How to Show Love to Your Heart and Blood Vessels

As the saying goes: “Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are.” We could also say that: “Tell me what is your lifestyle and I will help you determine your health.” Diet, physical activities, and presence or absence of vices are some of the factors that help determine your physical health. If you practice healthy lifestyle and has a positive outlook in life from your early age, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and other illnesses due to unhealthy lifestyle will not befriend you for sure.

Doctors try their best to give the best cholesterol treatment to their patients to help the functioning of heart and blood vessels to be maintained on its normal level but it should be accompanied with cooperation of patients to change their lifestyle as well. But, some people made their maintenance medication an excuse to eat food they want with their crooked reasoning.

Following healthy lifestyle since younger years will make your blood vessels  as if  like express highway roads for your blood to flow well carrying nutrients and essential things to millions of cells in your body. But, unhealthy diet, especially those rich in trans fats and cholesterol, accompanied by lack of exercise plus too much alcohol intake along with smoking addiction, definitely your blood vessels that are as wide as express highways will be as narrow as 2-way road because of accumulated waste materials called “bad” cholesterol or low density lipoproteins (LDL) that cling to the blood vessels.

Whether our blood vessels are narrow or wide our Red Blood Cells need to produce same amount of nutrients to the millions of cells in our body that need not to be delayed or else our body will not function well. In order for the Red Blood Cells to compensate for the narrow blood vessels, heart need to pump faster for the blood to flow faster as well through the narrow blood vessels. Consistent too much  workload for the heart and too much pressure to the blood vessels could result to Coronary Artery Disease, stroke and other health problems.

Maintenance medication for hypertension and high cholesterol level help stretch your blood vessels for the blood to flow well without much pressure. While following healthy lifestyle help you sweep away the accumulated bad cholesterol that cling to the blood vessels.

What you can do aside from following healthy lifestyle? Better have a regular check up of blood pressure and your lipid level with Lipid Profile test on the laboratory. Lipid profile is composed of 5 tests namely Total Cholesterol, Triglycerides, High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol level test, Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol level test and Very Low Density Lipoprotein Level Test.

Why We Consider Junk Food an Unhealthy Food

“Why we consider junk food an unhealthy food and why it is called junk Aunt Midas?” my niece asked me yesterday afternoon while we are buying some stuff at the supermarket. I simply answered her that junk foods are bad foods especially those that are preserved, they are not good for the body. Junk food is an unhealthy food, not fit for eating. But she insisted that there are healthy junk foods too because of some nutritional value you could find on its packs that is why eating junk foods is fine. She made me smile that time, yes, all foods have some value but it does not mean that it has a little nutritional value you could categorize it as healthy or nutritious food. I explained to her that junk foods effects, could not be seen immediately, that it takes time before she could see its bad effects.

Why we categorize junk foods as unhealthy foods? Not just because of its low nutritional value that it was called unhealthy food but because of junk foods effects, the hazards it could cause to one’s health. Junk foods are usually high in fats. As we could see on the back label of a junk food, the fats they mostly use are hydrogenated oils, the common term for trans fatty acids or trans fats (could cause cancer). Manufacturers hydrogenate the healthy unsaturated fats so that it will last long. Unfortunately, hydrogenation causes the healthy unsaturated fats to become unhealthy saturated fats which could result to clogged arteries and heart problems. That is just one reason why eating junk foods is not advisable.

And what are some of the junk food effects why junk foods were called an unhealthy foods? High level of salt in a junk food could cause hypertension and, or kidney problems because of its sodium content. If it is a sweet junk food, too much sugar could not only ruin the teeth but could cause obesity and diabetes in the long run. Other junk foods uses aspartame or saccharin as sweetener. These  sweeteners has been linked with other health problems including certain cancers in laboratory animals. Have you seen monosodium glutamate (MSG) listed on the junk food content? This additive is flavor enhancer, as we all know it has bad reputation and been controversial that it could cause cancer. Antioxidants such as Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and  Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) that are widely use in oils of junk food has been linked with certain cancers in laboratory animals too. Now, tell me, is eating junk foods good for the health? Is there such thing as healthy junk foods or you will consider junk foods now as a group of bad foods? Yes, junk food may contain low nutritional value but junk foods effects are so hazardous to ones health.

