Category Archives: Cholesterol

Health Properties of Lemon Juice

The miracle that exists in the power of lemon juice cannot be underestimated.

Squeeze the contents of both FRESH lemon halves into a glass of water and drink twice a day. (Lemon juice from stores have stabilizers and should be avioded.)

Having discussed the many benefits of lemon juice with clients, cooking class students, family, and friends I felt it important to share the latest research written by By Traci Joy, eHow Contributor.

How  to Use Lemon Juice

Everyday  Uses for Lemon Juice

“There are a few special properties of lemon juice that give it its health  benefits. The first is a group of compounds called limonoids. Limonoids are  found in many citrus fruits, including lemons. According to the American  Dietetic Association, limonoids are responsible for the bitter taste in citrus  fruits such as lemons and graprefruit. One limonoid in particular, called  limonin, is found to have cholesterol-lowering effects as well.A study in the November/December 2007 issue of “Alternative Therapies”  reports that 80 percent of the cholesterol in the body is made in the liver,  built with a substance called apolipoprotein B and triglycerides. The limonin,  found in lemons, works by slowing the production of both apolipoprotein and  triglycerides. Lemons also contain high amounts of vitamin C, a very powerful  antioxidant that is reported in the June 2006 issue of the “Nigerian Journal of  Physiological Sciences” to dramatically reduce total cholesterol levels after a  mere 30 days of supplementation.

Putting It Into Action

  • Now you know that lemon juice can help you reduce your cholesterol levels,  but you should also know exactly how to use it. You can substitute lemon juice  for high-fat dressings on salads, or saute chicken or fish in lemon instead of  butter.

    You can also use the lemon juice as a drink. Take a fresh lemon and wash it  well. Roll it on the counter top to soften it inside. Cut the lemon in half and  squeeze it into one cup of warm or hot water. Use the other half of the lemon in  a cup of hot water at night. Doing this every day will help bring down your  cholesterol levels, and increase your intake of vitamin C.”

    By Traci Joy, eHow Contributor

Read more:  http://www.ehow.com/way_5724560_can-lemon-juice-reduce-cholesterol_.html#ixzz2XtMhlT81

Calculate Cholesterol, Choose TLC Diet to Menu Plan

Being informed and understanding what cholesterol is will provide stronger knowledge of individual “Specimen Information”, which should be requested from your Doctor after having blood drawn. Compare your numbers to the information listed below,  choose your foods wisely to improve your daily nutritional intake, and cleanse your body, optimizing it’s overall function in keeping you healthy.

Cholesterol is a fat,  lipid, or a sterol, from which hormones are made. It is a waxy substance that resembles the very fine scrapings of a whitish-yellow candle. Cholesterol flows through your body via your bloodstream, lipids are oil-based and blood is water-based, they don’t mix. If cholesterol were dumped into your bloodstream, it would congeal into unusable globs.

The fat in these particles are made up of cholesterol, triglycerides and a phospholipid, which helps make the whole particle stick together. Triglycerides are a particular type of fat that have three fatty acids attached to an alcohol called glycerol, composed of 90 percent of the fat in the food you eat. The body needs triglycerides for energy, but as with cholesterol, too much is bad for the arteries and the heart.

  • Total Cholesterol Reference Range: 125-200 mg/dl     
  • HDL Cholesterol Reference Range: 40-60 mg/dl 
  • TriglyceridesReference Range:  <150mg/dl                   
  • Direct LDL Cholesterol Reference Range: 100 – 129 mg/dl

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Healthy Cholesterol Levels, (HDL) should be greater than 50-60 mg/dl.   HDL is a cholestrol that works within the arteries to reduce accumulation of plaque, that can lead to artherosclerosis, in turn, reducing your risk for heart disease. HDL is monitored to ensure there is enough of it to fight off the plaque build up within the arteries.

