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Thursday, January 19, 2023

The Ultimate Guide to Cholesterol – What You Should Know

 

The Ultimate Guide to Cholesterol – What You Should Know - Cholesterol plays a vital role in our health, and is often confused as the enemy. Here’s how cholesterol works and what really causes heart disease.



Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes



Cholesterol plays a vital role in our health, and is often confused as the enemy. Here’s how cholesterol works and what really causes heart disease.

Recent research has shown that cholesterol isn’t the big bad dietary wolf that everyone fears. In fact, there’s something worse than cholesterol that we should all be mindful of – and most of us eat it every single day.

What Is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a sterol, or modified steroid, that is an essential structural component of cell membranes. It is necessary for making sure that membranes are permeable so that fluids and fatty compounds can properly be transported into the blood plasma. 

Cholesterol mainly builds and maintains cell membranes, but it’s also responsible for:

  • Producing reproductive and stress hormones
  • Creating bile
  • Converting sun exposure to vitamin D
  • Metabolizing fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)
  • Insulating nerve fibers

Cholesterol is so necessary for these critical body processes that our bodies make 85 percent of it. That’s right – contrary to popular beliefs, cholesterol isn’t a dietary opponent – it’s a critical element of wellness that the body creates.

Even if you don’t eat a speck of cholesterol, you’ll have a significant amount in your body because you need it to survive.

The liver produces approximately 800 to 1,000 milligrams of cholesterol per day. The rest of it, about 15 to 20 percent, comes from dietary sources like beef, pork, chicken, fish, shellfish, egg yolks, and dairy products (like milk and cheese).

The cholesterol that we eat isn’t as efficiently put to use as the cholesterol produced by the liver. When what we eat does raise our levels, the liver produces less. So dietary cholesterol has little effect on the actual circulating levels of cholesterol – the ones that get blamed for heart disease risk.

This is where people start to get confused, because many medical professionals have implicated cholesterol in heart disease problems for decades.

So let’s dig into the most common cholesterol myths.


3 Biggest Cholesterol Myths

While heart disease is a real health problem, cholesterol isn’t necessarily to blame.

Let’s correct these myths, and explore the real culprits in heart disease risk and cardiovascular problems.

1. Cholesterol is dangerous to your health

As discussed above, cholesterol is essential for wellness. Your hormones would be a wreck without enough cholesterol. Your fat-soluble vitamin levels would be insufficient. Your cells would also be starved of proper nutrients and fluid levels.

The general culture talks about cholesterol as if it’s a fat-food monster that clogs your arteries and tries to kill you. Which brings us to:

2. Cholesterol causes heart disease

Cholesterol does not cause heart disease. There are too many factors in heart disease risk to blame one thing, and cholesterol has taken the blame long enough. In the age of low-cholesterol diets, heart disease has only risen, not dropped. Heart disease now accounts for one in every three deaths, up from one in every four.

3. Lowering cholesterol with drugs or diet makes you healthier

Again, we’ve only seen a rise in heart disease deaths since low-cholesterol diets and cholesterol-fighting medication have become popular.

Recent research even shows that older folks with higher levels of cholesterol live as long or longer than those with low levels. So, if cholesterol is the great killer that we’ve believed it to be, then why isn’t research agreeing?


Understanding the Different Types of Cholesterol

There are two kinds of cholesterol: the “good” (HDL) and “bad” cholesterol (LDL). In reality, there isn’t anything inherently good or bad about either.

HDL cholesterol, or the “good” kind, is short for “high-density lipoprotein.” It collects cholesterol from the bloodstream and returns it to the liver to be broken down. It got a reputation for being good by sending cholesterol away, but keep in mind that it’s the liver that synthesizes this cholesterol in this first place – so it can’t be all bad.

LDL cholesterol, which stands for “low-density lipoprotein,” is referred to as the “bad” kind because it transports cholesterol to tissues. However, remember that cholesterol is required for hormones and numerous other body processes, and the only way that these can happen is if cells have access to it.

While dietary intake of cholesterol can slightly influence LDL and HDL levels, this is primarily influenced by lifestyle and genetics.

But cholesterol isn’t the marker that should be associated with heart disease. In fact, there are several markers that are legitimately more tied to heart disease risk than cholesterol, and the one thing they all have in common is inflammation.

Inflammatory Markers Are the New “Bad” Cholesterol

LDL got its bad rap because oxidized LDL can lead to plaque build-up in the arteries.

