Not too long ago I posted on weight loss supplements and the fraudulent (and potentially dangerous) claims being made. I came across more information I’d like to share with you.

The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) analyzed over 50 dietary supplements and found approximately half contained the caffeine equivalent of 2 cups of coffee. Dietary supplements are not required to list caffeine content unless pure caffeine has been added to the product.

The caffeine content of the products analyzed ranged from zero to800 mg per dose. The highest level found provides more caffeine than 8 cups of coffee.

As always, choose wisely! A well-balanced diet along with physical activity is the surest and safest way to achieve long term weight loss.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Top 5 Key Strategies to Lose Weight Permanently

Too much sodium in your diet can contribute to high blood pressure and make your blood pressure treatment less effective.

Sodium versus Table Salt

First, let’s clear up the confusion about the difference between sodium and table salt. Table salt is a combination of the two minerals sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl). Table salt is 40% sodium and 60% chloride.

Sodium

Sodium is a mineral that is vital for health. Sodium maintains fluid balance, which is why it plays a key role in blood pressure control.

There is a direct relationship between sodium intake and blood pressure. Reducing sodium to 2.3 grams sodium (6 g table salt) daily is linked with decreased blood pressure levels.

Sodium Intake

A typical U.S. diet means a high sodium diet. The average American consumes 6-18 grams of table salt daily (about 3 teaspoons). The body only needs 200 mg daily. That is 30 times less than what American’s typically consume.

To be heart healthy, sodium intake should be reduced to less than 2300 mg (1 teaspoon) daily.

Sources

Sodium is found naturally in food, but most sodium we consume has been added for food preservation and preparation. To successfully reduce sodium intake you need to be aware of the table salt you add to foods and the sodium pre-added to foods.

75% of the typical American diet comes from processed foods – sauces, soups, condiments, canned foods, and prepared mixes. Fast food is another common source of sodium.

Tips to Reduce Sodium Intake

Use less salt at the table and when cooking.

If you automatically add salt to food before tasting it, this is the first place to start cutting back. You have many options for flavoring your food in place of salt – salt substitute, herbs, and spices.

If you want to try salt substitute, check with your MD. Salt substitutes contain potassium and needs to be monitored if you have kidney disorders.

Read labels when buying prepared and prepackaged foods.

When reading labels, here are some terms to avoid:

• Salt (sodium chloride)
• Monosodium glutamate (also called MSG)
• Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
• Baking powder
• Disodium phosphate

Select canned, frozen, and snack foods without added salt, such as unsalted nuts, unsalted broths, and no added salt canned vegetables. Better yet, switch from canned vegetables to frozen with no added salt or fresh veggies. Limit salty snacks like chips, pretzels, and salted nuts. Cheese is anther high sodium source.

Make healthy choices when dining out.

Here are some tips to enjoy a meal out and maintain a low sodium intake:

• Use pepper for extra seasoning instead of salt.
• Avoid sauces or gravies.
• Order broiled and baked meats.
• Avoid seasoned or blackened menu items.
• Avoid menu items with a lot of cheese.
• Avoid soy sauce and MSG.

Salty flavor is something you have trained your body to prefer. You can retrain your taste buds over time with the ultimate goal of lowering high blood pressure.

To receive heart health and weight loss tips from dietitian Lisa Nelson, subscribe to The Heart of Health and grab your free report “Stop Wasting Money – Take Control of Your Health” today!

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD

There are numerous health claims surrounding garlic. . .do you think they’re true? Let’s discuss garlic to lower blood pressure.

Research studies have found a link between the right type and amount of garlic and a lower blood pressure. The average reduction in systolic (top number) blood pressure was ~5-8 mm Hg. Garlic is linked to a reduction in diastolic blood pressure, but the decrease isn’t large enough to be statistically significant.

Garlic contains many components that may be responsible for this decrease in blood pressure.

Natural ACE inhibitors
Magnesium
Phosphorus
Adenosine
Allicin

These components promote arterial dilation, which means a widening of the arteries, to make blood flow easier and lower blood pressure.

Studies indicate 10,000 mcg of allicin are needed daily to result in a lower blood pressure. To gain 10,000 mcg of allicin you’d need to consume 4 cloves or 4 grams of garlic daily.

Some easy ways to increase the garlic in your diet:

1. Chop fresh garlic and add to stews or a stir-fry.
2. Use as a seasoning and add to vegetables, meat, poultry, fish and soup.

Now, you can’t rely on garlic alone to get your blood pressure back within a normal levels. But including more garlic in your diet is one easy step towards promoting a lower blood pressure. Be sure to sign up for the free e-course 7 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
How to Lower Cholesterol and Blood Pressure
to a Healthy, Life Sustaining Level Without Drugs

Rutgers University surveyed over 1,000 individuals and 60% reported searching their homes for potentially contaminated food products when they learn about a food product recall. Survey results show that 40% believe “It’s can’t happen to me” and do not take precautions.

