Lower Your Cholesterol With These 8 Heart-Loving Foods

Looking after your heart is so important to your wellbeing, so why not try to include a few more heart-loving foods in your diet? We’ve got a list of the best artery-cleansing, cholesterol-lowering picks around, so just choose your favourites!

 

1. Avocado: Megan Madden, a registered dietician in New York, suggests, ‘Instead of using a whopping dollop of mayonnaise on your sandwich, try using thin slices of avocado.’ Why? According to wellness writer Jessica Smith, ‘A 1996 study done by researchers in Mexico found that people who ate avocado every day for one week experienced an average 17% drop in total blood cholesterol. What’s more, their levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol decreased and HDL (“good”) cholesterol increased.’

 

2. Whole Grains: Smith points out, ‘The soluble fibre found in whole grains such as whole-wheat bread, brown rice, and oatmeal binds the cholesterol in your meal and drags it out of your body.’ Madden adds, ‘When your body needs to utilise cholesterol in the future, it draws on your blood cholesterol supply, effectively lowering your total blood cholesterol level and your risk for heart disease.’

 

3. Olive Oil: Yes, you can’t have an article on heart health without mentioning olive oil! Smith details, ‘A 2011 study found that people aged 65 or older who regularly used olive oil (for both cooking and as a dressing) were 41% less likely to have a stroke compared to those who never use olive oil in their diet. Use a little olive oil instead of butter, or drizzle some over pasta, salad, or veggies to take advantage of its high mono- and polyunsaturated fats.’ That said, Madden warns, ‘Although it’s a healthier option, remember to use these oils sparingly, as all fats still contain the same number of calories.’

 

4. Nuts: Madden explains, ‘Almonds are very high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, and fiber, while walnuts are a great plant-based source of an omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid.’ The American Heart Association states that monounsaturated fats can help you to reduce your blood levels of bad cholesterol and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke, so grab a nutty snack!

 

5. Plant Sterols: Foods that have been fortified with sterols can help your heart because the sterols compete with the cholesterol in your food for absorption within your digestive tract. Madden notes, ‘Sterols have been shown to lower both total and LDL cholesterol and can be found in certain brands of fortified orange juice, margarine spreads, and milk.’ However, Smith cautions, ‘Just be sure to check the label—make sure the margarine is trans fat-free and that “partially hydrogenated oil” does NOT appear on the ingredient list.’

 

6. Fatty Fish: ‘Eating fish twice a week can reduce your risk of developing heart disease by decreasing inflammation and lowering triglyceride levels,’ says Madden. ‘And it may even help boost your HDL levels.’ This is because fatty fish such as mackerel, herring, tuna, and salmon are absolutely packed with omega-3 fatty acids.

 

7. Asparagus: Shane Ellison, an organic chemist and author of Over-The-Counter Natural Cures, asserts, ‘Asparagus works within the 100,000 miles of veins and arteries to release pressure, thereby allowing the body to accommodate for inflammation that has accumulated over the years.’ Plus, it helps ward off deadly clots.

 

8. Pomegranate: ‘Pomegranate contains phytochemicals that act as antioxidants to protect the lining of the arteries from damage,’ Smith comments. ‘A 2005 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that antioxidant-rich pomegranate juice stimulated the body’s production of nitric oxide, which helps keep blood flowing and arteries open.’

Categories: avocado, blood cholesterol, cholesterol, fatty fish, heart disease, heart health, heart loving, loving foods, monounsaturated fats, olive oil, total blood

Could Fatty Fish Help You to Fight Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer is a health concern that affects the wellbeing of men and women alike, albeit occurring more often in females. According to wellness experts, maintaining a healthy body weight and following a healthy diet is essential for keeping breast cancer at bay, especially when that diet contains high amounts of fatty fish, fruits and vegetables.

 

According to Zone Diet founder Dr Barry Sears, a leading authority on the effects of diet on hormonal response, ‘A recent study found that women who gained 55 pounds or more after age 18 had almost 1.5 times the risk of breast cancer compared to those who maintained their weight, and a gain of 22 pounds or more is an increased risk of 18%.’ And the primary reason for this development, as well as multiple chronic diseases? Inflammation. ‘Increased inflammation causes the production of a wide variety of inflammatory mediators (hormones and proteins) to be released at the cellular level that lead to a depression of the immune system,’ says Dr Sears. ‘Excess weight gain is also driven by inflammation. The more obese a person is, the greater the levels of inflammation in the body that can depress the immune system.’

 

However, even if you’re one of the lucky ones who can eat whatever they want and stay stick-thin, you may not be so lucky after all. Even for people of a healthy weight, a diet high in unhealthy fat, sugar, calories and processed foods can lead to breast cancer. Dr Sears explains, ‘A poor diet can be defined as one that increases inflammation and it is inflammation that is the driving force behind breast cancer as well as most other chronic diseases.’ So not only is a healthy diet – high in fresh fruits and vegetables and fatty fish – helpful for weight loss, it will also aid in mediating inflammation throughout your body.