Oxidation happens when inflammation damages cells, and they start functioning abnormally.

Inflammation is the body’s response to injury, but not always in the obvious sense. Injury can happen on the inside of the body as a result of a rogue immune system, poor dietary choices, and chronic conditions.

Doctors use certain blood markers to track inflammation in the body. While genetics can certainly make someone more prone to inflammatory problems, lifestyle factors also have a major role. It’s just that cholesterol is no longer the ultimate problem.

From a dietary standpoint, trans fats and refined sugars ramp up inflammation much faster than foods that contain cholesterol.  

Unlike cholesterol, which the body produces, trans fats and refined sugars won’t be synthesized in the body if we don’t eat enough. In fact, they aren’t needed at all, and can be quite damaging in a number of ways.

Trans fats are damaged fats that occur as a result of overprocessing foods, and are not the heart-healthy fats that are found in nature. Trans fats are often considered bad because they’re linked with raising “bad” cholesterol, but it isn’t that they raise LDL so much as they damage the existing LDL cells, resulting in plaque deposits that can cause problems.

LDL got its bad rap because oxidized LDL can lead to plaque build-up in the arteries. Oxidation happens when inflammation damages cells, and they start functioning abnormally.

So how do you know if inflammation is your problem? These two tests should be considered alongside the standard cholesterol and triglycerides measurements to determine actual heart disease or chronic disease risk:

  • C-reactive protein test
  • Homocysteine test

C-reactive protein measures specific inflammatory markers in the body that can help to determine inflammation levels as well as the potential for narrowing of arteries.

While the American Heart Association (which still blames cholesterol for problems) doesn’t think it’s necessary, numerous integrative practitioners use this as a gold standard for determining problematic inflammatory risk.

Homocysteine, a chemical found in the blood, is produced in response to methionine, an amino acid. While everyone needs a certain amount of homocysteine in their blood, elevated levels can be indicative of inflammation and can be irritating for blood vessels, leading to arterial hardening and risk for heart attack.

Homocysteine can become elevated in response to poor dietary choices, but it can also be higher in individuals with certain genetic mutations that require harder-to-get nutrients to keep it in check.

Specifically, the genetic mutation called MTHFR indicates difficulty absorbing critical vitamins. When homocysteine is elevated in individuals who have MTHFR mutations, it’s often because they can’t properly metabolize the B vitamins that keep methionine and other body processes in check.

To offset this genetic mutation, it is recommended that we limit processed foods and eat a diet rich in high-quality animal products and green vegetables.


4 Ways to Reduce Inflammation with Diet and Lifestyle

Since heart disease is much more complex than just using cholesterol as a scapegoat, understanding the root causes of heart (and most other) disease can lead to an overall preventive lifestyle.

Inflammation is more dangerous to heart health than cholesterol, so it’s important to understand that it can be dramatically impacted with dietary and other lifestyle choices.

1. Eat Anti-Inflammatory Green Vegetables

Green vegetables are rich in folate, antioxidants, and fiber, giving them a trifecta of healthful benefits that not only help to prevent inflammation, but can also help to reverse chronic health problems after they’ve started.

2. Eat More Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids – like those found in salmon, mackerel, and cod liver oil – differ from other types of fats in that they’re potently anti-inflammatory. Omega-6 fatty acids, commonly found in nuts and seeds, are more pro-inflammatory, but are often eaten in far greater amounts than omega-3s.

Eating omega-3s on a daily basis and limiting intake of omega-6 fatty acids can help to restore balance to this fat ratio, leading to decreased inflammation and improved heart health.

3. Skip Trans Fats, Refined Sugars, and Processed Foods

Trans fats, refined sugars and processed foods can be especially harmful if you have existing inflammatory conditions, known MTHFR mutations, or a family history of heart disease.

Not only do these foods lead to inflammation, they can also wreak havoc on the digestive system as well as contribute to weight problems and hormone imbalance.

4. Manage Stress and Sleep

You can eat all the right foods, exercise, and skip detrimental habits like smoking, but if you’re stressed to the max and sleeping poorly, then you could still have inflammatory markers that are high.

While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to achieving perfect sleep and reduced stress levels, certain habits can contribute to healthy balance:

  • Regular exercise
  • A bedtime routine
  • Reduced smartphone and computer use at night
  • Decreased intake of caffeine, alcohol, and other stimulants
  • Healthy stress outlets, like therapy or meditation

Watch this video – What NO ONE has told you about CHOLESTEROL! Doctor explains.



