Former President Clinton’s Cholesterol Plan [Video Inside]

Although some may be tired of politics this time of year, we can’t help but mention that Former President Bill Clinton was on Letterman last night, discussing among other things a non-political issue – heart health.  The video below shows him talking about his heart problems and dietary efforts to combat heart disease.

Amazingly, Former President Clinton has cut out all cholesterol from his diet.  Did you know this was possible?

Let’s learn more about the diet that sources say was based on the ideas of Dr. Esselstyn.  From the blog Happy Healthy Long Life:

Dr. Esselstyn was right–now I really get it! I’m not saying I like what he requires his patients to do, but I do get it. I now understand why he’s so strict about the details of his diet (oops, not diet–I mean, lifestyle changes)–no oil, not even Pam, no nuts, no avocados, no chocolate–just vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, & legumes! Who would be thrilled to give up fat, sugar & salt? Wasn’t it enough that I gave up meat, chicken, cheese, fish, & other dairy products two years ago? Apparently it wasn’t, in my case. And I thought I was a savvy food shopper, but even I had a lot to learn from the Esselstyns. Now my eyes are wide-open.

Remember our blog “4 of the BEST Foods For Your Heart”?  Yep – this diet is more stringent than that even, taking out nuts which have good omega 3 fatty acids.

The motivating idea of the diet that Clinton is likely on is that, in the words of the blog author, “Heart disease is a food-borne illness.”  Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn believes that you can not only prevent, but even reverse, heart disease by changing diet and sticking to plants only.

Does it work?  Is it worth trying?  It seems that Esselstyn’s findings haven’t been tested on a large scale as of yet, although no one he has worked with has had a “cardiovascular event” since they started their new regimen.  And Former President Clinton says he has lost 24 pounds.  Not being heart healthy is a scary thing.  That’s why it’s important to cholesterol test regularly – if you don’t know your cholesterol levels, it’s hard to make the appropriate changes in your lifestyle.

Perhaps Clinton’s remarks will draw more attention to this diet.  Yes, we have definitely heard of cure-all diets before.  But there is something logical about moving away from processed and fatty food and living more simply.

What do you think?  Will this be a new fad?  Do you think it works?  Is it worth the trade-off?  Let us know!

Dealing With Stress: Your Heart Health

Relaxing For Your Heart Health

While there is still some ambiguity about the manner in which stress increases the risk factors for heart disease, the empirical data does indicate that stress and heart disease are correlated in some manner. It is sometimes hypothesized that stress does not lead to heart disease directly but it exposes the body continuously to the onslaught of hormones like adrenalin and cortisol. It also increases the frequency of unhealthy actions like smoking, becoming lethargic, binge eating and more. They also eventually trigger the production of cholesterol, making you more likely to have high cholesterol (which can be easily measured with a cholesterol test). There is no doubt, therefore, that stress needs to be avoided or managed in order to ensure a healthy heart.

Typical Stress Symptoms

It is obviously mandatory to identify stress. Acute and chronic stress, both, are damaging for the body. While stress can be caused by various factors like financial trouble, emotional imbalance, unemployment, health issues and more, the stimuli that cause stress in one person can be different from those that cause stress in others. But the symptoms of stress are uncannily similar for all and can occur at a physical, emotional, cognitive or behavioral level.

These symptoms are:

Physical stress symptoms – General aches and pains, muscle tension, insomnia, fatigue, tinnitus, weight gain or loss, clenching jaws and grinding teeth and headaches.

Mental stress symptoms – Inability to make quick decisions, lack of creativity, forgetfulness and lack of focus.

Emotional stress symptoms – Apprehension, negative thinking, depression, mood swings, anxiety and feeling powerless and incapable of anything.

Behavioral stress symptoms – Binge eating, increase in alcohol consumption or smoking, explosive reactions, frequent job changes and withdrawal from society.

Managing Stress And Learning to Relax

While there will always be challenges in life there is a need to face up to the challenges with a positive bent of mind. It is also important to learn to refuse to get stressed by circumstances or incidents. This is something that you can do by learning how to relax. Some of the stress-relieving techniques that you can use have been described below.

Deep breathing – This is a stress relieving technique in which you learn how to breathe deeply by filling up your lungs as much as possible.

Progressive muscle relaxation – An easy technique to follow, progressive muscle relaxation requires you to concentrate your mind on specific muscles of the body to will them into relaxation.

Music therapy – A stress relieving therapy that has been long known, you can now buy CD’s that help you with relaxing stress relieving music.

