Posts Tagged ‘ Cholesterol ’

Monavie Pulse ? the Effect on Your Heart Condition and Cholesterol Level

February 25, 2011
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During the Monavie International Convention that took place between 17-20 September, in Salt Lake city, Utah, was introduced a new Monavie product: Monavie Pulse.

Besides the superfruit acai berry, this brand new health drink contains other 18 ingredients that will hep you maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system and will also lower your cholesterol level.

Why is Monavie Pulse different from Monavie Active or Monavie Original?

Monavie Pulse contains plant sterols, resveratrol, and omega-3 fatty acids. The core ingredients here are plant sterols. Your organism considers them as cholesterol. Imagine that you are having a meal high in plant sterols. Well, after you have this feast your metabolism will actually absorb less cholesterol. This is due to the fact that plant sterols fight with cholesterol for absorption. 

The main ingredient of Monavie Pulse is still the acai berry, but another fruits have been added to the recipe: concord grape, raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, elderberry, yumberry, tart cherry, prickly pear, pineapple, and cupuaçu.

What are plant sterols?

They are components found in the fatty tissues of plants. They reach higher levels in plants like sesame, wheat, Brussels sprouts and also wheat.

So, if you want to naturally treat your heart condition on you cholesterol problem, only two servings of Monavie Pulse per day ( 4 oz.) supply 0.8 g of plant sterols. According to some resources, this amount of plant sterols is enough to reduce the risk of heart disease. 

NOTICE: To prevent adverse effects, children, people who are under medication, pregnant or have various allergies should consult their physicians before drinking Monavie juice.

The effects of Monavie on your heart and cholesterol condition:

* acai berry contains amino acids and vital elements that help your muscle contraction and regeneration.

* Monavie Pulse contains fruits with antioxidant effect: concord grape, raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, elderberry, yumberry, and tart cherry 

* contains resveratrol, that protects your healthy blood vessels

* it helps you maintaining your healthy level of cholesterol

* according to some resources, when plant sterols are present, your body will absorb less cholesterol.

NOTE: Monavie Pulse and other Monavie juices are healthy drinks and not medicines. They are intended to be used rationally and can not replace no medicines treatment.

To read more about all the Monavie Pulse check MonavieLand.com. Here you will find resources on numerous Monavie issues, like Monavie and cholesterol, Monavie and diabetes and some testimonials from people who got great results after drinking Monavie.


Article from articlesbase.com

MonaVie Pulse’s açai leverages an exclusive method of preserving the benefits of the açai berry into a freeze-dried powder. Rich in polyphenols (a powerful form of antioxidants), açai is able to neutralize free radicals, thereby lowering oxidative stress. What’s important to note is that the açai berry’s nutritional properties are volatile and can easily be compromised if not properly harvested and processed. The process used to make MonaVie’s açai freeze-dried powder is the most effective method of ensuring the nutrient content and antioxidant activity of the açai berry. Learn more at www.monaviepulse.com
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Acai Berry Juice Benefits On High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol

February 25, 2011
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www.healingppoweroffruits.com Discover acai berry juice health benefits to complement a high blood pressure diet. Acai berry may also have positive effects on lowering cholesterol and an easy way of consuming fruits in liquid form!

Cholesterol Foods E-Report

February 16, 2011
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Slimmer Sues Atkins Over Cholesterol

January 23, 2011
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A man who claims his cholesterol level shot up after he went on the Atkins diet is suing the estate of Robert Atkins and the company promoting his diet, it emerged yesterday.

Jody Gorran, 53, says that after two years on the Atkins diet his arteries became so clogged he needed surgery.

Mr Gorran went on the Atkins diet, which recommends a low carbohydrate, high protein regime, when his weight rose by 8lbs. After two months his cholesterol levels rocketed from 148, which is normal, to 230, which is harmful.

After three bouts of chest pain his doctors discovered that he had a 99% blockage in a major artery and had to perform an angioplasty and insert a stent – a small wire mesh tube – to keep it open.

“I came very close to dying and this is from a diet I thought was marvellous,” said Mr Gorran yesterday. “For two-and-a-half years, I extolled the virtues of this diet to anyone who listened because I was losing weight and I felt great. But when I started, I had no idea I was making a deal with the devil for trying to keep a 32-inch waistline.”

Mr Gorran, who is being backed by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, which supports a vegan diet, is seeking $28,000 (£15,200).

