Category: Women’s Health

Good And Bad Cholesterol

Your body has both good and bad cholesterol. In order to increase the good and lower the bad you have many choices.

Of course, to control your good and bad cholesterol you can use medicine and diet factors.

If you want to control your cholesterol you can combine one or more of these factors.

Depending on you and what your cholesterol levels are, you may find that eating a little better and getting more exercise may be all you need to do to help lower your bad (LDL) and raise your good (HDL).

Of course, before you do anything make sure you talk to your doctor.

This is important because you may have other health issues in addition to cholesterol and your doctor can guide you through the process and help ensure that you don’t make one thing worse by concentrating on another.

So, here are some ideas that may help you get the cholesterol levels you need:

1. Cut down on the amount of fat you get from your diet by cutting back on foods like meats and dairy. And not eating out at a fast food place is kind of a no brainer.

2. Cut way back on the amount of sugar you get in your diet. And when figuring out how much sugar you get, don’t forget to include the amount of sugar that is in the beverages you drink.

If you start reading the labels of some drinks you will be amazed (appalled) at the amount of sugar they contain. Have you ever read the label for a so called energy drink?

Some people will substitute diet drinks but before you do you may want to ask yourself one question; is this sugar substitute really a good thing for my body?

My personal decision is to stay away from as many man made chemicals as I reasonably can. I don’t drink diet soda for that reason.

I know that small amounts of sugar won’t harm me, but I’m not so sure about any amount of artificial sweetener.

3. Figure out how much sodium you get in your diet and then cut back if you need to. Most people who eat a lot of processed foods will be getting a lot of sodium in their diet, possibly more than they should be.

All of these things can work together to help you keep not only your cholesterol levels in check but help keep your heart safe and strong too.

Instead of thinking that you can’t eat anything, here are some foods that may be able to help your cholesterol levels: walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts and pecans.

But, don’t get carried away. If you eat too many of these nuts you will be diminishing the benefit since these nuts are all high in fat. One cup a day is plenty.

Oatmeal and oat bran have also been shown to help lower cholesterol levels when eaten on a regular basis.

Fish and other foods high in Omega – 3 fatty acids such as salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel and lake trout.

As you can see, keeping your good and bad cholesterol levels in check may be as simple as adding or deleting some foods from

Flu Season-Bah Humbug No Flu For You

Winter is the season of joy and fun what with all he holidays it has jam packed into it. But it is also a season of sickness, it is not called the flu season for no reason after all. With so much going on during this time of year you can not afford to keel over due to the flu. But with you running all over the place, preparing for the holidays while managing work and a home life, it can be exceptionally easy for you to suddenly find yourself with a fever and bed ridden.

The flus hits thousands of people every year, every time you leave the house odds are you are encountering someone with the flu. So how do you protect yourself? How do you keep yourself healthy? You can not walk around in a hazmat outfit or hold up in your house. But there are other things you can do to keep yourself in tip top shape throughout the holiday season.

1. Strengthen your immune system. The best method for fighting off any illness is simply not to get it. Your own body’s immune system can do just that if you help it out. Keeping your immune system in perfect shape is the best way to avoid getting the flu and to do this you just need to keep your body healthy. Get plenty of exercise to keep in shape and fit, which also strengthens your immune system.

Eating fruits and vegetables also boosts it up as it ensures your immune system is getting all the vitamins and minerals it needs for the flu season. Lastly, make sure to get plenty of sleep. Your body needs to recharge after a hard days work and the more worn out it is, the weaker your immune system becomes.

2. Get a flu shot. A flu vaccine is another simple way to keep yourself free from that pesky sickness this season. What it does is introduce a weakened strain of the flu virus that your body’s immune system can kill off right away. This allows your body to recognize the flu as an illness and more readily respond when it detects the virus in your system, killing it off before it does any harm.

3. Wash your hands regularly. This may sound simply and even a bit obsessive but simply keeping your hands clean is a great way to keep yourself healthy this flu season. As you go through your daily grind your hands are touching all sorts of things, picking up germs and bacteria everywhere they go. Then if you eat or rub your face, all those germs are going into your system, forcing your immune system to kill them off, which makes it easier for the flu to take hold.

If you simply wash your hands regularly you can prevent this from happening, keeping your immune system at peak efficiency since it does not have to fight off all these other pesky invaders. You should also wipe down your equipment you use such as your telephone or keyboard, especially if other people use them.

