Cholesterol Lowering Foods

Cholesterol Lowering Foods
'Functional' for your heart

For years, a "healthy diet" has been largely defined by foods that should be avoided. We've learned to (try to) stay away from potato chips, cookies and virtually everything else that tastes good. Now, the focus may be about to shift toward foods you should work to include in your diet. When major food manufacturers introduce new, specially engineered product lines, their message may be: Eat our cereals, pastas, and even cookies and potato chips as part of your healthful diet.

These new products, enhanced with natural ingredients, are being called "functional foods." According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), functional foods may provide specific health benefits beyond basic nutrition when consumed as part of a varied diet. Many of the first functional foods to hit the shelves will tout the ability to lower cholesterol, a major contributing factor in cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the United States and other industrialized countries.

However, you don't need to wait until functional foods reach supermarket shelves to make your diet more heart-healthy. "The idea of functional foods came, in part, from understanding which components in natural foods help lower cholesterol, such as soluble fiber, soy protein and plant sterols," says Tu T. Nguyen, M.D., an endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

A careful review of what's already in your kitchen may reveal a ready cholesterol-fighting menu.

Natural foods

Natural foods fight cholesterol in a number of ways. Although dietary supplements are available for many of these natural substances, they are generally not as effective as the real thing.

Consider increasing your intake of foods containing the following cholesterol-lowering components:

Soluble fiber
We've all heard the phrase, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." But did you know that adage also holds true for lentils? Apples and lentils are both rich in soluble fiber, which regulates your body's production and elimination of cholesterol. Other good sources of soluble fiber include dried beans, peas, barley, citrus fruits, carrots and oats. Products containing lots of rolled oats and oat bran were the first to receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to boast on their labels that they may reduce the risk of heart disease when combined with a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. However, in order to reap the cholesterol-lowering benefits of oats, you must eat a sizable portion — the equivalent of about 3/4 cup of raw oatmeal each day.

Soy
Scientists first suspected a connection between soy and lower cholesterol levels after observing that people in Asian countries where diets contain much more soy than in the United States — have significantly lower levels of heart disease than Americans. Experts believe natural soy compounds called isoflavones act like human hormones that regulate cholesterol levels. A 1998 study concluded that regular consumption of soy isoflavones may reduce total cholesterol levels by up to 10 percent.

A minimum of 25 grams of soy protein must be consumed daily in order to reap optimal cholesterol-lowering benefits. Good sources of soy protein include soy milk, tempeh, tofu, and textured soy protein, a main ingredient in many meat substitutes.

Fish
Researchers have found that, in general, the more fish people eat, the less coronary artery disease they have. Fish contain high concentrations of a unique type of fat, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). In addition to lowering blood fats (triglycerides), studies suggest that omega-3 PUFAs make the blood more slippery and less likely to clot.

A unique study completed in 1997 provided compelling evidence that eating fish can reduce blood cholesterol levels. Researchers studied people in two African villages located 40 miles apart. People from both villages had very similar lifestyles, but their diets were quite different. While one group ate a fish-heavy diet, the other group ate a healthy vegetarian diet consisting largely of rice and maize. Researchers found that the villagers who ate lots of fish had lower cholesterol than the vegetarians. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish two or three times a week.

Plant sterols
Foods containing plentiful plant sterols naturally occurring compounds found in certain plants and vegetable oils also may improve cholesterol levels. "Plant sterols are known to specifically block cholesterol from being absorbed by the intestine," Dr. Nguyen says.

However, very large portions of plant sterols extracted in powder form must be consumed in order to benefit. Functional foods may soon make heart-healthy consumption of plant sterols more feasible.

Breastfeeding and Diet

A Healthy Diet Is Very Important

It is important that your diet replaces the nutrients that are used up during breastfeeding, such as protein, calcium, iron and vitamins. There is no evidence that certain foods upset the baby or give them diarrhoea or colic. Limit your intake of alcohol to one to two glasses per day.

Preventing rapid weight loose
Breastfeeding burns up a lot of energy (kilojoules). Some of the energy will come from the fat you laid down in pregnancy. However, some women will need to eat extra snacks to prevent rapid weight loss. Use your weight and appetite to work out your energy needs.

What snacks to choose
Ideal snacks for helping to prevent rapid weight loss include:

Sandwiches

Milk drinks

Cereal with milk

Fruit

Yoghurt.

