By Nikki Hart
1. Fish
Fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, fresh tuna (not canned) and mackerel are very high in omega-3 fatty acids. These reduce levels of triglycerides in the blood, lower blood pressure and reducing blood clotting. It is recommended that approximately 170g of fish is eaten twice a week.
2. Soy protein
Consuming 25-50g a day of soy protein found in foods such as tofu and soy milk can lower ‘bad' cholesterol (low density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol) by four to eight per cent. Try to replace some animal products with soy. Make a stir-fry using tofu rather than meat or make smoothies using soy milk.
3. Oats/oat bran
Oats and oat bran contain soluble fibre, which reduces cholesterol absorption. Eating 1½ cups of cooked oatmeal or an oat-based cereal each day lowers cholesterol, and 5 to 10g of soluble fibre a day decreases LDL cholesterol by five per cent.
4. Plant sterols
Plant sterols help block the absorption of cholesterol in the gut. You can find these in margarines designed to help people reduce their high levels of ‘bad' LDL cholesterol.
5. Walnuts
These nuts are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which help reduce blood cholesterol and keep blood vessels healthy and elastic. Eating 30g of nuts daily (or at least four to five times a week) is protective.
Showing posts with label cholesterol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cholesterol. Show all posts
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Inherited Information Part 2, and how to give your scapulas a workout without trying
Inherited Information
Oats
I'm eating them again and so far so good (no rash, which leads me to suspect that wheat or dairy is the culprit).
Liz mentioned yesterday that oats are rich in beta glucan which can help control blood cholesterol, and that's also the topic of another article in my inherited food magazines.
'Oats', by Juliette Kellow, was originally published in Delicious, vol 2, issue 6. Here are the main points:
* Research shows that beta glucan can help lower blood cholesterol levels, which in turn lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke. This soluble fibre binds with cholesterol to prevent it being re-absorbed into the blood. On average, consuming just 3g of soluble oat fibre a day (the amount found in a typical bowl of porridge) is thought to lower cholesterol by eight to 23 percent.
* Animal studies have also shown that oats contain unique plant compounds called avenanthramides, which act as antioxidants to prevent harmful free-radical damage causing heart disease. Better still, when vitamin C is added, the body appears to be protected from free-radical damage for even longer.
How to give your scapulas a workout without trying
Do BB Romaninan deadlifts with 15kg plates on the bar. Keep shoulders back - no rounding!
Oats
I'm eating them again and so far so good (no rash, which leads me to suspect that wheat or dairy is the culprit).
Liz mentioned yesterday that oats are rich in beta glucan which can help control blood cholesterol, and that's also the topic of another article in my inherited food magazines.
'Oats', by Juliette Kellow, was originally published in Delicious, vol 2, issue 6. Here are the main points:
* Research shows that beta glucan can help lower blood cholesterol levels, which in turn lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke. This soluble fibre binds with cholesterol to prevent it being re-absorbed into the blood. On average, consuming just 3g of soluble oat fibre a day (the amount found in a typical bowl of porridge) is thought to lower cholesterol by eight to 23 percent.
* Animal studies have also shown that oats contain unique plant compounds called avenanthramides, which act as antioxidants to prevent harmful free-radical damage causing heart disease. Better still, when vitamin C is added, the body appears to be protected from free-radical damage for even longer.
How to give your scapulas a workout without trying
Do BB Romaninan deadlifts with 15kg plates on the bar. Keep shoulders back - no rounding!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Inherited Information Part I
We received a shipment of Rob's dad's things from New Zealand on Friday. In it were some of his recipe books and food magazines. I was flipping them and came across a few articles that are relevant to what I am trying to do with my diet at the moment (reduce ‘bad’ cholesterol).
The first, 'Smart Food', by Nikki Hart, was originally published in Essentially Food, April/May 2007. Here are the main points:
1.'Eat a Rainbow' every day! This means eat plant foods at every meal and most snacks. The carotenoids in yellow and orange fruit and vegetables have been shown to be heart protective. Eating a range of plant foods provides the maximum amount of antioxidants. Chop large pieces of fresh golden pineapple and have on hand in the fridge for a quick hear protective snack.