Written by Aimee McNew

Author Bio:

Aimee McNew is a Certified Nutritionist who specializes in women’s health, thyroid problems, infertility, and digestive wellness. She ate her way back to health using a Paleo diet, lost 80 pounds, and had a healthy baby after numerous miscarriages. She focuses on simple nutrition practices that promote long-lasting results.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook


Here are 8 Easy Tricks to Improve Your Memory

 

Exercise is not only important for your body, it is also extremely important for your mind. Who we are as people is shaped by our ideologies, our habits, our fears and our hopes—all of these things are dependent on your memory. Here are 8 easy tricks to improve your memory.


Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes



Exercise is not only important for your body, it is also extremely important for your mind. Who we are as people is shaped by our ideologies, our habits, our fears and our hopes—all of these things are dependent on your memory.

Hitting the gym is great for your physique, but strengthening your ability to retain information will need a different kind of exercise.

Our nervous system is the messenger network that facilitates communication throughout the body, to and from your brain. Your brain is like the master computer that stores all your memories and relays how to act based on your body’s interactions.

On a basic level, neurons, or communication chemicals, are responsible for our experiences and memories in life, and they set us up for future experiences.

Short-term memories may only last seconds to hours, long-term memories last from hours to months, and lasting long-term memories may stay with you for months through your lifetime.

Memory can be divided into three types—short term, long-term, and lasting long-term. Short-term memories may only last seconds to hours, long-term memories last from hours to months, and lasting long-term memories may stay with you for months through your lifetime.

As far as functionality, there are other types of memory, including declarative and non-declarative, and immediate and working memory.

Your brain goes through three basic phases when it comes to memory—encoding, consolidating, and retrieving.

Encoding is when you are taking in new information, or you perceive it, and relate it to your past experiences.

Consolidation is when your brain stores this new information so that it can be used later.

When the time is right, your mind will access or retrieve the stored information for use.

Crucial elements to creating a lasting memory include the following:

  • A good challenge
  • Upward mobility
  • A rewarding experience
  • A new lesson

Dementia, or a decline in mental ability, is very common among the aging population. Alzheimer’s disease, a more severe form of dementia, affects as many as 5 million people living in the United States, and unfortunately the exact cause of it is unknown.

What we do know is that staying mentally active can have amazing protective benefits for your mental health. To make sure your memory is running at tip-top performance, make sure that you exercise your brain.

Here are 8 techniques you can use to strengthen your memories and make them last:

Organization

When trying to remember something, look for patterns. How something is organized, or clustered together, can help greatly when it comes to trying to remember details. “Chunking” is the term used to refer to a type of cognitive compression by which we are able to pair information into chunks that are more memorable than random tidbits of information.

Tip: if you want to remember someone’s birthday and it’s towards the end of December—try remembering that it’s close to Christmas (and maybe think about doubling up on the gift situation).

Categorizing

Categorizing information into objective (logical and well-recognized categories) or subjective (any way that might help you, even if the information seems unrelated) groups is useful to retaining information that you have just learned.

For example, if you want to remember someone’s birthday and it is towards the end of December—try remembering that it’s close to Christmas (and maybe think about doubling up on the gift situation).

Visualization

Mental imagery is a technique that can help you reinforce your memory toward specific actions or cognitive activities. Think about to act of doing something ahead of time, and put yourself in a visual thought process of what it will actually be like—this can help you succeed at complex activities with many steps and with future decision making.

This is because images are pretty set in stone, while a slew of information may be more abstract. Visualization in a way forces your attention toward a specific point, leaving no room for ambiguity. When it comes down to images versus facts and ease of remembrance, images typically take home the gold.

If you’re trying to remember something like which foods are Paleo and to stay on track with your Paleo goals, try this: picture yourself at the grocery store or farmer’s market and imagine you are selecting nothing but non-processed foods and foods as close to that of our ancestors as possible; maybe even think about your family or friends being there to support your purchases.

Visualize yourself enjoying this, and visualize it often. Over time, you will no longer need to remind yourself of this healthy habit; it can become part of your daily practice with a little bit of discipline.

Repetition

Everyone has fallen victim to forgetfulness, and this often happens when you have only done something once before, or you were only told something one time. Once is usually not enough for something to stick to your memory.

So lather, rinse, repeat. The more you practice something, the more neural networks will strengthen to increase signals transmitted to and from your brain. But repeating something over and over in a short interval is not the best technique for memory.

