Heart Disease – Reduce Heart Disease by Eating More Whole Grains
Your risk of heart failure is increased by a variety of factors, such as coronary artery disease, obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, and hypertension. What you eat has a major impact on these risk factors.
A new study was recently released in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association that supports eating whole grains to reduce heart disease risk.
The 13 year study evaluated the association between seven different food categories (fruits/vegetables, whole grains, eggs, high-fat dairy, nuts, fish, and red meat) and heart failure risk in over 14,000 adults. During the study, 1,140 adults were hospitalized for heart failure. The study found that heart failure risk was significantly reduced in individuals with a high whole grain intake. Heart failure risk was significantly higher in individuals with increased intake of eggs and high-fat dairy.
A much smaller scale survey of 800 American adults shows promising changes. The first diet and exercise survey conducted by the American Dietetic Association was in 1991 and the most recent in 2002. The goal of the survey is to measure current attitudes and behaviors toward diet and health and identify behavior changes over time.
Findings of the 2008 survey show that consumption of whole grains, vegetables, and fruit has increased, while trans fat, beef, pork, and dairy consumption has decreased.
Increased in the past 5 years:
Whole grains – 56%
Vegetables – 50%
Fruits – 48%
Low-fat foods – 48%
Omega 3 fatty acids – 38%
Decreased in the past 5 years:
Trans fat – reduced 56%
Beef – reduced 41%
Port – reduced 33%
Dairy – reduced 23%
Low-sugar foods – reduced 20%
The survey divided participants into three groups based on diet and exercise habits. Here are the divisions:
I’m already doing it – 43% (5% increase from 2002)
I know I should – 38% (8% increase from 2002)
Don’t bother me – 19% (13% decrease from 2002)
So, overall it looks like American’s are wising up. However, what’s important is you. Where do you fall? Are you increasing your whole grain intake, eating more fruits/veggies, and cutting back on trans fats? Are you doing what you need to, in order to reduce heart failure risk?
If you would like one-on-one help, please sign up for The Heart of Health ezine to stay up-to-date on the latest programs from dietitian Lisa Nelson. You’ll also receive the free report “Stop Wasting Money – Take Control of Your Health”.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Barley Nutrition – How to use barley nutrition to lower cholesterol
Barley contains the same soluble fiber and beta-glucan as oats. Individuals who regularly consume barley have lower LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and total cholesterol.
A review of studies found the beta glucan in barley linked to decreased total cholesterol of 13 mg/dl, decreased LDL cholesterol of 10 mg/dl, and a reduced triglyceride level of 12 mg/dl. The review found no relationship between barley intake and HDL cholesterol. Beta-glucan is a type soluble fiber.
There are two types of dietary fiber – soluble and insoluble. You want to include between 25-35 grams of dietary fiber in your diet everyday. Of this, soluble fiber should make up 15 grams. Soluble fiber promotes lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels.
Barley nutrition is unique in that it contains fiber throughout the entire grain kernel. For most grains, when the outer bran layer is removed you’ve also removed the fiber. This isn’t the case with barley. Pearled barley is the easiest form of barley to find. Even though the grain is processed to remove the hull, bran, and some of the inner layer, it still provides 3 grams of dietary fiber in a half cup serving. Other varieties of barley include scotch or pot barley, barley flakes, quick-cooking barley, and hulled or hull-less barley.
Including barley as a regular part of your diet is a nutritious and simple way to promote heart health, lower LDL cholesterol, and lower total cholesterol levels.
Be sure to sign up for the free e-course How to Lower Cholesterol in 8 Simple Steps.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Heart Healthy Tips
Lower LDL Cholesterol Diet – Step 4
Let’s do a quick review. Step 1 of a diet to lower LDL cholesterol is to reduce saturated fat intake, step 2 increase soluble fiber, and step 3 increase plant sterol intake. The fourth step does not involve diet, but is an important part of maintaining a low LDL cholesterol level.
Here is the fourth of four options for lowering LDL cholesterol:
Physical Activity
Inactivity can cause higher cholesterol levels. Increase physical activity to increase HDL, lower LDL, and lower triglyceride levels. Check with your physician before starting an exercise program if you’re not currently active.
Lower LDL Cholesterol Diet – Step 1
Lower LDL Cholesterol Diet – Step 2
Lower LDL Cholesterol Diet – Step 3
Receive a step by step plan to promote heart health with a Mini Diet Makeover. As a special New Year’s bonus you’ll receive a complimentary copy of the Calorie Counter for Dummies. Learn more here – https://www.lisanelsonrd.com/minidietmakeover.html
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
How to Lower Cholesterol in 8 Simple Steps
Coenzyme Q10 Deficiency – How much coenzyme Q10 is needed to see benefits?
Here’s another question and answer from my February interview with Dr. Cynthia Shelby-Lane regarding the need for coenzyme Q10 to prevent heart disease.
Lisa Nelson RD: How much coenzyme Q10, if any, should individuals with heart disease supplement to see benefits?
Dr. Shelby-Lane: CoenzymeQ10-H2, also known as ubiquinol, is the reduced form of coenzymeQ10 (CoQ10) that is over five times more bioavailable than ordinary (standard) CoQ10. CoQ10 plays an essential role in providing energy to the body through the mitochondria, the energy-producing organelles found in all cells. There are between 100 and 300 mitochondria inside every cell, and they are responsible for over 90% of the body’s energy production. Mitochondria can truly be described as the cell’s ‘blast furnaces,’ and CoQ10 plays a critical role in the utilization of oxygen inside these mitochondria. CoQ10 also acts as an antioxidant to protect the mitochondria against the massive free radical production that occurs during the cell’s energy-producing respiratory cycle.