2. Get going with whole grains! Chewy grains and seeds are best as this slows digestion down and keeps you feeling fuller for longer - aiding weight loss. Oats are particularly good for the heart. The specific fibre beta-glucan has an enormous beneficial effect on cholesterol levels and has been shown to help prevent heart disease.
3. Boost your diet with legumes. Dried peas and beans contain a valuable source of protein that can be incorporated into the diet allowing you to eat less saturated fat in meat. Use hummus as a snack with vegetable sticks. Soy is also worth a special mention. 1-2 servings of soy protein-rich foods a day may be sufficient to provide long term benefits for the heart.
4. Favour fish - especially the oily types. The omega-3 fatty acids reduce blood clotting. Sticky, thick blood is not good for the arteries. Fresh fish such as tuna and salmon are good sources, as are canned salmon, sardines or mackerel (not canned tuna).
5. Ditch the hidden saturated fat. Swap from butter to canola or olive oil, move from full-fat to low fat milk and dairy products, choose reduced fat ice-cream, eat cheese occasionally (it is very high in fat!), and cut the visible fat off meat!
6. Go Nuts! Nuts have a good mixture of unsaturated fatty acids that are shown to be good for the heart. Ten almonds or four walnuts as a snack with fruit is an excellent way to boost protective fats for the heart.
7. Shake the salt habit! Highly processed foods such as canned soups, sauces, gravies, stocks, pre-prepared deli meats, sausages, fried foods etc are very high in salt.
8. Only use small amounts of unsaturated fats for cooking - just because it is better for you doesn’t mean you should pour it on. And ‘lite’ oil is only ‘lite’ in colour NOT calories!
Nikki’s Ultimate Heart Smart Day
* A bowl of porridge with soy milk and a sprinkle of almonds and raisins
* 1 cup pineapple chunks
* 2 x grainy bread with hummus, avocado and salad; 1/3 cup mixed nuts; 1-2 pieces fruit
* a few berries or seasonal fruit and 150ml frozen yoghurt
* 170g baked salmon on puy lentils; rocket salad with vinaigrette dressing; slow roasted tomatoes
* dried fruit and nuts
The first, 'Smart Food', by Nikki Hart, was originally published in Essentially Food, April/May 2007. Here are the main points:
1.'Eat a Rainbow' every day! This means eat plant foods at every meal and most snacks. The carotenoids in yellow and orange fruit and vegetables have been shown to be heart protective. Eating a range of plant foods provides the maximum amount of antioxidants. Chop large pieces of fresh golden pineapple and have on hand in the fridge for a quick hear protective snack.
2. Get going with whole grains! Chewy grains and seeds are best as this slows digestion down and keeps you feeling fuller for longer - aiding weight loss. Oats are particularly good for the heart. The specific fibre beta-glucan has an enormous beneficial effect on cholesterol levels and has been shown to help prevent heart disease.
3. Boost your diet with legumes. Dried peas and beans contain a valuable source of protein that can be incorporated into the diet allowing you to eat less saturated fat in meat. Use hummus as a snack with vegetable sticks. Soy is also worth a special mention. 1-2 servings of soy protein-rich foods a day may be sufficient to provide long term benefits for the heart.
4. Favour fish - especially the oily types. The omega-3 fatty acids reduce blood clotting. Sticky, thick blood is not good for the arteries. Fresh fish such as tuna and salmon are good sources, as are canned salmon, sardines or mackerel (not canned tuna).
5. Ditch the hidden saturated fat. Swap from butter to canola or olive oil, move from full-fat to low fat milk and dairy products, choose reduced fat ice-cream, eat cheese occasionally (it is very high in fat!), and cut the visible fat off meat!
6. Go Nuts! Nuts have a good mixture of unsaturated fatty acids that are shown to be good for the heart. Ten almonds or four walnuts as a snack with fruit is an excellent way to boost protective fats for the heart.
7. Shake the salt habit! Highly processed foods such as canned soups, sauces, gravies, stocks, pre-prepared deli meats, sausages, fried foods etc are very high in salt.