What works better is squeezing some time in between your repetitions. This is also known as spaced retrieval, because you are forcing yourself to retrieve a piece of information over an interval of time.

When you meet a new person and you find it difficult to remember their name, try to repeat their name in your head every 10 minutes or so, or force yourself to address them by name when you are talking to them.

Rest and Getting Enough Sleep

One day is rarely enough time for memories to make a lasting impression on your brain. While you rest, your body is replenishing itself for the next day by balancing out your hormones to support healthy growth and development.

Sleep is also a key factor in optimizing memory consolidation, but not a two-hour nap type of sleep, but a real full-night’s rest type of sleep. During slow-wave sleep, or deep sleep, is when your memories will consolidate the best.

Eating Breakfast

Don’t let breakfast escape your routine. It doesn’t matter how busy or lazy you are, or how much you think skipping breakfast is going to help you lose weight. After a good night’s sleep, to help lock in memories, breakfast is going to help get important nutrients into your body to further tie your memories down (it also helps to kick-start your metabolism for the day).

Eating breakfast was shown to have a significant benefit on not only memory, but also school achievement and cognitive function and performance. Omega-3 fatty acids like those found in flaxseeds and fish are most beneficial to your memory.

Eliminating Excess Stress

Chronic stress is always going to be the little devil on your shoulder for many reasons, including retaining information. Excess stress is going to literally get in the way of how your brain functions to store and retrieve memories.

Stress sends out messenger chemicals known as glucocorticoid hormones, which will bind to receptors and prevent normal memory consolidation and retrieval. Spatial learning and memory, the type of memory that helps you remember locations and relate objects, are diminished with excess stress, as well.

Staying Mentally Active Throughout Life

Your mental strength is one of those things that abides by a “use it or lose it” philosophy. In a study of 700 dementia-free patients where general cognitive decline was analyzed, people who were observed to participate in more cognitively-stimulating activities showed a slower rate of decline in their episodic and working memory. Your mental strength is one of those things that abides by a “use it or lose it” philosophy.

Activities  that are cognitively stimulating include things like reading, writing, doing puzzles and playing certain computer games.

Other studies have shown that mental decline was about 48% faster in those who didn’t actively stimulate their mind throughout life, as compared to those who engaged in mental activity more frequently.

Writing Down What You Need to Remember

Writing down what you need to remember will help you not only because it’s on paper, but because you will force yourself to use more of your body. Not only will you have the memory in your mind, but you will also see it with your eyes.

Looking at the note multiple times a day can help make the memory last even longer. In addition, you can repeat whatever it is that you need to remember aloud, to add your sense of hearing.

Taking notes in a class was shown to be more effective for long-term memory when it was done with a pen and paper versus with a laptop. Keep this in mind when trying to hold onto information.

Watch this video – 11 Quick Exercises to Improve Your Memory by 90%



Written by Liz Lang

Author Bio:

Liz Lang is a Clinical Research Coordinator with the Southern California Institute for Research and Education in the field of Gastroenterology. Liz graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a degree in Public Health Sciences. She has an insatiable thirst to learn how the human body works in order to keep people healthy. When Liz isn’t in the clinic, she enjoys exploring nature, yoga, and trying new things (especially food!).

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook


Wednesday, January 18, 2023

How Earthing Can Really Slow Aging and Calm Inflammation

 

When was the last time you went barefoot outside for your health? Earthing might be just what your body needs to prevent illness and even ease pain. How earthing can really slow aging and calm inflammation.



Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes



Earthing – Can Walking Barefoot Really Slow Aging and Calm Inflammation?

When was the last time you went barefoot outside for your health? Earthing might be just what your body needs to prevent illness and even ease pain.

There’s some interesting research that suggests going barefoot can realign your body to the earth’s negative charge. While the science behind this idea is still budding, it may be worth a try to kick off your shoes once in awhile.

Here’s what it means to “go earthing”, and how research claims it can impact your health and wellbeing.

What is Earthing?

“Earthing” is the practice of reconnecting the soles of your feet with the earth by regularly walking barefoot outside. This could mean anything from gardening barefoot in your backyard, taking a walk on the beach, or even setting out for a hike on a trail through the forest.

Also known as “grounding”, earthing is said to have several health benefits that come from reconnecting with the earth’s energy.


The Benefits of Earthing

Our body is essentially one big electrical system: from our neurotransmitter signals to our heartbeat, we run on a regular electric current to keep us going.

