How to Lower Cholesterol: Step 2
In the last post I gave you the first step towards lowering cholesterol. Here is the second. Remember, by implementing these basic steps, you’re establishing a solid foundation that will support heart health and increase the effectiveness of medications and supplements.
Step 2: Adopt a heart healthy lifestyle.
This means eating a diet that support heart health and including physical activity as part of your daily routine.
Here are some basic guidelines for a heart healthy diet to lower cholesterol:
- Saturated fat intake should be limited to less than 7% of your total daily calories.
- Daily trans fat intake should be less than 1% of your total calorie intake.
- Cholesterol should be limited to less than 300 mg/day.
- Eat 25-35 grams of dietary fiber. The needs to include an adequate intake of soluble fiber, which will promote lower LDL levels.
- Include sources rich in omega 3 fatty acids to your diet. Some benefits of omega 3 fatty acids include lower triglycerides, increased HDL cholesterol, and slower build-up of arterial plaque.
Here are basic guidelines for physical activity to lower cholesterol.
- Include at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week.
This is the latest recommendation of The Health and Human Services Department. In order to see substantial health benefits, include at least 150 minutes, 2 ½ hours, of moderate-intensity activity each week. If times a factor, you can see the same benefits by bumping up the intensity and being vigorously active 75 minutes (1 hr. 15 min.) each week.
By include regular physical activity you will raise HDL cholesterol and lower triglycerides.
February is American Heart Month. In recognition of American Heart Month you can access Heart Health Made Easy at a 25% savings. Learn more about this take action guide to lower cholesterol and blood pressure at http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com.
Lower Cholesterol: Step 1
Lower Cholesterol: Step 3
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
How to Lower Cholesterol: Step 1
It’s often easier to turn to supplements or medications to lower cholesterol. However, the effectiveness of these treatments will not be as great if you do not have a solid foundation in place that supports heart health. Over the next few posts I’ll give you three basic steps you can implement now to promote lower cholesterol levels and reduce heart disease.
Step 1: Know and understand your cholesterol lab results.
A simple blood test will check your cholesterol levels. This test is also known as a lipid profile. You will learn your total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. By knowing the “breakdown” of your lipid panel you (or your MD/dietitian) will be able to determine the best steps to take for results.
The American Heart Association Recommends that everyone over the age of 20 know their cholesterol levels.
Lower Cholesterol: Step 2
Lower Cholesterol: Step 3
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Heart Health – Do you know the difference between and "organic" and "natural" food?
The hottest label claims right now are “organic” and “natural”. Do you know the difference?
Organic
Organic foods were produced under environmentally friendly conditions with no antibiotics, growth hormones, fertilizers with synthetic ingredients or sewage sledge, pesticides, bioengineering, or ionized radiation.
The label claim “100% Organic” is the highest standard a food can receive and is allowed on single ingredient foods (fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, and eggs that exclude water and salt).
The label claim “Made with Organic Ingredients” can be used on multiple ingredient foods if the food contains between 70% and 94.9% organic ingredients.
Natural
A food using the “natural” label claim cannot contain any artificial ingredients, added coloring, and must be minimally processed.
“Organic” and “natural” are not interchangeable!
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Be Heart Healthy and Lose Weight
Physical Activity – How much do you really need?
As I previously mentioned, The Health and Human Services Department sets physical activity guidelines after reviewing a good decades worth of research related to physical activity and health.
This report encompasses everyone from the age of 6 and up. Let’s go into a little more detail on the adult guidelines.
Adult Physical Activity Guidelines
- All adults should avoid inactivity. Any type of activity is better than nothing. Adults who include activity as part of their everyday life gain some form of health benefit.
- To see substantial health benefits, include at least 150 minutes (2 ½ hours) per week of moderate-intensity activity. If times a factor, you can see the same benefits by bumping up the intensity and being vigorously active 75 minutes (1 hr. 15 min.) each week.Yes, it is still okay to break your activity into chunks.For example, if your schedule doesn’t allow 30 minutes at the gym, you can include a 10 minute brisk walk during lunch break to count towards the goal of 150 minutes for the week. However, workout segments less than 10 minutes in length are not as beneficial.