 “LDL cholesterol”, explained by Harvard University, “in most people, (60-70 % of cholesterol) is carried in LDL particles, which act as ferries, taking cholesterol to the parts of the body that need it. Unfortunately, if you have too much LDL in the bloodstream, it deposits the cholesterol into the arteries, which can cause blockages and lead to heart attacks. The good news is that the amount of LDL in your blood-stream is related to the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol you eat. So, most people can decrease their LDL if they follow a reduced-fat diet.”

VLDL, stated by the “Clinical Reference Laboratory”, expressed as: “VLDL is a major carrier of triglyceride (60 -70% triglyceride 10-15% cholesterol). Circulating fatty acids are converted by the liver to form triglycerides.” Dr. Ginsberg of Columbia university simplifies the definition, “Very-Low Density Lipids are complexes of lipids and proteins assembled in the liver in response to nutrients and hormones. When VLDL are secreted, they carry almost all of the triglyceride in the blood-stream (they are about 85% triglycerides themselves), transporting triglycerides from the liver. When we are overweight, insulin resistant, or have diabetes, our livers secrete more VLDL with more triglycerides on every VLDL particle”.

People have varying degrees of success in lowering their cholesterol by changing their diets.  Meal Plan changes and Exercise both contribute to  lowering cholesterol and are highly recommended before pharmaceuticals are introduced. High cholesterol due to dietary intake of high saturated  foods (anything with animal fat) could be lowered by 5% to 20% with nutritional changes. The Therapeutic Lifestyle Change (TLC) Diet is recommended by the National Cholesterol Education Program of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. 

Calculating total cholesterol helps to put the pieces of the whole together.   The math equation for calculating total cholesterol is:

Total Cholesterol Formula  (TC) = LDL + HDL + (Triglycerides/5)

  • Sample lipid panel
  • Cholesterol, Total=195
  • HDL Cholesterol=55
  • Triglycerides = 100  (100/5=20)
  • Direct LDL Cholesterol=120

How Total Cholesterol is calculated using the sample numbers listed above.

  • example: (LDL) 120+ (HDL) 55 + 20= 195 (TC) Total Cholesterol

Calculating:  VLDL=Triglycerides/5

  • Triglycerides=100
  • example: 100/5=20 (VLDL)
  • Reference Range for VLDL is 5-40 mg/dl

Calculate Cholesterol Ratio

  • Total Cholesterol (mg/dl) / HDL Cholesterol (mg/dl)
  • Example: Total Cholesterol 200 mg/dl/ 50 mg/dl  HDL Cholesterol = 4.1  According to the American Heart Association is to keep your cholesterol ratio at 5 to 1 or lower.
  • Ideal ratio will be 3.5 to 1. Higher cholesterol ratio indicates a risk of heart disease, a lower ratio indicates a reduced risk of heart disease.

 

Various foods, beverages and spices are known for reducing, or interfering with bad cholesterol (LDL) and carrying it out of the body. Choose a variety of foods from the following lists including them at all your meals.

  •  Fruits and Vegetables (totaling 9 per day)
  • Teas
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Cinnamon1-4g (1/3 tsp – 1 1/2 tsp a day)
  • Ginger (250 mcg/day capsule form)
  •  Honey 3 1/2 tablespoons / day

Reduce the saturated fat in your diet 

  1. Eat fish 3-4 times a week and benefit from Omega 3!
  2. Limit the amount of meat and milk products.
  3. Choose low-fat products from various food groups.
  4. Replace butter, a saturated fat with: Extra Virgin Olive, Canola, or Peanut oils.  7% of your daily calories should come from saturated fat (200 mg)   with 25% to 35% of daily calories  from unsaturated fat. 
  5.  Your diet should include calories to maintain your desired weight and avoid gaining weight.

Fluids are equally important to a successful diet.  Add 1-2 glasses of water with 1/2 to 1 whole lemon each day. Drink 1-2 cups of Oolong tea each day. Oolong tea burns over 157% more fat than Green Tea and is a popular tea designed to accelerate weight loss. 

