a reminder note. Also, make sure the colors will work for you.
Transportation is another consideration. If you buy from a store, delivery is often available. Otherwise, you may be responsible for arranging it. (And, sometimes—as a prerequisite of the sale—this needs to be done quickly.) Do your research in advance. Make sure you can move your purchase to where you want it without damaging it.
One last thought: Some people, as a matter of pride, always want to buy a new and they are willing to pay the price for it. However, once you've used something, it is "Used" (and if you have it very long it’s going show signs of that use). Would you rather be proud of your new thing? Or, proud of your financial wisdom? If you are willing to buy a used appliance, you will have your need met and save some money, too.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Cholesterol and Heart Health
Cholesterol is an issue. It’s an issue I avoided for a long time, but recently decided to look into. In a recent blog I talked about what it is and why we need to be concerned about it. As I read about cholesterol I realized it’s really part of a bigger issue—heart health.
I found six recurring topics:
• Cholesterol Levels
• Diet/Weight
• Exercise
• Diabetes
• High Blood Pressure
• Smoking
Heart health is a complex issue and each of these six topics intertwines with the others. But, I like to keep things simple (and if I can, short). Even though they overlap, I plan to spotlight each subject.
When we hear the word diet most of us tend to think weight. When I consider cholesterol and heart health this seems to be a misconception. For now I’d like to consider weight a side-effect or consequence of diet. —We can also view unhealthy LDL cholesterol levels in this way.
Did you know that our bodies make cholesterol? Among other things, we need it to build, maintain and repair the integrity of cell walls. Generally, we manufacture all we need and sometimes more. Excess is carried by the blood stream to the liver where it is broken down and excreted. Except—except sometimes LDL cholesterol will adhere to artery walls where can harden and contribute to heart problems (raising blood pressure and increasing the possibility of blood clots). We add to the excess when we eat animal products and foods containing saturated fats and transfats. In contrast grains, nuts, beans, fruits and vegetables do not contain cholesterol.
Many doctors and health oriented organizations recommend that our intake of dietary cholesterol be limited to 200 to 300 mg per day. They recommend that most of the food we eat be from plants and without added fats. As a food source plants (grains, beans, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables) supply a lot of fiber; fiber can reduce the amount of LDL that adheres to artery walls. Substituting non-dairy products for milk and eggs can also help. Meat does have a place in most diets, use lean cuts and consider trimming away any exposed fat as part of your food preparation. Do be sure to include fish as a source for protein. Also, there are some studies indicating moderate alcohol consumption may raise HDL levels which is a good thing as this type of cholesterol helps mitigate the negative effects of LDL.
Look at the American Heart Association food pyramid for information about number and size of portions. You will also find that your intake of highly processed sugars and starches should be limited as your body easily converts these to fat (think overweight). This contributes to elevated levels of LDL cholesterol and I’m sure you would rather eat for heart health.
I found six recurring topics:
• Cholesterol Levels
• Diet/Weight
• Exercise
• Diabetes
• High Blood Pressure
• Smoking
Heart health is a complex issue and each of these six topics intertwines with the others. But, I like to keep things simple (and if I can, short). Even though they overlap, I plan to spotlight each subject.
When we hear the word diet most of us tend to think weight. When I consider cholesterol and heart health this seems to be a misconception. For now I’d like to consider weight a side-effect or consequence of diet. —We can also view unhealthy LDL cholesterol levels in this way.
Did you know that our bodies make cholesterol? Among other things, we need it to build, maintain and repair the integrity of cell walls. Generally, we manufacture all we need and sometimes more. Excess is carried by the blood stream to the liver where it is broken down and excreted. Except—except sometimes LDL cholesterol will adhere to artery walls where can harden and contribute to heart problems (raising blood pressure and increasing the possibility of blood clots). We add to the excess when we eat animal products and foods containing saturated fats and transfats. In contrast grains, nuts, beans, fruits and vegetables do not contain cholesterol.
Many doctors and health oriented organizations recommend that our intake of dietary cholesterol be limited to 200 to 300 mg per day. They recommend that most of the food we eat be from plants and without added fats. As a food source plants (grains, beans, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables) supply a lot of fiber; fiber can reduce the amount of LDL that adheres to artery walls. Substituting non-dairy products for milk and eggs can also help. Meat does have a place in most diets, use lean cuts and consider trimming away any exposed fat as part of your food preparation. Do be sure to include fish as a source for protein. Also, there are some studies indicating moderate alcohol consumption may raise HDL levels which is a good thing as this type of cholesterol helps mitigate the negative effects of LDL.
Look at the American Heart Association food pyramid for information about number and size of portions. You will also find that your intake of highly processed sugars and starches should be limited as your body easily converts these to fat (think overweight). This contributes to elevated levels of LDL cholesterol and I’m sure you would rather eat for heart health.
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