If you are having trouble getting back in shape
Although breastfeeding uses up a lot of energy, some women have a problem with extra weight. Tips for losing weight include:

Grill, steam, bake or casserole lean meat, fish and poultry

Use butter and margarine sparingly

Avoid high fat foods such as chips, rich desserts or greasy takeaways

Limit your intake of sugary foods such as soft drinks, cakes and lollies

Exercise - for example, push the pram around the block. Build up to between 30 and 40 minutes three to four times per week.

Don't go on a strict diet
Strict diets and skipping meals are not recommended because you could miss out on vital nutrients.

Meeting your daily nutrient requirements
Protein Breast milk contains a lot of protein. So, you will need to include extra protein in your diet, from foods such as:

Meat, fish and chicken

Eggs

Cheese and yoghurt

Nuts and legumes, for example, lentils, baked beans and split peas.

Calcium Calcium is another major ingredient in breast milk. You will need extra calcium from:

Dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt. These are the best source of calcium.

Soymilk fortified with calcium - look for a brand which includes around 120mg calcium per 100mls soymilk.

If your diet does not contain plenty of calcium, your body will use calcium from your bones to meet your increased needs. This weakens your bones and increases the risk that you will develop osteoporosis later in life.

Iron Pregnancy uses up your iron stores. During breastfeeding, you need to rebuild your iron stores with iron rich foods:

Liver, red meat, chicken and fish are the richest sources of iron

Legumes - for example, baked beans

Nuts and dried fruit

Wholegrain bread and cereals

Green leafy vegetables.

Folate and vitamins Breastfeeding also increases your need for:

Folate - for example, leafy green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, cabbage and brussels sprouts.

Vitamin C - for example, citrus fruits, berries, tropical fruit, tomatoes, capsicum and potatoes.

Vitamin A - for example, dark green and yellow vegetables such as broccoli, carrots and pumpkin.

Vegetarian mothers
A vegetarian diet can meet the nutritional needs of a breastfeeding mother as long as it includes a variety of foods, including:

Legumes

Eggs, milk, cheese and yoghurt

Wholegrain breads and cereals

Fresh fruit and vegetables.

Check with your dietitian to make sure your diet contains the right amount of kilojoules and nutrients.

Where to get help

Your doctor

Maternal and Child Health centre

Lactation consultant

Diet - Women

Women's Extra Nutritional Needs

A woman's reproductive life - encompassing menstruation, pregnancy, lactation and menopause - means that her nutritional needs differ greatly from those of a man. The popularity of crash dieting has meant that nutritional deficiencies are especially common amongst younger women. Good nutrition means eating a wide variety of foods every day, which isn't possible on a restrictive diet.

Food and premenstrual syndrome
The interplay of hormones throughout a woman's menstrual cycle impacts on her body and state of mind. Energy intakes are generally higher in the premenstrual phase than after menstruation. Some women also experience food cravings as their period approaches. Eating high protein foods every few hours can often temper the cravings or stop them altogether. This should not be done at the expense of other food groups, especially carbohydrates, which should form the basis of the diet.

Fluid retention is common in the days leading up to a period because certain hormones encourage the body to hold salt, or sodium. The more sodium held, the more fluid retained in the tissues. Some research indicates that increasing the intake of calcium-rich foods, such as dairy products and leafy green vegetables, can ease fluid retention. Other common symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) include moodiness, tiredness and constipation.
Foods that may help to relieve the symptoms of PMS include:

Fruits and vegetables

Cereal foods (preferably wholegrain)

Legumes

Fish.

Limiting refined sugar, salt, red meat, animal fat, alcohol, caffeine and tobacco may also help to ease symptoms. There is some evidence that taking B group vitamins during this time can help, particularly vitamin B6. Light to moderate exercise, such as a 30 minute brisk walk each day, has also been shown to noticeably reduce symptoms of PMS.

Iron and anaemia
Iron is a mineral that works in conjunction with other substances to create haemoglobin, the compound that carries oxygen in the blood. Women and men metabolise iron from food at roughly the same rate. However, while men need around 7mg of iron in their daily diet, women need up to 16mg. This is to make up for the amount of iron they lose in their menstrual period, which averages around 1mg or so lost for every day of bleeding.

Vitamins, minerals and pregnancy
The extraordinary demands on the female body during pregnancy can lead to nutritional deficiencies if the mother does not alter her diet. Pregnant women only need 300 kilocalories (kcal) more than non-pregnant women, which can be achieved by consuming just one extra serving from each of the five food groups daily. The most common deficiencies in pregnant women include:

while meeting the needs of the foetus. Good sources include dairy products (milk, cheese and yoghurt).

Folic acid - the recommended daily intake (RDI) for folic acid doubles during pregnancy. This is because folic acid is needed for the development and growth of new cells. Research suggests that insufficient folic acid at conception and in the first trimester of pregnancy can increase the risk of neural tube defects in the unborn baby. Good sources of folic acid include leafy green vegetables, poultry, eggs and cereals.

