Low Cholesterol Diet

If you have high cholesterol it is important to get yourself on a diet for lowering cholesterol and losing weight. Many Americans worry about their cholesterol levels, especially those who are over weight. In most cases the first step in resolving your high cholesterol and shedding those extra pounds; is changing your diet. You will discover some pretty convincing evidence, in this article, which will convince you, to improve your health by losing weight and lowering your cholesterol.

A recent study completed by The School of Medicine at Stanford University showed that with both diet and exercise, you can significantly reduce your cholesterol and get rid of the extra weight. The study was done with over 300 men and women with high cholesterol. In order to control the groups the first group was put on a low fat diet. Then the second was put on the same diet with an exercise program.

After a year the group with both diet and exercise had lower cholesterol. The group that didn’t incorporate exercise didn’t have a loss as significant as the first group.

Eating a low cholesterol diet has shown to lower cholesterol by 8% to 20%. There are a few low cholesterol diets that have proven to work well. These diets include; the Dash Diet, The South Beach Diet, The Ultra Metabolism Diet, and The Weight Watchers Diet. Every one of these diets has online programs or books to guide you through the diet with menu plans and instructions.

As an addition to your low cholesterol diet you should make sure to eat plenty of Vitamin C. Vitamin C is used to fix natural cracks and fractures in your arteries. If you don’t get enough Vitamin C your body will substitute it with cholesterol. If you make sure to get enough of the vitamin as part of your low cholesterol diet, your liver will not be forced to produce excess cholesterol.

In another study done, with sixty heart bypass surgery patients, it was shown that eating grapefruit everyday lowers your cholesterol. The study had the patients divided into three groups. One group was given red grapefruit. One group was given white grapefruit.

However the last group was not given any grapefruit and had no diet restrictions. The study showed that the groups that ate grapefruit regularly as part of a low cholesterol diet showed a significant drop in cholesterol. Whereas the group without restrictions, which didn’t eat any grapefruit, didn’t show any drop in cholesterol.

Additional studies have shown that women that have eaten five to six smaller meals had lower cholesterol and better weight control; than those that ate fewer larger meals. If you eat many small meals with a low cholesterol diet and fewer calories you will be able to lower your cholesterol by about 5% and drop your weight.

There is no question, having high cholesterol and being over weight, is very dangerous to your health. However, if you suffer from being over weight and high cholesterol there are some simple things you can do to lower both your weight and high cholesterol level.

As the above information indicated it doesn’t have to be complicated. Simply get yourself on a diet for lowering high cholesterol, combine it with a good exercise program and you are on your way to better health.

Your Fight to Loss Weight

 Willpower is the most important weapon in
the fight to loss weight.

It is a commonly held belief that when it comes to losing
weight and resisting the temptation to eat everything in
sight that it is simply a matter of willpower. While willpower
and a sense of self control, as well as discipline do play a
role in whether or not we are able to loss weight or not,
there are plenty of other factors at work as well.
What we weigh is based on a variety of factors, such as
genetics, the culture we live in, our home and work
environments, our lifestyle choices, our medical history, our
attitude towards food and the condition of our health,
including any health problems we have. If you leave
everything up to your willpower then you are likely to fail at
the weight loss game.
The good news in all of this is that eating a nutritious diet on
a consistent basis and regular exercise can help a person to
overcome the factors that may lean towards the negative
side of the spectrum.

The consumption of plenty of water on a
daily basis will help me lose pounds easily and
quickly.
The human body needs water on a regular basis to survive.
It needs a lot of it to replenish the amount that is lost daily.
However drinking water in and of itself will not lead to fast
and effective weight loss. Approximately 60 percent of a
person's weight is composed of water and muscles are made
up of 75 percent water.
If a person is attempting to lose pounds it is smart to start
drinking more water. If the person then experiences weight
loss the likely reason is because they have stopped drinking
sodas and juices that are high in calories and have instead
started to drink “Mother Nature's healthy cocktail.”
Water is very beneficial to the body in many ways. It should
be the drink you consume more than any other. Water
consumption is excellent for the digestive system and for
chronic fatigue, depression and allergies. Drinking plenty of
water suppresses the appetite and it improves muscle tone.
It also helps the kidneys and bowels to function more
properly. Constipation and diarrhea are less of a problem
when an individual drinks plenty of H2O.

You should aim for six to eight glasses of water per day. You
cannot drink too much water, as water is healthy for you no
matter how you look at it. Contrary to popular belief,
drinking enough water helps to prevent the body from
retaining water.