 

So that’s why you need to fight inflammation through your diet, but how do you go about it? Like Dr Sears’ Zone Diet, anti-inflammatory diets reduce your glycaemic load by making fruits and vegetables your primary source of carbohydrates. These diets also include adequate amounts of low-fat protein sources such as chicken and fish, and primary use of olive oil. All these factors have been clinically demonstrated to have an anti-inflammatory effect in the body, and, at the other end of the scale, vegetable oils rich in omega-6-fats can, when consumed in excess, have been shown to increase inflammation. This is why Dr Sears strongly recommends the exclusion of omega-6-fats from your diet, wherever possible.

 

Unlike omega-6s, omega-3s are vastly beneficial to your wellness, being long extolled as a source of heart-healthy fat, as well as inflammation reduction. According to one of many studies, published June 2009 in the medical journal BMC Cancer, both pre- and post-menopausal women can greatly reduce their risks of breast cancer by eating a high amount of omega-3 fatty fish. Moreover, omega-3s can even improve your breast cancer treatment efficacy. This is the finding of an April 2009 study, reported in the peer-reviewed online journal Cell Division, which showed that an omega-3 fatty acid reduced systemic inflammation, oxidative stress and leukocytosis, and also augmented the effects of chemotherapy drug cisplatin.

 

So why are omega-3s so beneficial for fighting breast cancer? Whether they are found in oily fish or fish oils, omega-3s dilute the omega-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid, which is the primary mediator of inflammation in the cell membrane. Dr Sears comments, ‘Increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the cellular membrane make it more difficult to produce inflammatory hormones derived from toxic omega-6 fat. Omega-3 fatty acids can also suppress overactive cellular inflammatory responses that are also important in the development of breast cancer.’

Categories: anti-inflammatory, breast cancer, Chronic Diseases, diet high, dr sears, fatty acid, fatty acids, fatty fish, omega 3s

Know Your Enemy: How to Prevent Prostate Cancer

In order to protect your sexual health – and overall wellbeing – against prostate cancer, you need to be well-informed. By knowing your enemy, so to speak, you can get proactive with your treatment in the best way for you as an individual, or even guard your wellness against prostate cancer in the first place. So what exactly is prostate cancer, and what can you do to prevent it?

 

Prostate cancer is a tumour that grows in your prostate gland, which is the part of your reproductive system that stores seminal fluid (the substance that mixes with sperm to form semen). Sometimes, prostate cancer can grow slowly over a period of many years, while at others it may grow rapidly and spread swiftly to other parts of the body. Prostate cancer has been known to spread its cells throughout your lymph system or bloodstream and along nerve pathways. In some cases, men with prostate cancer experience no symptoms, which is why it is so important to have your prostate checked by a doctor on a regular basis.

 

Sometimes, however, prostate cancer does exhibit certain signs and symptoms. These include:

• Blood in your urine or semen


• Dribbling when urinating


• Erectile dysfunction


• Frequent urination, especially at night


• Painful urination and/or ejaculation


• A smaller stream of urine


• An urgent need to urinate


• Painful bony sites (if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body)


• Occasional nerve paralysis or loss of bladder function

 

Unfortunately, the cause of prostate cancer remains unknown, although it is thought that your hormones – such as testosterone – may contribute to the disease as they control the growth of your prostate gland. Viruses or chronic infections may contribute to prostate cancer, and there’s also a link between the disease and common cancer-causing substances in the environment. Plus, researchers have recently identified a gene that is linked to some cases of prostate cancer. While the exact cause of prostate cancer remains unclear, scientists have identified five key risk factors:

 

1. Advanced age: Prostate cancer is seen mostly in men over the age of 55.

 

2. Diet: While a high-fat diet may increase your risk of prostate cancer, fruits, vegetables, and fatty fish may lower your risk.

 

3. Ethnicity: Prostate cancer is less common in American Indian and Asian men, occurring most often in African and northern European ethnic groups.

 

4. Family history: If your father or brother has had prostate cancer, your risk for the disease is heightened.

 

5. Other risk factors: Men who have had a vasectomy, who smoke, or who have been exposed to a metal called cadmium may also be at an increased risk of prostate cancer.

 

So that’s prostate cancer, but what can be done to prevent the disease? While prostate cancer cannot be completely prevented, prostate screening with exams and blood tests helps with early diagnosis. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), a digital rectal exam should also be offered every year to men 50 years of age or older who have a life expectancy of at least 10 years. The ACS also recommends that a prostate-specific antigen test (a PSA blood test) be offered every year to these men. However, if you have one of the above noted risk factors for prostate cancer – such as a high-risk ethnic origin or family history of the disease – you should start getting screened for prostate cancer at the age of 45. Finally, make sure you make good dietary choices, as this lowers your risk for the disease. Your diet should be low in fat, while packed with fruits, vegetables, and fatty fish.

