Cholesterol Management For The Complete Idiot

Maybe you remember the book that was for Volkswagen repair for the complete idiot. It was called A Manual Of Step By Step Procedures For The Complete Idiot. I think that when most people are told by their doctor after an annual lab test that they have high cholesterol, they feel like a complete idiot. Most people think that they can’t have another hamburger for the rest of their life. Others think that they will do anything not to become a bunny hugger, and others hang on to their cigarettes for dear life.

Here is my disclaimer; Let me start by saying that I’m not a doctor or a dietician, nor do I play one on TV. I have been a Personal Trainer since 1976 and have successfully trained every age, shape, and health level of client. Through research, and ultimately my own and my husband’s diagnosis of high cholesterol, I began to focus on the details. I then realized just how much I didn’t know. I am a Certified Sports Nutritionist with a passion for cooking and knowing the details and components of my meals for ultimate health. And one more thing… I’m pushing 70 years old.

What is the story about Cheerios, or Statin drugs, or cholesterol in general? Unless you go online and do specific research, you will usually only have had a short discussion and been given a handout about the cholesterol diet and a prescription for a medication. I am on a cholesterol medication, but have stayed on the lowest dose possible as I studied up on the rest of the story. In fact, my cholesterol is perfectly in check at this time.

So, lets start with smoking. Smoking makes LDL (bad cholesterol, or L for lousy) stickier making it cling to artery walls which clogs them. It also lowers the HDL cholesterol (H for healthy) which is what you need to move the cholesterol from artery walls.

According to WebMD, smoking increases clotting, damages your lungs, weakens your bones, increases inflammation and weakens your immune system. Just 20 minutes after you stop smoking, your blood pressure and heart rate go down and in 2 – 3 weeks your blood flow starts to get better. If your cholesterol is high, a healthier cardiovascular system can definitely extend your life.

So what’s the deal with Cheerios? Well, the FDA has warned that Cheerios claims that eating them can decrease cholesterol in 4 – 6 weeks, and that eating them can prevent or treat heart disease. Eating oats can aid in preventing LDL from sticking, but there are other types of cholesterol and disease involved in your heart health.

The truth about the soluble fiber found in Cheerios is that it forms a gel like consistency in the digestive tract. Consuming 10 – 25 or more grams of soluble fiber each day can lower LDL, but HDL and Triglycerides are only minimally affected by eating soluble fiber. When this gel like consistency is in your digestive tract, you are likely to eliminate some LDL before it gets into your blood stream. Some people add products like Bene fiber or Metamucil to their daily routine for a healthy digestive system.

Foods containing soluble fiber are: Oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley, and psyllium. So to answer the question about Cheerios, yes eating Cheerios or Oatmeal for breakfast every day is a good start, but really a small part of the story.

Without getting technical, remember this article is for the complete idiot, so I am not qualified to talk about the intimate details, but according to Harvard.edu, only about 20% of cholesterol is derived from your diet. The other 80% is created by the liver so when you are put on cholesterol medication, the design is to limit the amount of cholesterol that your body makes. One thing to know is that cholesterol is needed for digestion, Vitamin D production, and the production of certain hormones, so it’s not necessarily a bad word altogether. If you have a 100% heart healthy diet, you could still have sky – high lab reports because that’s what your ancestors had.

So far in reading this this article, if you have cut back on smoking and started eating more soluble fiber, you’re off to a good start because LDL or low-density lipoproteins is the “bad” cholesterol and these two changes will aid in lowering this number.

The next lipid or fat found in your blood are Triglycerides. According to the Mayo Clinic, excess calories consumed are converted to Triglycerides and stored in your fat cells only to be released for energy when needed. If you eat more fats than you burn, especially carbohydrates, (BOOM!) more body fat, higher Triglycerides. This is where ANY amount of exercise is very valuable as it not only burns the burden of excess fat, but moves Triglycerides lurking in your system.

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Ganoderma Ludicium Spore Oil Soft Gel: Ancient Chinese Medicine for Longevity

Ancient Chinese medicine rivals the most advanced scientific discoveries of the modern world. It has been passed on from generation to generation. Unfortunately, with time most of it is lost. But in recent years, Chinese medicine has seen the day of the light with new scientific discoveries proving the relevance and importance of ancient Chinese herbs in the 21st century. The common and most treasured herb in Chinese medicine – resha – scientifically known as Ganoderma Lucidum has extensive benefits. It is a herb used to improve life expectancy in the olden era. But today, it has many benefits along with longevity. It has been extensively studied and researched by scientists, who formulated an oil using the extracts of resha, which is available online and offline today.

Health benefits of Ganoderma Ludicium spore oil soft gel

Ganoderma Ludicium spore oil soft gel is widely used in tumor treatment for its nutritive values. The Chinese literature states that it improves the functioning of 5 different organs, including the Pancreas, Lungs, Heart, Liver, and Kidney. Scientific studies show that it may boost the immune system of patients, and this explains the reason for use among tumor patients. It does the liver’s job for it – detoxifies the body – and improves the functioning and capabilities of the liver. As mentioned earlier, it helps the body’s circulation system along with smooth heart functioning. The herb resha first became famous because it was known to slow aging and increase the longevity of life. New studies may suggest that usage of this gel can make you look younger. It helps balance blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and even respiratory intake.

The gel has many health benefits, but what is the gel made of?