TLC Diet is recommended by Doctors as a path for reducing high cholesterol.  Calories/day  1100 – 1695

Lean meat, poultry, fish, dry legumes Choose 5 ounces (140 g)  per day  

  • Anchovies, Mackeral, Sardines, Salmon,
  • Substitute 1/4 cup tofu, or 1/2 cup dry beans or peas for 1 ounce of meat or fish.
  • 2 tablespoons (1 oz) nuts (Almonds, Walnuts, Hazelnuts, Peanuts Soynuts) or seeds
  • Eggs, 2 yolks per week, 1 whole egg. Egg whites or substitutes are okay to eat.
  • Lean Meat. 3 0z. 165 calories, 0 g carbohydrate, 21 g protein, 9 g fat

Low-fat milk products.  Choose 2 per day     

  • 2 to 3 per day
  • 1 cup nonfat or 1% milk
  • 1 cup nonfat or low-fat yogurt
  • 1 ounce fat-free or low-fat cheese
  • Each serving. 80-110 calories, 12 g carbohydrate, 8 g protein, 0-3 g fat

Fruits.  Choose 4-5 per day the selection is endless!    

  • Apple, Apricots, Berries, Banana, Grapes, Melons, Orange, Pear, Plums, Prunes
  • Each serving.  60 calories, 15 g carbohydrate, 0 g protein, 0 g fat

Various Vegetables!  Choose 5-7 per day          

  • Artichokes, Avocado, Peppers, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Mushrooms,Eggplants, Asparagus, Legumes, Broccoli.
  • 1/2 cup cooked (season with garlic parsley and oil), Grilled, or Raw vegetables
  • Each serving.  25 calories, 5 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 0 g fat
    1 cup raw thick green leafy greens

Whole grains for bread, cereals, pasta, rice .  Choose 4-6 servings per day.

  •  Whole Grains, Choose Aunt Millies breads.
  • 1 slice whole grain bread
  • 1/2 wheat or multi-grain bagel, or English muffin
  • 1 ounce cold cereal (Bran)
  • Oatmeal for breakfast. (Quaker Oatmeal steel cut. Avoid 1 minute oatmeal)
  • 1/2 cup cooked whole grain pasta, rice, noodles, or other grains
  • Each serving. 80 calories, 15 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 1-3 g fat

Fat and oils.  Choose 2-3 servings per day

  • Each serving.  45 calories, 0 g carbohydrate, 0 g protein, 5 g fat.
    No Trans Fat (hydrogenated oils)
    1 teaspoon monounsaturated oil, such as Canola, Corn, EVOO, or Peanut
    1 tablespoon salad dressing (vinagrette)
    1 tbsp MCT Oil

By:  K. Crocker

Literature Research

  3.  Diet Low Sodium Meal Plan
  5. VLDL http://www.crlcorp.com/testDetails.cfm?facilityID=TLS&testID=510
  6. VLDL Dr. Ginsberg  http://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/569664av
  7. LDL Harvard University  http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Understanding_Cholesterol.htm
  8. Ginger reduces LDL Cholesterol  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=ginger%20reduces%20ldl
  9. Cinnamon reduces LDL Cholesterol http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14633804
  10. Honey Reduces Cholesterol http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18454257
  11. Calculate Cholesterol Ratio  http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cholesterol-ratio/AN01761

Attention to Reducing your Cholesterol

Reduce Cholesterol and Blood Pressure

New Years with a fresh new start to keep you on your toes and modeling ideal habits for those you love.  Follow these basic steps to reduce your cholesterol and blood pressure, impacting and leading to a stronger lifestyle.

In brief, it’s important to know very basic facts.

  1. The body’s liver makes its own cholesterol everyday.  Cholesterol is a key factor the functionability of our hormones and to the elasticity of our veins and arteries.
  2. HDL is a healthy cholesterol needed to keep our hormones, organs, muscles, veins and arteries operating properly.
  3. LDL is an unhealthy cholesterol when it becomes oxidized.
  4. Reduce Stressful Lifestyle:  walk away from or limit interaction with stress triggers, avoid comfort foods that can contribute to increasing cholesterol. (salty & fried foods, dairy products, red meats)                                                                                                                              

Knowledge to influence better habits

Oxidation of LDL is due to free radicals floating around in our body which are  O+ broken off from degenerating protein called homocysteine. The positively charged oxygen then attaches itself to LDL cholesterol and plaque begins to form in your arteries and veins. Hence forth, why anti-oxidants from fruit and vegetables need to be a part of ones daily intake, to clean up the free radicals.

