Most people think that cholesterol is always bad, but there are actually two types of cholesterol. LDL is considered the “bad” cholesterol, and HDL is considered the “good” cholesterol. If there is too much LDL in our bloodstream, it will form plaque on our arteries. Over time, this narrows our arteries and can eventually block blood flow completely. Dietary cholesterol actually isn’t the primary reason for high cholesterol in the blood; it is high amounts of saturated fat and trans fat. To keep cholesterol low, you should eat unsaturated fats, eat fibrous foods, and exercise more.

b. The Meaning of Numbers in Cholesterol

Adults should see to it that they have their cholesterol checked every 5 years. Four results are given to you, which will show the levels for your LDL cholesterol, Triglycerides, total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol. Should you find your cholesterol levels over or even under the normal range, you need to diet and exercise as a result.
Total Cholesterol – less than 200 mg/dL (5.2 mmol/L)
LDL Cholesterol – less than 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L)
HDL Cholesterol – greater than 40 mg/dL (1.0 mmol/L)
Triglycerides – less than 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L)

c. Can Vitamin E Protect Your Heart?

Vegetable oils, nuts and leafy vegetables are good sources of Vitamin E. Vitamin E is not proven to stop you from getting a stroke, but it can lessen your heart disease risk level.
d. Five Fabulous Foods to Decrease Cholesterol Levels
1. Oatmeal and Oat Bran: These contain a high amount of soluble fiber, which can lower LDL.
2. Fish: Fish is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids, which lowers LDL and raises HDL.
3. Nuts: Not only are nuts high in fiber, but they contain the healthy fats you need to keep LDL in check.
4. Plant Sterols: This is found in foods like margarine, salad dressing, orange juice, and functional cookies. 2 grams per day will lower your LDL by 10-15%.
5. Soy: This popular meat replacement can lower LDL by up to 3%.
e. Plant Sterols and Benefits to Health
Foods such as VitaTops Muffin Tops, Benecol Spread, granola bars and fat free milk are rich sources of plant sterols. You can easily help your heart when you start eating foods packed with plant sterols and avoid eating foods that contain saturated fats. A saturated fat-filled diet is not canceled out by this. Exercising often as well as eating healthy food will keep your cholesterol in check.

About the Writer – Deborah H. Land writes for the cholesterol diet foods site, her personal hobby blog she uses to help people lower bad cholesterol levels.

In this part three of the series how to eat healthy and cheap I will outline a few other bits of advice regarding a healthy eating diet for weight loss. These ideas expand on the those provided in the first and second parts.

1. Start buying in bulk. Yes you will pay more at the register when you shop like this but you will going to the store less often. Bulk food purchases can be spread out over the long term so you will save money.

2. Never shop without a grocery list. Think of your grocery list as your “shopping plan.” If you walk into a grocery store without a list you will end up spending more money. You see things that you like vs. what you actually need and you end up impulse buying. I make a menu list of what I want to eat for lunch and dinner for 5 to 6 days of the week. I make my grocery list centered around this. So when I go to the store my focus is to get what’s on the list. I reduce my urge to impulse shop because I know exactly what I need. Your goal should be to purchase what’s on your list and to get out of the store as quickly as you can!

3. If you are serious about how to eat healthy and cheap then don’t skip this next step. Take your lunch to work. How much money do you spend a week by ordering out for lunch? What is the quality of the food that you are eating when you do this? You can save $25 to $40 a week by simply packing your own lunch. If you do this you can control exactly what you are eating and choose the healthier foods. You’ll be saving money and eating better. It’s a win-win. If you’re thinking you don’t have time to pack your lunch then get up a few minutes earlier each day or pack it the night before. It just depends on how serious you are about this. There will always be excuses.

4. Junk food and processed foods = big money and big thighs. Eating junk food and processed foods are the worst combination for your pocketbook and your health. They offer no significant nutritional value and will do nothing to help you lose weight or get healthy. You must change your diet and avoid these types. Think of this – the closer a food is to mother earth, the better it is for you.

Combine these last 4 useful tips with the others provided in parts 1 & 2 and you will have powerful advice that will show you how to eat healthy and cheap without breaking the bank. Try them today and you will be pleasantly surprised at the results you achieve, the money you can save and in how much better you start to feel.