Guided imagery – Imagining yourself in a serene environment where you are at peace with the world and in harmony is another way in which you can manage stress.

Biofeedback – A technique in which various instruments are used to measure physical reactions of stress like temperature, blood pressure and more, this stress reducing technique helps in understanding how you can use your mind to control and relax your body.

While these stress relieving techniques work well, it is also important to understand the root cause of your stress. Only by knowing this and facing the issue will you be able to avoid stress completely and free yourself from this heart disease risk factor. Eat healthy and exercise regularly to ensure that you stay happy, enthusiastic and positive about life.

Article by Anne Hamilton

September is National Cholesterol Education Month!  Take the time to learn more about how to keep your heart healthy by checking in at our blog!

How many Americans have high cholesterol?

According to the American Heart Association more than 120 million American Adults (age 20 or older) have a total cholesterol level above 200mg/dL which is above healthy levels.  An alarming number of children are also now developing high cholesterol.

September is National Cholesterol Education Month which was launched by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1985 to contribute to reducing the percentage of Americans with high blood cholesterol by raising awareness and understanding that high blood cholesterol is a risk factor for coronary heart disease.  The NIH also released a book “Your Guide to Lowering Your Cholesterol with Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes” or TLC.  The recommended lifestyle changes to lower your cholesterol are diet, increased physical activity and weight management.  The book is a good resource for heart healthy living.

In support of National Cholesterol Education Month, HomeHealthTesting.com is offering $3 off any cholesterol test with coupon code “heart3”.  We offer two different types of home cholesterol tests which are easy to take and very affordable.

Cholesterol Test To Avoid Common Disorders

Hypercholesterolemia is basically a medical condition that is characterized by high levels of cholesterol in the blood. High cholesterol is not considered to be a disease. It is referred to as a metabolic derangement. Elevated levels of cholesterol are caused due to lipoprotein levels going awry in the blood. This is caused by genetic factors, diet and other medical conditions such as diabetes or hypothyroidism.

Treatment for high cholesterol involves eating a diet that is low in cholesterol and possibly taking medications. It may however cause other disorders, like coronary heart disease, which can result in surgery.

While there are no specific symptoms that you can see when someone has elevated levels of cholesterol, the condition can cause other diseases to occur. This is why it’s recommended that adults get a cholesterol test (full lipid panel) at least once every 5 years. Some of the conditions that can be fostered by high cholesterol are as follows:

Coronary heart disease – Cholesterol is significantly related to CHD or coronary heart disease. As the cholesterol levels increase, they block arteries and do not allow oxygen and nutrition to reach heart muscles that pump blood. As a result these muscles are unable to perform their function properly, resulting in chest pain, something that can ultimately lead to a myocardial infarction – aka, a heart attack – if the problem is not brought under control.

cholesterol testing helps you avoid other problems, like high cholesterol

Some complications of high blood pressure.

Stroke – As the blood supply to the brain reduces due to narrow arteries a stroke becomes more imminent. Sometimes a vessel may burst if the narrow passage cannot sustain the pressure with which the blood is pumped.

Hypertension – High blood pressure and high levels of cholesterol are linked. As the cholesterol plaque and calcium narrows the passage way, the heart works harder to pump blood to ensure that it reaches all parts of the body. This results in abnormally high blood pressure.

Peripheral vascular disease – This is a condition that refers to the blood vessels other than those related to the heart and the brain. As fatty deposits start to occur in the peripheral vessels, issues related to the limbs may start to occur as well.

Prevention of High Cholesterol

Prevention of high levels of cholesterol can significantly reduce the chances of getting the aforementioned diseases. And prevention of high cholesterol is best done by controlling the diet in healthy ways. A high fiber diet along with fresh vegetables and fruits is recommended by the American Heart Association.

In addition to diet control, giving up a sedentary lifestyle and adopting a more active one can help in cholesterol management to a large extent. Take up a sport or make sure that you walk for at least an hour every day. Decide on the specific activity levels that you need to maintain depending on your age after consultation with a physician.

If you have already been diagnosed with high cholesterol, you may want to check your levels regularly with a home cholesterol test. This easy to use test can be conducted from home so that you do not have to go all the way to the laboratory every time to get your cholesterol levels checked.

Article by Anne Hamilton

Can Dogs Have High Cholesterol?

Those who own dogs will know that a large number of medical conditions that humans face are also experienced by dogs. And even more interesting is the fact that a large number of the medicines that are prescribed for dogs are also the same. One condition that is common between man and his best friend is high cholesterol.

