Blog - Page 28 of 120 - Lower Cholesterol and Blood Pressure with Lisa Nelson RD

Triglycerides: What Fat and Sugar Have in Common

Published December 22, 2015 | By Lisa Nelson, RD

Holiday splurges can result in more than extra weight to shed in the New Year. Sweet cookies, pies, and candies all rich in fat, along with excess alcohol and calories can lead to a spike in triglyceride levels. This increase in triglycerides may put you at increased risk for heart disease.

In the Q&A section below, Lorraine Matthews-Antosiewicz, registered dietitian and author of 10 Days to Sugar Free: Sugar Detox Survival Guide, has answered questions regarding the relationship between triglycerides, sugar, and fat.

What are triglycerides?

Triglycerides are a type of fat that come from food, and your body also makes them. They are the most common type of fat found in the body. Triglycerides are continually circulating in the blood ready to be metabolized to provide a source of energy when needed, but their main function is to store energy for later use. When you consume more calories than your body can use, it converts the excess into triglyceride and stores it in fat cells. Fat cells hold the triglyceride molecules until your body needs energy between meals. Hormones signal the fat cells to release the triglycerides for your body to use.

Why do triglycerides matter?

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Posted in Lower Cholesterol | Tagged alcohol, dietitian, fat, lorraine matthews-antosiewicz, sugar, Triglycerides

Vitamin C to Reduce Risk of Heart Disease

Published December 16, 2015 | By Lisa Nelson, RD

Individuals with high fruit and vegetable intake have a 15% lower risk of developing heart disease and a 20% lower risk of early death when compared to those who rarely eat fruit and vegetables, according to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Researchers state this reduced risk of heart disease and early death for regular fruit and vegetable consumers is related to a high concentration of vitamin C in the blood.

The role of vitamin C in heart disease

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant enhancing the body’s response to free radicals and protecting the arteries from oxidative damage.
Vitamin C enables collagen synthesis in arterial wall connective tissue, strengthening blood vessel walls. Weakened collagen makes it easier for oxidized LDL and the inflammatory process to gain a foothold and plaque formation.
Vitamin C increases nitric oxide levels. Nitric oxide is a vasodilator increasing the arteries ability to widen and reduce blood pressure.

Vitamin C also…

Aides in wound healing
Boosts the immune system by increasing white blood cells and interferons
Slows gum disease
Aids carnitine synthesis
Reduces leukotrienes production (factor in allergic reactions)
Increases fertility
Aids regeneration of vitamin E
Enhances iron absorption
Plays a role in serotonin production (a neurotransmitter impacting mood and appetite)
Reduces incidence of cataracts
Acts as a diuretic
Decreases bruising

Vitamin C in your diet

The body cannot make vitamin C, which means you must consume vitamin C in either foods or supplements. I encourage you to increase your intake of fruit and vegetables to boost your vitamin C intake daily.

Some foods rich in vitamin C include red sweet peppers, turnip greens, broccoli, red cabbage, strawberries, spinach, oranges, mangos, cantaloupes, and raspberries.

Causes of vitamin C deficiency

Be especially aware if you have any of the following conditions or take any of the following medications. They promote vitamin C deficiency:

Antibiotics
Stress
Aspirin
Painkillers
Sulfa drugs
High fever
High blood pressure
Diabetes mellitus
Cortisone
Birth control pills
Smoking

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which means it leaves the body quickly. You should consume foods rich in vitamin C throughout the day.

Be sure to access the free ecourse “How to Lower Cholesterol in 8 Simple Steps” at http://lowercholesterolwithlisa.com.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Health Pro for HealthCentral

Image courtesy of Maggie Smith / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted in Heart Health, Lower Cholesterol | Tagged Heart Disease, vitamin c, vitamin c deficiency

8 Steps to Prevent a Holiday Heart Attack

Published December 2, 2015 | By Lisa Nelson, RD

Good food, laughter, and quality time with family. A picture perfect holiday season, right? Well, that is Hollywood’s version anyway. Holidays tend to spike stress levels for many.

Finding just the right gift. Preparing for company. Long hours cooking. Then hours of clean up. Late nights socializing. Long days on the road. Hazardous travel conditions.

Holiday activities trigger a spike in cardiovascular events, such as a heart attack. There is about a 5% increase in heart-related deaths during this season according to a 2004 study published in Circulation.