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There are many more suggestions and tips about how to eat healthy and cheap in parts 1 & 2 of this article. Discover what those are by clicking here now for part 1: Eat Healthy 1 and here for part 2: Eat Healthy 2

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – How To Eat Healthy And Cheap – Part 3

In part 1 of this article I discussed how many people are under the impression that eating healthy is more expensive than eating junk food or “less nutritious” foods. This is not true. In fact, if you rethink how to budget your food dollars and your eating habits you could easily divert some of the cash you are spending on junk food and use it to buy food that is better for you and that will help you lose weight. How to eat healthy and cheap is not difficult. This article expands on the ideas provided in the first part and will provide some useful and practical tips you can use that will change your eating habits and how you spend your money!

1. Using Whey Protein. If you are looking to increase the percentage of quality protein in your diet supplementing your food intake with whey protein is one of the best ways to do this. Whey protein usually comes in powder format and can be mixed with water, milk or in your favorite smoothie. Some people will actually sprinkle it over their oatmeal or bowl of fruit. What’s good about whey protein is that it comes in a variety of flavors and a scoop or two a few times a day adds several grams of protein a day to your diet while lasting a long time. A big container of whey usually cost $20 to $30. This may sound expensive but for the amount you get and how long it will last it’s well worth it. Cut down on the number of “designer” coffee’s or “chain store” smoothies that you buy every week and you could easily purchase whey without affecting your budget.

2. What about the tuna? This is a great source of protein, it’s low in calories and it’s cheap. That’s a great combination! Some points to consider about tuna. You don’t have to buy the name brand tuna – it’s expensive and it doesn’t taste any better than generic brands. I can buy a can of generic tuna for under 50 cents a can. Name brand is usually over a dollar. Always buy tuna packed in water, not oil. The oil type just adds on more calories and no other nutritional benefit. Lastly – don’t mix your tuna with heavy mayonnaise for sandwiches! I’m talking about dumping your tuna right on a salad, mix it with a couple tablespoons of your favorite salsa or eat it right out of the can by itself. The mayonnaise turns a perfectly healthy and inexpensive food into a fat packing monster!

3. Frozen vs. Fresh Veggies. You can try eating frozen veggies instead of fresh veggies once in a while. You can save money here because you can purchase frozen veggies in bulk. If time is money then you can save money because frozen typically takes less time to prepare than fresh. Frozen veggies won’t spoil like fresh ones do. I’ll admit – I like fresh veggies once in a while but when considering how to eat healthy and cheap I’ll lean towards the frozen to reduce my grocery bill.

4. Go Generic. I don’t know why generic food has such a bad wrap with some people. I’ll admit some brand name foods are much better than their generic counterparts. In my experience this doesn’t count for many. Try this – use the generic brand of all your favorite foods that you can find for a month or so. If you truly don’t like the generic type then go back to its brand name. What I think you’ll find is that there are more generic foods that you will enjoy so you can eliminate the brand name. In the end you will save money.

These 4 useful tips can easily be incorporated into your eating and drinking habits. Try them today and you will be pleasantly surprised at the results you achieve, the money you can save and in how much better you start to feel.

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There are many more suggestions and tips about how to eat healthy and cheap in parts 1 & 3 of this article. Discover what those are by clicking here now for part 1: Eat Healthy 1 and here for part 3: Eat Healthy 3

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – How To Eat Healthy And Cheap – Part 2

Many people are under the impression that eating healthy is more expensive than eating junk food or “less nutritious” foods. This is not true. In fact, if you rethink how to budget your food dollars and your eating habits you could easily divert some of the cash you are spending on junk food and use it to buy food that is better for you and that will help you lose weight. How to eat healthy and cheap is not difficult. This article will provide some useful and practical tips you can use that will change your eating habits and how you spend your money!

1. Drink water and lots of it. You should consume 1 ounce of water for every pound of your bodyweight per day. So if you weigh 200lbs then you should be drinking 200 ounces of water. If you can’t drink that much water then shoot for and 8 to 16 ounce glass or bottle every one to two hours while you are awake. Your body functions on water. The more you drink the better you will be.

