Healthy Foods to Help Lower Cholesterol

Some foods can be helpful in lowering cholesterol naturally.  
You may want to add or increase your consumption of  these foods:    

•  Whole grains, such as oatmeal, oat bran, high-fiber foods and whole-wheat products.
•  Nuts, such as walnuts, almonds and brazil nuts
•   Omega-3 fatty acids, such as fatty fish, fish oil supplements, flaxseeds and flaxseed oil

Oatmeal, especially steel-cut oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad," cholesterol.

Soluble fiber is also found in foods such as kidney beans, apples, pears, barley and prunes.

 The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two servings of fish a week. The highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids are in:

•     Mackerel
•     Lake trout
•     Herring
•     Sardines
•     Albacore tuna
•     Salmon
•     Halibut

To avoid adding unhealthy fats you should bake or grill the fish. If you don't like fish, you can also get small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids from foods like ground flaxseed or canola oil, omega-3 (grass-fed) meat, eggs and dairy products, and green vegetables.

What's on Your Plate?

March is National Nutrition month.

 

Did you know, the healthy plate or food pyramid has changed?

These foods contain the nutrients you need for health:

4 foods to eat most often:

 1. vegetables

 2. fruit

 3. whole grains

 4. lean protein, including fish, poultry, dried beans and nuts.

 Limit red meat and cheese.  

Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.    Fruits and veggies are rich in  anti-oxidants and minerals your body needs. The USDA recommends eating 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.  Choose red, orange and dark-green vegetables such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and green leafy vegetables.   Brightly colored fruits like berries are rich in antioxidants. Add fruit to meals as part of main or side dishes and for snacks or dessert. Make half your grains whole grains, such as whole wheat bread and brown rice. Cut back on foods high in solid fats, added sugars and sodium.  Eat less cookies, cake, candy, sweet drinks, pizza and fatty meats.  Avoid bacon, cold cuts and other processed meats. Drink plenty of water-- six to eight glasses each day.

If you find it a challenge to fit eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day, a multivitamin can help you to get the full range of nutrients more consistently.

USANA makes two multivitamins-- Essentials and HealthPak, which offer complete and balanced minerals and anti-oxidants.

HealthPak is Essentials plus Active Calcium and AO Booster, packaged in convenient AM and PM packets.

 

Moderate fish intake during pregnancy improves fetal health and growth

Eating fish during pregnancy can be beneficial for both mother and child.

At a Glance


A new meta-analysis of 19 European studies shows that women with a moderate fish intake during pregnancy are less likely to experience a preterm birth than women who rarely eat fish.
Read more about this research below. 

Although it can be a source of concern due to environmental pollutants, fish intake has long been considered an important source of essential nutrients, especially during fetal development and early childhood.

In a new study published online in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers analyzed the possible association between fish intake during pregnancy and fetal growth, gestation length, and overall health.

The study gathered information from 19 population-based birth studies that included 151,880 European mother-child pairs. Data from the individual studies were gathered, adjusted and standardized using a random and fixed-effects meta-analysis.

Compared to women who rarely at fish (once a week or less), women who ate fish more than once per week had a lower risk of preterm birth. Women who at fish more than once/week but less than 3 times per week had a 13% lower risk of preterm birth compared to women who rarely ate fish. Risk reduction was similar in women eating fish more than 3 times a week. Women eating fish more than once/week also gave birth to infants with a higher birth weight independent of gestational age. Fish intake had the most significant effect in infants of smokers and overweight or obese women.

The results of this large population study support the idea that moderate fish intake during pregnancy is associated with a lower risk of preterm birth and improved health and birth weight. 
Vasiliki Leventakou et al.  Fish intake during pregnancy, fetal growth, and gestational length in 19 European birth cohort studies.  First published  December 11, 2013, doi: 10.3945/​ajcn.113.067421.