The cholesterol lowering shopping list part 1

The cholesterol lowering shopping list part 1 The shopping list you need to take action, get glowing, improve your heart health and start truly lowering your cholesterol Apples, pears, pineapples, bananas, oranges are on my fruit menu this week for cholesterol reduction. So far, I’ve had baked apples for dessert (stuffed with nuts & chocolate), had pineapple pear-mint smoothies, as well as loads of apples and oranges for snacks and smoothies. How do you make a food based change? Start with your shopping list.  This is exactly what I did back in September 2011, when I was first [...]

What are the best cooking oils to reduce cholesterol?

What are the best cooking oils to reduce cholesterol? Eat fat, lose weight, drop cholesterol! Seems nuts, right? Fat comes in different types - you've likely heard of saturated, monounsaturdated, and polyunsaturated fats. All of these have different functions.  Fats help cell membranes work and they are not the enemy, or something to be avoided as we have been doing since the 70's when the low-fat craze swept people into a fat-avoidance frenzy. Detailed research—much of it done at Harvard—shows that the total amount of fat in the diet isn't really linked with weight or disease. What really matters is [...]

Reduce cholesterol with daily oatmeal

Reduce cholesterol with daily oatmeal Since 1997, oatmeal has been given the status of a "qualified health claim" by the FDA. Health claims on food labels are claims by manufacturers of food products that their food will reduce the risk of developing a disease or condition. This oatmeal health claim has allowed advertisers to mention it as a heart friendly ingredient on any products that contains oatmeal. There are very few foods that have approved health claims. Since the 97' ruling, oatmeal has been further reviewed, and Dr. James W. Anderson, professor of medicine and clinical nutrition at the University [...]

How to make a green smoothie to reduce your cholesterol (video)

How to make a green smoothie to reduce your cholesterol (video) After my last post on green smoothies to reduce cholesterol, a reader asked a question about quantities and practicalities. In general - you can't really do a smoothie "wrong".  In other posts, I'll cover ways you can "jazz" up your morning smoothie to include other superfoods that have been proven to reduce cholesterol, but for now if you are getting your whole apple, half avocado and 2 cups of spinach packed into your blender, then you are doing very well! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVBB-ZYzOzI KEY TIPS: Just add enough liquid to the [...]

Statins have not been shown to prevent heart disease or heart attacks

Statins have not been shown to prevent heart disease or heart attacks The more research you do into heart health, the more incredulous you become at what governments support and doctors prescribe to millions. Up to 7 million in the UK, and almost 200 million people in the USA (half of men, ages 65 to 74, and 39% of women, ages 75 and older) are taking Statins to improve heart health. This is shocking considering there is little evidence for most patient groups, and no evidence for women who have never had a heart attack, that Statins provide any positive benefit and in fact it [...]

NHS guidelines for cholesterol reduction blatantly not followed inside government hospitals

NHS guidelines for cholesterol reduction blatantly not followed inside government hospitals I just had a surreal experience going to my quarterly check up at the NHS Royal Free with my lipid specialist to look at where I'm at with regards to my Familial hypercholesterolemia. Signage in the Cardio waiting area of the NHS hospital, The Royal Free. I was chuckling to myself sitting in front of this poster: How much salt? First - take a look at WHAT you're eating. I don't really think salt is the problem here. But no real dietary guidance will be given to those [...]

Make sure you watch this powerful movie on maintaining health – is free this month

Make sure you watch this powerful movie on maintaining health - is free this month I highly recommend you follow the link below and register for the upcoming free "Food Matters" movie viewing. I actually paid to see this movie last month, when I was learning all about cholesterol and health stuff - but they are offering it for free for a limited period and you can register your interest by clicking link below... I am going to watch it again, and try and write down some of what they are saying, so I can blog about it. I have [...]

The search for the best diet… aka the “heart whisperer”

The search for the best diet... aka the "heart whisperer" Last month, I had an epiphany about the importance of fully inhabiting each and every moment I have available to me. This has led to more consciously evaluating how I'm spending my time and in particular the quantity of time I need to be spending on activities that will improve my health. Most people to look at me would not think I'm unhealthy, but I know that I get winded climbing a few sets of stairs, that those "gentle warm up stretches" that we do at the beginning of many of the [...]