KTK-Nutrition

Almost everyone has heard of cholesterol.   Not everyone has heard that you have both “good” cholesterol and “bad” cholesterol.   For good health the goal is to raise the “good” cholesterol.   And yes, you do want the “good” cholesterol to be higher.   The other goal is to lower or keep within normal range the “bad” cholesterol.   What is cholesterol?   The Mayo Clinic defines cholesterol as “a waxy substance found in your blood”.   Believe it or not but your body not only needs cholesterol for healthy cells, your body also produces cholesterol.   Adults make about 1,000 mg of cholesterol a day and we get about 200-300 mg of cholesterol a day from food.   Our bodies need cholesterol for many functions in the body including being a precursor for vitamin D, a layer covering our nerve cells, to transport molecules around our body, and for each cell.   What about cholesterol and heart disease?   Our bodies use the cholesterol ...

Many people are concerned about cholesterol levels and heart disease and stroke.   A lot of us have changed our diets thinking we are eating foods that lower cholesterol and giving up some foods that we had enjoyed for years.   This week my husband and I were treated to dinner at my daughter’s and son-in-law’s home.   We enjoyed some wonderful homemade crab cakes, fresh bread and potatoes.   An old-fashioned butter dish was on the table with a stick of real butter.   My daughter said they had switched from margarine to real butter as margarine had too many chemicals in it.   Interesting because my husband and I have switched back to real butter.   Since it is hard to spread, we get the butter mixed with canola oil.   I don’t think a little real butter will do much damage to our cholesterol levels.    What foods can you eat that have been found to lower blood cholesterol levels?   My sister sent me some articles on foods that lower y...

Every January the US News and World Report ranks the best diets .   They rank diets based on the best diets for your overall health, for weight loss, for diabetes, for heart health.    So what are the best diets as of January 2014? Best Overall Diets Number One:   DASH DIet Two diets came out on top for best diets overall, the DASH diet and the TLC diet.   When teaching nutrition, I always tell my students about the DASH diet.   It is an acronym for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.   So yes, it is recommended for those with high blood pressure.   But it is also a great diet for overall nutrition and for heart health.   It is a nutritionally sound and balanced diet.   The diet focuses on foods rich in potassium, calcium, protein and fiber to help fight or lower high blood pressure.   This diet was developed by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and they have free guides for the plan.   They offer a ...