Lower CholesterolHeart Health – Are Omega 6's Good or Bad?
I and other experts so frequently discuss omega 3 fatty acids and the health benefits that you may think all other types of fat are “bad”. That’s not the case. There are many types of heart healthy fats, including omega 6 fatty acids. At least 5-10% of your daily calories should come from omega 6 fatty acids. Some sources of omega 6’s are safflower, sunflower, and soybean oils. Replacing unhealthy fats in your diet with heart healthy unsaturated fats (such as omega 6’s) can decreased coronary heart disease by 24%.
The problem comes from our diets containing too much omega 6. The typical American diet is very high in omega 6 fatty acids. This leads to problems with inflammation when the ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 intake is drastically distorted and is why you don’t hear experts recommending you increase omega 6’s in your diet. You probably have more than enough already and need to work on balancing your omega 6’s with omega 3’s to promote optimal heart health.
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.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Be Heart Healthy and Lose Weight
Lose WeightWhy am I always hungry? Are women biologically hungrier than men?
Do you frequently ask yourself – why am I always hungry?
I just read an interesting study I want to share with you. This research was done at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Thirteen men women and 10 men were asked about their favorite foods, taught a cognitive inhibition technique, and then were asked to fast overnight. The next day they received brain scans as they were presented their favorite foods. Results showed all participants indicated the cognitive-inhibition technique helped reduce their level of hunger. Interestingly, only men’s brains showed a decrease in hunger signals. Even though women stated they were less hungry, the brain scans showed their brains firing away signals to eat.
Maybe this is one reason the incidence of obesity is higher for women. It’s speculated that the difference is biological and women are programmed to eat whenever food is available as part of the ingrained need to provide nutrition to children.
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.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
The Best Way to Lose Weight
Heart HealthPhysical Activity Benefits – Why should you be active?
Okay, in the previous two posts, we’ve covered how much physical activity is needed and I mentioned different intensities requiring different time commitments.
A simple measure of your workout intensity is the talk test. If you can carry on a conversation while taking a breath every 3-4 words, you’re probably at a moderate intensity level. If you are working out hard enough that you can only say a few words and in order to say more you have to stop to catch your breath, you’ve most likely hit a vigorous activity level.
What physical activity benefits can you expect to see by being more active this year? Here are a few:
- Improved fitness and bone health.
- Decreased coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and colon and breast cancer.
- Less depression.
- Fewer falls and better cognitive ability for older adults.
- Better pain management, function, and quality of life if you suffer from arthritis.
All right, now don’t just read this without taking action. Look at the upcoming week. Where can you add a walk or extra trip to the gym to boost your activity level closer to the desired 2 ½ hours per week?
There are 1440 minutes each day. Only 30 of them need to be active!
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.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Lower Blood PressureHealthy Ways to Lower Blood Pressure – Hibiscus Tea and the Link with High Blood Pressure
If you are prehypertensive or have mild high blood pressure a study has found that drinking hibiscus tea may help lower your blood pressure. A study followed 65 individuals aged 30-70 years-old with initial blood pressure readings of 120-150/<95. Individuals were split into two groups, with one group drinking three cups of hibiscus tea daily. Those consuming the tea saw a 6.2 mmHg drop in systolic blood pressure (top number).
Hibiscus is a common ingredient in herbal teas, providing a fruity, tart taste and red color. Hibiscus is also a good source of anthocyanins, flavones, flavonols, and phenolic acids. This isn’t the first study to show a link between hibiscus tea and reduced blood pressure.
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.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
7 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure
Lower CholesterolCholesterol in Egg – Are eggs "good" or "bad" for cholesterol?
To lower cholesterol, it’s frequently recommended to limit egg intake, specifically the egg yolk. Egg yolks are a concentrated source of cholesterol, while egg whites contain primarily protein. However, while dietary cholesterol can impact cholesterol levels within the body, saturated fat actually has a greater impact on LDL cholesterol levels.
A 1999 study found little impact of consuming one egg daily on blood cholesterol levels. It’s currently recommended, for individuals with normal cholesterol levels, to limit dietary cholesterol intake to 300 mg or less daily. Cholesterol in egg – One egg contains 210 mg of cholesterol within the egg yolk. If you have high LDL cholesterol, the current recommendations are to limit dietary cholesterol to 200 mg or less per day.
If you enjoy eggs, there are alternatives, such as replacing the egg yolks with more egg whites or using products, such as Egg Beaters, which provide an excellent source of protein minus the cholesterol.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
How to Lower Cholesterol in 8 Simple Steps
Lose WeightWeight Loss – Are low carb diets affecting your brain function?
Some studies are being conducted evaluating the effects of low carb diets, such as the Atkins diet, on cognitive ability. Brain function on a low carb diet may be impaired because glucose is the nutrient used by the brain for energy and the brain is not capable of storing glucose, but is depended on the bodies production of this nutrient.
Many low carb diets restrict intake to as little as 20 grams per day, while the RDA for carbs is at least 130 grams (taking into account the brains energy needs).
One study compared long and short term memory, spatial memory, and visual attention of women prior to beginning a low carb diet, post low carb diet, and after reintroduction of carbs. Those following a low carb diet had a gradual decline in memory performance and slower reaction time on all tests. Interestingly, attention span was improved on the low carb diet.
Fortunately, memory skills and scores returned to normal after carbohydrates were reintroduced.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Be Heart Healthy and Lose Weight