Tag Archive 'cholesterol'

Jan 29 2010

Top Techniques To Measure Body Fat

Published by Rick Ziletti under Fitness

The four major methods of measuring body fat include the Navy Method, Home Body Fat Scales, Skinfold Calipers and Hydrostatic Weighing. For this article however; we will concentrate on the three most commonly used.

Lets discuss Home Body Fat Scales. Bio metrical Impedance is used to measure body fat using a small electrical charge. The charge is passed through the body and the resistance is measured. Your body fat can be determined when the result of the measurement is compared to your weight.

There are many factors that can affect the outcome of this test. This is the most error prone of the tests in this article. The electrical currents from the heart and the skeletal muscles can affect the results; as can water in the body. Skin temperature and physical activity can also have a direct impact on the test readings. Exercise should be avoided for at least 12 hours before the test as well as food for 4 hours before.

The most commonly used method for determining body fat is the Skin Fold Caliper test. It is possible to do this yourself if you have an easy to use caliper and follow the direction closely. The Accumeasuer Caliper is probably the best choice if you do it yourself. It is highly recommended that you have this test done by a professional to get accurate results. A set of body fat calipers is used to take several measurements on different body parts. When these measurements are plugged into a formula your body fat can be determined.

Hydrostatic Weighing- Hydrostatic weighing; also known as under water weighing is the most accurate way to calculate body fat. That is if you can find a hydrostatic weighing tank. How is it used? First you need to understand the Archimedes Principle. If you took physics in school, you will understand this better. But if you did not, I will explain it now. You or the examiner calculates your body density by measuring the amount of water you displace when you immerse yourself in water. The Archimedes principle reasons that the amount of water displaced when an object is partially or totally immersed in water, is proportional to the weight of that object. In this case you are the object. Then a formula is used to calculate body fat based on your body density. The problem is finding a hydrostatic weighing tank! This is too sophisticated for most people; but it remains the most accurate.

Does it really matter if you keep track of your body fat? Most people would say its way too much trouble. With all the different exercise programs and diets out there; knowing what your body fat is can help determine what program you should choose. It should be a vital part of your weight loss plan. Fat loss is just as important as limiting calories and losing pounds. If you want to track your diet or exercise plan progress, then body fat measurement is the most objective way to do this. When trying to lose weight, always remember to set realistic goals and don\’t give up!

Want a boost to your diet and exercise program? Visit us for more info.

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Jan 26 2010

Medicinal Mushroom Hot Water Extract vs. Alcohol Extract

Published by Dr. Markho Rafael under Fitness

For two millennia, medicinal mushrooms have been mainstream in Asia. Now, America is taking notice and interest is rapidly \”mushrooming.\” With the sprouting of this new industry follows issues of ethical quality claims between competing brands.

This information applies to all species of medicinal mushrooms. For practical purposes, this article will focus on the most popular medicinal mushroom species, red reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), over which the most intense battle of conflicting claims is being fought.

An obvious caution is to stay away from cheap, mass-produced reishi. It may be merely dried and pulverized. In order to be medicinal, the mushroom cell-wall has to be broken down. Mass-produced reishi may be mostly inert and ineffective.

But even among the truly effective therapeutic brands, which are plentiful, there are important differences. Each seems to claim superiority over other brands, not surprisingly, because why else would anyone buy them? This article aims to clarify the confusion of conflicting and sometimes misleading information that is out there.

Below are three common methods for extracting medicinal compounds from reishi. Each method results in different compounds. All groups have been shown to have therapeutic effects in scientific studies.

1. Water (Hot) Extraction (polysaccharides, etc.)

2. Alcohol Extraction (triterpenoids, etc.)

3. Fermentation (arabinoxylanes, etc.)

Polysaccharides have been shown to possess powerful anti-tumor qualities through enhancing the immune system and by inhibiting blood profusion through tumors. They are also strong antioxidants. [1]

Triterpenoids include a large number of related medicinal compounds whose proven effects include stabilization of blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood clotting. But most importantly, the triterpenoids are the anti-inflammatory compounds of reishi. [1] Inflammation is a serious component in asthma, allergies, arthritis and many more conditions.

Finally, by fermenting the red reishi, the original medicinal compounds break down to form new compounds with unique healing properties. These \”secondary metabolites\” have among other things been shown to be immune enhancing and help regulate blood sugar, as well as having unique anti-tumor properties. [2]

This article is intended to give general guidelines to help you choose an effective reishi product, not to recommend any particular brand. But there are at least two reishi companies on the market which both state only hot water extract is useful while alcohol extracts are of no value.

