9 health benefits of walnuts:

1. Lowers risk of diabetes
2. Promotes a healthy heart and circulatory system
3. Lowers cholesterol levels
4. Boosts brain power and improves memory
5. Slows the progression of rheumatoid and osteoarthritis
6. Acts as an anti-inflammatory food
7. Rich in antioxidant properties
8. Fights breast and prostate cancer
9. Improves reproductive health in men.

9 Ultimate Reasons to Eat Walnuts Everyday

The new epidemic that has taken the world by storm is obesity. The proportion of obese people is increasing and the age of onset of obesity is decreasing gradually.

There is an optimal weight for a given height of a person. Obesity is when a person's weight is 20% more than the optimal weight. It brings with it a host of other health conditions, as it impairs the body s overall functioning.

Diabetes 2: In a normal person, food gets broken down into glucose to provide the required energy for the body using insulin. The body s inability to produce sufficient insulin to convert the excessive amount of sugar in the body leads to diabetes. Growing to be a leading cause of early death, diabetes brings with it a host of complications affecting almost all systems and parts of the body including stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and death. Diabetes and obesity have a direct correlation and can be prevented and managed by eating a balanced diet, losing weight, exercising, and having a healthy lifestyle.

Heart problems: An increased BMI also ups the risk for coronary heart disease (CHD), where the blood vessels are narrowed due to constant accumulation of fat in their inner walls. This gradually reduces the blood flow through these and may when complete cut-off happens, it could result in heart attack or stroke, affecting the heart or the brain. There could also be cases where the heart fails to pump sufficient blood to the rest of the body, affecting their effective functioning. Obese people also have a higher blood pressure than people who maintain a good BMI.

Breathing problems: One of the main causes of labored breathing is excessive weight. The condition called sleep apnea which is sudden bouts of absence of breathing during sleep is very high in obesity. It can cause snoring, daytime sleepiness, increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. In people with sleep apnea, weight loss is one of the first and most recommended therapies. Asthma and general breathing disorders are also higher in obese people.

Abnormal body cholesterol: Obese people also tend to have abnormally higher levels of body fat, especially the bad cholesterol, which again leads to coronary disease. It is a vicious cycle with one leading to the other and aggravating the other.

Osteoarthritis: Added weight leads to pressure on the hips, knees and lower back. There is added wear and tear and pain, which further limits movement.

Cancer: Some cancers, of the colon, endometrium, kidney, pancreas, gallbladder, breast and esophagus are more prevalent in obese people.

These are just some, there are more. The best way to avoid all these is to watch your weight.

Obesity - How It Increases Your Risk of Different Diseases?

Over the last few decades, the word cholesterol has assumed a different connotation. It has come to be known as a silent killer that spells doom for health. However, what we need to realize is that a certain amount of cholesterol is essential for the proper functioning of the body. The liver produces about 85% of the cholesterol that is required by the body normally. The ever changing food habits have introduced a lot of processed foods that are loaded with saturated fats. Along with this, reduced physical activity has led to accumulation of cholesterol in the blood.

The types of cholesterol are based on the density and we have 2 types of density that is Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) and High Density Lipoprotein (HDL). LDL is more dangerous than HDL, called as bad and good cholesterol respectively. In addition, the triglycerides and lipoprotein are also critical indicators of overall cholesterol levels. Depending on a person's age, height and weight, normal levels are derived for each of these four.

Because of their density of the cholesterol molecules, as they are circulating in the blood stream, they tend to get sluggish and settle down along the walls of the blood vessels, referred to as plaque. This plaque attracts more and more cholesterol from the blood and the layer gets gradually thicker. This reduces the thickness of the blood vessels and in severe cases even completely blocks blood flow to important organs like the brain and heart, leading to severe conditions like stroke and heart attack respectively.

However, it is not always that all cholesterol is bad. It is one of the essential things for the proper body functions with the main functions listed below.

1. Each cell in the body requires it to form the cell membrane, the protective layer around the cells
2. Synthesis of vitamin D is done with the help of cholesterol, which is very essential for skin health
3. It also helps in hormone formation. In addition to steroids, other hormones like testosterone, estrogen, cortisol require cholesterol as a main ingredient
4. Formation of neurotransmitters and overall nerve function requires cholesterol. This ensures optimal neurological functioning.

So, as noted above, there are, both good and bad aspects to cholesterol. It is not all that dangerous a thing that it is made out to be. The trick is to maintain a good level of cholesterol so that the body's requirements are met, and at the same time, the harmful effects are kept at bay. Some important parameters to manage, include the percentage of bad cholesterol in the blood and the ratio of triglycerides to HDL in the blood. These are considered fair indicators of heart health and if need be, lifestyle changes and/or medications can be undertaken to manage overall health and reduce risk of heart disease and stroke.

Cholesterol: Good and Bad of It

Protein is said to be a building block for the body. That being said, a high protein diet can either have some great results to show, or some terrible consequences. As long as a person is willing to learn more about it, only the former will appear!

When a person thinks of a diet which is high in protein, the automatic association is with the famous Atkins diet. This diet is not only high in the amount of protein consumed but is low in the relative amount of carbohydrate.

Who is it for?

