Archive for the ‘Cholesterol and Diet’ Category

Is a cholesterol free diet even possible? Maybe, maybe not but more importantly is it safe for you to have a completely cholesterol free diet?

I mean with all of the important functions cholesterol performs in your body like:

1. Hormone production (estrogen and testosterone)
2. Helps to provide cell wall strength
3. Helps with digestion (bile acid production)
4. Provides insulation for nerves
5. Aids Vitamin D production
6. Helps repair cell membranes

Do you really want to go without those functions taking place in your body?

If you do a search on the web you’ll find hundreds of searches monthly for cholesterol free diet. People all over the world are looking for the ultimate low to no cholesterol diet plan.

But again is a cholesterol free diet what you desire or really want? Or is it the decreased heart attack risk and benefits being healthier can provide? Maybe, maybe not only you really know the answer to that question.

Remember your body produces cholesterol in your liver so that the various functions listed can occur. The issue for most people is that they add too much additional cholesterol into their body from the foods they consume.

Now because the amount of cholesterol your body needs varies from day to day and over time, what seems like a normal or healthy amount of cholesterol today. May be too much the next day after that burger and fries pushed you over the levels your body needs.

Eat too much fat and cholesterol filled foods and the excess enters your blood stream and begins to clog up your arteries. Which you already know about at this point but, here is the thing. How do you know your blood cholesterol is high on Tuesday but not on Wednesday? Do you carry a portable test kit with you?

How do you know how much cholesterol is in that sandwich and chips without testing it? You don’t know and besides who wants to spend all of their time doing cholesterol food analysis? No you want to eat and move on.

So that brings me back to my question, is there such a thing as a cholesterol free diet? Maybe there is but, wouldn’t it be more enjoyable to add low cholesterol foods to your diet?

You know try adding foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish etc. to your meals and snacks, instead of searching the globe for zero cholesterol foods all the time.

I’m not saying not to seek out zero cholesterol food because the less you consume the better. But do not let cholesterol free diets consume your diet choices live a little eat a low cholesterol pork chop or chicken dish.

Let your hair down and have a slice of banana nut bread. Keep and eye on your cholesterol levels but don’t only focus on everything you eat being cholesterol free all the time.

Ask any woman what the leading cause of death is amongst women
and you’re bound to hear everything but heart disease. Women the
world over just don’t realize they may be more at risk for having
a heart attack and dying from heart disease than the men in their
lives. The thing is most women don’t seem to believe the reports
about the risk women face when it comes to heart disease. So
here are some facts that every woman should be aware of and take
to heart, no pun intended.

1. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the
United States. In 2006, 315,930 women died from it.

2. Heart disease killed 26% of the women who died in 2006—more
than one in every four.

3. Thirty-six percent of women did not perceive themselves to be
at risk for heart disease in a 2005 survey because heart disease
is often thought to be a “man’s disease”.

4. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women of most
racial/ethnic groups in the United States, including African
Americans, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Hispanics, and
whites. For Asian American women, heart disease is second only to
cancer.

5. Almost two-thirds of the women who die suddenly of coronary
heart disease have no previous symptoms. I know you’re busy you
have the kids to care for, work, school, etc. but, you need to
step back for a minute and get serious about your improving your
heart health.

I know breast cancer is a major concern for women all over the
world and many women feel they have a higher risk of dying from
breast cancer then heart disease. But the facts tell
a different story – you have a greater risk of dying from heart
disease than breast cancer.

Heart disease covers a wide range of medical conditions ranging
from high cholesterol, congestive heart failure, to heart
fluttering, etc. One of the biggest mistakes you can make
regarding your health is to deny that you may be at risk for a
heart attack. Be proactive and take preemptive steps today to
start improving your health.

Don’t take just the month of February (National Wear Red Day,
and American Heart Month) to improve your heart health and skip
the other eleven months of the year. Take action to improve your
heart health year round in fact the easiest first step you can
take is to improve your diet.

Learn as much as you can about how your diet affects your heart
and cardiovascular health then implement what you have learned
and slowly you will begin to decrease your heart attack risk.