Naturally, the reason they say so is because they want to sell their own brand. However, those statements are scientifically untrue. Hot water and alcohol extractions both contain critical compounds.

To determine if a brand of reishi (or Ganoderma) contains all the important medicinal compounds from the mushroom, find out if it utilizes both alcohol and hot water extraction. An additional plus would be if it also includes fermented reishi.

As a last point, when you look for the best reishi extract, one thing to look at is the form it comes in. For example, any reishi extract that fully dissolves in a water-based liquid such as coffee probably only contains hot water extracted reishi. So while reishi/ganoderma coffee certainly makes for a superbly delicious and healthy cup loaded with polysaccharides, it won\’t include the important anti-inflammatory triterpenoids.

Alcohol tinctures, on the other hand, are well worth considering because they may be a blend of water and alcohol extracts. The way to tell is if the tincture is cloudy. When water-soluble polysaccharides get mixed with alcohol, they fall out of solution. Cloudiness in an alcohol tincture indicates high polysaccharide content. Just shake before taking. Tablets and capsules can contain hot water extract, alcohol extract or both. You need to find out from the manufacturer.

[1] Boh B, Berovic M, Zhang J, Zhi-Bin L. \”Ganoderma lucidum and its pharmaceutically active compounds.\” Biotechnology Annual Review 2007;13:265-301.

[2] Tang YJ, Zhang W, Zhong JJ. \”Performance analyses of a pH-shift and DOT-shift integrated fed-batch fermentation process for the production of ganoderic acid and Ganoderma polysaccharides by medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum.\” Bioresource Technology 2009 Mar;100(5):1852-9.

Dr. Markho Rafael has worked with natural health since the early 90\’s, currently focusing on medicinal mushrooms. He partners with Davida Sara on premium reishi extract and cordyceps extract plus the newly popular mesima and more.

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Nov 23 2009

Explaining HDL Cholesterol Ratio From HFL Solutions

Published by Dr. Sam Robbins under Fitness

In reference to LDL, the HDL (High Density Lipoproteins) should be higher. When the HDL cholesterol is higher than the LDL you can reduce cholesterol. HDL moves through the bloodstream and removes bad cholesterol from blood vessels so it can be carried back to the liver and removed from the body. The HDL cholesterol ratio can be raised with the use of CholesLo.

You can predict someone’s risk of developing atherosclerosis with the number of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol ratio. The number is acquired by dividing the total cholesterol value by the value of the HDL cholesterol. You will find that high ratios indicate higher risks of heart attacks where as low ratios indicate lower risk.

When you have high total cholesterol and when low HDL cholesterol increases the ratio it is undesirable. When high HDL cholesterol and low total cholesterol lowers the ratio it is said to be desirable.

About 4.5 is the average ratio. You want it to be better than average. Therefore, the best ratio would be 2 or 3, less than 4.

There is another ratio, the LDL/HDL ratio. This ratio is a cleaner ration than total cholesterol. HDL is a measure of good cholesterol, where as LDL is a measure of bad cholesterol. Total cholesterol is the sum of HDL and LDL. When you add up those values you have the total cholesterol measurement.

The LDL/HDL ratio is more accurate and pure than the total cholesterol HDL ratio. The LDL/HDL is often used because the total cholesterol is easier and less expensive to get then the LDL cholesterol level.

Obtaining an LDL of less than 80-100 is vital no matter what the HDL value is, especially if there are risk factors for coronary artery disease, tobacco use, hypertension and diabetes. It is important that a patient with coronary artery disease, history of bypass surgery or stents to have an LDL of less than 80.

In as little as one week you can reduce cholesterol by using CholesLo. This is endorsed by doctors and clinically proven. ClolesLo has numerous advantages such as it reduces both cholesterol and triglycerides, increases HDL cholesterol ratio and it will help repair the liver. By using CholesLo you can reduce your homocysteine levels. High levels of homocysteine are related to predicting heart disease.

For additional information or quesitons about CholesLo please send all correspondence to Dr. Sam Robbins

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Nov 21 2009

Lowering Cholesterol Naturally From HFL Solutions

Published by Dr. Sam Robbins under Fitness

The problem of high cholesterol among individuals has grown out of proportion now. There are various factors responsible for it such as their eating habits, flexible working hours, inadequate sleep etc. There are two kinds of cholesterol one being HDL which is safe for the body and the other one is LDL which has a rather harmful effect on the body.

