Posts Tagged ‘cholesterol’

After undergoing heart surgery back in February, former President Bill Clinton has adopted a healthier lifestyle. In a recent interview with CNN Bill Clinton talked about his plant-based, vegan diet and recent weight loss.
“I live of off beans, legumes, vegetables and fruits. It has completely changed my metabolism. I’ve lost 24 lbs and I weigh about what I did in high school,” says Bill Clinton.
Bill Clinton says his diet does not include any meat or dairy. Clinton drinks a glass of almond milk mixed with fruit and a protein powder supplement every morning.
What made him go vegan? Clinton has read many books on the topic, including books by T. Colin Campbell, Caldwell Esselstyn and Dr. Dean Ornish.
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A Short Historical Perspective on Vegetarian Diets

In the past, many viewed vegetarianism as strange and faddish but appropriately planned vegetarian diets are now recognized by many, including the American Dietetic Association, as being nutritionally adequate, and providing healthful benefits in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases .

Choosing a nonvegetarian lifestyle has a significant health and medical cost. The total direct medical costs in the United States attributable to meat consumption were estimated to be $60-80 billion a year, based upon the higher prevalence of hypertension, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, gallstones, obesity and food-borne illness among omnivores compared with vegetarians .

A large body of scientific literature suggests that the consumption of a diet of whole grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts, and fruits, with the avoidance of meat and high-fat animal products, along with a regular exercise program is consistently associated with lower blood cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, less obesity and consequently less heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and mortality . In African-Americans, the frequent consumption of nuts, fruits and green salads was associated with 35-44 percent lower risk of overall mortality.

Distinguishing Feature

A vegetarian diet is distinguished from an omnivorous diet by its content of dry beans and lentils. These take the place of meat and fish as the major source of protein. And there are so many different kinds of beans you can choose from – kidney, lima, pinto, cranberry, navy, Great Northern, garbanzo, soy beans, and black-eyed peas.

Soy protein contains isoflavones, such as genistein and daidzein, that act as phytoestrogens and inhibit tumor growth, lower blood cholesterol levels, decrease the risk of blood clots, and diminish bone loss. These benefits clearly translate into a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer and osteoporosis.

Cancer Protection

A major report published by the World Cancer Research Fund in 1997 recommended we lower our risk of cancer by choosing predominantly plant-based diets rich in a variety of vegetables and fruits, legumes and minimally processed starchy staple foods, and to limit the intake of grilled, cured and smoked meats and fish. These methods of preparing meat produce polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic amines which are carcinogenic .

About three dozen plant foods have been identified as possessing cancer-protective properties. These include cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower), umbelliferous vegetables and herbs (carrots, celery, cilantro, caraway, dill, parsley), other fruits and vegetables (citrus, tomatoes, cucumber, grapes, cantaloupe, berries), beans (soybeans), whole grains (brown rice, oats, whole wheat), flaxseed, many nuts, and various seasoning herbs (garlic, scallions, onions, chives, ginger, turmeric, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, and basil.

Heart Disease

Lifelong vegetarians had a 24 percent lower incidence and lifelong vegans (those who eat no eggs or dairy products) had a 57 percent lower incidence of coronary heart disease compared to meat eaters. Healthy volunteers who consumed a vegetarian diet that was rich in green, leafy vegetables and other low-calorie vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, celery, green beans, etc.), fruits, nuts, sweet corn and peas experienced after two weeks decreases of 25, 33, 20 and 21 percent in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and total/HDL cholesterol ratio, respectively .

Various factors exist in fruits and vegetables that provide possible protection against cardiovascular disease. These factors include folic acid, dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium, carotenoids, phytosterols, flavonoids, and other polyphenolic antioxidants.

Stroke and Diabetes

Data from many studies supports a protective relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and risk of ischemic stroke . Cruciferous and green leafy vegetables and citrus fruits were the most protective.

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Natural Healing Cactus is made from organic Nopal Cactus Powder. Nopal is a unique ‘superfood’ that has supplemented the diets of ancient civilizations for thousands of years. It is a concentrated source of naturally occuring vitamins and minerals that are easily absorbed by the body and has many health benefits. It is also very high in fibre; fibre being an essential part to any healthy lifestyle. Clinical studies have shown Nopal to be helpful at regulating blood sugar levels, so is a perfect supplement for people who are hyperglycemic or have Type 2 Diabetes. Nopal is a superfood with compounded health benefits in the areas of hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, weight control, or gastrointestinal support.

To order, go to naturalhealingcactus.com – website coming soon!

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When thinking of lowering your cholesterol, it’s important for you to know this. You don’t want to have to deal with gastrointestinal problems now, do you? Then don’t rush the cholesterol program. The doctor has told you what you need to do to get your cholesterol levels down, so do it; but do it slowly.

Remind yourself that starting to lower your cholesterol by going fat free is a good idea but you don’t want to suddenly change everything you eat the very first day or two.

When you buy your groceries next time, try to look for higher fiber foods. The types with soluble fibers are especially good for maintaining lower cholesterol levels in your system. Now, you know that a healthy fiber filled diet is totally worth your while, isn’t it? It sure is.

Foods that contain soluble fiber are about the best for folks like you who are trying to lower their blood cholesterol. I have spoken with more than my fair share of nutritionists, dietitians, doctors and gastroenternologist, and they all say the same thing. So if I die from a heart attack due to too much cholesterol in my system, the laugh’s going to be on me.

The world could be a better place if there were more people willing to take charge of their lives. If there were more people willing to take decisive action to let go of junk food and eat more of roughage laden, fiber filled foods, there would be less high blood pressure cases, and deaths from stroke. The world would indeed be a better place if folks like you and I were more responsible. And no matter what else you do, ensure that you live a healthy life. Health is wealth as you have obviously heard many times and that is not just words only, but a statement of fact. So, start living it already.

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There are a couple of reasons why you should drink wine everyday and these are quite valid, researched points that many scientists and health practitioners agree upon. If you’ve ever wondered whether you should drink wine everyday or you should rather avoid it, read on to find out what are the benefits of consuming wine in moderation.

There are several major studies that show the fact that women of ages 70 and above have a better memory retention when they drink one glass of wine with their meal than those that stopped drinking altogether. So wine in moderation not only is excellent for better memory, but it is also great for overall health in general.

Furthermore, consuming just one glass will minimize the risk of forming blood clots along with blood vessels inflammation. If you have high cholesterol levels, one glass of wine per day will actually increase the good cholesterol, which helps with unclogging your arteries.

Not only that but people that are a bit overweight should drink some wine per day as it reduces the body mass index. Also the alcohol has the reputation of burning the calories faster, so one single glass can burn up to 90 calories right away. Of course, drinking in excess won’t burn more calories, as that law doesn’t apply here.

The resveratrol that is contained mostly in the red wine helps with reducing the risk of various cancer types through its anti cancer properties. The antioxidants are found on the skin and seeds of red grapes, which is why a glass of red wine is favored over a glass of white wine. Again, it is a lot to be said about drinking in moderation and not overindulging. So if you’ve been on the fence about drinking just a bit of wine along with your lunch or dinner, you can do it, but if you have any health conditions, make sure to discuss it with your doctor first.

For whiskey, the best is to serve it through a Godinger Dubling whiskey decanter. To decant your red wine, use a Nachtmann Vivendi wine decanter.

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Andrea and Randy meet with Naturally Savvy’s very own Nutritionist, Lisa Tsakos, to discuss the benefits of fiber and sugar alternatives.
http://www.naturallysavvy.com/

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