“I contend there ought to be a warning on this diet,” Mr Gorran told the New York Times. “I’m seeking an injunction to prevent them from selling their products, books, or having their website without a warning because they know one-third of the people on the diet will have what Atkins referred to as ‘less than favourable cholesterol’.”

Referring to the lawsuit, Mr Gorran said: “The whole thing is based on getting the word out. Even if the suit never gets anywhere, we’ll be out there and people will start to think.”

A representative for Atkins Nutritionals and Dr Atkins’s estate said they continued to back the “science that has repeatedly reaffirmed the safety and health benefits of Atkins”.

“We should not let the real issue – providing people with a scientifically validated nutritional choice in the face of worldwide obesity and type 2 diabetes epidemic – be manipulated by this extremist animal rights vegan group.”

Dr Atkins, whose book Dr Atkins’ New Diet Revolution sold 15m copies and attracted a huge following, died last year after a fall. But a medical report, leaked in February, indicated that, at 258lbs, he was obese when he died.

The diet, which allows you to eat fatty foods and advocates meat, eggs and cheese while frowning on bread, rice and fruit, has proved popular in the US. But experts have derided it as “pseudo-science”.

Dr Frank Sacks, a professor of cardiovascular disease prevention at the Harvard School of Public Health, said of the hike in Mr Gorran’s cholesterol: “It could happen in two weeks. There are definitely people that happens to, though it is not a majority.”

Low Cholesterol Diet

October 29, 2010
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The two major sources of cholesterol in the body includes the body itself and the foods that we consume. All the animals can produce cholesterol in their bodies and therefore, the animal products which are a part of our diet naturally contains cholesterol. The liver produces sufficient blood cholesterol to carry out certain functions in the body. Studies suggest that around 75 percent of the the cholesterol in the body is produced by the liver and the other 25 percent is acquired by the foods that we consume.

The cholesterol that comes from the foods is called dietary cholesterol. While blood cholesterol produced by the liver is an essential component required to carry out many bodily functions, excess of dietary cholesterol can lead to cardiovascular diseases. Dietary cholesterol in itself is not a problem, it is a cause of concern when it is combined with highly saturated fats. The intake of high cholesterol foods rich in saturated fats increases the cholesterol in the body and results in high cholesterol levels. It means that the body contains extra cholesterol which remain in the arteries eventually restricting the normal blood flow, the blocked arteries then lead to a stroke. Hence, it is important to balance dietary cholesterol and saturated fats in the diet to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Balancing the diet is the first step towards achieving a healthy lifestyle and so, this article mainly focuses on low cholesterol diet that can help in maintaining the right cholesterol levels. The second step is to stay physically fit by providing regular exercise to the body. For now though, let us talk about the dietary changes in the diet one should bring about to negate the chances of being affected by any heart disease.

Low Cholesterol Diet Menu

What should be included in a low cholesterol diet plan and what is the best diet to lower cholesterol is what we are going to look at now to understand what should be included and what should be excluded from our daily diet. Given below is the list of food to eat to lower cholesterol levels.

Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are the healthiest of all food kinds for a simple reason that they don’t contain fat and are low in calorie content. Besides the fact that it has less calories as compared to any other food types, it is also a rich source of dietary fiber that aid to regulated metabolism. Fruits and vegetables are also an excellent source of vitamins and minerals and thus are one of the best cholesterol lowering foods. A regular and substantial intake of veggies in your daily diet can reduce the risk of heart diseases and high blood pressure.

Lean Meats
Red meat is the major culprit of high cholesterol levels in our body and therefore it is important to avoid it. Instead you could use lean meats such as turkey, chicken and fish to add in your low cholesterol foods list. These meat are a part of this low cholesterol diet because besides being low in cholesterol they are rich in minerals, vitamins, proteins and other micro-nutrients that are required for metabolism and reducing bad cholesterol in the body. If you savor red meat more than lean meat then, have it but ensure that you remove all the extra fat on it and eat it in moderation.

Grains
Avoid white flour products as much as possible and instead include whole grains and cereals in the diet. This is because white flour has high amounts of carbohydrates and consuming high carb foods can increase the cholesterol in the body. Grains are also known to have high energy and dietary fiber content. Besides whole grains, cereals and pulses, brown breads, beans, pasta and potatoes can also be helpful in lowering cholesterol levels. Another great source of dietary fiber and a huge amount of minerals and vitamins that can be included in cholesterol-lowering foods is nuts and seeds.