2. Eliminate soda and/or beverages high in simple sugar content. These types of drinks offer little to know nutritional value and if they do, the high sugar content negates that value. They really don’t do much for quenching your thirst either. Yes, maybe in the short term. I know if I drink a glass of soda within a 1/2 an hour I’m looking for something else to drink and usually it’s more soda! Soda packs on extra “empty” calories that you don’t need and your body doesn’t want. It will significantly reduce your chances of losing weight. How much are you spending on soda per week?

3. Drink tap water. There is absolutely no reason that you have to spend extra money on bottled water. I refill my water bottles from the tap or use a thermos. I like cold water, the colder the better so my refrigerator is always stocked. Take a bottle of water with you everywhere you go. Fill it at water fountains when you are at the mall, sneak one into the movie theater so you won’t be tempted to buy soda, etc. If you absolutely won’t drink tap water then buy the bottled stuff. Take the money you are saving from not buying soda and use to buy water. No need to buy the designer water or the flavored stuff. You’re just paying for packaging and sweeteners. You can usually buy 24, 16 ounce bottles for less than $4. You could also by a Brita filter. You may pay a little more of the front end but you will save money in the long run.

4. Don’t forget the eggs. Advice on how to eat healthy and cheap has to include eggs. You may shy away from eating eggs because of the potential for increasing your cholesterol. The majority of the cholesterol is found in the egg yolk. Easy answer – don’t eat the yolk. Separate your egg whites from the yolk and just scramble the whites. I eat 7 to 8 egg whites a day for breakfast. I will usually cook up 1 yolk with that to make it a little more substantial – that’s better than eating 7 or 8 yolks a day! Eggs are loaded with high quality protein that your body needs to help build lean muscle. I can usually buy a dozen eggs for 75 cents to $1.25. A box of my favorite “sugared” cereal costs $4 to $5. You can save alot of money buying and eating more eggs instead of sugared cereals.

These 4 useful tips can easily be incorporated into your eating and drinking habits. Try them today and you will be pleasantly surprised at the results you achieve, the money you can save and in how much better you start to feel.

About the Author:

There are many more suggestions and tips about how to eat healthy and cheap in parts 2 & 3 of this article. Discover what those are by clicking here now for part 2: Eat Healthy 2 and here for part 3: Eat Healthy 3

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – How To Eat Healthy And Cheap – Part 1

The acai berry is so popular that it’s actually the number one searched diet term in the whole world so far in 2009, more than general terms like “diet plans” or “diet charts”. The enormity of that is actually quite striking if you think about it!

The question for yourself is if the acai berry is right for you. There is really nobody that the acai berry “isn’t right for”, as it’s fit for all people from all walks of life, and all ages. The very least you can do is give it a shot, search on google for acai trials to find plenty of free ones.

(ARA) – Excessive weight gain is a big problem in America. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a publication of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly two thirds of U.S. adults are overweight or obese. Most people want to do something about it, but don’t always make good decisions.

This year alone, fifty million people will go on some of form of weight-loss program, spending some $33 billion on weight loss products and services that are fad diets, unsafe or ineffective nutritional supplements. Countless others who have tried to lose weight and failed will give up altogether.

“What people need to realize is that there is no magic bullet when it comes to losing weight and keeping it off,” says Jeff Zwiefel, vice president of the Nutritional Products Division of Life Time Fitness, a national health, fitness, and nutrition company. “For many people, losing weight can feel like a daunting task. It takes a balanced approach that includes education, exercise and good nutrition, coupled with effective weight-loss supplementation.”

A good beginning point is to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms of weight gain. Do you ever wonder why some people can eat all the time and never gain weight while others seem to put on pounds at every sitting? “It’s all about metabolism,” says Zwiefel.

Simply stated, your metabolism is the way your body burns up all of the calories from the food that you eat and regulates energy. The speed at which your body burns up calories is called your metabolic rate. The faster your metabolism, the more calories you’ll burn, and the less likely that you’ll be overweight. “A small percentage of people naturally have a better metabolism than others, but for the most part, an individual’s metabolism is determined by their lifestyle”, says Zwiefel. So what can you do to place yourself in a better position to manage your weight?

