Top 5 Super Foods to Lower Cholesterol and Reduce weight

Among all the foods, I have decided to pick the top five super foods which have been shown to lower cholesterol and can be included in a healthy diet on a regular basis.

1.            Oat for Soluble Fiber

Oatmeal and oat bran are rich in soluble fiber, a type of fiber which lowers the bad Low Density Lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol without lowering the good High Density Lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol. In 1997, the FDA authorized a heart disease risk reduction health claim for beta-glucan soluble fiber from oat products. Food products containing oat bran and rolled oats, such as oatmeal, and whole oat flour can bear this health claim.

How much do you need? Five to 10 grams of soluble fiber a day decreases LDL cholesterol by about 5 percent. Some studies showed that this amount can lower cholesterol by as much as 23 percent. One bowl of oatmeal contains about 3 grams of soluble fiber. Include other soluble-fiber-rich foods such as psyllium, apples, kidney beans, pears and barley.

2.            Fish for Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Fish is a good source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids - which has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. In particular, omega 3 fatty acids are noted for its triglyceride-lowering power.

How much do you need? In 2002, the American Heart Association recommended eating at least 2 servings of fish a week, particularly fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon, sardines, trout and herring. If you have high triglyceride levels, AHA recommends 2 to 4 g of EPA and DHA (two specific types of omega 3 oil) as supplements under your doctors care.

3.            Nuts for Healthy Fats

Nuts rich in fiber, phytonutrients and antioxidants such as Vitamin E and selenium. These tasty snacks are also high in plant sterols and fat - but mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which have all been shown to lower the bad LDL cholesterol.

How much do you need? In 2003, the FDA recognized the benefits of nuts and their role in heart disease prevention by approving a health claim for seven kinds of nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts). Limit your intake to ~ 1.5 ounces a day, as nuts are high in calories. The best way to reap the health benefits of nuts is to eat them in replacement of foods that are high in saturated fats such as meat products.

4.            Foods fortified with Plant Sterols

Plant sterols or stanols are powerful substances naturally found in plant to have the ability to block cholesterol absorption. Studies showed that eating two servings of sterols-fortified foods daily result in a 10 to 15 percent drop in LDL cholesterol levels.

How much do you need? The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that people who have high cholesterol eat 2 grams of plant sterols or stanols a day. You can find plant sterols in fortified foods such as margarine spread, orange juice, salad dressings, functional cookies etc. Most sterols-fortified foods contain at least 1 gram of plant sterols per serving. Please read the portion size and usage direction on the labels for details. It is important to note that plant sterols are not for everyone. The AHA recommends it only for people with high levels of LDL cholesterol.

5.            Soy

Soy products are great substitutes for animal products. In 1999, the FDA recognized the health benefits of soy and heart disease by approving a soy health claim. However, due to conflicting results from a large-scale review performed by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the AHA Nutrition Committee no longer recommends eating soy to lower cholesterol.

Should you avoid soy then? A simple answer is No. Although soy may not lower cholesterol to the extent we previously thought it could, the US Agency review showed that it can still lower bad LDL cholesterol by 3 percent. Since soy products contain high levels of polyunsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals and low levels of saturated fat, AHA does consider soy products a healthy replacement for meats and other foods high in saturated fat and total fat.

Written by  Gloria Tsang, RD of http://www.healthcastle.com/

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Quick Healthy Recipes Part 5

Broccoli Stir Fry

2 medium size Fresh Broccoli
McCormick Grill Mates Roasted Garlic & Herb Seasoning(2.75 oz)
3tsp Oil
1 tsp Salt

Cut Broccoli into medium-size pieces. You can even slice the hard stem from out side and use the soft part of stem.  Take microwaveable bowl Add Cut Broccoli and soak in water with 1 tsp salt.
Microwave 4 min on high. Drain all the water with help of Colander.
Heat nonstick pan, put 3 tsp oil and put Broccoli. Use wooden flat spoon to stir Broccoli time to time for 5min. Once Broccoli is slightly pan roasted from all sides sprinkle McCormick Ready Seasoning. Sprinkle generously till all the broccoli is covered with Seasoning. Keep stirring till for another 3min.