Dairy Products
Dairy products are a part of low cholesterol diet only if you are using skim or low fat dairy products. The regular ones are fattening and high in cholesterol and thus should be avoided. Many who complain of high cholesterol completely remove dairy products from their diet. However, it is important that you don’t completely remove it from the diet, just shift to low fat ones.

Oils and Fats
Saturated fats should be completely avoided if you are resorting to a low cholesterol diet. Saturated fats such as butter should be avoided. Margarine and oils that contain trans fats can also not be a part of your low cholesterol diet meals as they contain a type of saturated fat called as trans fats. Consuming fish oil 3-4 times a week can help in lowering cholesterol levels.

These were some of the low cholesterol diet foods that one can include in their diet to reduce the high cholesterol levels in the body. Making simple lifestyle changes such as healthy eating and regular exercise can negate the chances of being affected by various illnesses. It’s always better to control the cholesterol levels now rather than waiting for something to strike and then bring about the changes. Take control of your health just as you do your life. Take care… Stay healthy!

Time-Strapped People Struggle to Lower Cholesterol Naturally

October 29, 2010
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One of the main reasons people struggle to eat and live in a heart-healthy manner is lack of time. Many of us are running from one activity to the next and don’t even have enough time to get in the recommended amount of sleep per night. When it comes to food, we grab whatever is convenient. This often means buying already prepared store-bought food or eating in restaurants. The likelihood this type of food will be detrimental to your efforts to lower your cholesterol and improve your heart health is high. In addition, other heart-healthy activities like exercise, sleep, and downtime go by the wayside when we are super busy.

If you want to lower your cholesterol naturally and improve your heart health, you are going to have to make time to eat and live in a healthy way. There is no way around it. Yes, there are tricks and short cuts to make it easier to eat and live in a way that will lower your cholesterol and improve your heart health, but the bottom line is you have to make room in your life for heart-healthy activities by freeing up time in your currently busy schedule.

A great way to start freeing up time is by writing down every single activity that takes up your time each day. Track your daily activities for a week. Next, think about each of these activities to determine which ones can be delayed, delegated, diminished or made to disappear.

An activity that is delayed is one that doesn’t have to happen right away. It can wait. An example might be putting off a visit from a friend during a time that you know will be particularly busy. Some activities can be delegated to other family members or hired help. For instance, if each person in a family of four cooked one meal a week and made enough for another day, that’s 8 meals, but each person is only cooking once. And what about the yard work? Do you love to do it? If you do, you may want to keep this activity on your schedule, but if you don’t, hire a yard service. If you decide to diminish a task, it means you do not plan to do the task as often or as thoroughly as you have in the past. Consider dusting the house every two weeks instead of every week. Buy a few extra clothes so that laundry doesn’t need to be done as often. Tasks that aren’t essential can literally be “made to disappear”. One such task may be writing and mailing checks by hand. There is no need to take the time to do this when there is on-line banking. Another possibility is to stop watching a TV show that you don’t really love, but you are simply in the habit of watching it.

Once you identify the activities during your day that can be delayed, delegated, diminished, or made to disappear, think about what heart-healthy activity you are going to fill the time with. Exercise? Extra Sleep? Connecting to friends? Taking up a yoga class? Cooking more often at home? Taking some much needed “me” time?

If you can free up just a little bit of time in your life to incorporate some type of healthy activity, you are going to be on your way to seeing improvement in your cholesterol levels and your overall heart-health. To get started, purchase a small notebook today and put it into your purse or briefcase. Tomorrow start recording your activities. In one week’s time, decide what you are going to do about each of the activities recorded with the goal of freeing up time in your life.

Sandra Hoedemaker is The Heart-Healthy Food Coach. She received her nutrition and coaching training from The Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC. For a FREE special report “Top 3 Secrets to Reduce Your Cholesterol Fast” and other heart-healthy information visit cutcholesterolnow.com.

Weight Loss Tricks to Help Lower Cholesterol

October 25, 2010
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One of the main ways to lower cholesterol is to lose weight, and this one action is sometimes enough to get your cholesterol levels back in line. The challenge, however, is that many of us have tried numerous times to get our weight under control but with little success. Maybe we followed a diet for a while and the weight came off temporarily, but in a few months or a couple of years we find ourselves even heavier than when we started the diet in the first place so we go back on some type of diet or another again. We may even add more exercise into the mix, but we are still not successful, and we become frustrated.

