Thursday, 27 February 2014
Tuesday, 25 February 2014
Weight loss and Nutrition
Weight loss
- Weight loss, in the context of medicine, health, or physical fitness, is a reduction of the total body mass, due to a mean loss of fluid, body fat or adipose tissue and/or lean mass, namely bone mineral deposits, muscle, tendon, and other connective tissue.
- Most instances of weight loss arise due to the loss of body fat, but in cases of extreme or severe weight loss, protein and other substances in the body can also be depleted.
- Your body weight is determined by your calorie intake, overall health, age, nutrient absorption and other factors.
- A reduction in body weight. The loss may be the result of a change in diet or life-style or a febrile disease.
- The key to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight isn't about short-term dietary changes. It's about a lifestyle that includes healthy eating, regular physical activity, and balancing the number of calories you consume with the number of calories your body uses.
Friday, 21 February 2014
How to control cholesterol?
Control Cholesterol
Lose weight if you are overweight
- Exercise is an important tool in lowering cholesterol and promoting overall health.
- Most types of exercise routines, ranging from walking to running to yoga, appear to have the same impact when it comes to lowering LDL (“bad” cholesterol) and raising HDL (”good” cholesterol).
- Regular exercise, especially aerobic exercise, has many benefits, including lowering cholesterol.
- Strengthen your heart and cardiovascular system
- Increase your HDL or "good" cholesterol
- Make you feel more relaxed and rested
- Make you look fit and feel healthy
Lose weight if you are overweight
Choose
healthier fats
Drink
at most one or two alcoholic beverages per day
Saturday, 15 February 2014
Dietary sources
Dietary Sources
- Dietary cholesterol is a fat-like substance.
- Cholesterol is found in animal foods. Animal foods include meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and milk products.
- Cholesterol is a part of your body cells. It helps your body to make certain hormones that you need.
- Eating too much cholesterol can increase the cholesterol in your blood.
- Too much cholesterol in your blood can increase your risk for heart disease.
- Eating high amounts of saturated fats and trans fats may also have this effect.
- If you do not have heart disease, eat less than 300 milligrams (mg) of dietary cholesterol per day.
- If you have heart disease or are at risk for heart disease aim for less than 200 mg of dietary cholesterol per day.
- Egg yolks are the highest source of dietary cholesterol.
- Choose foods with healthy fats, limit foods high in saturated fat, and avoid foods with trans fat.
- “Good” fats—monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats—lower disease risk. Foods high in good fats include vegetable oils (such as olive, canola, sunflower, soy, and corn), nuts, seeds, and fish.
- “Bad” fats—saturated and, especially, trans fats—increase disease risk. Foods high in bad fats include red meat, butter, cheese, and ice cream, as well as processed foods made with trans fat from partially hydrogenated oil.
TOP FOOD SOURCES OF CHOLESTEROL
Ranking
|
Food
item
|
%
|
Cumulative
%
|
1
|
Eggs
and egg mixed dishes
|
24.6
|
24.6
|
2
|
Chicken
and chicken mixed dishes
|
12.5
|
37.1
|
3
|
Beef
and beef mixed dishes
|
6.4
|
43.6
|
4
|
Burgers
|
4.6
|
48.2
|
5
|
Regular
cheese
|
4.2
|
52.4
|
6
|
Sausage,
franks, bacon, and ribs
|
3.9
|
56.3
|
7
|
Other
fish and fish mixed dishes
|
3.4
|
59.7
|
8
|
Grain-based
desserts
|
3.3
|
63.0
|
9
|
Dairy
desserts
|
3.2
|
66.3
|
10
|
Pasta
and pasta dishes
|
3.1
|
69.3
|
11
|
Pizza
|
2.9
|
72.2
|
12
|
Mexican
mixed dishes
|
2.9
|
75.1
|
13
|
Cold
cuts
|
2.7
|
77.8
|
14
|
Reduced
fat milk
|
2.5
|
80.3
|
15
|
Pork
and pork mixed dishes
|
2.3
|
82.6
|
16
|
Shrimp
and shrimp mixed dishes
|
2.0
|
84.6
|
Friday, 14 February 2014
Function
- Cholesterol is an important component of the membranes of cells
- The presence of cholesterol has a direct effect on the fluidity of the membrane. Further recent research shows that cholesterol has an important role for the brain synapses as well as in the immune system
- Cholesterol plays a part in producing hormones such as estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, aldosterone and cortisone.
- Vitamin D is produced when the sun’s ultraviolet rays reach the human skin surface.
- Cholesterol produces bile acids which aid in digestion and vitamin absorption.
- Cholesterol plays a very important part in both the creation and maintenance of human cell membrane.
- Cholesterol plays a part in the production of hormones such as testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, aldosterone and cortisone.
- The body also uses cholesterol to make cell linings or membranes. Similar to fat, cholesterol with its many functions is an essential element for healthy human beings.