Here are some of the interesting survey statistics:

64% pay attention to food-safety news
81% spread the word about food product recall/problems
25% throw out possibly contaminated food
12% eat food the think may be recalled

Where do you fall?

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Heart Healthy Tips

When it’s time to lose weight, many of us are trained to think “cut back on fat”. In a previous post – What’s the right amount of fat? – I discussed fat soluble vitamins, how much fat you should include in your daily diet, and some healthy fat sources. Now I want to cover one other important contribution fat makes when it comes to losing weight.

One of the beauties of fat is that it helps us to feel full. Fat is often referred to as the “satiety nutrient.” Have you ever eaten a meal that has been non fat or extremely low in fat? If so, then you might know what I mean. That meal typically doesn’t keep you satisfied for very long which leads to eating more food to get satisfaction. This can result in an overall higher calorie intake!

So for your weight loss efforts, it’s important to curb your appetite by including adequate fat sources with your meals and some snacks! Sixty grams of fat per day can add up quickly so you’ll want to make sure you’re making mindful choices.

Being careful you do not restrict your fat intake too low and include healthy fat sources in your diet everyday is just one of many factors that affect weight loss. To drastically increase your success with losing weight and keeping it off you must wade through all the weight loss information available and sort out what works from what doesn’t. Many methods used to lose weight are ineffective and some may even sabotage your weight loss efforts. Sign up for the FREE teleclass The 5 Biggest Dieting Myths Revealed to learn which weight loss strategies really work. Visit http://www.lisanelsonrd.com/newu/call.html to learn more today.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
5 Biggest Dieting Myths Revealed

Dr. Lundell is a heart surgeon who wrote the book The Great Cholesterol Lie. In the book he discusses the effect of statin medication on cholesterol levels. He’s against the use of statin medication. I’ve put together an email series of four articles written by Dr. Lundell. They cover the following topics:

• The Tragic Cholesterol Theory
• Cardiac Surgeon Admits Mistake
• The Great Statin Scam
• Crestor Study, JUPITER Results Hardly Exciting

If you are considering statin medications or currently take statin meds, I recommend you learn more about what Dr. Lundell has to share.

You can use the form below to access the article series or go to http://www.lisanelsonrd.com/lundell.html to sign-up.

The Great Cholesterol Lie – Instant Article Series and [Heart Health] Access

There is a general perception that snacking is bad and you need to cut out snacking if you want to lose weight. Well, the opposite is actually true.

It is important to eat regularly, every 3-4 hours to maintain your metabolic rate, promote stable blood sugar levels, and prevent insulin spikes. By maintaining a high metabolism you boost the calories you burn throughout the day, which helps you lose weight. By maintaining stable blood sugar levels and preventing insulin spikes you will prevent drops in energy.

Now, this doesn’t mean just any food will work. You need to select heart healthy snacks. This means eating snacks that balance carbohydrates with protein and/or heart healthy fats. Fat and protein slow the breakdown of carbohydrates, preventing the rapid rise in blood sugar and the corresponding increased insulin release.

Here are healthy snacks that are high in carbohydrates:

• Whole grain crackers
• Dried Fruit
• Pretzels
• Fig bars
• Fresh fruit

You can make these snacks heart healthy by combining with a protein. These protein sources that are easy to include with snacks:

• Glass of skim milk
• Yogurt
• Cheese
• Nuts
• Peanut Butter

Here’s an example of how you can apply this to your daily snacks.

Mid-morning snack: Yogurt with granola
Mid-afternoon snack: Nuts mixed with dried fruit
Evening snack: Light frozen yogurt topped with strawberries

Balancing the carbohydrates and protein in your snacks is just one of many factors that affect weight loss. To drastically increase your success with losing weight and keeping it off you must wade through all the weight loss information available and sort out what works from what doesn’t. Many methods used to lose weight are ineffective and some may even sabotage your weight loss efforts. Sign up for the FREE teleclass The 5 Biggest Dieting Myths Revealed to learn which weight loss strategies really work. Visit http://www.lisanelsonrd.com/newu/call.html to learn more today.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
5 Biggest Dieting Myths Revealed

Finally, you want more of something instead of less! HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is also known as the “good” cholesterol. HDL removes cholesterol from your bloodstream and carries it back to the liver. I like to think of HDL as a vacuum cleaner, picking up cholesterol LDL leaves behind in your arteries. HDL should be greater than 40 mg/dL, ideally greater than 60 mg/dL.

Physical Activity

One of the best ways to increase your HDL is through physical activity, specifically aerobic activity (jogging, swimming, biking). For results, you need at least 120 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. In this case, vigorous activity does not have more of an impact, but duration does. The longer you work out the greater them impact on HDL. Work your way up to a minimum of 30 minutes 4 days/week. If you’re not currently physically active, consult your MD before starting an exercise program.