Why does our body hold onto its weight when we are eating less and exercising more? One reason may have to do with the fact that when calories are restricted too much, the body thinks it is starving. When the body thinks it is starving, the metabolism shuts down to conserve fat so that you can survive. Many people end up eating 1,500 calories or fewer on an average day when they are trying to lose weight. This level of calorie intake may be low enough to slow your metabolism and put your body into starvation mode. In addition, the added exercise means the body needs more calories to maintain proper function not fewer. The body’s response to the increase in exercise when you are eating too little is to hold on to its fat stores even more than before.

Another factor that may be at play in people’s struggles to lose weight is the type of calories they are ingesting. Not all calories are created equal. It is not necessarily true that all we have to do is count calories and make sure we don’t consume too many if we want to meet our weight loss goals. For instance, foods that quickly spike blood glucose levels like sugar, high fructose corn syrup, juice, refined flours, baked white potatoes, chips, and white rice will cause more insulin to be released at a faster rate than foods that do not quickly spike blood glucose levels like temperate fruits, vegetables, whole cooked grains, beans, fish, and meat. Insulin signals the body to store fat. To help with weight loss, you want your blood sugar levels to remain as stable as possible.

Finally, eating less fat does not necessarily correlate to losing weight even though fat contains a lot of calories. In fact, there is growing amounts of research that suggest just the opposite. Incorporating enough fat into the daily diet can actually helps a person feel satisfied which can lead to eating fewer calories later in the day. In addition, some research is indicating that low carbohydrate diets not low fat diets are more likely to result in weight loss. It is interesting to note that over the past several decades, fat consumption in the United States has decreased; however, obesity levels have increased. Fat is simply not to blame. What is important is to eat healthy fats. Unrefined, extra virgin olive oil is one such healthy fat. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish are also considered good fats.

In summary, if you want to lose weight, do not cut your average daily calorie intake too low, eat whole foods that don’t spike blood glucose levels too quickly, and eat healthy fats. Once you are eating enough calories to support your every day functions, get exercise on most days of the week.

Cholesterol Numbers…Are Yours Too Low?

October 25, 2010
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People who take statin drugs to achieve lower cholesterol numbers stand the risk of having their cholesterol go too low.

New studies show that people with the lowest cholesterol have a higher risk of cancer, according to a meta-analysis of over 41,000 patient records from 23 statin drug trials. Researchers found one extra case of cancer per 1,000 patients with the lowest levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, the so-called “bad” cholesterol, compared to patients with higher LDL levels.

Past studies have found an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease among people with extra-low cholesterol. Meanwhile, statin drugs may cause damage to the liver and muscles. Although you would never guess it from watching the Lipitor, Crestor and Vytorin TV advertisements, cholesterol is good for us…in the right amounts…and the cholesterol HDL ratio is more important than just LDL cholesterol.

Dr. Mary Enig, a world renowned biochemist and pioneer in researching healthy fats and oils relates some of the little known benefits of cholesterol: Your body needs cholesterol to make sex hormones. Could this be why many of those on statin drugs have a reduced sex drive?
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Cholesterol is needed for proper function of serotonin receptors in the brain. Serotonin is involved in the biochemistry of depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety, control of appetite, sleep, memory and mood.
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Cholesterol acts as an antioxidant to protect us from free radicals. Free radicals attack the artery walls and contribute to plaque that ends up clogging our arteries. If your cholesterol dips too low, you will increase your risk of depression, stroke, violent behavior, and suicide.

There is no evidence to support the theory that extremely low cholesterol levels are beneficial, and increasing numbers of studies like the one above are pointing to the risks.Meanwhile, even if you DID want to lower your cholesterol, taking statin drugs is the last option you should consider. Cholesterol-lowering drugs have been linked to everything from nerve damage to memory loss.

Former astronaut, Dr. Graveline (M.D. retired) is uniquely qualified to discuss the magnitude of statin drug risks. He suffered transient global amnesia as a result of being on Lipitor. Dr.

Graveline comments,

“The legacy of statin drug use at today’s high doses is a trail of chronic aches, muscle pain, numbness, weakness, confusion, fatigue, shortness of breath and even heart failure in hordes of unsuspecting victims.”

Statin drugs also deplete the body of beneficial Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), may actually INCREASE the risk of heart disease. For most people there’s no need to risk dangerous statin side effects to keep cholesterol numbers where they should be.
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It’s amazing and somewhat frustrating to me that the mainstream medical community largely ignores the most important controllable risks of having a heart attack or stroke, which are inflammation, oxidation and low HDL cholesterol.Here’s a plan that works:

Exercise using the PACE high intensity and rest program.

Follow a low glycemic diet.

Take two Cholest-Check™ capsules per day.