Diet represents one of the primary ways to shed those unwanted pounds and keep them off. Although it might sound easy on paper to simply put less food in your mouth, the reality is that reducing calorie intake is a significant problem for most of us. It is more complex than just calories in and calories out. Factors such as stress and diet will dramatically impact how our bodies process the calories we consume. That’s why Life Time Fitness recommends you not only change what you eat, but your eating and lifestyle habits.

Instead of eating three meals a day — breakfast, lunch and dinner — eat five nutritionally balanced meals and two snacks per day. Spreading your food intake over the day is the best way keep your energy levels up and to burn calories for energy versus storing them.

You should also reduce the consumption of simple and refined carbohydrates that offer little nutritional value. Concentrate on eating foods that are high in fiber to reduce appetite and help reduce the risk of cancer. Look for good sources of protein throughout the day such as lean meats, fish, eggs, low fat dairy products, beans and nuts. Complex carbohydrates such as whole wheat bread, wild rice, whole-wheat pasta, multigrain cereal and potatoes are great ways to boost your energy level throughout the day. Eat 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables; take a multivitamin with antioxidants each day to ensure you are getting the nutrients your body requires throughout the day.

Because our busy lifestyles can interfere with upholding the ideal dietary plan, proper supplementation can help fill in the gaps. However, there are dozens of supplements on the market today offering big promises. How do you know which brand is best for you?

“If a product promises, ‘effortless,’ weight loss, it doesn’t have your long-term health and wellness in mind,” says Dr. Bill Wheeler, Ph.D. and R.D., a former staff nutritionist to the President of the United States and independent consultant for Life Time Fitness. “Supplements need to be worked into your overall plan.”

Life Time Fitness’ LeanSource weight loss supplement is a patent-pending blend of four active ingredients shown in recent studies to help naturally speed up metabolism, burn body fat, and curb sugar cravings without the use of harmful stimulants. Unlike many other supplements on the market today that hype unbelievable before and after testimonials, LeanSource is based on real science and a proven safe and effective formulation. All Life Time Fitness nutritional products are regularly tested in independent lab settings to assure consumers they really contain what’s on the label.

Now available at Target, RiteAid, Kroeger, Kmart and Meijer stores, as well as Life Time Fitness locations nationwide and via www.lifetimefitness.com, LeanSource products are conveniently available in a gel cap form, bars, and ready-to-drink shakes in multiple flavors.

Good diet and the use of beneficial supplements are just part of the equation. Regular and balanced exercise is also a critical part of the process. “Just going to the gym once in a while isn’t going to cut it. You need to make a commitment, and stick with it,” says Zweifel.

Life Time Fitness recommends that people who are serious about shedding the pounds and keeping them off participate in aerobic training exercise regimens a minimum of three times per week for at least 30 minutes at a time. Aerobic exercises include brisk walking, biking, jogging, swimming, aerobic classes and dancing. Dieters are also urged to take part in resistance training exercises, such as weight lifting, at least twice a week for a minimum of 30 minutes per session.

For more information about weight loss and exercise programs offered through Life Time Fitness, visit www.lifetimefitness.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

Wii Fit is ideal for everybody. But what is it and why are so many people want to get it?

Nintendo Wii Fit with Wii Balance Board turns your TV room into a fitness centerfor the whole family. Family members will have fun getting a “core” workout, and viewing results and progress on a new channel on the Wii Menu. Nintendo’s system has made gaming more accessible by converting natural human motion into game control, and with every move of the wrist it has been getting a whole new base into the fold as full-fledged videogamers. What Wii Sports and the Wii Remote did for bringing sports to the living room, Wii Fit and the Balance Board are doing for physical fitness and workout. Nintendo has finally established some things they’ve sought for a long time: expansion of the gaming industry and a few successful peripherals. They’ve been trying to convert us that add-ons are the way since the beginning.

Wii fit is fun at first it because everything is new and exciting to play. But the problem is, it doesn’t take long to master the balance games and soon after the game loses a lot of appeal, just as the wii sports package did. It is a great tool for what I want. All my other exercise equipment is accumulating dust while my board needs everyday cleaning from all the use it gets.