Iron - although iron absorption increases during pregnancy, blood volume increases as well. Iron is involved in the process of oxygen transport. Enouth iron is drawn in by the developing foetus to last through the first five or six months after birth, when its only food is iron-poor breast milk. Iron supplements are frequently prescribed for pregnant women, especially during the third trimester. Iron-rich foods include liver, red meat, egg yolks and leafy green vegetables.

Diet and exercise are also important. The sex hormones (in particular oestrogen), exercise, smoking, and what we eat and drink can all affect calcium absorption and excretion. Salt, caffeine and alcohol interfere with the balance of calcium through urinary losses and should be consumed sparingly.

Crash dieting has been associated with the development of osteoporosis due to the tendency to cut out dairy foods.

Animal protein, eaten in large amounts, also increases urinary calcium loss - a major contributor to calcium balance. This does not occur with plant protein.

Vitamin D and calcium
Vitamin D increases calcium absorption and is required for normal bone metabolism. There are a few food sources of vitamin D; they include: fish, eggs and liver. Good sources of calcium include dairy foods, calcium-fortified soymilk and sesame seeds. However, for the women who cannot consume these foods, calcium supplements may be desirable.

Things to remember

Iron and calcium deficiencies are common in women.

Vitamin B6 can help ease the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.

Foods like tea, alcohol, caffeine and salt can interfere with the absorption and excretion of important minerals.

Why Does Weight Loss Suddenly Stop?

A weight loss plateauusually occurs within about a month of starting a reduced-calorie diet, and may reoccur from time to time thereafter. During such a plateau, weight reduction stops completely or slows down to almost nothing.

Why Does a Weight Loss Plateau Occur?

A plateau may occur because (1) your body simply wants a "rest" to cope with your calorie-reduction; or (2) your calorie-intake is in balance with your calorie expenditure; or (3) you have reduced your calorie-intake too low. If your calorie-intake is too low, your body thinks there is a "famine" and slows down your metabolism (how fast you burn calories) in order to conserve calories.

How Do You Start Losing Weight Again?

(1) Raise your metabolism (and calorie expenditure) by increasing your activity level. This boosts your metabolic rate and usually re-starts weight loss. For example, if you exercise for 20 minutes each day, increase this to 25-30 minutes each day, and weight loss should resume. If you are already exercising quite hard, try varying your workout routine. For example, if you do 20 minutes cardio and 30 minutes strength-training, switch them around.

(2) Avoid going too long without food. Going without food for long periods can also trigger a weight loss plateau. Ideally eat something (e.g. piece of fruit) every 3 hours (women) or about every 5 hours (men). This reassures your body that food is plentiful and facilitates calorie-burning.

(3) Try to be patient. Your weight loss plateau will disappear, I promise. But it typically takes anything between 1-4 weeks.

(4) If you join my healthy weight reduction program, you'll get tons of support and motivation to overcome your weight loss plateau.

What Weight Loss Goals are Best?

Knowing the best type of weight loss goals to aim for is crucial in maintaining your motivation to reduce weight.

Not Just a Matter of Losing Weight

It's great to step on your bathroom scales and discover you've lost weight, but weight reduction isn't the only target to aim for. In my experience, the most successful dieters are those people who have a variety of different goals.

Weight Loss Goals Should be: Specific, Realistic and Forgiving

For example, "take regular exercise" is a great objective, but it's not specific enough. Better is "Walk four miles every day." Then again, this may not be realistic if you are unfit or if you can't gauge distance. In such cases "walk for 30 minutes every day" is more realistic. But if your work schedule or the weather is too erratic to permit a daily walk, be more forgiving and aim for "30 minutes of walking for 5 days a week". This is specific, realistic and allows you two days off.

Nothing Succeeds Like Success

Before you start a weight loss program, take a few body-measurements. Measure your bust, waist, hips, thighs and upper arms. Keep a note and re-check your measurements every couple of weeks. Being able to see improvements in body shape, as well as weight, can be a useful extra boost if weight loss slows.

Short-Term Incremental Goals are Best For Weight Loss

Olympic athletes are among the world's most motivated people. They typically measure their progress in incremental stages, rather than big leaps. Apply this principle to your weight reduction campaign.

Does Diet and Exercise Really Work?

Are conventional diet and exercise programs effective in reducing weight over the long-term? The answer to this question is YES! Here's the proof.