For more information go the Heart Health For Life Website

Cholesterol Diet Menu

October 8, 2010
By

Cholesterol is a fat-like waxy substance that collects in the human arteries and causes them to thicken or get blocked. This reduces, and can even stop the flow of oxygen carrying blood to the heart. Thus, high cholesterol levels are directly proportional to an increased risk of heart attacks. Cholesterol has two components – LDL (bad cholesterol) which is the main source of cholesterol buildup and blockage in the arteries, and HDL (good cholesterol) which stops the buildup. A low cholesterol diet menu must include all the foods that help lower LDL, and raise HDL. Once you are aware of what these foods are, it will be fairly easy to draw out a cholesterol diet plan. Here are the foods that should be included in a low cholesterol diet.

Cholesterol Diet Food List

Oatmeal and Oat Bran
The reason why oatmeal finds a place on all low cholesterol diets is because it contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL). This kind of soluble fiber is found in fruits such as apples, bananas, blackberries (½ cup), oranges, grapefruit, peaches, pears, plums and prunes (¼ cup). It is also present in black beans, kidney beans, lima beans, navy beans, northern beans, pinto beans and yellow, green and orange lentils. Chick peas, black eyed peas and half a cup of cooked broccoli, brussels sprouts and carrots are also a good source of soluble fiber. About 1 tablespoon of ground Psyllium seeds have a high content of soluble fiber. Whole grains are also good for the heart, so consume whole-grain breads, whole-wheat pasta, whole-wheat flour and brown rice. Controlling high cholesterol with a diet is possible by incorporating all these foods into a low cholesterol diet menu plan. Read more on sample diets for lowering cholesterol.

Nuts
Walnuts are another essential ingredient of any diet to control high cholesterol. They are plentiful in polyunsaturated fatty acids and can significantly reduce cholesterol. They also help keep blood vessels healthy and elastic. Other nuts that appear to have the same effect are almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts and pistachio nuts. However, one must not include more than a handful (1.5 ounces, or 42.5 grams) of nuts per day in their cholesterol lowering diet menu.

Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Fatty fish have high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which lower cholesterol and also improve heart health by lowering high blood pressure and the risk of blood clots. Include two servings of mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna or salmon in your weekly cholesterol diet chart. However, for it to help in keeping with your low cholesterol diet guidelines, you need to bake or grill it. If you don’t like fish, a substitute source of omega-3 fatty acids is ground flaxseed.

Olive Oil
Olive and canola are the heart healthy oils. Olive oil is rich in antioxidants which can lower “bad” (LDL) cholesterol without affecting “good” (HDL) cholesterol. The recommended amount is about 2 tablespoons (23 grams) a day for maximum benefit. One can use it to substitute their oil they use to cook, add it to a marinade, or drizzle it on a salad. One can use it to saute vegetables, or instead of butter when basting meat. Another recommendation is not to use “light” olive oils.

Foods to be Excluded
Any food that is a source of trans fats needs to be excluded. Thus, fried foods (burgers, fries, chips) and many commercial baked products, such as cookies, crackers and snack cakes are a big no-no. Another factor to be aware of is that in the US, foods containing less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving are labeled “trans fat-free.” To avoid these loopholes, always check the ingredients list. If you find partially hydrogenated oils there, then it needs to go. Other sources laden with cholesterol are organ meats, egg yolks and whole milk products.

Low Cholesterol Menu

Breakfast
Oatmeal with Honey and Apple
Ingredients

2 tbsp oat bran
½ cup water
1 apple, chopped
2/3 cup fat free milk
1 tsp honey
1.5 oz oats (dry rolled oats)
Mix together the oats, water and milk in pan. Keep stirring while you bring it to boil. Once cooked (in about 5 minutes), drizzle with honey and serve it along with remaining milk, apple and oat bran.

Lunch
Salmon, Tomato on Toast with Salad
Ingredients
3 ¾ oz can salmon, drained
1 slice whole grain bread
1 cup salad leaves
1 large tomato, sliced
1 cup sliced bell peppers
Lemon juice and black pepper
1 bowl of salad
1 tbsp olive oil
Remove the salmon from the can, add it to a dish of lemon juice and sprinkle with black pepper. Prepare a salad and add the olive oil and remaining portion of lemon juice to it. Serve salad and salmon with tomato topped slices of toast.