8. Only use small amounts of unsaturated fats for cooking - just because it is better for you doesn’t mean you should pour it on. And ‘lite’ oil is only ‘lite’ in colour NOT calories!
Nikki’s Ultimate Heart Smart Day
* A bowl of porridge with soy milk and a sprinkle of almonds and raisins
* 1 cup pineapple chunks
* 2 x grainy bread with hummus, avocado and salad; 1/3 cup mixed nuts; 1-2 pieces fruit
* a few berries or seasonal fruit and 150ml frozen yoghurt
* 170g baked salmon on puy lentils; rocket salad with vinaigrette dressing; slow roasted tomatoes
* dried fruit and nuts
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Measurements
Lots of measurements this week.
On Monday I went to the doctor for a general check-up and blood tests. Everything was 'normal' except for my cholesterol levels, which showed a moderate elevation in LDL cholesterol. There is a history of high cholesterol in my family, so even though I eat well, I kinda thought they might be up there. While my other cardiovascular risk factors seem to be OK, I'll still need to keep an eye on my cholesterol levels, getting them checked every six to 12 months. What I'd like is for them to have come down the next time I get tested. So I've stuck my blood test results to the wall, along with some methods to get these numbers down:
Exercise 4-6 hours each week Have done this for the last two weeks. Need to keep it up.
Lose any excess weight In progress.
Eat nuts Will include two handfuls of walnuts or almonds daily.
Eat omega 3 fats Check.
Consume plant sterols/stanols I don’t eat margarine (enriched or otherwise), so will consider supplementation if all else fails.
Get some flax Will use 1-2 Tbsp of flaxseeds per day.
Eat cinnamon Will have 1/2 tsp per day.
Avoid saturated and trans fats Will limit saturated fats to 10-13 grams per day.
Eat more [soluble] fiber Will increase legumes to 1 cup per day.
Try some garlic Will use garlic in cooking when possible.
Drink green tea. I don't really like green tea so will 'hide' it by using cold green tea with my Vital Greens in the a.m.
Try replacing some animal protein with vegetable protein Check.
Get some soy Check, mostly soy milk.
Decrease refined carbohydrate intake Check.
Stay hydrated I suck at drinking water so am going to include more smoothies and soups in my diet to keep my fluid levels up.
Consume citrus Will aim to eat one piece of citrus per day (grapefruit if possible).
On Monday I went to the doctor for a general check-up and blood tests. Everything was 'normal' except for my cholesterol levels, which showed a moderate elevation in LDL cholesterol. There is a history of high cholesterol in my family, so even though I eat well, I kinda thought they might be up there. While my other cardiovascular risk factors seem to be OK, I'll still need to keep an eye on my cholesterol levels, getting them checked every six to 12 months. What I'd like is for them to have come down the next time I get tested. So I've stuck my blood test results to the wall, along with some methods to get these numbers down:
Exercise 4-6 hours each week Have done this for the last two weeks. Need to keep it up.
Lose any excess weight In progress.
Eat nuts Will include two handfuls of walnuts or almonds daily.
Eat omega 3 fats Check.
Consume plant sterols/stanols I don’t eat margarine (enriched or otherwise), so will consider supplementation if all else fails.
Get some flax Will use 1-2 Tbsp of flaxseeds per day.
Eat cinnamon Will have 1/2 tsp per day.
Avoid saturated and trans fats Will limit saturated fats to 10-13 grams per day.
Eat more [soluble] fiber Will increase legumes to 1 cup per day.
Try some garlic Will use garlic in cooking when possible.
Drink green tea. I don't really like green tea so will 'hide' it by using cold green tea with my Vital Greens in the a.m.
Try replacing some animal protein with vegetable protein Check.
Get some soy Check, mostly soy milk.
Decrease refined carbohydrate intake Check.
Stay hydrated I suck at drinking water so am going to include more smoothies and soups in my diet to keep my fluid levels up.
Consume citrus Will aim to eat one piece of citrus per day (grapefruit if possible).
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