Fight Flu Germs-Winter Season Down Fall

Winter is a fun time of year. The landscape is covered in white, you have plenty of holidays to spend with loved ones, it generally is a good time of year. But it also has it’s downsides. Winter is also the time of year when the flu runs rampant and everyone seems to be getting sick. Getting the flu is something nobody wants, we would all much rather avoid it if we can.

So since the best way of dealing with the flu is to simply not get the flu, you want to Fight flu germs before they get in and cause you harm. There are some tips that can help you do just that and kick the flu to the curb before it lays you up in bed.

1. Get plenty of exercise. Exercise is a great way of keeping your body healthy. A healthy body also means a healthy immune system, and the stronger your immune system is, the better chance it has at fending off any pesky invaders like the flu. So keeping it in running order is important.

2. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. While getting exercise is important, your body needs the proper fuel as well. Your body is a machine like any other, it needs proper care and fuel to run, fruits and vegetables have needed vitamins and minerals to keep your body and your immune system running.

3. Get plenty of rest. One of the best ways to Fight flu germs is to simply make sure you get plenty of rest. It can be difficult in a hectic life, especially during the flu season when there just seems to be so much you need to do. But you should try to ensure you get plenty of sleep so your body is well rested and able to fight off invaders.

4. Keep your hands clean. In your daily life you touch quite a few things, from objects to people. This allows you to pick up all sorts of nasty germs just waiting to do your body harm. Pretty much all of these will be dealt with by your immune system, but if your immune system is busy fighting other germs, flu germs may slip past your defenses and start mucking things up. So keeping your hands clean limits the amount of germs you are taking in, allowing your anti-bodies to focus on the real threat.

5. Get a flu shot. The ultimate way to Fight flu germs is to simply get a vaccine. Vaccines work by introducing an inert virus into your body, allowing your immune system to kill it and learn what exactly it is. Once your immune system learns what it is, it can make anti-bodies designed specifically to target and kill that virus, meaning when a flu germ gets inside you, your immune system can react much quicker in destroying it.

If you take preventative measures and keep yourself safe and healthy, the flu should not be much more than a minor inconvenience, allowing you to enjoy the holiday season to it’s fullest.

Diets For Good Cholesterol-Mother Nature Can Help

We were made to be able to get all the nutrients we need right out of the ground. When it comes to finding diets for good cholesterol you have to look no further that what is available from Mother Nature.

Diets for good cholesterol don’t have to be expensive to make or difficult to prepare, all you need to do is learn to incorporate several key ingredients into as many meals as you can.

These foods are naturally good at helping you get your good cholesterol levels high, your bad levels low and keeping them that way.

Make a list and the next time you go to the grocery store stock up on these things. You can find many recipes that will include one or more of these items or you can just switch out some recipes that you currently have and add these foods instead.

Here you go:

1. Beans. These little wonders are a great source of protein and fiber and they can even help you raise your good levels and lower your bad levels.

2. Salmon. This fish along with others like tuna, sardines and herrings, can also provide a lot of omega 3 acids. This is a great ingredient to help you maintain a healthy heart.

According to the American Heart Association you should eat at least 2 servings of fish per week.

3. Brown rice. Brown rice can provide a high protein low fat alternative to other side dishes. Another benefit of brown rice? It is a great source of fiber too.

4. Apples. You know the whole “apple a day keeps the doctor away”? Well, turns out that that is true! Apples have pectin which is a soluble fiber that can decrease the bad cholesterol in the blood stream.

5. Nuts. Many types of nuts are loaded with polyunsaturated fats which can help reduce cholesterol levels. Some of the best are hazel nuts, almonds and walnuts.

Remember though, that nuts are high in fat so you don’t want to eat too much of them. Limit your intake to a cup a day.

It is true, too much of a good thing can be bad.

6. Various fruits that are high in antioxidants are a great addition to your diet too. They taste great and can be added to many types of recipes. Blueberries are one example.

Of course, it’s not just about what you eat, it’s also about what you do. It is important that you move your body and get some exercise.

Many people seem to have a bit of a block when it comes to exercise. They seem to think that it will be hard but that doesn’t have to be the case.

You can, and should, start small. Simple changes can make a big difference. Just start taking your dog for a walk every day, for example.

Park a little further away from the store or your office to force yourself walk.

As you can see, there are some simple changes you can make to help you get your cholesterol levels in check. There are many diets for good cholesterol, just find the one that works best for you.