High cholesterol levels are slowly killing off the population. The increasing prevalence and risk of hypertension and heart disease in Americans are ringing the alarm bells in the country’s health sector. Health officials are desperately trying to find ways to combat the rise and make people aware of the eating lifestyle and exercise lifestyle that they are imbibing.

The truth about cholesterol

Although cholesterol is mainly the culprit in the increase in high blood pressure in the body, not all cholesterol that we take in is essentially bad. In fact, small amounts of cholesterol is being used by the body in the production of bile salts and in the transformation of Vitamin D. Cholesterol also plays a role in the balancing of hormones especially in women.

There are two kinds of cholesterol, the good and the bad as the lay people will like to clal them. The bad cholesterol or the LDL is the kind that is often found in saturated fats and trans fatty acids. These are taken into the body through foods that are pre-packed and prepared such as potato chips, canned goods, etc.
LDL cholesterol adheres to the walls of the arteries. High levels of LDL can form plaques in the arterial walls that may eventually cause clogging in the passageway of the blood. This slows down the blood flow, which in turn makes it hard for the heart to pump. This scenario describes the initial stages of hypertension and coronary heart problems.

What to eat

The good cholesterol HDL on the other hand lower the levels of LDL in the body by helping transport the LDL to the liver where it is excreted. HDL cholesterol can be found in fishes as well as in nuts.

Other foods that can lower the cholesterol levels are fruits and vegetables. These foods do not contain that much cholesterol so whatever you have, you will not be adding to its levels.

Another great thing about veggies and fruits is the fact that they are great sources of fibers that the body also need to combat the increase in LDL cholesterol. Berries, fruits that are citrus and carrots are just some of the fruits that you can count on.

Another food that can dramatically reduce the levels of cholesterol in the body is the soya. Fiber-rich food, soya as well as almonds and plant sterols figure in a landmark study conducted by University of Toronto that reduced the cholesterol levels of the participants by as much as 20 percent. Eating oats, olive oil and barley are also great ways to lower LDL.

Another great source of cholesterol are foods that are really oily. To lower one’s LDL, one must consciously avoid foods that are deep-fried. If you have to eat fried foods, make sure that the oil that you use is made out of vegetable.

Never use butter as this is rich in saturated fats. Instead, use margarine as a substitute. Try to also steam, braise, boil or bake your food. You will find that they are tastier and healthier.

Not just the food

There are many factors that contribute to the rise of cholesterol levels in the body. In addition to one’s eating lifestyle, there is the age, the gender, the family history and of course the amount of physical activity that the person does.

Exercise is fairly important in keeping LDL cholesterol at bay. What is more, it strengthens the body’s resistance as well as improves blood circulation.

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There are many things in a person’s life that have a direct impact on their overall health or even specific aspects of their health. One thing that has a serious impact on a person’s health is how they eat.

Good nutrition is a very important part of staying healthy. Healthy food choices mean a healthier body. There are a couple different reasons for this. For one thing if a person consumes large amounts of healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables and lean meats their bodies get an abundance of many important vitamins, minerals and nutrients.

Another reason that eating healthy keeps a person in good health is not because of what these foods contain but rather what they don’t. For example many prepackaged and processed foods contain large amounts of fats and hydrogenated oils. These are things that not only will cause a person to gain weight but they can lead to issues such as clogged arteries and various other heart problems as well.

Salt is another thing that should be used in moderation. Yes, salt makes our food taste good and give it flavor but it also has its negative points too. One such negative issue that often occurs from the excessive use of salt is high blood pressure. This is especially true if you are already prone to develop this condition due to family history or other risk factors. It is for this reason that there are so many salt free options for seasoning and flavoring food. Many of these taste even better than if salt was used and contain little or no salt.

Sugar is another food that can wreak havoc with a person’s body. While it may be true that a certain amount of sugar is needed to fuel the body, too much can be a very bad thing. Sugar can be particularly dangerous to someone who has been diagnosed with diabetes. For people such as this the amount of sugar which is consumed must be monitored very carefully. Natural sugar such as that found in fruits and other healthy foods is always a much better choice than adding sugar to other types of foods.

Although it may seem that there are a lot of foods that a person should steer clear of or at least limit their intake of there are also a lot of foods that are good to eat and taste just as good as well. For instance fruits such as strawberries, grapes, apples and oranges make great snacks that are much healthier than salty potato chips or super sweet candy bars.

As you can see there are many ways a person can control their health simply by watching what they eat. The healthier the food choices that you make the better your health will be as a result. It is important to remember that eating healthy does not have to taste bad; there are many healthy foods that taste really good too.

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Gastric bypass surgery may sound like a life saver, literally, but if you don’t have insurance, or if your insurance won’t cover the procedure you may think that you have no choice and won’t be able to get the surgery. There has been a lot of evidence to suggest that in the long run an insurance company would actually save money if they covered this type of surgery since the cost of treating heart problems, and diabetes, two common health issues related to obesity, would be significantly higher over a persons life span than the cost of gastric bypass surgery and recovery. Until the insurance companies change their policies many people are having their procedures done in other countries, gastric bypass Mexico is one such option.

