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FAQ: What can I do to lower my cholesterol level?
1. Dietary Changes
Eliminate or greatly reduce refined sugars and complex (processed) carbohydrates as much as possible from your diet. This includes sweets, junk food, pastas, breads, cereals, etc. Eat whole wheat bread in moderation, and limit white potatoes (no French fries!!), sweet potatoes are better. Key Points: Decreasing carbohydrates decreases your blood sugar, which reduces your insulin production, which in turn lowers cholesterol, reduces fat storage, and keeps your blood sugars stable, aiding in prevention of insulin resistance and diabetes.
Eat lots and lots of fresh vegetables, especially dark green or cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, and salads. Limit canned veggies, frozen is better. Key Points: The folate and sterols in these vegetables are antioxidants, which help rid the body of harmful free radicals, reduce lipids, promoting cardiac health and even cancer prevention. The fiber in these veggies, particularly when raw, such as in salads, helps to slow digestion, preventing sudden increases of blood glucose in insulin, and also promotes intestinal health.
You do not need a ‘No Fat’ diet, as certain fats and oils are essential to your health. Instead, use cold pressed oils such as Olive oil in cooking and salads, which is heart protective. Or you may use peanut oil or canola oil to cook with instead of heat-processed cooking oils (these are always used in fast food preparation!), which can be toxic. Be sure to use real butter, not margarine, which can be harmful to you, and limit fried food. Key Points: Healthy Oils are essential for optimal health, they do not elevate cholesterol and are even cardio-protective.
2. Exercise
Moving your body and using your muscles is one of the most important ways to promote your health and preserve your muscle mass. Exercise is an effective tool for reducing cholesterol.
Already exercising and enjoying it? Be sure you are doing both cardiovascular exercise (increasing and sustaining your heart rate for at least 20-30 minutes, 3-5x a week), and strength training (increasing muscle size and strength through resistance or weight training).
Occasionally exercising or not really enjoying it? Add some variety to your routine. Go walking, biking, try joining Curves or the YMCA for a good and effective workout. Exercising in a group can be fun! Work up to the guidelines above by doing something you really enjoy.
Never exercise? Really don’t want to? This is easy (and free!). All you need is a comfortable pair of shoes! If you will simply go for a 5-10 minute walk each morning or evening. After a week, or when you feel you can, add an extra 5 minutes until you are walking briskly for 20-30 minutes at least 3-5 times a week. Walking is one of the very best exercises you can do! It benefits your heart, can lower your cholesterol, helps promote weight loss, improves mood and sleep, boosts your metabolism, and builds your bones. Don’t underestimate it’s many benefits!
3. Nutraceuticals
The following supplements are recommended for lowering your lipids or blood sugar:
- Women’s Essentials
- Omega 3’s (fish oil)
- Krill Oil
- Red Yeast Rice
- MetaglycemX
- Metasitosterol
- Ultrameal Plus
- UltraGlycemX
- CoEnzymeQ10
FAQ: What characterizes normal sexual function in women?
FAQ: Why do we need to Detox?
Answer: When we say the word “detoxification” the first impression many people may get is drug and alcohol detox. The truth is that every one of us builds toxins up within our bodies at a cellular level, and our liver is the dumping ground. We are constantly being exposed to new chemicals and synthetic compounds and this environmental exposure creates physiological, emotional, and cognitive disorders. When we become 'toxic' we experience hormonal imbalances, mood swings, fatigue, irritability, pain, inflammatory sequelae, depression, dysbiosis, immunologic dysfunction, endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity and cancer.
Now more than ever we have to be concerned about keeping our filtering and purifying system, the intestines and the liver, healthy, because we are exposed to a myriad of foreign chemicals both commercially synthesized and naturally occurring. Our bodies get them through the food we eat, the water and other beverages we drink, the air we breathe, and are absorbed through skin. This includes pesticides, herbicides, hormones in foods, chemicals, plastics, etc. These are poisons to our body.
Our bodies are amazingly designed to get rid of these toxins, although it cannot always handle the overload present in today’s environment. Proper detoxification includes assessment, minimizing exposure, foods to avoid, foods that protect, and nutrients to support Phase 1 and Phase 2 detoxification and elimination.
Symptoms which may be relieved by following a detox program include:
* Digestive problems
* Irritability
* Headaches
* Joint pain
* Fatigue
* Constipation
* Skin rashes
* Poor Concentration
* Bad breath
* General malaise
* Itchy skin
* Pallor
What a carefully planned detoxification program can offer you:
* Anti-aging effects
* Increased productivity
* Weight loss
* Clearer skin and eyes
* Greater motivation and creativity
* Reduction of allergic symptoms
MENTAL DETOXIFICATION
The cleansing of our mind of negative thought patterns, is essential to health and physical detoxification and can aid in this process. Emotionally, detoxification helps us uncover and express hidden frustrations, anger, resentments and fear and replace them with forgiveness, love, joy and hope.
Love you lots!!!!
Anna