- cholesterol is also important for the metabolism of fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E and K.
Properties
Properties
- Cholesterol is minimally soluble in water
Physical and Chemical PropertiesPhysical propertieAppearance:White crystals.Odor:Nearly odorless.Solubility:Practically insoluble in water.Density:1.03
% Volatiles by volume @ 21C (70F):0Boiling Point:360C (680F)Melting Point:148.5C (298F)
General PropertiesBecause cholesterol is incapable of dissolving in blood, lipoproteins function as carriers to move it in and out of cells. Cholesterol includes low-density and high-density lipoproteins, triglycerides and Lp(a) cholesterol.
Wednesday, 12 February 2014
Risk factros of Cholesterol
Risk
factors
Everybody
has some risk of developing atheroma which then may cause one or more
cardiovascular diseases. However, some situations increase the risk.
These include:
- Lifestyle risk factors that can be prevented or changed:
- Smoking.
- Lack of physical activity (a sedentary lifestyle).
- Obesity.
- An unhealthy diet - including eating too much salt.
- Excess alcohol.
- Treatable or partly treatable risk factors:
- High blood pressure (hypertension).•High cholesterol blood level.
- High triglyceride (another type of fat) blood level.
- Diabetes.
- Kidney diseases that affect kidney function.
- Fixed risk factors - ones that you cannot alter:
- A strong family history. This means if you have a father or brother who developed heart disease or a stroke before they were 55, or in a mother or sister before they were 65.
- Being male.
- An early menopause in women.
- Age.
- Ethnic group.
Level of Cholesterol
The
levels of total cholesterol fall into the following categories:
- Ideal level: cholesterol level in the blood less than 5mmol/l
- Too high cholesterol level: between 5 and 6.4mmol/
- Very high cholesterol level: between 6.5 and 7.8mmol/l
- Extremely high cholesterol level: above 7.8mmol/l
- At riskDesirableMenLess than 40 mg/dL (1.0 mmol/L)60 mg/dL (1.6 mmol/L) or aboveWomenLess than 50 mg/dL (1.3 mmol/L)60 mg/dL (1.6 mmol/L) or above
Types of Cholesterol
- Two Types of Cholesterol
There are two main types of cholesterol:
- HDL and LDL. Most cholesterol is LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol.
- LDL cholesterol is more likely to clog blood vessels because it carries the cholesterol away from the liver into the bloodstream, where it can stick to the blood vessels.
- HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, on the other hand, carries the cholesterol back to the liver where it is broken down.
- LDL cholesterol can build up on the inside of artery walls, contributing to artery blockages that can lead to heart attacks.
- Higher LDL cholesterol levels mean higher risk. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is known as "good" cholesterol because it helps prevent arteries from becoming clogged.
- Higher HDL cholesterol levels generally mean lower risk.
A blood test to check cholesterol levels — called a lipid panel or lipid profile — typically reports:
Total cholesterol
HDL cholesterol
LDL cholesterol
Triglycerides, a type of fat often increased by sweets and alcohol
Cholesterol is carried in the blood as part of particles called lipoproteins. There are different types of lipoproteins, but the most relevant to cholesterol are:
Low-density lipoproteins carrying cholesterol -
Low-density lipoproteins carrying cholesterol -
- This is often referred to as bad cholesterol.
- This is the one mainly involved in forming atheroma.
- Atheroma is the main underlying cause of various cardiovascular diseases.
- The majority of cholesterol in the blood is LDL cholesterol, but how much varies from person to person.
- In most people, 60 to 70 percent of cholesterol is carried in LDL particles.
- LDL particles act as ferries, taking cholesterol to the parts of the body that need it at any given time.
- Unfortunately, if you have too much LDL in the bloodstream, it deposits the cholesterol into the arteries, which can cause blockages and lead to heart attacks.
- That's why people refer to LDL as the "bad" cholesterol.
High-density lipoproteins carrying cholesterol -
- HDL is basically the opposite of LDL. Instead of having a lot of fat, HDL has a lot of protein. Instead of ferrying cholesterol around the body, HDL acts as a vacuum cleaner sucking up as much excess cholesterol.
- It picks up extra cholesterol from the cells and tissues and takes it back to the liver, which takes the cholesterol out of the particle and either uses it to make bile or recycles it.
- This action is thought to explain why high levels of HDL are associated with low risk for heart disease.
- HDL also contains antioxidant molecules that may prevent LDL from being changed into a lipoprotein that is even more likely to cause heart disease.
- Lifestyle changes affect HDL levels—exercise can increase them, while obesity and smoking lower them. As for diet, in general, the high-fat diets that raise LDL also raise HDL, while low-fat diets lower both.
- This is often referred to as good cholesterol. This may prevent atheroma forming.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol
Basic meaning :- Cholesterol is a type of fat found in your blood.