Wii Fit is actually geared at exercise. It is a game that comes with a balance board. It has yoga and a lot of other exercise programs on it. It is more about cardio and minor strength training and so you need to do a lot more on top of using the Wii Fit for it to be any sort of benefit to your health. Thanks to its gesture-based interface and a roll of gyration-inducing games, the Nintendo Wii has always offered the bestowed benefit of a low-impact workout. Now there’s Wii Fit , a $90 software-and-hardware bundle, the noble purpose of which is to get gamers to loose those undesirable pounds.

Anyone who has experienced the Wii’s motion-controlled games knows that playing them can be quite an exercise, but “Wii Fit” takes that idea to a whole new level of exhaustion. The goal is to make exercise fun for the whole family. Anyone who is serious about weight loss won’t completely leave it to a game! Even without the game, individuals don’t solely trust on scales to check whether or not they are overweight, they look in the mirror, judge by the feel of their clothes and how they feel personally.

Wii fit is only another instrument available. It is a unique and innovative way to help you and your family stay fit in the comfort of your house, through simple daily exercises. More than a gaming experience, Wii Fit is a health and lifestyle tool with more than 40 exercises, across four categories: balance games, yoga, muscle workouts and aerobic exercises. Wii Fit is potentially more revolutionary than Wii Sports in it’s aim to attract “casual” gamers. Once people see fitness as being more accessible and fun, then there’s no stopping Wii.

Wii Fit is a great supplement for anyone’s exercise routine. Using the slightly heavy and durable Wii balance board, Wii Fit tracks a user’s weight and BMI (Body Mass Index) by measuring the user’s weight and height.
Wii Fit is already starting to pop up in fitness centers across Japan and we’d imagine a similar reaction here in the US. Wii Fit is simple to use, and simply the most fun way to keep you, your family and friends fit. It is a million seller in the US. Nintendo themselves said they would have a million units of Wii Fit for the US launch.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/video-games-articles/wii-fit-is-ideal-for-everybody-but-what-is-it-and-why-are-so-many-people-want-to-get-it-525116.html

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to find current auctions, pls visit http://www.wiicircle.com

It is quite easy for anyone to find and purchase amazing nutritional supplements and vitamins just by clicking a mouse. What’s more, these items are delivered directly to the customer’s door. Buying the supplements is simple, but what happens after the nutritional supplements and vitamins arrive? When, and how, is the best way to take them? Maybe you think the answer is simple: just follow the instructions printed on the bottle (such as: “one tablet daily”). Yes, it does sound easy, but what does “one time daily” really mean? Morning? Lunchtime? Afternoon or evening? Or even in the middle of night? Everyone wants to rest assured that their nutritional supplements can be as effective as possible by being taken in the right way and at the right time. However, nobody would want to get up at 3:00 am just to take their daily dose of nutritional supplements and vitamins.

First, for a health conscious consumer, it is important to realize that no matter when one decides to start taking nutritional supplements and vitamins it is never too late. Much research has indicated that people who take nutritional supplements daily are healthier on average than those who don’t.

In your quest for a healthy body, you must be wondering what the right time and method is to make the most of your nutritional supplements. The following are some tips about taking nutritional supplements.

1. Take Nutritional Supplements with Food

Unless you have special instructions from your physician or your nutritional supplements’ bottle, you should take your vitamins and nutritional supplements after meals, and not on an empty stomach. This is because if you take them on an empty stomach, they will be processed before they can function. Even if you have the habit of not eating breakfast, when taking nutritional supplements, you should at least eat something small first.

2. Take Your Nutritional Supplements with Water

“Water” here does not mean coffee, milk or even soda, which will change the original effectiveness of your nutritional supplements and vitamins. So remember to take your tablet with water.

3. When Should You Take Your Nutritional Supplements?

Take your nutritional supplements when they make sense for you. It is important for you to find the most appropriate time as different people may react differently at different times. For example, if you decide to take your nutritional supplements every morning, a time when you must wake up your child, make his or her breakfast, and then drive him to school, you may often forget to take the supplements. It’s best to find a time when you are relaxed and can remember that a routine-taking your nutritional supplements.

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Vitamin health and Nutritional Supplements

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Visit the Food Nutrition Facts website to learn about apple nutrition and potato nutrition.