Blog - Page 112 of 121 - Lower Cholesterol and Blood Pressure with Lisa Nelson RD

Lose WeightLose Weight – Close the Kitchen

Published January 6, 2009

Do you find yourself watching TV in the evenings with the mandatory back of chips, crackers, or whatever your favorite snack is, and mindlessly munching away? If you are ready to be heart healthy and lose weight start by closing your kitchen! That’s right, pick a time each evening when the kitchen is off limits and stop the mindless late night snacking.

Does this sound impossible? If so, replace you typical snack with a cup of tea or other low calorie alternative.

Tip: Brush your teeth and you’ll be less likely to snack.

All the best,

Lisa Nelson, RD
eNutritionServices

Posted in Lose Weight | Tagged kitchen, Lose Weight, low calorie, snacks

Lose WeightWeight Loss Resolution – Tips to Stay Motivated

Published January 1, 2009

New Year’s is just around the corner and you know what that means. . . New Year’s Resolution! Every year you set a goal to make a change for the better. This should be a time of great excitement; however, you may be approaching it with a sense of dread instead. Will you achieve your goal? Or will it end up being another resolution that falls to the wayside?

The statistics are not very encouraging. Many people give up on their New Year’s resolutions within the first few weeks, and most never fully achieve them.

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Posted in Lose Weight | Tagged goal setting, motivation, new year's, resolutions, weight loss

Lose WeightLose Weight – Eat Breakfast

Published December 30, 2008

I cannot stress the importance of breakfast enough. Yes, breakfast is an easy meal to skip. Serotonin levels are high, which means your appetite is low. However, if you think skipping breakfast is a great way to cut calories, you’re wrong. Research shows that individuals who skip breakfast tend to consume more calories throughout the day versus those who eat a well-balanced breakfast. Also, don’t forget the corresponding low metabolism from not jump starting your day with a healthy breakfast. All of which add up to higher unhealthy body mass index (BMI).

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Posted in Lose Weight | Tagged bmi, breakfast, calories, weight loss

Heart HealthDo you peel your fruits and vegetables?

Published December 26, 2008

When you peel fruits and vegetables you throw away a large chunk of its nutritional value. Such as a large dietary fiber loss when you throw out an apple skin, along with vitamin C, and various other minerals.

You may be tempted to throw out produce skins due to pesticides. Instead opt to thoroughly wash your produce to remove potential contaminants. If you are especially concerned, consider buying organic produce.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson, RD

Posted in Heart Health | Tagged fruits, nutrition, organic, produce, vegetables

Lower CholesterolMediterranean Diet to Reduce Heart Disease

Published December 23, 2008

I’m sure you’ve heard of the Mediterranean Diet and it’s link to heart health. The Mediterranean Diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and monounsaturated fats (olive oil).

Those that follow a Mediterranean Diet have a reduced there risk of developing heart disease and dying from a heart attack. Even those that have survived a heart attack and lived to adopt the Mediterranean Diet significantly reduced their risk of a second heart attack and other complications.

In an interesting twist, the native Mediterranean population has gradually adopted a more Western diet leading to negative results. The Mediterranean area has seen an income rise that’s resulted in extra dollars being spent on meat and saturated fat food sources. Over the past 4 decades the average calorie intake in the Mediterranean countries has increased ~30%. So, the once healthy Mediterranean countries are now seeing the weight epidemics the US is familiar with – 75% of the population overweight or obese in Greece, with over half of the population in Italy, Spain, and Portugal following suit. These countries are now supporting the “Mediterranean Diet” as a part of their cultural heritage they can not let die.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the characteristics common to a Mediterranean Diet:

High intake of fruits and vegetables
Select whole grains
Consume healthy fats (canola and olive oil)
Eat nuts in moderation
Low red wine consumption
Limit eggs to less than 4 times per week
Consume little red meat
Eat fish regularly

All the best,

Lisa Nelson, RD

Posted in Lower Cholesterol | Tagged blood pressure, cholesterol, HDL, Heart Disease, heart health, Mediterranean Diet, olive oil, omega 3, Triglycerides, wine

Lose WeightAre you dieting?

Published December 19, 2008

Believe it or not, most people are not on a diet these days. Instead the focus has switched to healthy eating. A new market study shows most people are turning away from “extreme” diets and focusing on long-term weight management. Here are the percents:

Today 10 years ago
29% of women are on a diet 35%
19% of men are on a diet 23%

I am also surprised to see how the definition of a “healthy weight” has shifted. Sixty-two percent say a healthy weight is when you physically feel good, while 27% say a healthy weight means staying within a small ideal weight range.

This is a great opportunity for me to plug my weight loss programs, which focus on healthy eating for the long term, not a short term diet for results. Building habits like this supports both a healthy weight and a healthy heart over time.

So, where do you fall? Are you sticking with the “diet” mentality? If so, why? Or, have you moved into healthy eating for the long-term?

All the best,
Lisa Nelson, RD

Posted in Lose Weight | Tagged diet, diets, health weight loss, healthy eating, healthy weight, Lose Weight, weight management