Saturated and Trans Fats

Limiting unhealthy fats will also impact HDL, so look at your saturated fat and trans fat intake and see where you can make cuts. Your total fat intake for the day should be limited to 30% of your daily calories. Of this 30%, only 10% should be from saturated fat and ideally zero from trans fats. To attain these levels you’ll need to select healthy choices when dining out, read food labels, select healthy fats when cooking, select lean cuts of meat, etc.

Omega 3’s

Selecting healthy fats, such as omega 3’s, will raise HDL while lowering LDL. Incorporating healthy omega 3 fatty acids will also improve your total cholesterol to HDL ratio. Also, look for sources rich in omega 3 fatty acids you can add to your diet, such as fish and ground flaxseed..

Dietary Fiber

A high fiber diet does not directly boost HDL levels. However, a high fiber diet plays a role in lowering LDL cholesterol. As LDL is lowered, your Total Cholesterol to HDL ratio improves. For the greatest impact, eat a diet especially rich in soluble fiber and select whole grain products, fruits, and vegetables daily.

Alcohol

Alcohol plays a role in raising HDL levels also. I’m not a big advocate of using alcohol to raise HDL, so if you already consume alcohol 1-2 drinks per day can raise levels. More than 1-2 drinks per day will increase your health problems. If you do not drink, do not start.

Receive a step by step plan to promote heart health and weight loss with a Mini Diet Makeover. As a special New Year’s bonus you’ll receive a complimentary copy of the Calorie Counter for Dummies. Learn more here – http://www.lisanelsonrd.com/minidietmakeover.html

Share what’s worked for you below!

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
How to Lower Cholesterol in 8 Simple Steps
http://www.lowercholesterolwithlisa.com

I mentioned my colleague Brenda Adelman in a post a few days ago: Heart Health and Weight Loss – Are emotions holding you back?

I’m excited to share that she has extended her invitation to join her 4 Week Compassionate Forgiveness Teleseries for another week. This good news for you because there are only 3 weeks left she’s giving each and every participant who starts the class this Thursday, June 18th an additional one-on-one telecoaching forgiveness breakthrough session with her. She’s a transformational life coach. During your session she will help you delve into where you are not living your full potential by helping you identify where you are judging yourself, blaming yourself for choices you have or haven’t made or beating yourself up. Then she’ll help guide you to transform your judgments into self-love and honoring action steps. For an idea of how she works and the possibilities for breakthroughs in your own life she’s generously included a link here to her last two part series on the Power of Healthy Boundary Setting.

http://www.forgivenessandfreedom.com/audiolinks.html

Did I mention what qualifies her to not only teach on this tough topic but also why she’s so passionate about helping her clients and basically everyone who is around her? Brenda’s father shot and killed her mother in 1995 and then married her aunt. Brenda lived and learned first hand what holding on to anger and resentment does and was able to not only let go of her rage and transform it to love but she also learned how to teach others to also experience freedom and joy again even after they didn’t think it was possible.

In this four week Compassionate Forgiveness Telecoaching Series you will blast through what’s been stopping you from really feeling happy. In these four 90-minute sessions you will dive into the work that’s needed in order to start feeling better and you’ll have Brenda, M.A. In Spiritual Psychology and the other group members by your virtual side for support.

You can learn more about the teleseries here – Compassionate Forgiveness Telecoaching Series

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Be Heart Healthy and Lose Weight

Flaxseed is a great diet addition if you are looking to reduce your risk for heart disease. Flaxseed is a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids, fiber, and phytochemical lignans.

Flax is an option for individuals that dislike fish, but want to boost their intake of omega 3 fatty acids which are known to decrease heart disease risk by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Also, the fiber content makes meals “heavier” so you feel full longer, decreasing your likelihood to overeat. The fiber also promotes a lower LDL cholesterol level. Flaxseed lignans have been linked to cancer protection.

Aim for adding 1 teaspoon of flax oil to your diet each day or 1 tablespoon of milled flax. Adding flax to your diet is very simple. Here are a few options:

1. Flaxseed must be ground in order for your body to utilize the omega 3 fatty acids within, so buy your flaxseed ground and add to cereal, yogurt, salads, baked goods, and hot dishes. You are able to grind whole flaxseed with a coffee grinder or blender. Be sure to keep ground flaxseed refrigerated!

2. Flax oil can be used as part of a salad dressing or in recipes that call for oil. Flax oil contains the beneficial omega 3’s, but no fiber.

3. Use flaxseed as a recipe substitute for fat and eggs. Substitute 3 tablespoons ground flax for 1 tablespoon butter, shortening, or vegetable oil. To use flax in place of eggs, mix 1 tablespoon ground flax with 3 tablespoons water and let mixture set until gel like (1-2 minutes). Use mixture in place of 1 egg.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
How to Lower Cholesterol in 8 Simple Steps