Television advertising, greatly affects child’s desire for food, especially on unhealthy foods like junk food. Relatives and friends that gives food to the children is another great factor that influences the child’s choice of food. Parents, just bear in mind that your influence in choosing the right food for your kids is still the greatest influence of all. Though it is a little bit difficult to have complete control over what your children are taking in (especially when they are with friends or relatives) but you can and should control the foods that are available at your home. If junk food or any high sugar, high fat, high salt, low nutrient and preserved foods are not available at your home, the child would be force to eat the nutritious food available. So, the best thing is do not keep foods that you do not want your child to consume, those you consider unhealthy foods for your family like junk food.

Things You Can Do To Lower Your Cholesterol Level

various fruits and vegetables

exercise under sunlight

There is much you can do to lower your cholesterol level. Eating too much, especially eating too much of the wrong thing and less of the right thing and, or inactivity are the usual cause of high cholesterol level. Now that we know what causes it, we can say that eating healthful foods and regular exercise really helps a lot in reducing cholesterol level. Healthy heart and blood vessels demands no trans fats, low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet. It needs a well-balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

Limit or if possible eradicate food rich in cholesterol, trans fats and saturated fats such as processed meat, untrimmed fatty meats, solid fats, cream, egg yolks, regular cheese, butter, whole milk and foods made with them.  Eradicate coffee from your diet, either it is regular or decaffeinated,  because it increases cholesterol level. If possible, avoid fried foods, broil or grill instead of pan frying. On occasions that you really need to fry, use canola, corn and olive oil instead of hydrogenated margarine, lard, butter or saturated oils like coconut and palm oil.

Eat a well-balanced diet. Consume 5 or more servings of variety of fruits and vegetables, variety of grain products and limited amount of nuts and seeds every day. You may enjoy limited serving of grilled or baked fish, beans and peas as substitute for meat. If consumption of meat is unavoidable, lean meat and skinless poultry can be consumed in a limited amount only.

Incorporation of water therapy upon waking up, cardiovascular exercise for at least 30 minutes a day and 15-30 minutes exposure to early morning sunlight to your healthful diet will do that much on lowering your cholesterol level at the same time will keep your heart and blood vessels healthy.

Regularly visit your doctor, for monitoring and setting a plan for reducing your cholesterol level. Some people may need to take medication aside from changing their lifestyle that is why monitoring is necessary.

Know Something About Triglycerides

structure of triglyceride

Let us talk something about triglycerides because it has a good connection to my cholesterol post yesterday and research showed that children with high triglyceride level are high risk of heart and arterial diseases on their 40′s to 50′s.

Fatty acids may be saturated, unsaturated, polyunsaturated or trans-fatty acids. Fatty acids that are obtained from plants or fish lipids are more unsaturated and contain much more of the essential fatty acids that are necessary to humans but cannot synthesize, while saturated and trans fatty acids or trans fats are the unwanted ones.

Saturated fats and trans fats are unwanted because they become solid in room temperature and they does not just increase the triglyceride level but the cholesterol level in the blood as well. On the other hand the unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. Polyunsaturated fats has cholesterol-lowering effect while unsaturated fats do not. We consider unsaturated fatty acids as good source of fats, second to polyunsaturated fatty acids, because like polyunsaturated fats – it comes from plants. And, as we all know plants has no cholesterol.

To know more about fatty acids, kindly check Know Your Fat Intake, Things You Need to Know About Trans-fatty Acids and Fats and its Connection to Cancer. Fatty acids are synthesized from acetyl CoA (acetyl CoA plays a central role in intermediary metabolism between carbohydrate metabolism and fat metabolism – in synthesis, catabolism, or use of nutrients for energy production and growth).