It consists of many natural extracts from the resha along with elements such as Ze, P, Fe, Mn Ca, Ge, etc., that help to convert the raw substrate into a gel. Triterpenoids and their compounds constitute the maximum composition of the gel, which is a natural extract from resha.

What factors should one consider before getting the gel or the edible oil!

There are many factors to be considered before getting the gel or the oil for consumption. All the facts and findings of the resha gel are published and are open to the public. Transparency is at the apex of factors to be considered before purchasing a health product. The second most important factor would be the side effects. Resha doesn’t have any side effects. Even in ancient literature, it is said to be the perfect herb. Most of the composition of the gel and the oil is a direct extract from resha, so the prospect of side effects can be safely nudged. There might be many resha extract gels available on the market. But the original one has blogs and publishings on its website.

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5 Coronavirus Safety Tips to Protect Yourself

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, homeowners from across the globe have been trying to keep their homes as clean as possible. Fortunately, you can follow a few simple approaches to keep most of the viruses away from your home. In this article, we are going to talk about a few simple safety tips that may help you achieve this goal.

1. Consider Personal Hygiene

When it comes to staying safe against coronavirus, your first move is to wash your hands as often as you can. According to WHO recommendations, you should wash your hands with water and soap for at least 40 seconds. Alternatively, you can use an alcohol-based solution to rub your hands for half a minute.

It’s important to consider other types of personal hygiene. The idea is to stick to your daily routines like putting on clean clothes and taking daily showers.

2. Disinfect High-Use Surfaces

Also, you should disinfect high-use areas, such as kitchen counters, tables and bathrooms. After a major use, make sure you use a good disinfectant. Ideally, a clean over on major surfaces may help you stay protected against germs.

If you kill time, germs will spread much faster and may infect other people as well. For best results, we suggest that you opt for specific types of disinfectants. Make sure you don’t use cheap products as they won’t work.

3. Wash the Laundry without killing time

“Although we don’t know how the virus survives on fabric, you should make sure you have your clothing washed as soon as you take them off. Once you get back from a crowded area, you should change your clothing. It’s not a good idea to shake your clothing when they are dry. The idea is to prevent the virus from spreading.

4. Know how to handle food better

Although the virus may not spread from food, it does spread when you don’t handle food times properly. So, what you need to do is dispose of food items that you don’t need any more.

Don’t forget to wash your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds prior to eating your meals. For raw meats, you can try a cutting board and get it cleaned after each use. Also, you should take a look at the expiry date and freeze unused items.

It’s a good idea to transfer your cooked food into some clean plates, and don’t the food while doing so.

5. Empty the Trash Often

Fortunately, trash may be an ideal breeding ground for different types of microorganisms. So, make sure you be careful when it comes to discarding things. Some of these things may be infected and may contaminate your trash can as well.

So, you should empty the trash cans before you hit the bed or you can move them far away from your home. Also, you don’t want to use plastic gloves. Although they can protect your hands, they may spread germs to other users.

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Foolish Questions

I remember years ago hearing a silly song that was written and recorded by Johnny Cash in 1984. Most of us can relate to the first two lines which are:

“Well now you’ve all been asked foolish questions and I think that you all know

That you’re bound to run into them most, most anywhere you go”

I highly recommend that you find the lyrics and even a recording as the song will put a smile on your face.

Throughout the years, I have also heard people say that there aren’t any stupid questions and that it is important to ask questions in order to learn. Think of how children ask things like “Why is the sky blue?” “Do babies come from eggs like ducks?” “When can I drive the car?” Each answer helps the child to understand the world and contributes to the knowledge base that will be used throughout their lives.

So, it is almost a year since the World Health Organization began locking down countries and I have certainly heard people ask a number of questions about our state of affairs. Thought I would share some of them with you:

  1. Why aren’t we calling this virus a syndemic rather than pandemic? Medicinenet.com states that the term “syndemic” was coined in 1990 by Merrill Singer. It suggests an aggregation of two or more concurrent clusters of disease which have biological interactions. A pandemic refers to one disease that travels throughout the world whereas the syndemic recognizes that certain areas and populations are more affected than others because of their living conditions. For example, we have been told that some individuals are more vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus including the aged and those who have other health problems. Syndemic therefore seems to be a more accurate term than pandemic.
  2. Who should we believe when we look to “science” for a solution? Every country has research facilities, pharmacological producers and experts in the field of disease, but seldom do they agree. In fact, we have received mixed messages from “science” in the last year. First, we were told to not wear a mask and given numerous reasons for this. More recently we have been told that we have to wear a mask and some people are actually double masking. Which scientific source has the best answer to protect and treat us?
  3. What ingredients are in the vaccine and will it be effective? Are there research documents that outline the clinical trials that were done? Many people have had their first injection and then were told that there aren’t enough supplies for the required injection? Now what? Are there negative reactions that might outweigh the positives? We have all heard news reports about individuals who have had bad experiences with medications in the past. Think about what happened with Thalidomide.
  4. What are the chances that I will die from COVID-19? The population of Canada in 2019 was 37.59 million. As of January 29, 2021, Health Canada has recorded 778,927 positive cases (about 2% of the population). Of those, 20032 have died which is about 2.5% of those who tested positive. So, in simple terms, out of 1875 Canadians, one would have died. Health Canada has also stated that 68.1% of cases and 79.8% of deaths in Ontario and Quebec.
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