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Obesity Problems in Teenagers

Lots of people ponder how we reached this point from being the nation with one of the most physically fit people to a country that’s experiencing overweight population. Plus the number of overweight people appears to be increasing.

It has been more than 30 years that the food industry and the nutritionists have embraced the idea of decreasing the quantity of fat consumption. This was as a result of formally publicized information on foods that are high in cholesterol such as eggs. After this discovery people started having the assumption that all kinds of fat in foods ought to be avoided and that they were solely accountable for high cholesterol problems. Having such false assumption, this generation had grown up with the fat-free encouraged environment, where people understood fat blocked blood veins and caused serious health problems and that all fat-free foods are foods for lower cholesterol.

After that people started to consume extra carbohydrate to compensate for the flavor taken out by the absence of fat as being the ingredients in foods. The outcome was that increased level of processed carbohydrate also leads to weight problems and other serious health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, and not to mention high cholesterol problems.

The fact has been later found is that we need fat in the form of essential component for our body to work appropriately and carry out the metabolic processes. As we knew that specific vitamins and minerals are fat-soluble, e.g. vitamins A,D,E,K, by avoiding fat totally, our body fails to process these vital nutrients which as a result bring about several health conditions caused by nutritional deficiency.

The updated information and health campaign at the moment are encouraging the new generation to simply avoid unhealthy fats for instance trans fatty acids or those found in red meat, and heated chemical processed vegetable oils, and try to eat healthy fats in avocados, coconuts, olives, and flax seeds. It is upsetting to know there exists many people who still fail to teach themselves on how to reduce unwanted fat and keep good body weight in a healthy way. Young adults have been bombarded by this media’s false idea of so-called “nice” body, they’d rather starve hoping that will get them the thin bodies, as opposed to having healthy, nutritious diets,and eating habits.

It is our responsibility as parents and responsible adults to correctly notify the young ones of the advantages and disadvantages of improper diets and how they may threaten their health and well-being down the road. Health assessment carried out by specialist and health authorities should be done on regular basis to provide assistance to students at school as every individual has their own dietary requirements based on lifestyles, gender, and age. Reinforcement of good diet regime not only helps minimize obesity problems of our country, but also decrease the national medical conditions in future.…

The Fibre-Cholesterol Connection – Live a Healthy Life

There is huge connection between fiber and cholesterol. Lowering your cholesterol level would mean to get the help from fibers. Fiber is the best thing to lower your cholesterol level. High fiber intake in your diet would surely ensure lowering the level of cholesterol in your body.

The question is why is it essential to intake fiber in your diet for our body? The answer to this is that cholesterol binds itself with fiber in the intestines as a result of which it is eliminated from the body easily. Along with the removal of cholesterol from the body, fiber also removes salts secreted by bile. To maintain its proportion in the body, the liver is stimulated to produce more of it. Hence, high fiber in our diet serves this purpose by stimulating the liver to absorb cholesterol from blood.

Nutrients that we consume, and the level of stress you handle everyday, judges the level of cholesterol in our body. High intake of cholesterol in our diet increases the level of cholesterol in blood. The quantity of cholesterol is high in dairy products, oily food, alcohol, white rice, wheat bread, etc.

Healthy person includes fibers which are soluble, in their diet and includes exercising daily. Such people do consume food with high level of cholesterol, but for them it is the liver that acts as a safeguard and it helps them maintaining the level of cholesterol in the blood. Medically, when a healthy person intakes cholesterol at a higher level, the required amount of it is absorbed by the cells of our body leaving the rest to be excreted.

Person leading a lazy life tends to deal with the side effects of consuming high level of cholesterol. This results in increase of the level of cholesterol in the blood..

As suggested we should consume 20g of soluble fiber in our diet. The best sources for soluble fibers are vegetables, fruits and sorts of nuts (highly recommended). Though nuts contain huge amount of fats its high fiber content helps in lowering the level of cholesterol

It’s highly recommended to consume high fiber diet in order to lower your cholesterol level.…

Most People Have the Healing Product in Their Pantry

Honey is such a widely used product which is produced by insect and it is simply amazing as to how many ways honey can be used. When most people think of honey they relate it to their breakfast. When they get up in the morning and have a piece of toast to their coffee they like to spread honey on their toast and that is certainly a lovely way to enjoy honey.

You will find a jar of honey in the pantry of most households but not everyone is aware of all the ways you can use honey for your well being. Did you know that honey is not only a delightfully sweet tasting product but it also has the possibility to act as a healing product that can be used for some of the following purposes?

CholesterolHoney may serve as a natural means of reducing cholesterol levels. The popular combination of honey and cinnamon has been used to reduce cholesterol levels. One-course states that a combination of two tablespoons of honey and three of powdered cinnamon dissolved in sixteen ounces of tea water can almost instantly reduce cholesterol levels by ten percent.

Using honey with food as part of a healthy diet can also decrease cholesterol levels in many people. Obviously, honey is not a replacement for exercise, dietary changes and the use of other physician-prescribed treatments for those suffering from elevated cholesterol levels. However, it can be used as one approach in many strategies to prevent cholesterol-related disease.

Bladder InfectionAn effective combination of cinnamon and honey has been used to combat bladder infections. The antibacterial properties of honey seem well suited to destroy the germs responsible for bladder infections. Two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and a teaspoon of honey dissolved in a glass of lukewarm water is a well-known folk remedy for bladder infection.

Burns For serious burns seek immediate professional medical assistance straight away. But less serious burns are treatable with honey. Not only does honey do a good job of decreasing the pain associated with burns, it also assists in encouraging healing. This is not just a matter of folklore and tradition, either. Reports in academic publications, including the Journal of the American Medical Association have advocated the use of honey.

If you have a burn and want to use honey as a healing, apply a small amount of the raw product lightly over the affected area. You can then cover the honey with a dressing of gauze or a similar sterile material. So when you have your crispy piece of toast spread with honey in the morning you will know the honey is contributing to your health.…

Eating to Lower Cholesterol – Make Sure You Avoid These Foods

When you are eating to lower cholesterol levels there are certain foods that you want to avoid and some that you that you want to include. The reason that there are some foods that you want to include is because when you are eating to lower cholesterol you are looking to only lower what is known as the bad cholesterol which is LDL, because at the same time you want to be looking to increase the good cholesterol which is HDL.

First of all we will start by looking at the foods you should be avoiding eating to lower cholesterol. The first of these foods are the likes of red meats and dairy products, the reason behind this is because they contain saturated fats. This has been a widely held theory from many years, but now there are some groups that are starting to contest this as they believe that the saturated fats are in fact not bad for you. My personal opinion on this is that if you eat a lot of red meat and dairy products it won’t do any harm to cut back on it a touch. In my opinion it is the next group of foods that you really want to avoid as they are well known for spiking your bad cholesterol levels.

The foods that you really want to avoid eating to lower cholesterol are foods that contain man made fats; these are more commonly known as trans fats. Trans fats are made when vegetable oils are made into a solid form by the use of hydrogenation. These hydrogenated fats are then used in foods such as cookies, pastry products and ready-made meals. Additionally this fat is also used for deep frying by many restaurants and in particular fast food outlets. The risks of foods containing or cooked in these fats and the effect that they have on your cholesterol and heart are so well known now that certain states in the USA have already banned their use and they are also banned from being used in Denmark and Switzerland.

So, those are the foods to avoid eating to lower cholesterol, then what are the foods that we need to eat to raise the good cholesterol? The first group of foods that you should really be including are foods that contain omega threes, in particular foods such as flaxseeds, walnuts and oily fish. All of these are known to help with your cholesterol levels and promote good heart health. In fact most major health organizations around the world recommend eating at least two portions of oily fish per week for your good heart health.

Another type of food that you want to increase the amount you eat is plant based food such as vegetables. The reason for this is because they contain a substance known as sterols and sterols are very similar in molecular structure to cholesterol. This then leads to both sterols and …

Discover the Benefits of Fish Oil and Omega 3 Fatty Acids in Fish Oil Supplements

Heart related disease is one of the most potent killers we face on our planet. Modern stress, unhealthy eating habits and inactivity doesn’t help the cause either. The moment we think about heart attacks we think of cholesterol. For most of us it is the only culprit behind the increase in heart disease around us. We run away from the foods that even hints at having a bit of cholesterol in exactly is cholesterol? Why has it been such a dreaded thing for decades?

Well, it is a waxy substance that is made in our bodies by the liver. Most people don’t know this but cholesterol is actually necessary for our bodies to function. In fact, it is found in every cell in our body. Cholesterol is not the major culprit in heart disease or any disease. The major function of cholesterol is to build and maintain cell membranes. Without efficient cell membranes the body cannot carry out transportation of vital nutrients in and out of the cells. Which means your immune system will be impaired exposing you to a host of external germs and diseases. Recent studies have shown that it even acts as an anti-oxidant. This means it protects the cells from being damaged or being killed.

Cholesterol travels through the body in packages called lipoproteins. Lipoproteins consist of cholesterol and proteins. About 80 percent of the cholesterol in our bodies is produced by the liver. The other 20 percent comes from our diet. And this is where the problem starts for most people. A diet high in cholesterol can cause our bodies to make too much cholesterol, resulting in high levels of blood cholesterol. When blood cholesterol levels get too high, it can clog arteries and increase our risk for coronary heart disease. In some cases, the dreadful heart attack. This is like a traffic jam on a heavy snowfall day. Everything eventually leading to standstill.

So, if you can get the diet right you solve about 60 percent of the problem. The other 40 percent gets solved on its own when you start moving your body. In short, any physical exercise. Now what should be included in the diet? We need something that will prevent the stickiness or clotting in the blood.

And the solution to that is any food which is rich in omega 3 fatty acid. According to clinical studies, fish oil is rich in omega 3 fatty acids. The job of the omega 3 fatty acid is to avoid blood clots that may help you protect against coronary heart disease.

So do your self and your family a favour by incorporating fish or fish oil supplements in your diet.…

Food to Lower High Cholesterol – A Proven Natural Approach to Reducing Cholesterol Readings

High cholesterol is at epidemic levels in America today. If you are one of the millions who are dealing with this issue, then you need to be considering food to lower high cholesterol. This natural approach to reducing high cholesterol makes much more sense than using statin medication with its associated side effects.

There really is nothing magical about foods to avoid high cholesterol. They are actually the foods that have been a major part of the diets consumed by healthier generations for thousands of years. Yes, they are the same foods that you were told to eat as a child to stay healthy.

The most effective foods for reducing high cholesterol include:

1.) Beans-These wonderful foods contain the highest amounts of fiber and plant sterols found in the foods that we eat. Because of their high nutrient content, beans have been considered a super food and will support your health in many ways.

2.) Vegetables-Spinach, broccoli, brussels sprouts and many other vegetables are essential for lowering cholesterol. Once again, they contain high amounts of fiber and plant sterols, effectively eliminating cholesterol before it has a chance to be absorbed into the body.

3.) Fruit-While fruit has a high glycemic index and can increase cravings, it still makes a wonderful cholesterol-lowering snack. Grab an apple or an orange instead of the date of chips.

4.) Nuts-In spite of their high fat content, nuts are great cholesterol-lowering foods. They are high in fiber and plant sterols and contain omega-3 fatty acids that are essential for mental and physical health, especially when dieting.

5.) Whole Grains-Grains such as oats have been proven to be very effective at reducing cholesterol levels. Beginning your day with a bowl of oatmeal provides fiber and nutrition that will help reduce the cravings for those high cholesterol snacks.

Learning how to reduce cholesterol naturally using these types of foods will quickly put you on the road to healthy cholesterol levels. I invite you to visit my website where I discuss other foods and techniques that you can use to bring down cholesterol readings.…

Tips For the New Mother

When your baby is born the fun really begins. A new life, a new start for both of you. You, especially need to look after yourself well to cope with the demands a new baby will bring.

It’s not possible for everyone to breastfeed due to their circumstances but there are many advantages to both mother and baby if it is possible for you to do so. Your breast milk contains all the nutrients and antibodies your baby needs for those first few months of life. Breastfeeding will also help you to shed weight much faster. You will be burning calories, up to 500 a day.

Having written about burning calories, you do need to eat well and, in fact, I have read that you need an extra 500 calories approximately to cope with the demands of breastfeeding; this is to support breast milk production. Hence like many people, I have wondered how weight loss will occur as the calories in versus calories out seems balanced.  However, research has proven that breast feeding actually does help the new mother to lose weight.

Grab all the support you can. If you are fortunate enough to have a supportive family, you will appreciate the offers of help they give. Don’t try to do everything yourself. However, many family members live long distances from each other so it is not always possible to get the additional help you require. Your partner will probably take parental leave (granted to new fathers in many workplaces today) so this will certainly help. Your baby may wake up often for a feed, make sure that when baby sleeps you rest up as well. The housework can wait until you establish a routine that works for you both.

Don’t try to run around doing various chores, you need time to recover from the birth. So make sure those first few months you focus on your baby. If friends do visit, you can ask them to help out. Many friends will be only to happy to run to the shops or give your house a quick vacuum, so don’t be proud, accept the kindness given because one day you may be able to return the favour. 

Those first few months with baby pass much too quickly, so take time out and enjoy it; before you know it you will have a lively toddler on your hands!…

Protect Your Heart With These 4 Super Foods That Increase HDL Cholesterol

If you suffer from high bad cholesterol Levels then you should seriously consider raising your HDL good cholesterol levels as this is essential to reducing your risk of getting heart disease such as heart attack or a stroke.

We all know that food is essential to staying healthy; however the type of food you eat can either negatively or positively affect your body. If you can identify and eat foods that will help improve your HDL then that would be the best gift you could give yourself. Being healthy is such a rarity these days, so if you can keep your body in good health you would be one lucky person.

Eating foods to raise your HDL levels will help you prevent having to struggle with bad high cholesterol. What HDL does is prevent the bad cholesterol (LDL) from accumulating in the walls of your arteries and takes it back to your liver where it can be removed from your body.

Learning about foods to build HDL is essential for proper body functions and giving you a healthy, longer life.

Here are some foods that can increase your HDL cholesterol:

Salmon: This is a fatty fish that is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids which helps to control blood cholesterol levels by raising HDL thereby keeping LDL levels lowered. Fatty fish such as tuna, mackerel, sardines. If you do not tolerate eating fish you could try taking a pure fish oil supplement that will give you all the benefits. Omega3 fish oil is also extremely important for proper development and normal growth.

Cranberry Juice: Because cranberry juice is rich in flavonoids which gives it plenty of antioxidant properties it is very essential if you want to raise your HDL cholesterol Studies have shown that drinking cranberry juice daily is good for you and can help raise HDL by up to 8%.

Olive Oil: Have you ever heard of monounsaturated fats? It is one of the fats that are good for you and are recommended by health professionals to be included in your diet. Olive oil is a good source of this type of fat as is canola, sunflower and avocado oils.

Chocolate: Cocoa powder contains polypohenols, it is used to make chocolate and is very useful in protecting your heart form high cholesterol that can cause damage. You can alter the fatty acid make-up of LDL cholesterol with the fatty acid of chocolate which gives it more resistance to oxidation which can lead to further damage If not treated effectively.

So if you can incorporate these healthy foods in your diet on a daily basis you will significantly reduce your chance of having a heart attack by increasing your HDL. However sometimes it is not entirely possible to get all the protection from the foods you eat alone, and that is why I am recommending a natural cholesterol lowering supplement containing high levels of natural substances that will …

Reduce Cholesterol and Live Longer

You know, high cholesterol affects both men and women, at any age, and is one of the primary causes of heart attack, stroke and blood clots. In some cases, sadly, death is the outcome. That is why, it is so important, to try to, not only reduce cholesterol, but put a lifestyle change in place to keep it lowered and balanced.

And before you rush off to your doctor, let me tell you, that prescription cholesterol lowering medications are not the answer. If you are in the very high risk category for heart disease, and only a stones throw away from a heart attack, then yes, taking prescribed medication at the start, will reduce cholesterol levels.

However, do not assume this as the long term solution to high cholesterol. It is not. Those medications, while certainly lowering cholesterol, have severe adverse side effects, one of which is liver damage.

To reduce cholesterol, let’s start with diet. Foods high in soluble fibre, like oatmeal, oat bran, peas, beans, berries etc., work very effectively at lowering cholesterol.

Try to limit your intake of foods high in saturated fats, like dairy products and red meats. This includes foods like cheese, cakes, biscuits, pork, beef, lamb, butter etc. These must be taken in moderation only.

Another thing to look at, is changing the way you cook. Where possible, grill, bake or poach instead of frying.

Exercise is another great way to reduce cholesterol. Did you know, that taking a short walk, four times a week, can lower cholesterol? Try to include some exercise and stick to it for long term gains.

In an age of fast food, processed foods, frozen foods etc., we are not getting the necessary nutrients that our bodies need, to ward off diseases, and keep us healthy and strong. Thankfully, alternative medicine has come on tremendously over the last decade.

Alternative medicine offers us the opportunity to reduce cholesterol naturally through consuming a quality, proven, natural supplement, enriched with natural nutrients, which nature provides to combat high cholesterol, among other things.

Adding a recommended, quality natural cholesterol lowering supplement to your daily routine, will not only enhance your life, but could save it.

So, go ahead, give yourself every chance to reduce cholesterol, ward of heart disease, and generally increase your health and well being.…

Natural Ways to Lower Cholesterol: Do’s and Don’ts

One of the most common illnesses that people are battling today is high cholesterol levels. Around one out of six American adults suffer from this.Having a high cholesterol level puts you at risk for heart disease, stroke and chronic illness.

Statin medications are usually prescribed to maintain the good levels of cholesterol in the body and lower the bad cholesterol. These medications can often causes negative side effects on people. Some may have an allergic reaction or become weak. there is some concern about the effects of long term statin use on memory and dementia. But not to worry, there are natural ways to lower cholesterol if you are willing to change your diet and lifestyle.

To further understand the effects the natural ways to lower cholesterol we look at the cholesterol diet dos and don’ts.

Do’s:

Check overall health – Calculate one’s Body Mass Index (BMI). This so-called BMI determines if a person is normal, obese, overweight or underweight by giving the weight and height. How muscular a person is will also be a factor to consider when calculating the BMI. Athletic people who work out tend to have a higher BMI due to having more muscle, which is not necessarily unhealthy.

Understand the condition – Once you know your cholesterol levels, blood pressure and weight as a baseline, then you can plan what actions should be taken. First is understanding all about the condition of high cholesterol and learning natural ways to lower cholesterol with diet. Your cholesterol diet menu will include a big selection of healthy foods. For instance, an overweight person must lower the bad cholesterol and increase the good cholesterol levels. A low-fat diet is essential. Including lots of fruit and vegetables, walnuts, oatmeal and beans is the basis of the diet.

Commit to diet and exercise – A person with high cholesterol needs a low-saturated fat diet. Eat very little low fat cuts of meat but eat more fish that are rich in omega-3. Complete your meal with a large serving of vegetable, salad s and fruits to help increase good cholesterol. For the exercise, build up to exercising for 30 minutes daily. A simple brisk walk every day is a great help on lowering bad cholesterol especially when it is partnered with healthy foods.

Manage stress – Some people tend to eat a huge amount of food especially chocolates when they are stressed out. Just make sure to enjoy a little stress; however, make sure to know how to relax and enjoy life once in a while. Learn relaxation skills to help reduce your stress levels.

Don’ts:

Do not eat fatty foods – Earlier it was mentioned that meat can be eaten; however, do not eat large amounts or high fat cuts. A serving portion of meat is the size of the palm of your hand only. Limit red meat to once a week. Avoid eating the skin off chicken. As much as possible remove …