Categories: cancer, cancer remains, family history, fatty fish, fruits vegetables, prevention, prostate, prostate cancer, prostate gland, risk factors, Symptoms

How to Lose Weight By Eating: 10 Fat-Busting Foods

Why do weight loss diets always focus on the foods you can’t eat? Surely being told certain foods are forbidden will only make you want them more. However, not only are some foods beneficial to your wellbeing, but eating them can actually help you lessen your love handles, banish your belly fat and minimise your muffin top.

 

First and foremost, you need to step away from the salt shaker (I know we said we wouldn’t do the “should not” foods, but this one is quite important, bear with). According to Keri Glassman, RD, author of The New You and Improved Diet: 8 Rules to Lose Weight and Change Your Life Forever, ‘High levels of sodium cause excess fluid retention, which is when your body holds on to too much liquid, making you look puffy all over. Even if you’re eating healthy, you may still be getting added salt from foods you wouldn’t think of, like cottage cheese and olives.’

 

Once you’ve got your salt in control, you need to check on your stress levels, and start some deep-breathing exercises to get that stress in check. ‘Paying attention to stress is critical to overall health, including a flat belly,’ Glassman asserts. ‘The more stress you have, the less able you are to make empowered food choices and the more cortisol you have raging through your system. Cortisol causes food cravings. Studies have shown that overweight people gain even more weight with more stress.’

 

Ok, now we’ve covered those two vital areas, let’s take a look at the amazing foods that can help you lose weight:

 

Avocado: Glassman notes, ‘Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to reduce belly fat, and fibre, leaving you feeling satiated.’ Just make sure you stick to a ¼ avocado at a time in order to lose weight.

 

Nuts: Again, the key to the weight loss benefits of nuts is monounsaturated fat, but nuts are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce fat as well.

 

Green tea: ‘Green tea is rich in antioxidants called catechins, which may trigger weight loss by stimulating the body to burn calories and decrease body fat,’ Glassman explains.

 

Yoghurt: Glassman notes, ‘Research has shown that people who consume plenty of low-fat dairy products are able to lose more weight than those who don’t.’

 

Berries: You’ll find a great deal of vitamin C in all berries, but the major players are strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. These fresh little fruits can help to relieve stress which, as we’ve now covered, can be crucial in weight management.

 

Water: ‘People often think they’re hungry when they’re just dehydrated,’ Glassman points out. ‘Water can also help you fill up before a meal. A study confirmed that having two glasses of water before eating increases satiety and cuts the calories consumed.’

 

Red chilli peppers: As these spicy peppers contain an antioxidant called capsaicin, they can reduce your hunger cravings.

 

Fatty fish: ‘Some studies have shown that eating salmon prevents weight gain,’ Glassman comments, as they are packed with omega-3 fatty acids.

 

Grapefruit: ‘One study found that people who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost 3.6 pounds, while those who drank a serving of grapefruit juice three times a day lost 3.3 pounds,’ says Glassman.

 

Lean protein: Your body takes more time to digest and absorb lean protein, which is why it keeps you fuller than any other nutrient. According to a Purdue University study, eating lean protein like bacon, egg whites or low-fat yogurt at breakfast keeps you satisfied longer than if you were to consume it at other times of the day.

Categories: fatty fish, Grapefruit, Water

Five Easy Ways To Get Your Dose Of Vitamin D

Did you know that vitamin D is the most common vitamin deficiency in the world? It’s one of the most difficult for us to get as it’s not always in the first foods you reach for. But a lack of vitamin D can cause you some serious health issues. So here are five of the best ways to get more vitamin D into your body.

Sunlight

Vitamin D is known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’, and that’s because we can synthesise the vitamin in our bodies as long as we have direct exposure to sunlight. Unfortunately if you live in a perennially cloudy country like Britain, getting enough sunlight can sometimes be a challenge.

Remember that sun lotions and creams actually block the UV light from penetrating the skin – and whilst that’s generally good for us, it means we can’t absorb the vitamin D. If the sun does pop out then why not spend a little time outside without protection to get a little of the goodness we need.

Fatty fish

Salmon, trout, mackerel and tuna are all great fishy options that are bursting with vitamin D. They also come with the added bonus of omega-3 fatty acids which are great for your heart. Canned tuna does the trick as well.

Supplements

If you’re struggling to get enough vitamin D into your diet or from the sun then you can use daily supplements. Remember, of course, that like vitamins, too much of it can be dangerous for your liver. Always consult your doctor before taking vitamin tablets.

Egg

Eggs are such a versatile option there’s no reason why you can’t get plenty of vitamin D from them. The vitamin is contained all in the yolk so it’s important that you get eat the whole egg and not just the whites.

Beef liver

While maybe not the most attractive option, beef liver does have all the vitamin D you need. It can’t be used in many things, but it’s cheap and nutritious so there’s no reason not to look up some recipes and get creative.

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Five Easy Ways To Get Your Dose Of Vitamin D

Categories: fatty fish, sunshine, Vitamin D