Check the grocery cart before before bringing home the bacon! LDL cholesterol is established through nutrition and found in hydrogenated fats and animal fat.    Hydrogenated fats can be found in margarine, shortening, cookies, and oil-frying. By switching grocery purchases of high caloric fats for fresh seasonal fruits, you are already stepping up!

It’s easy to do!  Reduce consumption of animal fats, or saturated fats; found in milk, butter, cheese, ice cream, meats and pork.  Although we need a certain amount of meats and fats  they should be consumed in small amounts.  A meat serving is 3-4 ounce (84-112 g) servings consumed once or twice a day, while a fat serving is 2 Tbsp of oil per day

3 Effective Steps to Increase HDL

  1. Walk 30-60 minutes five times a week for a total of 2 1/2-5 hours per week.  Walking twice a day for 20-30 minutes each time will increase your metabolism, strengthen bones, muscles and keep your heart pumping…increasing the HDL cholesterol, which removes LDL cholesterol from your arteries.
  2. Consume foods that increase HDL levels:  Omega-3 rish foods: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Canola, Walnuts, Almonds, Fish and Fiber.  Fruit and Vegetables , total of 9 1/2 cup servings a day.  Please refer to:  Daily Serving Guidelines.
  3. Beverages that assist in increasing HDL levels: Cleanse your body with lemon water or green/black/white tea throughout the day.  Wine and alcohol in moderation; 1 glass for a woman, 2 glasses for a man.
    Reducing cholesterol levels puts into place the first step to reducing blood pressure. It is important to note that attention to reducing salt levels and increasing potassium intake will impact a decreased blood pressure as well. By establishing a plan to  healthier eating and daily exercise, you will feel stronger sooner than expected!

By: K. Crocker-Scardicchio

References

Heat Up & Cool Down! Foods to Add & Remove in Diet

Feeling ‘overheated’  emotionally or physically? Lack of daily movement or what you eat can both contribute to the sense of being warmer than usual.   Addressing the  behaviors that  lead to emotions of anger, depression and stress, all result in negatively heating the body. Headaches, sleepless nights, skin flare-ups, irritability are all examples of how the body heats up as a direct response to stress. Continuing on a declining path will create physical heath conditions: heart attack, stroke, cancer, etc.

Best Exercise for Managing Stress
Walking, swimming, bicycling, yoga and golf are good examples that contribute to relieving or cooling down an individual so that emotional stress is controlled through physical activity. Exercise  increases the endorphins within the brain so  the blood pumping, energy is restored and you will feel more focused.  It can be as simple as a 30 minutes of movement per day!

How Stress Affects Hormones
Choosing to stay on an unenthusiastic  cycle alternates both stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol and how they function in the body. Adrenaline and cortisol when adversely effected influence changes in our blood pressure and cholesterol levels, stimulating the ghrelin hormone (hunger) that promotes an excessive appetite and depresses the leptin hormone that signals satiety in the stomach!  Appetites have now been re-defined.

Foods that Promote Over-Eating
Avoid spices, condiments, drinks , and certain foods that promote over eating when facing stress: fried, greasy or oily foods, margarine, black pepper, chilies, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, garlic, onion, salad dressings, rosemary, white and brown sugar,  white flour, wine, beer, coffee.
Reduce amounts of:  salt, red meat, chicken (4 ounces 2-3 times a week),  cheese (1 oz q/day).  Poor quality fats clog arteries and lead  to heart disease. Calcium and magnesium uptake interference  can be altered by an excess of certain meats spices and drinks, having a negative effect on calming and cooling the body. A deficiency of magnesium leads to anxiety and hyperness.

