Cholesterol Basics

Cholesterol is often referred to as the silent killer. This is because it does not cause discomfort, and it does not only affect those who appear to be in poor health. This means that someone who is skinny as a rail despite eating fried food every day may not be as healthy as they look!

By now, most people have had their cholesterol levels checked at least once in their life. The most common response I get to the results is, “My parents have high cholesterol, therefore, it doesn’t matter what I do anyway.” This could not be further from the truth. While it is true that heredity can play a big part in your cholesterol levels, this simply means it is that much more important to lead a healthy lifestyle. For those people who do not have a history of high cholesterol, your lifestyle can be directly attributed to your health. For those of us that have been given the gift of high cholesterol, your lifestyle is the only of way of keeping your cholesterol manageable.

Where does cholesterol come from, and what does it do?

Cholesterol is a necessary part of your body’s functions. It is a naturally occurring substance in the body. Because of this, it is believed that many people’s cholesterol levels are somewhat hereditary. However, many foods we eat contain various levels of cholesterol, both the good (HDL) and the bad (LDL.) This means that diet and exercise can play a big role in controlling and/or lowering your cholesterol levels.

Most heart and blood vessel disease occurs when cholesterol and other fatty deposits build up on artery walls. This slows down blood flow to the heart. If the blood becomes completely blocked, a heart attack occurs. Generally, individuals carrying excess weight will have higher LDL cholesterol and blood lipid (fat) levels. Because of this, a healthy diet and regular exercise is very important.

How can I lower my cholesterol?

• Maintain an exercise regimen consisting of cardio training and strength training.
• Do not smoke.
• Focus on eating natural foods low in saturated fat.
• Use unsaturated vegetable oils such as canola, corn, and olive.
• Eat whole grain and multi-grain foods, when available.
• Eat fish and lean meats without the skin.
• Avoid fried foods, and other foods high in saturated foods.
• Avoid partially hydrogenated fats. This will be listed in the ingredients on the package.
• Avoid whole milk and other high fat dairy. Try low fat or fat free dairy products.
• Avoid processed foods, and baked goods made with eggs, butter, and fats.

If you have questions, or would like a full list of ways to help in lowering you cholesterol levels, please do not hesitate to call Andy at Optimum Results at (609) 304-7598.

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• Tip of the Month

  June 2010

  Abdominal Workouts: Frequency, Intensity, and Duration

  Over the past 15 years, there has been countless advice on how to “properly” train your abdominals, or core.  There isn’t a fitness magazine out there that doesn’t publish a different abdominal workout each and every issue.  Opinions and research may change over time, but there are a few things you should look at before you alter your workout with each Fitness Magazine you read!
  First of all, it is important to know what your overall fitness and health goal is before designing a strength program for any body part, especially the mid-section.  For overall fitness, it is smartest to treat your abdominal muscles as you would any other muscle group.  The tried and true guidelines for most exercise programs is to work specific muscles to fatigue within a 30-60 second set time limit (intensity and duration,) while giving the worked muscle group at least 24-48 hours of rest (frequency) before working it again.  The amount of sets you do in a given workout (frequency again) can vary from as little as 4 sets to up to 12 for the average workout.  The science behind these theories is sound.  While exercising, pushing your body significantly past the 60 second mark without fatigue generally incorporates aerobic energy, thereby not stressing the muscles most efficiently.  And rest is necessary so that your body can properly rebuild the muscle fibers that you have broken down.  Additionally, you want to be at 100% energy levels for your next workout!

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• Recipe of the Month

  June 2010

  Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

  This healthy update of a traditionally rich ham-and-cheese breakfast strata is made lighter primarily by losing a few egg yolks and using nonfat milk. Gruyère cheese has a delicious, nutty aroma and flavor, which means that with the relatively small amount in this recipe you still get a big impact. To finish the makeover use nutritious, fiber-rich, whole-grain bread instead of white. The results: plenty of flavor, half the calories and one-third the fat of the original.

  4 large eggs
  4 large egg whites
  1 cup nonfat milk
  2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
  1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  5 cups chopped spinach, wilted (see Tip)
  4 cups whole-grain bread, crusts removed if desired, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1/2 pound, 4-6 slices)
  1 cup diced ham steak, (5 ounces)
  1/2 cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers
  3/4 cup shredded Gruyère, or Swiss cheese
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