Also, the most benefit is seen by spreading your activity throughout the week. If you’re tempted to hit the gym for a power workout session on a Saturday for 2 ½ hours, that is not as beneficial as 30 minutes of activity 5 days out of the week. But, remember, any form/amount of activity is better than nothing!
- If you want to take things to the next levels, more extensive health benefits are seen when activity is increased to 300 minutes (5 hours) per week of moderate intensity activity or 150 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic activity.
- Don’t forget strength training! You want to include all major muscle groups on two or more days each week. Especially beneficial as we age and see a decline in metabolism (and corresponding weight gain) if muscle mass is not maintained.
Now, don’t let yourself be overwhelmed and give up without even attempting to meet these guidelines. Activity does not have to be hard or expensive. You can walk your dog, go dancing, climb the stairs at work, mow the lawn, and go to the gym. There are many, many options available to get 2 ½ hours of physical activity every week.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Best Way to Lose Pounds – 9 pounds every 11 days?
Losing weight is not easy, so when you see a headline like the one above you want to believe it can be done. Unfortunately, I am here to tell you it is not that simple. The best way to lose pounds is usually not a quick and easy fix.
This article was triggered by the following question:
“hi… when you have time, will you check out fatloss4idiots and see if you think it’s for real?? I saw this link advertised off to the side, was curious and looked at it… you have to pay to see the diet but they explain how it’s supposed to work and was wondering if it sounds legit to you….
If one person has this question, I am sure many of you do, too. I am going to give you the tools you need to spot what’s known as a "fad diet" on your own.
Fad Diet Defined
A fad diet is an eating plan that quickly surges in popularity and tends to just as quickly fizzle out. Most fad diets are unbalanced meal plans that lead to weight gain when you go off the diet. Fad diets tend to be cyclical. For example, the Atkins diet was created in the 1970’s and made a recent comeback.
Fad Diet Identified
Ask yourself the following 11 questions when evaluating a diet program.
- Does it promise a quick fix?
- Do the claims sound too good to be true?
- Is a list of "good" and "bad" foods given?
- Are recommendations made to help sell a product?
- Does it list dire warnings of dangers from a single product or regimen?
- Are the recommendations based on a single study?
- Do you have to eliminate one or more of the five food groups to gain promised results?
- Are simple conclusions drawn from a complex study?
- Are there dramatic statements refuted by reputable scientific organizations?
- Are the recommendations based on studies not reviewed by other researchers?
- Do the claims ignore differences among individuals or groups?
If the answer is "yes" to any of these questions, then you are probably dealing with a fad diet.
When you review fatloss4idiots, you will see quick fix promises, claims that sound too good to be true, and very little information related to the science behind why the plan works.
Fad Diet Examples
There are hundreds of fad diets on the market. Here are some common examples:
Atkins
Cabbage Soup Diet
3 Day Diet
South Beach Diet
Grapefruit Diet
Macrobiotic Diet
Low Carb Diet
Zone Diet
Successful Diet Plans
A good plan will teach you to make healthy food choices (everything in moderation), along with an activity component. Weight loss and physical activity go hand in hand.
Stop thinking – "diet". A "diet" implies short term changes. If you want to be successful with weight loss you need to find a plan you can stick with long term. Start focusing on next year instead of next month. Successful weight loss requires change and change is never easy. You need to start with small, permanent steps to achieve long-term weight loss.
If it sounds too good to be true – it is!
Learn about the best way to lose weight by visiting https://www.lisanelsonrd.com/loseweight.shtml.
Weight Loss – The Search for a Magic Pill to Lose Weight
If you’re looking for an easy fix to your weight loss struggle be cautious. According to the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) it’s constantly battling fraudulent and bogus claims in the weight loss industry. Most recently the FDA has targeted 70 different weight loss supplements.
Many weight loss supplements contain “undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients”, frequently in levels exceeding FDA recommendations. These ingredients include drugs not approved in the U.S. These substances impact blood pressure and anti-seizure medications, diuretics, along with drugs linked to suicide, depression, and cancer.
Be smart! We’ve known for a long time the only way to successful weight loss is to eat right and exercise. It’s not easy, but it is possible. . .and well worth it!
No need to play around with dietary supplement safety.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
The Best Way to Lose Weight
