According to several studies have found pet owners tend to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels than those who do not own a pet. Here are a few possible reasons owning a pet improves cholesterol and blood pressure:

1. Stress relief - Many people find petting and interacting with a pet to be soothing.

2. Increased reason for activity – If you own a pet that needs a walk, you have an increased reason to get exercise yourself.

3. Support – For many pet owners there pet is someone that is always there for them no matter what.

Owning a pet promotes an overall healthier lifestyle. You get out and exercise with your pet, whether it’s a walk, run, or playtime. You have a nonjudgmental party to share your struggles with. You get out and socialize more, whether you head to a local dog park or simply have pet ownership as an easy conversation topic. Plus, pets promote family time as everyone pitches in to care for a furred loved one.

Be sure to sign up for the free e-course “7 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure” at http://lowerbloodpressurewithlisa.com.

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

Two new studies showing contradictory results when it comes to omega 3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease risk.

Study #1

Researchers compared the heart health and exercise capacity of 98 patients randomly divided between a control group receiving a placebo supplement and the test group supplementing 850-882 milligrams of the omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. All study participants were diagnosed with early stage heart failure.

Continue reading ‘Omega 3′s – Do Omega 3′s Really Help Lower Cholesterol and Blood Pressure?’ »

The typical American diet tends to be low in omega 3 fatty acids, approximately 120 mg DHA/day, which is an omega 3 supplement may be beneficial. Some benefits omega 3’s have been linked to improvement in arrhythmias, blood pressure, lipoprotein(a) levels, arterial inflammation, HDL cholesterol, and endothelial function.

Fish oil is a very common source individuals choose to supplement to boost their intake of omega 3 fatty acids. Tuna, salmon, sardines, herring, and anchovies are common fish used for the production of fish oil supplements. Fish oil tends to have equal levels of EPA and DHA or in some cases may be slightly higher in EPA content.

A New Option

A new option produced by Pharma Marine Group is Calamarine. Calamarine is obtained from calamari, or squid, and contains higher levels of DHA. The company is also able to market Calamarine as “eco-friendly” because squid have a brief life cycle, breed rapidly, and are not endangered. Especially important with concerns regarding over-harvesting of our marine life, which fish oil production may play a part.

Continue reading ‘Here’s another omega 3 option – Calamarine’ »

Thanksgiving is practically here. Are you thankful for your health this year?

I know when it comes to your health you may be frustrated with problems you’ve faced this past year. It is often easy to dwell on the negatives:

1. A lack of insurance coverage
2. Not able to diagnosis what’s going on
3. Difficulty contacting your physician
4. Not getting answers to your questions
5. Unpleasant medication side effects

Thanksgiving provides a great opportunity to step back and look at the positives. Some of these may apply to you:

1. You’ve had another year with your family.
2. You’ve begun treatment to control your health issues.
3. Surgery was a success.
4. You’ve been able to wean off medication.
5. You’re more active now than you were last year.
6. You’ve lowered your blood pressure.
7. Your cholesterol is within normal.

If in your case the positives don’t outweigh the negatives what can you do in the year ahead to change that around?

Continue reading ‘Are you thankful for your health?’ »

Plant sterols and stanols are not found at high levels in foods. For this reason food manufacturers have found ways to fortify foods with plant sterols and stanols.

Some foods that are fortified with plant sterols and stanols include spreads, juices, milk, breads, salad dressings, and yogurt.

Continue reading ‘How do you increase your intake of plant sterols?’ »

1. Increase your life span

Individuals who stay in shape as they age live longer, particularly when evaluating heart disease risk. An Archives of Internal Medicine study showed a workout a day may add ~4 years to your life. A sample from the Framingham Heart Study found individuals who walked 30 minutes 5 days a week lived 1.3 to 1.5 years longer than sedentary individuals. Boost your exercise intensity and studies show you may add 3.5 to 3.7 years to your lifespan.

2. Improve your quality of life as you age

Continue reading ‘4 More Reasons to Exericse (. . .if you needed more!)’ »

Physical activity, especially aerobic exercise, is beneficial for your cardiovascular system.

Here are 7 reasons to add physical activity to your daily routine starting today:

1. Lowers LDL cholesterol

Continue reading ‘3 Reasons to Exercise’ »

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’ »

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’ »