Survey of 32,000 Dieters

In a follow-up survey of more than 32,000 people who used conventional dietary and exercise methods to reduce weight, published in the June 2002 issue of Consumer Reports, roughly 25 percent had lost at least 10 percent of their starting body weight and kept it off for at least a year.

Results and Lessons From the US National Weight Control Registry

Since 1993, about 3,000 women and men have joined the National Weight Control Registry. Membership is only open to people who have lost more than 30 pounds and kept them off for at least a year - although in practice most members have lost over 50 pounds and maintained it for 5 years or more.

How Fast Can You Lose Weight?

Weight Loss Includes Fat, Muscle and Water

When we lose weight we don't just lose fat. We lose a combination of body fat, and muscle tissue. For example, studies show that when we diet, the weight we lose is on average 75 percent fat and 25 percent muscle. Furthermore, a relatively high percentage of this weight loss is likely to be water loss. Remember, water accounts for about 70 percent of the total body weight of an average person, with muscle tissue containing roughly 75 percent water (plus 20 percent protein and 5 percent minerals), and body fat containing roughly 50 percent water.

Factors That Affect Speed of Weight Loss

The human body does not lose weight at a regular or uniform speed. Different people reduce weight at different speeds. This is because weight reduction is dependent on various factors, including: weight; diet and lifestyle; level of physical activity; health and genes (inc. metabolic rate); the level of stress experienced.

Weight Loss is Not an Exact Science

As you can see, not only does weight loss include other things besides fat-tissue, the actual speed of weight reduction is determined by a variety of individual factors. So it's difficult, if not impossible, to give a precise answer to the question "how fast can I lose weight?" However, as a rough guide, here are some basic guidelines for maximum weight loss.

How Do You Reduce A Fat Belly?

Is a Fat Stomach Unhealthy?

Yes. For people with a BMI of 34 or less, a fat belly is regarded as an additional health risk. Fatty tissue which is stored around the stomach and abdomen (sometimes called intra-abdominal, or visceral fat) carries a greater health risk than fat located in the lower body around the butt and thighs. Some health studies show that abdominal fat leads to raised blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, high blood sugar, insulin resistance syndrome (metabolic syndrome X) and heart disease. Because of this, some experts believe that waist circumference and fat-distribution is more important than your actual weight in predicting future health risks.

What Causes a Fat Belly?

Where we store fat (surplus calories) is largely a combination of gender, age and genetic inheritance. Men tend to store fat around their middle (apple shape), whereas women typically store fat around the pelvic region, hips, butt and thighs (pear shape). However, women are prone to develop an apple shape in mid-life, after menopause. This is because the female hormones are present in smaller amounts and so their shape tends to become more 'male'.

Three Easy Ways to Lose Weight

Adopt These 3 Daily Eating Habits and Lose 24 Pounds of Body Fat!

Daily eating habits are crucial to weight control. We don't become overweight because we have the occasional eating binge. The extra calories we eat on these occasions do less damage than we think. The truth is, we gain weight because of our daily eating habits. It is these daily high-calorie food choices that do the real damage. So one way to reduce weight is to choose lower-calorie foods for your everyday meals or snacks. Here are three examples:

(1) Lose an Easy Six Pounds of Fat

Choose:
1 cup skim milk (90 calories).

Instead of:
1 cup whole milk (150 calories).

Save
60 calories

Do this once a day and save: 21,900 calories per year.
This is equivalent to: 6.25 pounds of weight

How to Lose Weight After Pregnancy

Slow Weight Loss is Essential

Although having a baby is a wonderful experience for any woman, after enduring nine months of pregnancy symptoms, including 5-6 months of extra weight, it's quite natural to want to normalize your weight and regain your pre-pregnancy shape as soon as possible. But don't be too impatient. Life after giving birth typically throws up a new set of problems, which can cut across your plans to lose weight. So if you are a new mom, and you can't wait to get back into shape, take my advice and "Go Easy!" Trying to lose weight too fast can rebound on you.

Forget About Celebrity Moms Who Lose Weight Instantly

Celebrities who give birth are surrounded by dietitians, nurses and fitness experts. Plus, they often have major commercial commitments to safeguard. So for these new moms, losing weight after pregnancy is often accomplished must faster than for more average women. They are not a good example upon which to base your own postpartum weight loss goals.

Eat Healthily and Give Your Body Time to Recover

It takes up to 6 months after pregnancy for your body to return to normal. So even if you are not breast-feeding, don't be in too much of a hurry to cut calories. Apart from the physical trauma of giving birth, which itself can leave you feeling exhausted, looking after and being responsible for a new baby can be very stressful. It will require all your energy - especially as you get to grips with "night-feeds" and all the other demands of a new infant! So rather than focusing on "weight loss", concentrate for the first three months or so after the birth on eating healthy food with enough calories and nutrients to give you the energy and nutrition to cope.