Healthy Meals - Pros and Cons

Skipping meals, especially breakfast, will
help me in my fight to drop pounds.
Skipping meals can actually contribute to packing on more
pounds! This is not want you want at all! When you go
without eating a meal, your level of metabolism drops and
you become very hungry as a result of not eating. When you
eat again you will be inclined to eat too much. You will also
not meet the daily calorie requirement that is essential for
your good health (refer back to myth number one).
Breakfast is the worst meal of the day to skip. Your body
has fasted for many hours and upon rising it needs to be
refueled. Just as a car cannot run without gas, your body
cannot run without necessary fuel. Fuel for the body comes
from the foods we eat.

People who eat a healthy breakfast are less likely to overeat
later in the day. It is easier to lose weight, and to maintain a
healthy weight if you start every day with a healthy
breakfast.
The fuel that we need for our bodies to function properly
comes from glucose. Glucose is a simple form of sugar that
provides the body's primary source of fuel. The brain and
the central nervous system require glucose to do any type of
activity. If you do not give your body the glucose it requires
through the foods you consume then it will be forced to use
stored carbohydrates as an alternative fuel source.
What makes for a healthy breakfast?

To start your day off right, aim for one serving of protein
(which can be found in eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt and
peanut butter), two servings of fruit (which helps to give you
the recommended daily requirement of vitamins and
minerals and helps to prevent constipation) and three
servings of grain.
Oatmeal is a bulk dense food that is excellent for people who
are trying to lose weight. Oatmeal slows down the digestive
process and makes it possible for an individual to feel
satiated for a longer span of time. It is also important that
you get plenty of fiber at breakfast time as fiber helps keep
the digestive process running smoothly.
A nutritious breakfast does not have to be complicated to be
healthy. One suggestion that is simple and nutritious is two
slices of whole grain bread with a tablespoon of peanut
butter and a glass of orange juice. Another excellent meal
for breakfast is a bowl of oatmeal or a high fiber cereal, a
banana and a glass of low fat or skim milk.
Dairy products should be taken out of my
diet completely.

Dairy products are a necessary part of every person's diet
and should never be eliminated completely, even if you are
trying to lose weight. Instead of eliminating this important
food group choose low fat and non-fat kinds of dairy
products. This is especially the case for women who require
the calcium that is found in rich supply in dairy products.
Research has now revealed the fact that getting enough
calcium through the foods you eat and the beverages you
consume can actually encourage the shedding of pounds.
Drink up!

Healthy Snacks Ideas

Eating between meals is a dieting no-no.
It is healthier to eat six or seven small meals and/or snacks
throughout the course of a day than to eat three meals and
nothing else. If you choose a small healthy snack between
meals it can actually do you good. The snack will contribute
to strong metabolism and it will keep your blood sugar at a
stable level. Snacking between meals in a healthy manner
also acts as a way to discourage you from overeating at your
next meal.

To feel fuller for a lengthier span of time, choose fiber-rich
foods such as bran muffins, oatmeal, whole-wheat toast,
mixed raw vegetables and sourdough pretzels. If you are not
getting enough fat in your diet this can mean your energy
levels will be low. To pump it up higher, snack on nuts such
as almonds which are an excellent source of protein.
Another healthy snack idea is to combine two snacks
together. For example, smear some peanut butter on an
apple. Keep in mind that the skin of the apple contains the
largest percentage of fiber. Graham crackers and yogurt
make for a very healthy snack as well.

Speaking of yogurt, this is a good dairy choice for those who
are not so crazy about drinking milk. Yogurt will make you
feel full and energized. Look for a brand that contains
probiotics such as L. acidophilus which is a live bacterial
culture that is instrumental in the maintenance of a healthy
digestive tract. All fat is bad for my health and for my weight
loss efforts.

Fat gets a bad rap and it is bad- up to a certain point. Fat is
also good and necessary for the human body. Everyone
needs fat in his or her daily diet.
There are certain fats that are good for the body such as
monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. The former is
a healthy fat that provides protection against such things as
heart disease and a variety of cancers. Monounsaturated fat
is found in such things as olive oil, avocadoes, nuts, olives,
nut butters and canola oil. Olive oil is also instrumental in
lowering cholesterol. Polyunsaturated fat is necessary for the
growth of body cells and it also provides the fatty acids that
are needed for the health of the skin.

Another much talked about healthy fat is omega-3 fatty
acids, which are found in shellfish and other types of fish.
There are three types of omega-3 fats and the body requires
them all. These include ALA, DHA and EPA.
In particular DHA and EPA are very important for the healthy
functioning of the heart. They reduce inflammation in the
arteries; help to lower blood pressure by a small amount;
decrease the level of triglycerides in the blood; play a role in
keeping the walls of the arteries as relaxed as possible; and
help to make the composition of the blood less sticky,
thereby reducing the chance that a blood clot could take
place.

