I’ve been asked this question several times and want to take a moment to explain how the cholesterol found in foods relates to your blood cholesterol levels.

Dietary Cholesterol

Cholesterol is found in animal products, such as cheese, steak, and eggs. You will not find cholesterol from plant sources. The cholesterol in foods is simply “dietary cholesterol”. It is neither “good” nor “bad”. When you consume a food containing cholesterol the different components of the food are processed by the body. The liver packages the dietary cholesterol into low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. This is where the labels “good” and “bad” come into play. (FYI – There are other packages, such as very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, but for simplicity we’ll stick with LDL and HDL.)

Continue reading ‘Cholesterol in Food – Good or Bad?’ »

The label given to LDL cholesterol of “bad” and HDL “good” cholesterol tends to be misunderstood.

“Good” and “Bad” Cholesterol

LDL cholesterols potential for oxidation which leads to the development of arterial plaque has given it the rap of being “bad”. While HDL cholesterol contains more protein and tends to pick up cholesterol dropped throughout your arteries and returns it to the liver giving it the role of being “good”.

However, I think it’s very important for you to realize that there are “good” and “bad” forms of LDL cholesterol and “good” and “bad” forms of HDL cholesterol.

Continue reading ‘Cholesterol – Good versus Bad’ »

Here’s a few details on how the Health Care Reform Bill impacts the Healthy Aging Program and funds the Child Obesity Demonstration Project.

Healthy Aging: Preventive Services for Adults 55-64

A grant program for state and local health departments and Indian tribes will be established. The grant will be used to provide public health interventions, preventive screenings, and referral/treatment for chronic diseases for individuals 55-64 years-old. Some of the intervention activities include improved nutrition and increased physical activity levels.

Child Obesity Demonstration Project

The Child Obesity Demonstration Project will be fully funded with $25 million. The goal of the project will be to reduce childhood obesity in community-based settings, including schools. The project will provide education, counseling and training activities.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Heart Healthy Tips
http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com

I think it’s fairly well known that walnuts provide some heart health benefits, but were you aware pistachio’s can be a good choice as well?

Pistachios are a good source of many nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

A 1 ounce (28 grams) serving of pistachios provides:

170 calories
6 grams protein
2.9 grams fiber
73.4 mg omega 3 fatty acids
59.9 mg phytosterols

Pistachios are also a good source of copper, manganese, vitamin B6, thiamin, magnesium, and phosphorous. They also provide lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids associated with a lower risk of age-related macular degeneration.

But, how do pistachios positively impact cholesterol and heart health?

Continue reading ‘Lower LDL Cholesterol with Pistachios’ »

Dr. Ryan Bentley, president of The Wellness Prescription, is one of the featured experts for the teleseries intensive Conversations with the Masters of Healing starting next week!

Dr. Ryan Bentley will be sharing:

• Why cholesterol may NOT be the culprit of heart disease as previously thought,
• The reason statins are being implicated for a number of serious side effects,
• What’s the connection between sexual dysfunction and low cholesterol, and
• Using functional medicine to diagnose heart disease and treat the whole person versus just a symptom.

Register for this call with Dr. Bentley HERE
Continue reading ‘Sex, Lies, and Cholesterol’ »

The 4th of July is just around the corner, which for many of us means BBQ time!

Here are some healthy barbeque ideas so you avoid sabotaging your heart healthy diet:

1. Talk more than you chew.

You don’t have to have a loaded plate to enjoy yourself. Take the time to catch up with a friend. Enjoy watching the kids play. When it’s meal time let others serve themselves first. Select a smaller plate and fill it with the healthiest options limiting foods slathered in mayo, fried, and breaded. Sit down to enjoy the food versus mindlessly eating while standing around the buffet table.

2. Sip smart.

Continue reading ‘How to Have a Heart Healthy 4th of July’ »

Back in September 2008 a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found 1-2 handfuls of pistachio each day to lower LDL cholesterol levels. Adding 1.5 ounces of pistachios daily resulted in a 9% reduction in LDL cholesterol and 3 ounces lowered LDL cholesterol levels 12%. The study also found HDL cholesterol levels to increase in women who added 3 ounces of pistachios to their daily diet.

Here’s another reason to consider including pistachios as part of your heart healthy diet plan. A 1 ounce serving of pistachios provides 49 nuts, while a 1 ounce serving of almonds equals 23 nuts, pecans 19 nuts, and walnuts 14 nuts. You may feel like you are “getting” a little more when you enjoy a serving of pistachios for a heart healthy snack.

Just keep in mind that nuts, including pistachios, are high in calories. Watch your portion size!

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
http://www.lisanelsonrd.com

Here are three foods you can incorporate into your diet to promote a lower cholesterol.

1. Navy Beans

Navy beans are a great source of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber promotes a lower cholesterol level, specifically soluble fiber which can lower LDL cholesterol 1% for every 1-2 grams of soluble fiber consumed daily. Aim for 25-35 grams of dietary fiber daily. Cooked navy beans provide 6 grams of fiber per ½ cup.

Some additional sources of dietary fiber include broccoli, oatmeal, blueberries, and brown rice.

Continue reading ‘3 Foods to Lower Cholesterol’ »

To begin promoting lower cholesterol you want to replace these less healthy food choices with heart healthy options.

Here are 2 foods you can add to your diet to promote a lower cholesterol:

1. Atlantic Salmon

Salmon is a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3’s have many benefits, some of which include decreased lipoprotein A, lowered triglycerides, reduced blood pressure, elevated HDL cholesterol, and decreased risk of blot clots.

Some additional sources of omega 3 include fish, ground flaxseed, and walnuts.

Continue reading ‘2 Foods to Lower Cholesterol’ »

Health care reform has a direct impact on nutrition information available at restaurant chains.

Nutrition Labeling of Menu Items at Restaurants

This provision requires restaurant chains (those with 20 or more outlets) to include calories on menus, menu boards (such as drive through menus), and food display tags. Additional nutrition information will have to be available and provided upon customer request, such as fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sodium, protein, and fiber. The intent is for the information to be uniform and consistent within a restaurant chain and between different restaurants to reduce confusion and make the information consistent. It doesn’t look like this will go into affect until 1 year after bill passed into law.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Heart Healthy Tips
http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com