Many American doctors have found that they can practice medicine just over the border for a fraction of the cost that it would cost them in the U.S. Why? Simple, one of the biggest reasons for skyrocketing health care costs is the mal practice insurance that every doctor must carry. Thanks to the greed of some lawyers and the eagerness of some patients to earn a quick buck, the number of frivolous law suits against doctors has risen dramatically. That makes every single procedure cost more since the doctor and the hospital have to pay huge premiums to their insurance company to protect them against law suits, the cost of those premiums get tacked on to the price of every single procedure you have done. Did you ever wonder why an aspirin in the hospital costs $6 or more?

Since a doctor practicing medicine in another country, like Mexico, doesn’t have the same restrictions, they don’t need to pay the sky high mal-practice insurance premiums, and they can pass that savings onto the patient. While the quality of care is comparable to what you could get in the U.S., you can get it for much less for this reason.

When choosing a clinic to perform your surgery, whether in the U.S. or Mexico, make sure you take a lot of time and care. Just like any other profession some doctors are better than others and when it comes to your health you want to make sure you choose the best doctor to perform you surgery. The first place you should start in your search for a qualified doctor is by asking friends and family for a referral, than keep checking their credentials, how many procedures they’ve performed, etc until you find the doctor and the clinic that you feel comfortable trusting your care to.

Don’t let the bottom line mentality of your insurance company stand in the way of you receiving a potentially life saving surgery, all you have to do is broaden your horizons and consider having gastric bypass Mexico. If you take time to find a qualified doctor and clinic south of the border, you can not only save yourself a lot of money while still getting the same level of care you would right here in the U.S., you’ll also potentially be saving your life. That is certainly worth a road trip!

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There are a lot of weight loss products that offer that fast weight loss results, however, are these really guaranteed? Could these products live up to their assurance of a fit body?

In US, there is an estimated 50 million people who try to lose weigh, unfortunately, only 5 per cent are successful. One thing’s for sure, beware of fraudulent claims and extreme high cost because there is no magic to losing weight.

Samples of weight loss products in the market nowadays:

Diet Patch this was already removed since 1990s by FDA since they were proven ineffective.
Magnetic Diet Pills allegedly flushes out fat, but not.
Guar Gum causes internal obstruction.
Electrical Muscle Stimulators no proven effect.
Eyeglasses that Suppress Appetite These claims that the projected image on the retina decreases appetite. No proven fact.
Weight loss earrings through acupuncture, suppresses appetite.

There are also examples of weight loss products:

Diet drinks that are mixed with beverages or food are used as meal substitutes. A downside of this is that once a person stopped taking the drinks, they would eventually regain the lost weight after a short period of time due to feeling of emptiness in the stomach. Another is diet supplements and medicines that also dont work long-term. Over-the-counter pills that compose of phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride may raise blood pressure and palpitation. Ephedra on the other hand can cause serious side effects such as heart problems, seizure, stroke, and even death. E.g.:

Herbalife Nutritional Program good as two meals, dieters may rely on shakes and follow artificial dieting methods and just dont want food to work into their lives.
Mega-Thin 100 Formula Its formula contains an anti-fat weapon, however, diet is not emphasized thats why its concluded that it has an appetite suppressant.
Nestls Sweet Success recommended to take three times a day and it does not promote healthy eating habits. Weight loss is difficult to maintain once intake is stopped.
Ultra Slim Fast this plan requires regular exercise but does not teach good eating habits.
Diet pills with Ephedra and PPA many of these have enclosed diet plans. Slimming can come from the diet plan and not the pill intake and there are risks of adverse side effects.
Chitosan products contains fibers which were taken from shellfish that may cause diarrhea, bloatedness, and gas. This will only work if a low fat diet is practiced.
Chromium Supplements claim that products will lower blood sugar, body fat and cholesterol but causes anemia and even memory loss. Studies show only minimal or no beneficial effect at all.
Green Tea Extract Products known as strong anti-oxidants that help lower cholesterol and triglycerides, and promote weight loss, however, the caffeine content could cause insomnia and restlessness.
Algae Tablets – Spirulina contains significant nutrients that can be an acceptable food when used as part of a varied diet but are very expensive.
St. John’s Wort Supplement – Claims that it will suppress appetite and promote weight loss but it could lead to gastrointestinal discomfort, tiredness, sleeplessness, and arouse allergic reactions.
Glucomannan Products claim that two capsules before each meal decrease food absorption. Known as food thickeners but not yet proven safe or effective. Weight loss will only happen if good diet plan is followed.

Even if you plan on using over-the-counter weight supplements or even participate in a weight loss activity, the verdict is that you still have to eat fewer calories than you burn to lose weight. When choosing a weight loss product or program, collect as much information as possible.

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