Other potential benefits of consuming an adequate supply of
omega-3 fats:
-May decrease the risk of breast cancer, prostate cancer and
colon cancer
-Can be useful in the treatment of Crohn's disease,
ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis
-Preliminary research studies point to the role this healthy
fat plays in treating depression.
To increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids include more
fish in your diet, as well as ground flaxseed and walnuts.
One healthy way to add more fat into your diet without
packing on pounds is to add a selection of nuts to your
salads and to sprinkle ground flaxseed on your yogurt. It is
also wise to sauté vegetables in olive oil as opposed to
vegetable oil.

More Weight Loss Myths

 Being strict and depriving myself of foods is
good.
If you choose a strict diet that severely limits the foods you
eat, such as eliminating one or more food groups or mainly
eating only one or two foods, this will bore you and you will
lose interest in the diet before too long. The body likes
variety and so do your taste buds. This is also unhealthy as
your body needs a number of different vitamins, minerals
and nutrients and it can only get these from a variety of
food choices.

Don't limit yourself to the point of ridiculousness. This is not
an effective means of losing weight and it will not work.
Allow yourself to have dessert occasionally if it is what you
desire. Just make sure you have a small piece of pie or cake
or one scoop of ice cream, not two. Deprivation will get you
nowhere. Say goodbye to all foods that are not deemed
as healthy.
This myth is an extension of number two. If you stop eating
EVERY unhealthy food that you enjoy, you will be able to
shed pounds easier and quicker. This is untrue. You will still
remain motivated and on track if you allow yourself to eat
an unhealthy favorite food once in awhile.

Moderation is the key to losing weight and to keeping it off
in the long term. If you enjoy pizza or a burger from
McDonald's then partake of these pleasures now and again
and don't allow yourself to feel guilty. You are less likely to
fall off the horse so to speak or to binge if you give yourself
permission to enjoy “fun foods” when the mood strikes.

 Eating foods late at night is more likely to
pack on the pounds.
This is a common myth that is believed by many. The truth
is that if you consume more calories on a daily basis then
your body requires, the excess will be stored as fat. The
opposite is also the case -- if you take in fewer calories than
you burn then you will shed pounds. For this reason, the
time of day you eat does not really matter so much as how
much you eat and how much you burn off through physical
activity.

According to health experts, you should never go to bed
hungry, as this will prevent you from having a sound sleep.
You are fasting while you sleep after all. That is what
breakfast the following morning- break the fast- is all about.
Eating something small and light, such as a few crackers and
some cheese can actually contribute to a more restful night's sleep.

Weight Loss Myths

Weight loss myths are everywhere you look and they can be
detrimental to your health as well as the goals you have set
for yourself.
It is necessary to take the ideas you have about losing
weight and turn them on their side. Put your knowledge to
the test. Don't fall victim to information that is hazardous to
your health.

The sad truth is that Americans are getting heavier all of the
time. This is as true of adults as it is of the youth of today.
As well, those who are already heavy are getting even
heavier.
According to a CDC National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey, the number of obese adults has
doubled in the past 30 years. It has gone from 15 percent in
the late 1970s to an estimated 31 percent today. This is
frightening.
How many Americans can be defined as being overweight or
obese?

Approximately 64 percent of Americans weigh far too much.
This works out to be 129.6 million people. According to the
2001 Surgeon General's Call to Action on Prevent and
Decrease Overweight and Obesity, the direct and indirect
costs of obesity to society at large, which takes into account
lost productivity at work and medical costs was estimated at
a national level to be $117 billion in the year 2000.
What can you do? Read on for the weight loss myths that
can sabotage your efforts.

Cutting down tremendously on calories
means that the pounds will drop off quicker.
This is not the case! If you consume too few calories you will
actually send your body into a tailspin that can contribute to
weight gain as opposed to weight loss. You will end up in a
mode of starvation.
If a message is sent to your brain that you do not have
enough to eat and are starving, this will cause your
metabolism to slow down a great deal. This does not
facilitate weight loss at all.

According to weight loss experts, diets that are as low as
800 to 1,000 calories per day are dangerous, unhealthy and
will lead to weight loss failure. If your body thinks it is
suffering from a famine, then it immediately kicks into gear
to protect you and will not make it easy to get rid of excess
weight.
If you starve yourself then you can experience plenty of
unfavorable side effects such as lightheadedness, nausea
and problems concentrating. As well, eventually you will
have to give your body what it needs and it is likely that you
will end up overeating to compensate for starving it before.
Don't do this to yourself!

Healthy Eating for Better Life

Choosing to eat healthily has great benefits and is becoming a more popular way of living. The overall economy is impacted by the number of people who are suffering from health problems such as high blood pressure, which is directly related to poor eating habits. There are more and more campaigns to try to get us to adopt a more healthy way of living and nonetheless it is also easier than ever to rely on fast, convenient food that is often bad for our health. People typically think that healthy diets require a great deal of work and will significantly change how they live and eat. It is possible, however, to make several small changes that can start to make a good impact on our day-to-day eating habits.