Dietary Solution to Control Stress 
Fats in the diet must be high quality in order to maintain healthy organs and vascular system, use: fish oils, extra virgin olive, grape seed, flax seed , almond oils. Introduce foods that promote calcium, magnesium absorption, anti-oxidants and polyphenols.
Best food preparation: Grilled, Braised, lightly boiled (7 minutes), steamed.
Consume raw vegetables, fruits (remove citrus fruits if they create digestive problems), berries, nuts, whole grains, yogurt and seafood. Include salads, melons, cucumbers and bitter greens (broccoli, arugula, celery dandelion, basil, parsley, cilantro) which are full of water and needed for calming and cooling the body. Eat plants that are in season for optimal nutrition. Consider pomegranates as way to intake resveratrol protein which helps raise HDL cholesterol and reduce red wine intake. Add decaffeinated black, green and white teas as a way to hydrate and include anti-oxidants and reduce caffeine.

Daily and Weekly Diet
Consuming breakfast is critical for energy and initiating the metabolism and should not be skipped. 5-6 small meals are necessary for proper maintenance of a healthy individual, light evening meals eaten 4 hours before bedtime to optimize a restful sleep.  Daily intake of  nutrition should include: 4 servings of fruit, 5 servings of vegetables, 1 ounce (28 g) cheese,  3-4 weekly servings fish, 2 weekly servings meat, multi-grain breads, pasta rice, 1-2 servings soy or lowfat milk, 6 cups water (250 ml).

By incorporating a healthy diet and managing stress through exercise hormonal balance can be achieved. While the initial steps can be put into place by you, communicate any dietary or physical activity changes to your doctor so that your overall health can be observed and guided as needed.

By: Kim Crocker

Foods that Increase HDL and Reduce LDL

“Consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains is critical to lowering blood cholesterol levels and in turn limits excess cholesterol absorption in the intestines.” According to Net Wellness, “you might be interested in how quickly blood levels of other things change with diet and exercise, since they are all related to heart disease. Insulin and triglyceride levels (in the bloodstream) will fall within two weeks, HDL (high density lipoprotein/’good’ cholesterol) is slightly slower and reductions may take up to 6 weeks (and you may not want to reduce this part of the cholesterol), and LDL (low density lipoprotein/’bad’ cholesterol) is the slowest of all with the maximum reductions taking 3-4 months. ”

Biosynthesis of cholesterol is one way that cholesterol is found in our bodies, however, cholesterol is also taken in from dairy and meat products

Biosynthesis of cholesterol produced in the body’s liver  is key to an individual’s overall health. About 20-25% of cholesterol is made in the liver and its production is needed as:

  • A precursor to bile acids,
  • Assisting in the absorption of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, K across the digestive tract
  • It plays a part in the synthesis of vitamin D,  estrogen, testosterone, progesterone and other various hormones.
  • Properly structures membranes allowing for the function of proton, hydrogen and sodium ions. The insulation of the brain’s myelin sheath also comes from cholesterol and maintains the proper conduction of impulses.

Cholesterol comes from the Greek language; chole (bile), stereos (solid), -ol (AN alcohol referred to as an organic substance, such as a waxy steroid or fat) 

Not all fats are created equal. Fats found in fried foods and baked goods should be eaten in lesser amounts. Aim for including healthy oils that come from vegetables, seeds and nuts

There is little use for animal cholesterol which comes from dairy, meat and fish products. Cholesterol from animals is responsible for increasing LDL cholesterol known as the non-healthy cholesterol, leading to blocked or hardening of arteries.

Plants have very little cholesterol which comes from phytosterols,  (flax seed, peanuts and olives), responsible for competing with LDL cholesterol and reducing it’s negative impact on the body.

HDL is a healthy cholesterol needed to keep our hormones, organs, muscles, veins and arteries operating properly. It works as a sponge, collecting loose cholesterol within the blood stream.

Consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains is critical to lowering blood cholesterol levels and in turn limits excess cholesterol absorption in the intestines.

FRUIT 4 servings/day Great for Reduction of LDL Cholesterol and Increase HDL Cholesterol:

  • blueberries
  • apples
  • prunes
  • pears
  • plums
  • apricots

Choose fruits whose skin can be eaten. Eating fruits with membranes or seeds are also helpful for reduction of LDL and increase of HDL cholesterol:

  • oranges
  • grapefruit
  • pomegranates

VEGGIES 5 servings/day Great for Reduction of LDL and increase HDL Cholesterol: Any leafy green, introducing roughage into the diet:

  • Avocado
  • broccoli
  • lentils/legumes
  • rapini
  • kale
  • collard greens
  • spinach
  • lettuce
  • zucchini

WHOLE GRAINS promoting soluble fiber: 

  • 1 cup of oatmeal
  • Seeds: flax, pumpkin or sunflower seeds added to salads
  •  add barley to soups.

Cholesterol from meat is linked to increased LDL cholesterol overtime and should be consumed in moderation. 4 ounces twice a day is considered sufficient. LDL cholesterol should be less than 100

 Fish, Lean Meat, Poultry 2 servings/day. 3-4 ounces per serving. Eat more Fish which contains healthy omega 3  oils such as;

  • Mackerel
  • Salmon
  • Sardines
  • Anchovies

Nuts about 1 tsp 4 times a week.  (Monounsaturated fats.)

  • Almonds
  • Chestnuts
  • Hazelnuts
  • Pecans
  • Pistacchios
  • Walnuts

Cholesterol from phytosterols found in seeds and olives is considered effective in lowering LDL cholesterol and known to be linked to healthy cholesterol or HDL which should be measured between 40-60.

OILS 2 tbsp per day Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a monounsaturated fat and contributes to raising HDL (healthy cholesterol) and causes LDL cholesterol to be reduced.
Water 8 glasses / day

LDL is an unhealthy cholesterol only when it becomes oxidized.  Oxidation of LDL is due to free radicals floating around in our body which are  O+ broken off from degenerating protein called homocysteine. The positively charged oxygen then attaches itself to LDL cholesterol and plaque begins to form in your arteries and veins. Hence forth, why anti-oxidants from fruit and vegetables need to be a part of ones daily intake, to clean up the free radicals.

LDL cholesterol is established through our nutrition,  it is found in trans fats and animal fat.  Trans fats or elaidic acid, is defined as a carbon within a molecule that has been transcended, commonly through hydrogenation of oils, making the trans fat “plastic like” within arteries and veins.  Trans fats are found in margarine, shortening, cookies, and oil-frying.

Animal fats, or saturated fats, are found in milk, butter, cheese, ice cream, meats, poultry, pork and fish.  Although we need a certain amount of meats for vitamin B and fish for Omega-3, they should be consumed in small amounts 3-4 ounce (84-112 g) servings, twice a day.

3 Effective Steps to Increase HDL

  1. Walk 30-60 minutes five times a week for a total of 2 1/2 hours per week.  Walking twice a day for 20-30 minutes each time will increase your metabolism, strengthen bones, muscles and keep your heart pumping…increasing the HDL cholesterol, which removes LDL cholesterol from your arteries.
    z’From an overall health promoting angle it is advisable to endeavor to have 2-3 bowel movements per day to eliminated waste, toxins and cholesterol from your system. For everyday that goes by without having a bowel movement, the toxins are reabsorbed.”
  2. Consume foods that increase HDL levels:  Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Canola and vegetable oils, Walnuts, Fish and fiber,  which are Fruit and Vegetables . Shoot for a total of 4 1/2 cups servings a day of fruits and vegetables.  Please refer to:  Daily Serving Guidelines.
  3. Beverages that assist in increasing HDL levels: Cleanse your body with water and lemon water  throughout the day.  Wine and alcohol in moderation; 1 glass for a woman, 2 glasses for a man.

By: K. Crocker

References: