Monday, December 1, 2008

Power Foods To Help Prevent Disease

Nothing is worse than hitting 40 and realizing you're the ideal candidate for heart disease, which is the #1 killer for Americans. Sure, you liked your eggs benedict for breakfast and your steak for dinner, but who doesn't? Now you have to count cholesterol levels, beware of trans fat levels and eat more vitamin-enriched foods to ensure heart health. It may seem like a hassle at first, but you may find that some of the alternatives are actually quite delicious!

For snackers, texture is a big thing. You love the crunch of a potato chip or the way a chocolate chip cookie just sort of melts in your mouth. The good news is that one of the power foods on our list has just the crunch you need to feel satisfied: almonds! Two ounces or 48 of these tasty nuts will give you 50% of your daily magnesium, which ensures heart health, as well as providing vitamin E, fiber and monosaturated fat, which is the good kind. One study last year found that participants who ate 2.5 ounces of almonds per day lowered their cholesterol significantly after just one month! Other studies suggest a link between almonds and reducing the risk of colon cancer.

If you've got a sweet tooth, then you may find that watermelon quenches your need for sugary foods. This juicy "summer day" fruit contains beta-cryptoxanthin, which lowers cholesterol. It also has 20% of your daily vitamin A and vitamin C, in addition to providing you with an absorbable form of lycopene, which lowers heart disease and cancer risks. Similarly, blueberries are another amazing fruit that has been known to boost dopamine levels and your mood, as well as providing an anti-oxidant toxin-removal service and improving memory/coordination functions.

Perhaps you find that warm foods and drinks make you feel naturally happier. Maybe you're a reformed coffee junkie. Instead, why not try a cup of tea? Chai tea is a delicious blend of vanilla, cinnamon and comforting spices. Generally black and green teas are the most doctor-recommended for fighting breast, lung and digestive cancers and heart disease. Additionally, a hot cocoa can provide you with antioxidant flavonoids, which fight heart disease and cancer, will reduce toxins in the blood and improve cholesterol ratios.

Other power foods include avocados, walnuts, soy, tea, split peas, kale, apples, broccoli, blueberries, beets, cherries, honey, onions, oranges, whole wheat, garlic, ginger, cranberries, avocados, pumpkins, olive oil, tomatoes and cocoa. By varying the fodder you eat, health experts say you can ensure that you get all the vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting elements you need to live a happy and healthy life. Of course, don't forget to take the dog for a walk or do some morning yoga! Nothing helps lower your cholesterol and boost your heart health like a little bit of exercise, no matter how big or small.

 

As we start to get older there are critical numbers that begin to weigh to a great extent upon us. We have to concern ourselves about our weight, levels of cholesterol, as well as our blood pressure. Things we may have ignored our entire lives now suddenly they have significant importance. But these are things that should never have been neglected. A lifetime of mistreatment on the body yields merely unfavourable things when left unrestrained.

 

Your cholesterol level is without question crucial if you want to continue in good health and your body working properly. High levels can lead to heart attacks and stroke, both of these things you do not want to have to deal with. Being concerned when it comes to your cholesterol level is not merely for the aging. It is something both younger people as well as older people need to worry and be aware of if they want to lead a healthy life. In this article we will go over the basic principles of cholesterol and hopefully you will realize just how all-important a healthy level is to your body as well as peace of mind.

What is good cholesterol?

Good cholesterol is called HDL which is high-density lipoproteins. Doctor's believe that the high levels of HDL can actually protect your heart whereas low levels of HDL can increase your risk of heart disease. It is thought that HDL can carry cholesterol away from your arteries and back to the liver where it is passed from the body.

How can you prevent high cholesterol?

You can help take steps against having too much LDL cholesterol in your body by exercising, not smoking and eating right. These three things are the primary reasons why people have excessive LDL. Yes, some of your cholesterol levels have to do with family history but doctors have proven time and time again that a diet rich in fish and Omega-3 along with a healthy weight will reduce the overall LDL numbers. The body needs to have plenty of exercise as well.

How is the blockage from the arteries withdrawn?

The initial stage is through medicines but if there is a life-threatening constricting or occlusion in the artery or blood vessel then a somewhat more invasive operation is needed. The actual processes might change but one common method is done through the use of a balloon angioplasty. The mechanical device is introduced into the artery and navigated to the occlusion where the plaque build up has taken place. The balloon is then inflated to clear the passage. Nowadays the procedure is minimally intrusive and most patients are able to going home on that very day.

What is the normal range for a healthy cholesterol level?

The American Heart Association has guidelines established for what is considered a healthy range of cholesterol levels. A total cholesterol level of 200 mg/dL is considered to be a desirable level since it puts you at a lower risk of having heart disease. Here is the trick though. It is not just about total cholesterol. Your HDL levels should be over 60 mg/dL and your LDL should be lower than 100 mg/dL. Mg/dL means it is measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood.

To find out additional information Hdl Or Good Cholesterol with more helpful material at Cholesterol Drugs and at High Cholesterol Diet

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