Natural Cardio Care

Archive for March, 2010

Want to eat a more heart healthy diet? Looking for ways to cut some cholesterol from your meals? Here are some options to help you make eating decisions that are better for you and contain a lower cholesterol count.

First, keep in mind that the majority of your cholesterol intake comes from animal products. These include things such as meats, egg yolks and whole milk. While trying to eat a lower cholesterol diet, you should steer clear of these foods as well as foods that contain these items in them.

Although meats do contain cholesterol, many people do not wish to avoid meat altogether in their diet. There are some sensible options to the higher fat meats available. When choosing a meat you should first trim the fat from your meat and limit your meat intake to one 3-ounce serving 5 times weekly. Ideal meats for a lower cholesterol diet include lean ground beef, lamb, veal, chicken and turkey. Meats you should avoid include bacon, sausage, hot dogs, lunch meat and processed poultry products.

Dairy products are also a group of foods that should be avoided if possible when devising a lower cholesterol diet. Of course, we all know that we need calcium in our diets and dairy products are the best way to get this calcium. So what are we to do? First, go for low-fat or non-fat milk or milk products. Other good choices include buttermilk, sweet acidophilus skim milk, low-fat yogurt, mozzarella or ricotta cheese, and low-fat cottage cheese. Dairy products to avoid include whole or 2% milk, chocolate milk, milkshakes, cream cheese, any processed chesses and whole milk or custard style yogurt.

While fruits and vegetables are generally considered a good lower cholesterol food choice, there are even some fruits and vegetables you should avoid. These include tomato sauce; spaghetti sauce; breaded, creamed or fat-fried vegetables; fruits packed in heavy syrup; sweetened dried fruits; and fried fruit snack chips.

Egg yolks are also a no-no when trying to eat a lower cholesterol diet. You should avoid eating more than four egg yolks per week, or consuming food containing more than four egg yolks per week. For less cholesterol in your diet, try cooking only with egg whites or using low cholesterol egg substitutes.

High fat foods should also be avoided when trying to eat a lower cholesterol diet. The best oils include sunflower oil, corn oil, olive oil, or peanut oil. Oils to avoid include butter, lard, bacon drippings, coconut oil and hydrogenated fats. Also, when choosing margarine, a tub is preferable over the stick form. Margarine should be made with unsaturated fats and liquid oils as opposed to saturated fats and hardened oils.

It is possible to help improve your heart health by eating a lower cholesterol diet. By knowing what foods to avoid and which foods are better for your health, you can begin to make good eating choices. When you begin to eat lower cholesterol foods, your body and your heart will thank you.

If you believe taking supplemental calcium is only good for bone health, think again. Calcium is a many-sided nutrient. It happens to be the most abundant mineral in our bodies. Aside from its noted use in promoting bone health, calcium is important for maximizing enzyme activity, helping nerve function, and helping to regulate heart rhythm and muscle contraction. Low calcium inspiration has not only been connected with inadequate bone health, but may as well contribute to unsuitable blood pressure and even abnormal cell growth.

The benefit of calcium now appears to extend to a completely new sphere, which is cholesterol metabolism. In a recent report published in the American Journal of Medicine, 223 women were randomly designated to take either 1 gram (1,000 mg) of calcium daily in the form of calcium citrate or an neutral placebo for one year1. Researchers measured levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and HDL (good) cholesterol at the onset of report, and then once more periodically over the 12-month period. At the end of the test, both HDL cholesterol and HDL-to-LDL ratios had increased more for women taking the calcium supplement compared to those taking placebo. On average, women taking calcium saw an increase in HDL cholesterol levels of about 7%.

Authors indicated that this is another reason to promote postmenopausal women to take calcium. Further studies are advised to see if standardized benefits are obtained with men, and whether or not calcium supplementation may affect cardiovascular health. The Right Form of Calcium is CriticalWhen taking calcium it’s essential to use the right form. Studies show that calcium carbonate has variable absorption, depending on stomach pH. Calcium citrate malate is considered to be most efficiently absorbed in the stomach and intestines. There may in reality be as much as a 1000% increase in absorption rates with calcium citrate malate compared to other forms of calcium. Evidence supporting the astounding benefits of calcium citrate malate was published on September 4, 1997 in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine2. Several hundred elderly patients were studied. Half were given 500 mg elemental calcium citrate malate with 700 IU vitamin D, and the other half was given placebo. The results were excellent. Calcium/vitamin D supplements bettered bone health and appeared to cut down fracture rates by more than 50%. In addition, particular forms of calcium other than calcium citrate malate may hold toxic heavy metals.

The worst offenders are carbonate (especially oyster shells, a common form). It’s really important to take magnesium in addition to calcium supplements. Most individuals take only about half of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA)/Daily Values (DV) of magnesium in their diets. Low levels of magnesium may lead to poor bone and cardiovascular health.

For more information visit: Hypercet Cholesterol Formula which can help support and maintain your healthy cholesterol levels through it’s combination of calcium and other proven natural compounds.