Most of the fatty acids in the body are components of triglycerides and are deposited in the adipose tissue as FAT. Adipose cells convert fatty acids into triglycerides by esterification. Cells need glucose for triglyceride formation.  Three fatty acids plus a glycerol forms a triglyceride. Excess carbohydrate taken during a meal may be deposited temporarily as triglycerides after conversion of glucose to fatty acids. Insulin boosts the synthesis of triglycerides by adipose cells, whereas deficiency speeds up triglyceride hydrolysis. Triglycerides constitute about 95 percent of adipose tissue by weight and are the main form of lipid storage in man.

In plasma, like cholesterol, triglycerides are suspended in solution by a shell proteins and phospholipids known as lipoprotein particles. It is transported in the plasma mostly in the form of chylomicrons and very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), but is present also in minor amounts in low density lipoproteins (LDL) and high density lipoproteins (HDL). Chylomicrons transports bulk of dietary triglycerides from the intestine to muscle cells or adipose tissue as free fatty acid (FFA) for either energy use or for storage as triglycerides. While VLDL transports the endogenous triglycerides from the liver to tissues throughout the body for energy use or storage.

Usually, serum triglyceride concentration is requested either in combination with total cholesterol or as part of lipid panel examination (total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL and VLDL determination) to estimate the degree of risk for hyperlipoproteinemia, coronary artery disease (CAD), heart disease and stroke.

As preparation for triglyceride examination, patient is instructed to fast (nothing by mouth) for at least 12 hours before the blood is drawn to make sure that all chylomicrons from the last source of food have been cleared.

Here is a general acceptable normal value of TRIGLYCERIDES for adults:
Desirable: Less than 150 mg/dL (1.70 mmol/L)
Borderline high: 150-199 mg/dL(1.7-2.2 mmol/L)
High: 200-499 mg/dL (2.3-5.6 mmol/L)
Severe high: Greater than 500 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L)

Note: Normal value range may vary slightly among different laboratories.

Things You Need To Know about Trans-fatty Acids

fatty meal

What is the truth? Most of us are consuming trans fatty acids since it occurs naturally in mutton, beef, butter, milk and other dairy products. Then, why you need to know more about trans fatty acids or trans fats as we usually call it, since it naturally occur on the food you usually consume? It is because trans fats raises the LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) as well as it lowers the HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) to the extent as saturated fats do.

Foods that have partially hydrogenated vegetable oil on the label contain trans fatty acids. Trans fat can be found in vegetable shortenings, some margarine, most commercially prepared baked and fried foods — including cookies, crackers, cookies, chips, breads, etc. Avoid also of deep-fried foods like french fries and fried chicken on restaurants and food chains, since we do not know if they are still using partially hydrogenated oils in their fryers.

What attracts the food makers to use partially hydrogenated vegetable oil instead of using an ordinary vegetable oil? Hydrogenating it adds flavor to the food and increases the shelf life in which it don’t spoil as easily as nonhydrogenated fats and can withstand repeated heating without breaking down. And, hydrogenation process can turn a liquid oil into a solid, which allowed for easier transportation and wider uses which was also much less expensive than solid animal fats.

Structurally, trans fatty acids are analogous to saturated fats and therefore they have the same effect on the cell membrane. Trans fats conversion into energy appears about the same rate as that of saturated fats. Trans fats also raises LDL cholesterol in the blood, but not as much as saturated fats do.

Trans fatty acids elevate lipoprotein(a),a risk factor of heart disease. High intake of trans fats will moderately decrease HDL cholesterol blood level, delays the metabolism of essential fatty acids, promotes inflammation, stimulates overactivity of the immune system that has been implicated in heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.

Since trans fatty acids has an effect to some extent like saturated fats concerning on its effect on blood lipids, it is essential for us to know if the food we are eating contains those fats and how much saturated fat and trans fat we have consumed. So, be sure to check the labels and lessen it in your diet. As much as possible, avoid the food we know that contains saturated and trans fatty acids