CoQ10 is produced naturally in all cells, but there is an age-related decline in CoQ10 production that has been linked to a wide variety of disorders in humans. Heart cells were the first cells discovered that suffered major declines in CoQ10 with age, but we now know that CoQ10 levels decline with age in almost all cells. It is vital for our health to supply dietary CoQ10 to offset the inevitable age-related decline in CoQ10 levels that occurs throughout the human body.
CoQ10 supplementation has been strongly linked to improved cardiovascular health in a wide variety of studies. It decreases peripheral blood flow resistance, especially in the microcirculation, which accounts for up to 90% of blood flow resistance. Numerous studies have also shown that CoQ10 can improve cardiac function, support healthy blood pressure, protect brain cells, slow aging markers, and shorten recovery times in power lifting and body building.
With CoenzymeQ10-H2 you can get the therapeutic benefits of higher dose coenzyme Q10 at much lower dosage levels.
Recommended Dosage: 50 mg to 300 mg standard CoQ10 per day with meals. Most manufacturers will not specify, so standard Coenzyme Q10 is still the most used. It may be difficult for the consumer to get the more concentrated so, so this value (50 -300 mg) is for standard CoQ10. Testing is the best way to know if you are getting adequate supplementation.
To be effective, you need to take enough CoQ10 to significantly raise its level in the blood to see any beneficial effect. The amount needed to do that varies among individuals, and also depends on the potency or “bioavailability” of the CoQ10 used. Some people get a good rise with 100 milligrams, whereas others need two or three times that much to attain the same blood level. Taking too little of this supplement won’t help you.
A typical dose for heart disease is 50 to 150 milligrams a day. However when heart failure is severe, up to 360 milligrams a day taken in doses of no more than 180 milligrams at a time may be needed. Experts say that “the sicker the cardiac patient, the weaker the heart, the higher the CoQ10 dose needs to be.”
Some researchers recommend 2 milligrams of CoQ10 for each kilogram of body weight (0.9 milligrams for each pound of body weight).
CoQ10 is fat soluble. To be effective, it must be taken with some fat for absorption. Take it with a little peanut butter or olive oil. If possible, take CoQ10 in the form of soft gel capsules. They are better than dry capsules or tablets.
Dosage is determined by measuring blood levels of coenzyme Q10.
Generally, people who have heart failure begin to see an improvement in symptoms in about four weeks, although some people may take as long as three months. Maximum improvement occurs after six months, which is longer than ordinary drugs take to exhibit an effect. Once started, you must take CoQ10 continually to maintain its heart-strengthening benefits.
Safety
CoQ10 is very safe. In a large Italian study, 22 out of 2,664 patients reported mild side effects. This comes out to be less than 1 percent. The typical side effect reported is mild transient nausea. No toxicity has been found, even at high doses, in animals or humans.
Important Caution
CoQ10 is not a substitute for conventional drugs. It is usually used along with conventional therapy for best results. You should do this only under the supervision of your doctor. Heart failure is a serious condition that should not be self-diagnosed or self-medicated. If you have serious heart disease, always consult a doctor for the proper course of treatment.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Coenzyme Q10 Deficiency
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Omega Q Plus supports:
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Lower LDL Cholesterol Diet – Step 3
All right, in steps 1 and 2 we covered saturated fat to lower LDL cholesterol and increasing soluble fiber to lower LDL cholesterol. Now, let’s cover plant sterols.
Here is the third of four options for lower LDL cholesterol diet:
Plant Sterols
Eat plant sterols everyday. Eating 2 grams of plant sterols each day will on average reduce your LDL cholesterol 10%.
Plant sterols occur naturally in foods at low levels, so some foods have been fortified. Here is the amount of plant sterols in some foods:
Avocados, 1 small 0.13 grams
Corn Oil, 1 tablespoon 0.13 grams
Sunflower Seeds, 1/4 cup 0.19 grams
Oat Bar with plant sterols, 1 bar 0.4 grams
Orange Juice with plant sterols 1.0 gram
Vegetable oil spread with plant sterols, 1 tablespoon 1.0 gram
Benecol is also an option to boost plant sterol intake.
Lower LDL Cholesterol Diet – Step 4
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
How to Lower Cholesterol in 8 Simple Steps
Lower LDL Cholesterol Diet – Step 2
As we covered in Lower LDL Cholesterol Diet – Step 1, LDL (bad) cholesterol levels should be less than 130 mg/dl and ideally less than 100 mg/dl.
Here is the second of four options for lower LDL cholesterol diet:
Soluble Fiber
Increase dietary fiber, especially soluble fiber. Eat 25-35 grams of fiber daily and of this at least 15 grams should be soluble fiber. Research has shown that for every 1-2 grams of daily soluble fiber intake, LDL (bad) cholesterol is lowered 1%.
Sources of soluble fiber include:
Oat and oat bran
Legumes (dried beans and peas)
Nuts
Barley, rye
Flaxseed
Fruits (i.e. oranges, apples, prunes, plums, berries)
Vegetables (i.e. carrots, broccoli, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions)
Psyllium husk
Learn more here about a high fiber diet plan to lower cholesterol here.
Lower LDL Cholesterol Diet – Step 3
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
How to Lower Cholesterol in 8 Simple Steps