A high protein diet is best if a person is looking to build little muscles and does not consume enough protein in his or her current or normal diet. However, studies have found that only professional endurance athletes showed any benefits from a hike in their consumption levels of protein, and that too they could have received these benefits by just eating more food. So, it is fair to say that the normal person is not likely to need more protein than what he or she already gets from his/her diet.

It can be bad too, in addition to this, if a person has an amount of protein which is beyond what is good for him or her according to the activity level, it can be quite bad. This is because a lot of the sources of protein from which most people fulfil their requirements also happen to be quite high in terms of the saturated fat content, which can put the heart at a great amount of risk. Moreover, gout can also occur and it is something that is not curable but can only be managed. A person who is considering the prospect of going on a high protein diet should take these possible side effects into due account prior to making his or her decision regarding the same.

The modest increase in the protein part of a person s diet can be good, and there are a variety of ways a person can increase it by having some simple munch food items such as almonds. Things like these can serve well as snacks and can go a long way in preventing a person from overeating on something less healthy just due to his or her being ravenously hungry. Another option is Greek yogurt and chia seeds, which can be added to almost anything! 

Making small changes in the diet can help in fulfilling the protein requirements. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a dietitian-nutritionist.

High Protein Diet - Things You Must Know!

For a long time cholesterol in totality was seen as a bad thing for your body although the truth was a little more complicated than that. Cholesterol primarily is divided into two types, one of which can be categorized as bad cholesterol and the other as good cholesterol. Let's have an in-depth look at both the categories.

LDL or Low Density Lipoprotein aka bad cholesterol: Cholesterol is a wax like chemical, which is found all over the body and it has important functions to perform. Cholesterol is carried all over the body by Lipoproteins. The low density lipoproteins are denoted as bad cholesterol as they can accumulate on the walls of the blood vessels and cause blockages resulting in many ailments. LDL levels of 190 and above are considered dangerous. 

Some of the risks associated with it are:
1. Heart disease
2. Stroke
3. Atherosclerosis
4. peripheral artery disease among many others

HDL or High Density Lipoprotein aka good cholesterol: This is a form of cholesterol which is usually desired in higher quantities as it removes LDL from the system by dislodging it from the arteries and then carrying it through the blood stream into the liver. The liver then breaks it down and removes it from the body. Thus, higher number of HDL cholesterol is always desirable. 

Some of the ideal numbers for HDL cholesterol within the body are:

Women - Ideal: 60 mg/dl, dangerous: 50 mg/dl or lower
Men - Ideal: 60 mg/dl, dangerous: 50 mg/dl lower

The role of triglycerides
Good and bad cholesterol levels also depend on the levels of triglycerides within the body and not just LDL or HDL cholesterol. Triglycerides are another type of fat which are used to store energy within the body but can also affect your health. It is most associated with atherosclerosis when the levels of triglycerides are high within the body. 

Some habits that contribute to high levels of it are:
a. Lack of physical activity
b. Obesity or being overweight
c. Excesses in alcohol consumption
d. Smoking
e. Bad diet and others

Thus the good cholesterol versus bad cholesterol war also includes other factors, most of which can be easily changed by making subtle changes in lifestyle and incorporating healthier habits. This will increase the good cholesterol and the other relevant elements and reduce the bad.

Good Cholesterol Vs Bad Cholesterol and Factor involved in It

Do you know that cholesterol is found in baby formula and has got some surprising facts about them? Cholesterol is a waxy, fat like substance which is present in all your cells, and your body s cholesterol level says a lot about the health of your heart in the future. Having high cholesterol increases your risk of acquiring heart diseases and hence, you should try to maintain a normal cholesterol level.


Here are some surprising facts about cholesterol, which you should know about:

You cannot live without cholesterol: We are born with cholesterol in our bodies and infants get more cholesterol from mother s milk. This is why cholesterol is added to baby formula. All the hormones and cells of your body need cholesterol for proper functioning. It also builds the cells and helps the liver to prepare fat processing acids.
One out of three adults have high cholesterol: It is important for all people above the age of 20 to get a cholesterol checkup every five years. According to studies, around 32% of adults in the USA have got high cholesterol levels. Your cholesterol levels may also be affected by factors such as your diet and stress.
High cholesterol can be genetic: Genetics is a major influencing factor in high cholesterol levels. Research has proven that almost 75% of high cholesterol cases are genetic in nature while 25% occur because of diet.
Children can have high cholesterol as well: There is a common misconception that high cholesterol is an issue involving adults only. However, children may also have high cholesterol and it is recommended for you to get your child tested at an early age. For children who are obese and have a family history of heart attacks and high cholesterol, a selective screening is important.
Sweating raises the levels of good cholesterol: Sweating is good for increasing the levels of good cholesterol in your body. You should follow a healthy diet including food items like avocado and salmon. Working out is also important for raising your HDL levels, which prevent heart disease.
Supplements may help in lowering cholesterol levels: The first option for controlling your cholesterol levels is to work out regularly. If you are at a risk of heart attack or have hypercholesterolemia, you have to bank on supplements such as plant stanols and sterols. You can also take cholesterol reducing medications such as statins.
Earlier, the medical community was reserved about prescribing cholesterol lowering medicines and they were given only to critical heart patients. In modern day, statin treatment is recommended to people who have even little chances of heart attacks or stroke.

Cholesterol - 6 Interesting Facts About It!

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