How to Lose Your Final 10 Pounds of Fat

Here are a few tips to help you lose those last few pounds. They may sound obvious, but you'd be amazed how many dieters fail to take these elementary steps.

Be Patient

The key to losing those last stubborn pounds is to be patient! When you have very little weight to lose it is important to stick very closely to your diet in order get results. Think in terms of losing AT MOST 1-1.5 pound a week. This means following your diet and exercise program carefully for 7-10 weeks. If you do this, even the most stubborn final pounds of fat will disappear.

Boost Your Daily Exercise

If you take regular exercise, increase your workout by 10-15 minutes each day AND change your workout routine. Changing the type of exercise you do, or the duration, gives your metabolism an extra boost and helps to burn extra calories.

Eat Regularly

Eat little and often throughout the day. This helps to maintain your metabolic rate at maximum speed. Also, it keeps your blood-sugar level stable, which is helpful in reducing appetite build-up and food cravings. Some surveys show that eating "little and often" actually reduces appetite and calorie-intake.

Breastfeeding, Diet and Weight Control

If you want to breastfeed your baby and control your weight, think "healthy eating" rather than "dieting". Provided you eat the recommended number of calories and (above all) eat a variety of healthy foods, you won't gain weight during lactation, and you will probably shed some of your excess fat.

How Many Calories Do You Need When Breastfeeding?

Women's bodies are typically very efficient at producing breast milk, so you don't need to eat for two people! As a rough guide, increase your calorie-intake by about 500 calories over what you needed before you became pregnant. On average, this means that most nursing moms need to eat at least 2000 calories per day. (Note: You can obtain an extra 500 calories by eating a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of milk.)

Diet and Eating Advice For Women

PCOS Sample Diet Menu

This is a sample of a day's eating on a PCOS diet, shown for illustrative purposes only, to display a variety of possible foods.

Breakfast

3/4 cup All-Bran with low-fat milk
2 slices any wholegrain bread with margarine

Snack

1/2 cup blueberries (or, 2 small oatmeal cookies)

Lunch

Sourdough or wholegrain roll
1 slice lean ham (or turkey)
1/2 cup sliced bell pepper (or salad)
1 apple (or soft-serve yogurt w.strawberries)

Snack

1 banana (or 1oz low-fat mozzarella stick)

Dinner

5oz salmon (broiled) (or 4oz chicken breast)
1/2 cup spinach
1/2 cup carrots
1/2 cup cooked basmati/brown rice
1 medium scoop low-fat ice-cream w. 1/2 cup canned peaches (juice)

What is the Best Way to Lose Weight

No Single Way to Lose Weight

After 23 years of helping people to reduce weight and improve their health, I'm convinced that there is no "correct" way to diet or achieve long term weight loss. It's a case of "different strokes for different folks". So if you are comfortable with a low carb plan, that's fine. Or if you prefer a more balanced eating plan, that's fine too. As long as you eat healthy foods and get physically active, the extra weight is gonna disappear!

The Importance of Support When Trying to Lose Weight

Many dieters know exactly what they need to eat in order to lose weight. They also know about the importance of regular exercise. Trouble is, after months or years of failing to achieve their weight loss goals, they feel their chances of losing weight are close to zero. This is why support and motivation are so important. My weight loss program gives you awesome personal support - for the proof,

How to Lose Weight in 2 Weeks

If you want to lose (loose) weight and keep it off, you need to follow certain guidelines every day, for the rest of your life (or until you are told by your doctor not to):

1. Calculate total calories based upon what you will way *after* you have lost all your weight.

2. Drink 6 oz of water per pound of weight. If you weigh 150 lb, multiply that by 0.6 and you need to drink 96 ounces of water a day. That's a little over 1-1/2 quarts. And that is outside of what you drink while you exercise.

3. Perform the aerobics of your choice out for 45-60 minutes a day at a level whereby you work up a sweat, and stay sweaty.That means getting your heart rate up there and keep it up there. And don't forget to warm up and cool down before and after you work out.

4. Lift weights at a level where you can feel "the burn." Rule of thumb ... if you can do 12 reps, the weight is too light, and if you cannot do 8 reps, the weight is too heavy.

And one more thing ... think body fat, not pounds. If you cannot afford calipers, a tape measure is fine.

If you do all of these, you'll lose all the weight you want, and keep it off.

Many of my clients have been able to lose 15 lbs in 2 weeks using...

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