Note: Don’t add salt as McCormick Ready Seasoning already has salt and all spices. Don’t cover while cooking as we want Broccoli to be crispy.

Chilli Stuffed

10 Long Green Fresh Chillis with Stem(jalapenos)
2 Tsp Jeera Powder(Cumin Pwd)
1 Tsp Salt
½ tsp Hing(Asafetida)
Pam(Spray oil)

Wash Green Chillis and wipe it dry. Don’t take out the stem of chillis. Slit chillis with help of Knife from one side and let other side remain intact.  Scrape out seeds very gently with help of tip of the knife.

Now mix the Cumin Powder, Salt and Hing and keep this mix on flat plate. Lift that mix on knife  tip and gently spread it evenly inside the slit green Chillis. You can even use the spoon end to spread the mix inside chillis. Once done stuffing all the chillis with the mix, heat the nonstick pan.

Keep chillis on hot pan and spray oil or sprinkle little oil evenly on all the chillies, after a minute turn the chillies with help of fork. Make sure to cook very little on both sides of chilies and remove from pan.

Serve as side dish for pulao or Roti Subjior Curd Rice or with Sambar Rice. It goes well with all Indian meal.

Note: Keep exhaust fan on as sometime chilli smoke can really make you cough hard. Don’t overcook chilli as semi crispy chillis taste great.

Red Spinach/Chaulai/Rajgiri  ki Subji

Ingredients:
1 bunch Red Spinach(Clean it by separating leaves from hard stem)
1 big onion chopped
3 red dry whole chili
1-2 whole garlic pods(Optional)
1 tsp cumin seeds(jeera)
Salt to taste

Method to cook:
Wash the cleaned Red Spinach leaves properly under running water and chop them.
Heat oil in a kadai/pan. Add cumin seeds, Red Whole Chilli, chopped Onions. You can add sliced Whole Garlic pod(it’s optional). Cook till onion turns soft and slightly golden.
Add chopped Red Spinach and salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes. The leaves will release water. Lower the flame at this point. Don’t cover the pan it should be cooked in open pan.
Bhaji needs to be cooked in that water only. If water dries out, add splash of water and cook again.
Your Subji(Veggie) is ready to eat with rice or roti.

By: Reena Sharma

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What To Do This Weekend

The hubby and I are trying to come up with some ideas for what to do this weekend.  We want a weekend off from socializing to just enjoy each others company but there are so many wonderful things to do that its hard to decide... so Id like the help of anyone reading.  Please let me know what activity below you would prefer to do (and why, if you have time to say).  Im interested in finding out what interests we might share with others and in getting feedback for what might be fun. 

• Bowling
• Hiking (with or without the dog depending on the trails)
• Go to an art/science Museum
• Shopping/Antiquing
• Joy Ride to Nowhere Specific

Let me know what you think!  This could be a good opportunity for exercise as well as quality time (with the exception of the joy ride). 

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12 great exercises that you can do at home

Here are the exercises that are effective and don’t require any equipment at all.
Now you have no more excuses!
Here are 12 great exercises that you can do at home, without the need for any equipment:

1. Walking – If the weather is nice, it’s wonderful to get outside and enjoy the scenery around you while you exercise. However, if the weather has other ideas, you can just as easily get an effective walking workout at home. If you have a flight of stairs, go up and down them a few times. (You could even grab a load of laundry as you’re going that way anyway!) This will help to tone up your legs, while getting some low impact aerobic exercise as well. If you don’t have any stairs available, just walk around the house a few times – it may not be very exciting, but it will do the job!
2. Jumping Jacks – These are always fun, as they bring back memories of being a kid! Who hasn’t done jumping jacks for fun as a child? Well, surprise – they are also great cardio exercises, and good for warming up, too.
3. Pushups – These are probably not the most favorite exercise of many people, but while they can be hard to do, you can find easier ways to do them. You don’t need to pretend you’re “Rocky”, and do them with one hand; just do what works for you. Do them on your knees, instead of keeping your legs straight. Or, do them standing up against a wall. You will be building up arm strength and working out muscles in your chest area.
4. Leg Lifts – These are great for building up strength and muscles in your legs. If you find it hard to do the exercises with your legs straight, try bending them slightly.
5. Crunches – The best exercise for building up and strengthening abdominal muscles. When you’re just getting started, don’t worry about getting your head all the way up. So long as you’re going up until you feel the stretching of the muscles, you will see some benefit.
6. Jogging In Place – Jogging is a great exercise for your heart. You can jog in place at home while watching TV or listening to music. The only equipment you will require is a good pair of shoes, to eliminate any stress to your legs.
7. Squats – These are wonderful exercises for your legs and buttocks. You can even just try these by sitting and standing up again from a regular chair, if you’re finding them to be too difficult. As long as you’re able to do a few repetitions, you will be providing some benefit to your body.
8. Light Weight Lifting – No, you don’t need to go out and buy expensive weights for this! Just use whatever you can find in your house. Start out with something lighter, such as a can of peas, and work yourself up to heavier items. You can use milk jugs, laundry detergent bottles or even water jugs.
9. Dancing – Dancing is a wonderful exercise, which is great for your heart. Not only that, but it can lift your spirits as well, and give your overall feeling a boost.
10. Step Exercises – Using the steps in your home, you can do repetitions which will tone your leg muscles. (Just remember to be careful!)
11. Lunges - Begin the lunge by taking a large step forward, keeping your head up and torso erect. Lower your hips and allow your trailing knee to drop to a point just before it touches the floor - never let the knee touch the floor. To return to the start, push off with your forward leg and then step back when the knee is completely straight. Repeat with other leg, 10-15 reps each leg.
12. Stair Running - Stair running isnt usually considered a resistance exercise, and in fact, it makes hefty demands on your cardiovascular system. However, it also does an incredible job of conditioning the lower body. If your knees are in good shape, try doing 10-20 one-story sprints, preferably two stairs at a time. As you get stronger, work up the number slowly, keep one hand on the stair rail to catch yourself if you lose your balance. Give yourself a bigger challenge by wearing a backpack filled with nice and heavy books.

To avoid having a basement filled with expensive dust-collecting equipment, keep these points in mind when deciding to purchase:
» Your fitness goals - do you need an equipment for your fitness goal?
» Cost of the equipment - can you afford?
» Long term plan of usage - can you continue to use the equipment to exercise?
» Variations that the equipment provides - will the equipment meet your needs as you get more fit?

What are the benefits of working out at home?
» No driving to and from a fitness club
» Workout on your schedule
» No expensive monthly membership fees

Getting some exercise is important. Use what you have in your house, and work out in the comfort of your home. You will be more likely to keep up with the exercises when you’re comfortable, so just get up and start exercising!

By: www.fitwatch.com

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What do you want to be

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Things I do to Cheer Myself Up

1. Call up a friend or sister or mother to talk about it (or to get your mind off it).

2. Watch a good movie, preferably one that youve already seen and liked.

3. Eat a good meal. Something different and delicious, something out of the ordinary. A good meal can always brighten up a bad mood.

4. Go for a walk (After an argument I do this to cool down). Doing this will make your body release endorphins and adrenaline through your body which will make you feel better physically and emotionally.

5. Be spontaneous. Sometimes a consistent and boring routine can make you feel bad. Do something out of the blue, but dont make any rash decisions ;) Like Give surprise visit to close friend.

6. Take a nice long shower. You will feel happier and refreshed.

7. Get out of the house! The fresh air will make you feel better. Go somewhere with a friend, a family member, or even by yourself like beauty parlor, shopping, temple or just window shopping. Staying inside is like trapping yourself inside your depression.

8. Listen to music. Dont listen to sad music–try listening to energetic tunes or a song that inspires you or reminds you of good times.

9. Have a good cry. Sometimes the sadness stays inside your head if you try to force yourself to be happy. Try to let the tears out at the most appropriate time, mainly the best time when you are alone. Do this, and you might feel more relieved of your sad feelings, as if it "got off your chest".

10. Put your feelings into perspective. Is what youre upset about really as important as you think? Did it seem too heavily affect more on yourself than those around you? If you sulk about little problems, like not receiving a perfect behavior from senior or something from past, then youre going to feel sad a lot more easily. Not all of your problems require you to use your head. If you use reason to cheer yourself up, chances are youll feel a lot less stressed.

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