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30 Dec 09 Healthy Ways To Lower Cholesterol

Lowering your cholesterol is usually a good idea, and in many cases a necessity.  But taking drugs can be scary, especially with the healthcare industry’s growing overuse of new and unproven medications.  Who knows what a new drug today could do to your system later.  Many consequences are never fully discovered because of the relatively short testing cycles for new drugs.  But you can avoid all these side effects by eating healthier, and using a few foods to lower cholesterol naturally.

The best food to do that?  Oatmeal.  Studies show that the soluble fiber found in oatmeal blocks the body’s absorption of LDL cholesterol within the intestines.  The same fiber is also found in apples and kidney beans, but is most prevalent in oatmeal and oat bran.  A regular breakfast composed of oatmeal can help to lower cholesterol slowly, but surely, over time.

Olive oil is another one of those wonder foods that actually helps to control and lower your harmful cholesterol.  Using olive oil instead of other harmful oils can help to lower your LDL cholesterol, and actually raise your good cholesterol (HDL).

Almonds and walnuts are another good way to increase heart health.  Both help to decrease the likelihood that you’ll develop heart disease by lowering the amount of cholesterol found in your blood stream.  The antioxidants contained in both, particularly in the brown skin of almonds, actually work to decrease the amount of cholesterol in your veins.

Finally, fish.  Fish contain omega 3 fatty acids, and those are remarkable at eliminating cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, and lowers the risk of developing blood clots.  You can either eat the fish, mainly salmon, trout, or tuna, but you can also take fish oil supplements which provide all the omega 3 positives.  But remember, these are great ways to naturally lower your cholesterol, but shouldn’t be taken as a way to treat high blood pressure or cholesterol.  Always consult your doctor first.  But adopting healthy lifestyle changes is a great way to stay healthier in the first place.

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26 Oct 09 The Health Importance Of Pumpkins

Now that Halloween is rolling around this weekend, you’ve probably got pumpkins on your mind.  Whether because you see them all around, considering Autumn is pumpkin time, and North America is where pumpkins originated.  Or because you’re gearing up for some pumpkin carving sessions, as part of the holiday fun.  You may have overlooked just how nutritious pumpkins are to your health, opposed to just the fun they offer this season.

Pumpkins are actually another one of those foods that is spectacular for you health wise.  You may not have even thought about it, but pumpkins offer a variety of healthy benefits.  Most of those being antioxidants.  The meaty part of a pumpkin contains a variety of antioxidants that do everything from eliminate free radicals to clear out your veins lowering your cholesterol.

Pumpkins also contain plenty of zinc which strengthens your bones by helping to fend off osteoporosis.  Pumpkins also have plenty of fiber, which functions to clear out your entire system, from your intestines, to your veins.  Fiber clears everything up, and pumpkins offer plenty of great healthy fiber.

But it’s not just the pumpkin meat that’s fantastically good for you, don’t discard how important the seeds are.  Pumpkins are very high in lean healthy protein.  Pumpkin seeds are also known to contain plenty of iron, magnesium, copper, and plenty of zinc.  All of which are important for your body to soak up in the appropriate amounts.

Pumpkins seeds also are high in phytosterols, which are like a form of healthy cholesterol that can actually help to aid in reducing harmful cholesterol within the body.  Pumpkin seed oil is actually full of these healthy fatty acids, and are a great place to turn for them.  So don’t underestimate what that pumpkin can do for you.  And when you’re carving one up with the family, save the seeds and try baking them for a tasty, and very healthy snack.

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