Take steps this holiday season to counteract the extra stress you know lies ahead.
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Posted in Heart Health | Tagged binge drinking, heart attack, holidays, lower holiday stress, lower stress, stress, stress reduction

Has laser eye surgery ever been linked to heart problems?

Published November 24, 2015 | By Lisa Nelson, RD

This guest post is provided by Phoebe Damien, content marketer who works in AcceleRank Web Solutions. A teacher by day and a blogger by night, Phoebe is helping businesses with content marketing. A blogger and a runner, Phoebe is also a vegan.

Few surgeries if any are completely safe, especially if you have some kind of heart problem. You might not even consider it as you lay down to get your eyes fixed, but is it possible that your laser eye surgery could cause you to suffer a heart attack?

Low risk but not entirely safe

Cataract and other types of eye surgeries are known to have very low risks of complications. This however does not mean that they are entirely safe. It is possible, although unlikely, that the stress of the laser eye surgery might lead the patient to suffering a heart attack. It is best for the patient to attend a consultation with a specialist.

Likewise, surgeons at Optilase will always do their best to screen the patients prior to the surgery in order to see if there are any risks to be considered. But even if they were able to find a problem with regards to the matter, there is nothing much that they can do in order to lower the risks of suffering a heart attack during the surgery. Here is a good thing about it though; these kinds of surgeries only require a local anaesthetic to numb the eyes – in fact it is not a very long procedure. Before patients undergo this kind of surgery, they will need to do routine testing before it is time to repair their eyesight.
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Posted in Heart Health | Tagged eye surgery, heart health, laser eye surgery

What supplements can improve heart health and prehypertension?

Published November 18, 2015 | By Lisa Nelson, RD

Dr. Britt Burton-Freeman is Director, Center for Nutrition Research, Institute for Food Safety and Health, Illinois Institute of Technology; Associate Research Nutritionist, UC Davis. Her research involves obesity and vascular disease inflammatory and oxidative stress responses. Her research approach includes human and basic science methodology.

Dr. Burton-Freeman has shared with us information on supplements and their effectiveness for improving heart health.

Fish oil omega 3 fatty acids

Studies investigating fish oil omega-3 fatty acid supplementation have shown improvements in CVD risk factor reduction. Specifically, fish oil omega-3 fatty acids aid in lowering triglycerides in the blood and help raise HDL. Fish oil omega-3 fatty acids also help to reduce inflammation and are also involved in platelet function, reducing blood clotting time. Hence, too much fish oil can increase the risk of bleeding and hemorrhagic strokes. Elevated blood pressure is another risk factor for CVD. High doses of omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to lower blood pressure in people with hypertension. Consuming > 3 g of fish oil omega 3 fatty acids is advised only under the advice and monitoring of a physician.

Lycopene
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Posted in Lower Blood Pressure | Tagged burton-freeman, dr. britt freeman, fish oil, garlic, grape seed extract, heart health supplements, lycopene

Eating Red Meat Increases Heart Disease AND Cancer Risk

Published November 4, 2015 | By Lisa Nelson, RD

Red meat and processed meats are connected to cancer according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Researchers noted in 2014 studies indicating a high consumption of red meat or processed meat to slightly increase cancer risk. Therefore, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC, a part of WHO) decided to evaluate red meat and processed meat to provide solid scientific evidence regarding cancer risk and red meat/processed meat consumption.

Processed meats: carcinogenic to humans

Processed meats are meat products produced by salting, fermenting, curing, smoking, or other technique to enhance preservation and flavor. Some examples of processed meat include hot dogs, sausages, ham, beef jerky, salami, corned beef, pepperoni, spam, and bologna.

The IARC classified processed meats as Group 1, carcinogenic to humans. This means there is enough evidence to support processed meat as cancer causing.

Tobacco smoking and asbestos are also classified as Group 1. However, the IARC is careful to clarify this does not mean processed meat is equally as dangerous to your health as tobacco smoking and asbestos. The group classifications only indicate strength of scientific evidence, not degree of risk.

Red meats: probably carcinogenic to humans

Red meat includes beef, pork, veal, and lamb. The IARC classified red meat as Group 2A, probably carcinogenic to humans. Red meat studies were more limited than processed meat studies, but did show an association between red meat consumption and colorectal cancer. However, current studies cannot rule out other potential explanations for the increased cancer risk. Therefore, classified as Group 2A, probably carcinogenic. In addition to colorectal cancer, an association was seen between red meat consumption and stomach cancer…but again, no conclusive evidence.

High temperature preparation and carcinogens