One way to approach this to start seeing some results is to understand that you do not have to change everything right away or that you have to entirely eliminate certain foods from your diet. Even more crucial than entirely changing your diet is just substituting healthy eating choices whenever possible. Eventually, you will find that you actually prefer to ingest healthy foods after you have eaten that way for some time. Slowly, your eating habits will change and your new eating habits will entirely replace the way you ate in the past.

Initially, you must be very careful when food shopping that you don't unthinkingly put things in your basket that you no longer want to eat. For instance, most probably you have never checked the box of your favorite cereal to find out its sugar content. One heart-healthy alternative that can give you a healthy start to your day is oatmeal. If you'd rather not eat oatmeal on its own, try mixing in fresh fruits that have other healthy nutrients and as such, one small change to your diet has been achieved.

These more wholesome food options can be applied to other foods such as your cooking oils. Olive oil, for example, contain monounsaturated fats which are basically good fats that combat the effects of bad cholesterol. It can likewise be beneficial for your skin since it is a great source of vitamin E. It might be that you already think that you consume fruit and veggies but it can be worthwhile considering how fresh these are depending on where you purchase these. Organic foods are a superb option and will reduce any possible exposure to deadly pesticides. Looking for a local supplier of fresh fruits and veggies will give you the option of eating foods that still have virtually all of the nutrients which are oftentimes lost when produce has been kept in storage before it is sold.

The Night Eating Syndrome

   

Eating food items or snacks in the night-time is part of the American approach of daily life. After a hard day at work, you arrive home, plop yourself down in front of the tv, and immediately start eating-a bag of potato chips here, a pint of ice cream there, a package of snacks. By the time the night time news comes on, you have consumed inside just a few hours more calories and fat than would be acceptable for the whole day. Evening is the time to decompress, to do things that are personally satisfying to an individual, like making time for tv set, studying, chatting to close friends, and participating with the youngsters.

Unfortunately, whether you are unwinding or performing chores-consuming significant quantities of calories without being conscious is just about the quickest method to sabotage any weight loss plan. It is very frequent to make harmful snack and drink choices between dinner and eating breakfast the next am . This period of time is actually when we have the lowest amount of command over our urges and come up with the most detrimental meal possible choices. Really few people are satisfied and content with celery or perhaps carrot sticks as snacks, especially with large bags of potato chips, pastries, or ice cream close by. In reality, individuals who are satisfied with healthy and balanced snacks probably do not have a weight difficulty in the first place.

Counter to popular viewpoint, just about all of the proof demonstrates that evening hours eating, even right just before going to sleep, carries virtually no effect on bodyweight gain or reduction. The problem is not at which time of the day you consume food, but how many calories you take in in total.

The equilibrium between how much you consume and how much you burn up off will determine whether you experienced a calorie shortage that day, whether you matched up your needs, or, worst case situation, ingested more calories than you used up.
 Lose Weight-Night Eating Problem
The strategy for evening eaters is not to deprive yourself of all evening foods, but to instead make cleverer alternatives.

In spite of an individual's routine of night time eating, the very first step to getting it under control is to stop bringing "bad" food items into your house. If pastries, sweets, and these creamy ice creams are usually not within your house at 10 PM, 11 PM or 3 AM, you cannot eat them.

Two types of eating patterns occur pertaining to the period of time between supper and breakfast time. The 1st, the "munchies," is the most common, although poorly managed. This is done by men and women who start eating after dinner and snack until they go to sleep. Practically 75% of all men and women with bodyweight difficulties fit into this group and for many, this is the major trigger of their bodyweight gain.

The second type of nocturnal eating occurs when the individual awakens from sleep, taking walks to the kitchen, and consumes anything he or she can uncover. Known as "night eating," this is a well-recognised clinical syndrome. The Night Eating Syndrome (NES) is both a sleep and an eating disorder. Studies from centers that deal with weight problems indicate that 10 percent of obese people suffer from it.

This behavior pattern usually involves significant mood disorder and often responds well to selective serotonin inhibitors (SSRIs, i.e., Prozac®, Zoloft®, etc.). It is often associated with the habit of skipping meals, the absence of hunger in the morning, and severe mood disturbances through the day. In these cases, more than 50 percent of one's daily caloric intake occurs after dinner.

Differentiating between these two types of nocturnal eating patterns from a therapy perspective is important. People who have the evening "munchies" most probably have lifestyle concerns, and the "munchies" tend to be a dysfunctional habit that they have had all their lives. These people will certainly have to understand how to make better choices. Men and women with NES should first try a few straightforward modifications such as removing high calorie snacks from the home and replacing them with lower calorie, sugar free snacks.
In addition night eaters need to keep some of the carbs like bread in the freezer and do away with leftovers in the fridge since these are the categories of snack foods eaten at night.
If this does not deliver the results, they will need to look for the treatment of a medical doctor who is an expert in this dysfunction.......