Just like our bodies, the earth has its own current in the form of electrons. When we make direct contact with the earth’s surface, these electrons are able to flow through our skin and interact with our bodies in a positive way. Our skin is a great conductor of electricity and is extremely sensitive to outside electrical current even in small amounts.

It is suggested that this limitless supply of beneficial energy is an under-appreciated resource for preventing disease and maintaining your health.

Benefits of earthing include:

The theory is that we receive these benefits by re-aligning our own electrical system with that of the earth’s.

Studies on other electrical systems similar to the one in our bodies, like cables that transmit television signals, show that when they’re “grounded” into the earth, signal interference disappears. This led to the idea that grounding ourselves to the earth regularly could have a similar stabilizing effect on our own electrical system and organs.


Can Earthing Really Slow Aging?

How can walking around barefoot help keep you looking young? Just like certain foods we eat contain antioxidants that help fight free radicals, the earth’s negative electrons do the same.

Free radicals are generated in our bodies in response to toxins in our environment, including pollution and processed foods. If left unchecked by antioxidants, these free radicals can damage your DNA and cause signs of aging, including wrinkles and the development of disease.

The earth’s negatively charged electrons act as antioxidants in your body, neutralizing these positively charged free radicals before they can cause damage. This could help slow aging by preserving your DNA.


Can Earthing Reduce Inflammation?

Have you noticed that when your body is injured, it becomes inflamed? Think of when you cut your finger or experience an ankle sprain: the area around the injury swells up. This is because your body sends protective compounds to the site of your injury. However, these compounds also act as free radicals that can damage healthy tissue in the surrounding areas.

Similar to the way earthing fights aging, the electrons you receive from walking around barefoot can neutralize these free radicals. By reducing tissue and DNA damage, earthing can also signal to the body to stop releasing inflammatory compounds, which can reduce overall inflammation.

It’s important to remember that inflammation doesn’t occur only in response to a visible physical injury. It can also occur internally in response to a disease like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), or some other types of stress inside your body.


What about Stress, Insomnia, and Pain?

If your stress levels are high, you’re having trouble sleeping, or you’re in pain, it may be worth a try to take up an earthing routine.

In a study exploring the effect of earthing on human physiology, grounding had a positive electrical effect on the left hemisphere of participants’ brains that activated their parasympathetic nervous system. This could help reduce stress and encourage relaxation.

If you can’t get outside regularly, grounding mats may be a way to reap the benefits of earthing while indoors. These are mats with a cord that you can plug into an outlet to connect to the earth’s electrical field. Lay the mat on your bed, underneath your desk, or anywhere in your home for an easy way to de-stress.

Research suggests that earthing with a grounding mat can reduce the production of cortisol. High cortisol levels are associated with stress and high blood pressure, so bringing cortisol back to normal could have a stress-reducing effect.

If you have trouble sleeping, these lower cortisol levels might help with that insomnia. One study found that people who sleep with earthing mats experience more sound sleep and wake up less than those that don’t.

Pain can also cause stress and insomnia, and earthing might help with reducing chronic pain. One study found that participants that slept using earthing pads experienced reduced symptoms of rheumatoid arthritisPMSsleep apnea and hypertension. This may be due to the ability of earthing to reduce inflammation and stress, both of which exacerbate pain.


How to Go Earthing

The cheapest and easiest way to go earthing is to walk barefoot outside in your yard. The more you can be in direct contact with the earth, the better!

If you don’t have a yard or anywhere you can regularly get your feet in the grass or on the beach sand, you can try investing in “earthing mats” that are connected to the earth’s electrical field. Set one under your desk while you’re working, in your bathroom, your kitchen; anywhere your feet spend a lot of time.

Watch this video – Earthing: What is it & How to do it



The Bottom Line

While the validity of earthing is controversial, it may be worth a try. The theory is that by reconnecting with the earth’s surface, we can flood our systems with negative electrons to help realign our bodies to fight pain and disease.

While more research needs to be done on the benefits of walking barefoot, you can’t doubt that walking through a green field or sandy beach naturally feels good.

Written by Megan Patiry

Author Bio:

Megan is an inquisitive nutrition and wellness writer harboring an editorial love affair with the decadent and the nutritious. She is a dedicated researcher in all areas of ancestral health, a certified specialist in fitness nutrition, personal trainer, and professional almond milk latte addict.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook


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