Dinner
Stir-fried Chicken Breast, Veggies and Rice
Ingredients
3 tbsp [dry weight] brown basmati rice
4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 clove minced garlic
1 tbsp canola oil
1 sliced red bell pepper
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 small red onion
1 cup mushrooms
Make thin long slices of the chicken and vegetables. Add the canola oil to a non-stick skillet, heat it mildly and add the garlic. After a minute, add the chicken and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on high heat, until it starts to brown. Add the soy sauce and vegetables, and stir fry for 5 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender. Serve the chicken and veges over cooked rice.

Snacks between meals could be a fruit such as an orange or a handful of almonds. However not more than that as a few dry fruits too contain some oil in them, hence, overdoing their consumption can also have side effects. Read more on food to eat to lower cholesterol.

This meal plan is just a sample cholesterol diet menu, since you are aware of the foods to be included and excluded, and your personal preferences, you are well equipped to make your own menu. Picking up a book on cholesterol diet recipes will make your job easier. One last diet tip; include foods fortified with plant sterols or stanols (margarines, orange juice and yogurt drinks) which help block the absorption of cholesterol. If you are wondering how to lower your cholesterol apart from diet, the answer lies in maintaining a healthy weight and exercising everyday.

6 Foods That Lower Cholesterol Naturally

October 8, 2010
By

If you are looking for a way to lower your cholesterol, but want to avoid a high-priced prescription with possible side effects, you have options. Nature has provided a variety of foods that scientists have found can effectively reduce cholesterol levels.

This article looks at 6 foods that lower cholesterol.

1. Blueberries – These tasty superfruits have been shown to reduce cholesterol even more effectively than drugs. In 2004, researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported results of an animal study in which the group that received blueberry skins had cholesterol levels 37 percent lower than the group that received no blueberries.

2. Carrots – Want to drop your cholesterol in 3 weeks? Try adding carrots to your diet. A study conducted in Scotland found that individuals who ate 2 raw carrots every morning for 3 weeks experienced an 11 percent drop in cholesterol. Carrots contain calcium pectate, a soluable fiber that lowers cholesterol by helping the digestive system flush cholesterol out of the body.

3. Avocados – Avocados are often avoided because they are a high-fat food, but they contain a component called sitosterol, which has been shown to lower cholesterol in more than a dozen human studies. Research conducted in Mexico found that after eating avocado daily for one week, participants’ total cholesterol dropped 17 percent and their HDL (good) cholesterol increased 11 percent.

4. Grapes – Grapes contain pterostilbene and resveratol, two compounds that have been shown to have a role in reducing cholesterol. In 2008, researchers at Madrid University developed a juice from the skin and seeds of red grapes and asked human volunteers to add the juice to their diet for 16 weeks. Study participants experienced a 14 percent drop in cholesterol levels and a five percent drop in blood pressure readings.

5. Almonds – Almonds not only taste good, they can lower your cholesterol, especially the harmful LDL or bad cholesterol. A 2002 research project asked adult participants with high cholesterol to eat almonds. Study volunteers who ate one handful of almonds a day lowered their bad cholesterol 4.4 percent and those who ate 2 handfuls of almonds saw bad cholesterol drop 9.4 percent.

6. Grapefruit – These citrus fruits have significant amounts of cholesterol-lowering pectin; 60 to 70 percent of the dietary fiber in citrus fruits is pectin. A 2006 study by Israeli researchers found that eating one grapefruit daily for 30 days reduced cholesterol approximately 15 percent. The study found that red grapefruit lowered cholesterol more effectively than white grapefruit.

Additional cholesterol-lowering tips

Start exercising – Becoming more active will help in two ways. Countless reports have proven that being overweight contributes to high cholesterol levels. Exercise can lead to weight loss, which in turn lowers the risk for high cholesterol and heart disease.

At the same time, aerobic exercise will raise your HDL or good cholesterol levels, which is just as important as keeping bad cholesterol numbers in check. Good cholesterol cleans out blood vessels, carrying away excess cholesterol to the liver for processing.

Limit cholesterol intake – The American Heart Association recommends that individuals who want to reduce their cholesterol through diet consume less that 300mg of cholesterol a day.

Adopt a diet low in saturated fat – A low-fat, low-cholesterol diet typically limits meat consumption and avoids red meat. High-fat, high-cholesterol meats to remove from your meal plans include: bacon, bologna, salami, sausage, hot dogs, liver, and kidneys. In general, chicken and turkey are low in saturated fat, especially when the skin is removed.

To see more natural methods for lowering cholesterol and a sample diet to lower cholesterol, visit http://www.foods-that-heal.com.

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