Atherosclerosis is a disorder which is caused by the hardening of the arteries because of high LDL cholesterol levels. Natural Lowering Cholesterol is one of its kinds and has far less side effects vis–vis conventional medication. CholestLo is the product that we have come up with.

CholestLo doesn’t have any side effects. To counter the rising levels of cholesterol among individuals, we came up with a product called CholestLo. CholestLo is the first “quarto-mode” reducer using a new technology that maximizes safety and it contains all the features of natural lowering cholesterol. It can be used as a viable and feasible alternative for medical drugs such as Lipitor, Zocor, and Crestor. It is safe and effective.

We can vouch for the quality of CholestLo and in case if it doesn’t reduce your cholesterol levels within 30 days we will return your entire money and along with that $100 cash back. Isn’t it one of its kinds offer?

People are driven and influenced by fake claims very easily. So it is rather important for them to understand that what pharmaceutical companies are offering in form of drugs is nothing but a tool for them to make money. We on the other hand take pride in our creation, CholestLo.

We on the other hand aren’t driven by profit motive. CholestLo is one of the best products that we have launched and it has begun to bear fruits. It has all the ingredients of natural lowering cholesterol.

CholestLo is perfectly safe and can prove to be very effective in reducing the Cholesterol levels of individuals. It is unique and an unmatched product that is matching up to the standards the society has set for other cholesterol lowering products CholestLo is priced judiciously so that it can be bought by everyone who is suffering from high cholesterol levels. The idea is let the product speak for itself. It is extremely effective and has the ability to reduce the cholesterol levels in a stipulated period.

For more information or questions in regards to CholestLo please send any correspondence to Dr. Sam Robbins

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Nov 15 2009

Following the Atkins Diet

Published by Michael James under Fitness

The popular name for the \’Atkins Nutritional Approach\’ is the \’Atkins Diet\’, which was the invention of Doctor Robert Atkins. He had gained a lot of weight while in medical school and after reading about a certain diet in the medical journal, he decided to improve it and release it under his own name.

Atkins, in his Atkins Diet book, stated that he believed that the prevailing theories about putting on weight were completely wrong. First, he dismissed the notion that saturated fats were bad; instead he said it was it was carbohydrates that caused the weight problems Americans have these days. Atkins held that our obsession with avoiding fat actually aggravated the problem. He pointed out that the low-fat foods that were high in carbohydrates were not helping the nation, which probably meant that people on a diet often ate foods that were worse for them than what they had normally eaten.

The Atkins diet moved the focus. Atkins said that by cutting out carbohydrates, people would burn stored body fats. And if you lose the fat, you lose the weight. He said it was not just a matter of eating less. Dr. Atkins held that your diet could actually help you burn calories. The Atkins diet supposedly burned more calories than were consumed everyday. But the claims were contested.

Dr. Atkins also promulgated the positive influence that his diet could have on suffers of type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is a disease you get early in life, but type 2 is often closely associated with diet and surplus body weight. So, it should follow that any diet that helps reduce weight, will help people with Type 2 diabetes. The Atkins diet is low in carbohydrates, which must be avoided with type 2 diabetes regardless of the caloric intake, so because of this aspect of the diet, Atkins claimed that those who suffer type 2 diabetes would no longer need medication such as insulin. In general, doctors disagree with Atkins on this point, although they do agree, however, that a lower carbohydrate intake helps control Type 2 diabetes, but there is no proof that carbohydrates cause diabetes.

What are the steps one has to take to follow the Atkins diet? It is followed in four phases – Induction; On-Going Weight loss, Pre-maintenance and Lifetime Maintenance. Here is an overview of the most important phase – The Induction Phase.

The Induction phase is probably the most difficult of the phases in the Atkins diet. Atkins is rather flexible about how long it should last \” but recommends two weeks. During this time, carbohydrate consumption should be severely curtailed \” up to 20 grammes per day. The goal is to enter a fat burning metabolic process called \’ketosis\’ which is when the body, being starved of glucose, starts to convert previously stored fat into the fatty acids needed to power the body. Weight loss during this period can be extreme \” some Atkins dieters report losses of 5-10 lbs. a week or more.

Learning the ideal carbohydrate levels for weight loss and for day to day intake after the weight loss ends, are the goals of the three final phases in the Atkins diet. Millions of people are still losing the weight they want to on this diet \” but be aware of the dangers of taking in too much fat.

Do you want to lose those excess kilos quickly? Well, take a free look at The Atkins Diet, by visiting our resource called The Atkins Diet Plan

categories: Atkins,diet,weight loss,health,fitness,blood pressure,diabetes,advice,self help,bood sugar,fat,cholesterol,plus size,other

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