Chemical name 10,13-dimethyl-17-
(6-methylheptan-2-yl)-
2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-
dodecahydro-1H-
cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol
Chemical formula C27H46O
Molecular mass 386.65 g/mol
Melting point 146-147 °C
Chemical name 10,13-dimethyl-17-
(6-methylheptan-2-yl)-
2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-
dodecahydro-1H-
cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol
Chemical formula C27H46O
Molecular mass 386.65 g/mol
Melting point 146-147 °C
- The most common type of steroid in the body.
- Cholesterol has a reputation for being associated with an increased risk for heart and blood vessel disease
History of the name
The name originates from the Greek chole- (bile) and stereos (solid), as researchers first identified cholesterol in solid form in gallstones.
What is cholesterol?
- Cholesterol is one of the body's fats (lipids). Cholesterol and another lipid, triglyceride, are important building blocks in the structure of cells and are also used in making hormones and producing energy.
- To some extent, the cholesterol level in blood depends on what you eat, but it is mainly dependent on how the body makes cholesterol in the liver
- Cholesterol can't dissolve in the blood.
- It has to be transported to and from the cells by carriers called lipoproteins.
- Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as "bad" cholesterol. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is known as "good" cholesterol.
- These two types of lipids, along with triglycerides and Lp(a) cholesterol, make up your total cholesterol count, which can be determined through a blood test.
- Cholesterol is a waxy substance that's found in all of your cells and has several useful functions, including helping to build your body's cells.
- It's carried through your bloodstream attached to proteins. These proteins are called lipoproteins.
Tuesday, 4 February 2014
Smoking and Alcohol in Diabetes
- If you have diabetes, drinking alcohol will cause your blood sugar to rise.
- Alcohol may cause you to put on weight and can affect your overall control. Heavy drinkers are often overweight and have high blood sugars.
Effects of Alcohol on Diabetes
Here are some other ways that alcohol can affect diabetes:
- While moderate amounts of alcohol can cause blood sugar to rise, excess alcohol can actually decrease your blood sugar level -- sometimes causing it to drop into dangerous levels.
- Beer and sweet wine contain carbohydrates and may raise blood sugar.
- Alcohol can interfere with the positive effects of oral diabetes medicines or insulin
People with diabetes who drink should follow these alcohol consumption guidelines:
- Do not drink more than two drinks of alcohol in a one-day period if you are a man, or one drink if you are a woman. (Example: one alcoholic drink = 5-ounce glass of wine, 1 1/2-ounce "shot" of liquor or 12-ounce beer).
- Drink alcohol only with food.
- Drink slowly.
- Avoid "sugary" mixed drinks, sweet wines, or cordials.
- Mix liquor with water, club soda, or diet soft drinks.
Diabetes and Smoking
- Smoking can seriously shorten your life, if you have diabetes and you smoke, your risk for vascular problems, kidney disease, retinopathy and other complications of diabetes increases dramatically.
- Smoking can cause a number of diabetes complications
- Smoking is now proven to be an independent risk factor for diabetes, and amongst diabetics it increases the risk of complications.
- Diabetes complications already include heart disease, stroke and circulation problems. Smoking adds to the risk of developing all of these things.
- Smokers have a harder time controlling their blood glucose levels, because insulin resistance is increased by smoking.
Diabetes in Children and Teens
Type 1 Diabetes
Many people have this type of diabetes, which usually develops in children and young adults when their immune systems attack cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, a hormone that helps cells absorb glucose from the bloodstream.
- The common type of diabetes in children and teens was type 1.
- But now younger people are also getting type 2 diabetes.
- Type 2 diabetes used to be called adult-onset diabetes. But now it is becoming more common in children and teens, due to more obesity. With Type 2 diabetes, the body does not make or use insulin well.
- Children have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes if they are obese, have a family history of diabetes, or are not active, and do not eat well.
To lower the risk of type 2 diabetes in children
- Have them maintain a healthy weight
- Be sure they are physically active
- Have them eat smaller portions of healthy foods
- Limit time with the TV, computer, and video
- Children and teens with type 1 diabetes may need to take insulin. Type 2 diabetes may be controlled with diet an Before Type 2 Diabetes Starts
Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes in Children
- High blood glucose levels
- Unexplained weight loss
- Increased hunger or thirst, even after eating
- Dry mouth
- Frequent urination
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Heavy breathing
- Slow healing of sores or cuts
- Itchy skin
- Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
- Low HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels
If Your Child Gets Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes treatment has three goals:
- Get blood glucose levels as close to normal as you can.
- Get A1C levels as close to normal as you can. A1C reflects long-term blood glucose control.
- Prevent damage to the eyes, kidney, nerves, and heart.
Close relatives with type 2 diabetes
- High cholesterol levels
- Dark patches of skin, often on the back of the neck
- Overweight
- High blood pressure
- High triglyceride (a kind of fat) levels
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)