High cholesterol in dogs, also known as Hyperlipidemia for both dogs and humans, can come about in a few ways.

Causes of High Cholesterol in Dogs

Man's best friend takes a break from his soccer game

Man's best friend takes a break from his soccer game

There are various causes of high cholesterol in dogs (and humans!). While some breeds are more susceptible to the condition, environmental issues like lifestyle, amount of exercise and diet can also cause cholesterol levels to rise in many cases. Medical conditions that cause a liver dysfunction can lead to a situation where the cholesterol levels rise. An overactive thyroid or adrenalin gland, high blood sugar, inflammation of the pancreas and constriction of the bile duct can cause the condition to occur.

Symptoms of high cholesterol in dogs

Irrespective of the cause of high cholesterol, the symptoms of the condition are the same. Seizures, abdominal pain, patches on skin, bumps that are yellow or red in color and nervous system dysfunctions can result from high cholesterol levels that are not being managed. A recent study published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice stated that dogs that chased their tail are among the most likely to be suffering from high cholesterol. When 15 tail-chasers and 15 dogs who did not chase their tails were studied and their cholesterol was checked, it was seen clearly that those with high cholesterol levels were the ones whose tails were going tick tock at a speed that no one could fathom.

Treatment of high cholesterol in dogs

If you can see any of the symptoms that are mentioned above, then you may need to take your pet to a veterinarian where your pet will be given a physical check up and where the vet will look into the details of your dog’s diet, lifestyle and overall health. A blood profile conducted after 12 hours of fasting gives the complete cholesterol picture. If the triglyceride levels are less than 150 mg/dL and the total cholesterol is also lower than 300 mg/dL, all is considered perfect. On the other hand if the numbers are higher, you will need to ensure proper treatment for your four legged friend.

A change in diet, a new exercise routine and some medicines will be prescribed. A low fat diet and adequate exercise in the morning and evenings is a must for such dogs. So be sure to watch your dog’s health as much as your own, as we share many of the same problems. As for cats, well…that’s subject for another blog altogether!

While these tests won’t help you analyze your dog’s cholesterol, they will help you make sure you are maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. Please check out our home cholesterol test page for our selection of cholesterol tests.

Article by Anne Hamilton

Photo credit:  “Guard Dog” by Fran Hogan

3 Reasons to Take a Home Cholesterol Test

“Cholesterol” – the word these days brings to mind only negative associations. Yet cholesterol is needed to live, and a significant proportion of the cholesterol present in our bodies is manufactured by the liver in a perfectly functional fashion. Cholesterol is not always a scary bag of potato chips.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance, a certain amount of which is required for hormone production and support of other cells. However, excessive cholesterol in the system can cause various ailments that may surprise you if you have not had your cholesterol checked.
Being surprised by your cholesterol levels is unnecessary. You can order for a home cholesterol test easily over the Internet these days. But there are still many people who ignore the issue for various reasons.

Why should you take the Home Cholesterol Test?

1. High levels of total cholesterol, low levels of good cholesterol or high levels of bad cholesterol do not cause any immediate symptoms. There are no overt signals that the body sends out to indicate that there is trouble brewing inside. Much like high blood pressure, high cholesterol is a silent killer. It is therefore recommended if you are 20 or older that you check your cholesterol once every 5 years. Less frequent administration of a home cholesterol test is acceptable when you are younger.

2. The administration of a home cholesterol test does not take too much effort. All that you need to do is to purchase the test on the Internet and wait for the delivery of the parcel. A small prick of the finger is all that you need to do. All home cholesterol tests come with a detailed explanation of how to read the results so that you can ascertain your cholesterol levels for yourself.

3. It is said that the best cure is prevention, and this cannot be stressed enough in the case of a heart condition. High cholesterol levels indicate that cholesterol has built up on arterial walls, causing the gradual constriction and narrowing of the vessels. This condition is called atherosclerosis and can result in a heart attack sooner or later. There are also other diseases associated with the heart that can develop over time.

Who is at a Higher Risk?

While everyone above 20 should take the home cholesterol test once every 5 years, there are some people who may need to take this preventive measure more often. Those who have a sedentary lifestyle with almost no exercise, a poor diet that involves significant portions of junk food and saturated fats, smoking, and/or a family history of high cholesterol should get their cholesterol checked more often.

The good news is that controlling cholesterol levels and bringing them down to manageable levels is something that is possible. You may need to visit a nutritionist to have a customized low fat diet designed for you. Proper medication may also be required for those who have levels that are higher.

Article by Anne Hamilton