Posts Tagged ‘cardio’

Tips For Adding Variety To Your Vegetarian Meals

Sunday, February 5th, 2012

Those who are not vegetarians probably wonder how a vegetarian cook can keep vegetarian meals exciting with just vegetables at his disposal. This same thought may be preventing or at least deterring some meat-eaters from giving up meat and trying vegetarianism. The fact is, that vegetarian meals are not merely ‘meat and two veg’ without the meat, although forty years ago there were numerous vegetarians who began like that.

However, a routine of ‘meat and two veg’ without the meat is not sustainable. A person who eats meals such as these will soon become sick, particularly if there is no fish, dairy or eggs in the diets either. Many vegetarians choose to eat a small amount to dairy, fish or eggs to help provide much needed protein, which can be difficult to replace in a met-free diet.

Vegetarians have to plan their meals far more than meat-eaters in order to eat everything that a body needs to grow, repair itself and defend itself from disease. It will naturally take some time for the newcomer to vegetarianism to learn new recipes and how to cook them so in the beginning, many vegetarians do indeed cook meals which are of the ‘meat and two veg’ without the meat type.

This is all right if you know what to exchange for the meat. There are several things in the shops, but one of the most helpful is soya in all its numerous kinds. Tempeh is a soya bean meat substitute and so is tofu. Both these can be used to supplant meat for a dose of protein.

The good thing about these substances is that they can be cooked to taste of anything you like - they take on flavours quite easily. They can also be made to resemble the texture of meat.

Seitan (wheat gluten) is a similarly flexible and helpful product, but you have to be certain that you are not allergic to gluten first, because this allergy appears to be spreading. Soya bean products and seitan can be readily bought at health food shops and Oriental shops.

As you become more capable at cooking vegetarian meals, you will almost certainly rely less heavily on these things. Beans and nuts are also useful substitutes, but you will probably have to learn how to use them first. Take a look at chickpeas, lentils yet kidney beans.

Soya by-products like soya milk and soya yoghurt and even soya margarine can be used to take the place of regular dairy products. You can also make a type of healthy milk from rice water or / and blended nuts. Apart from making milk and casseroles from nuts, some nuts are fantastic in salads. Have a go with walnuts, cashews and almonds and eat seeds too like sesame and poppy. Sunflower seeds and others are great for snacks.

Bread and sandwiches are tasty vegetarian fast foods. Experiment with different kinds of flour. Buy yourself a bread-making machine and make your own bread. Preparation time is minutes and you can set the timer to cook the bread for whenever you like. Seven in the morning is better than any alarm clock.

If you want to know more about Welsh food, food in general or cooking eggs in particular, please visit Traditional Welsh Recipes

Pointers On Feeding Your Vegetarian Baby

Sunday, December 4th, 2011

Numerous vegetarians and even more vegans have a problem when it comes to suckling their new-born babies. This is because lots of vegetarians and most vegans are opposed to the intake of animal produce. This is a problem because it has been stated by the overwhelming majority of doctors and mid-wives that mother’ breast milk is the best food for a baby. This is because mother’s breast milk will contain a selection of protective substances against diseases and allergies.

However, if a woman chooses that she cannot give her baby her breast milk for philosophical reasons, it is not a big problem, because there have always been women who cannot feed their children in this fashion for one reason or another. Typical reasons might be illness or malnutrition. There are preparations you can buy to give your baby everything it requires, so there is no need to be anxious.

Whether you breast feed or not, make sure that your baby gets enough vitamin B12. It will also need lots of vitamin D, which comes from sunlight. There are different estimates of how much exposure is enough, but ten minutes a day or so is about average. The one thing that all medical workers will agree on however, is that the baby should not run any risk of getting sun burn and if the sun is strong, the eyes have to be shielded too.

Iron is a vital part of anyone’s diet and breast milk can supply enough for a four to six month old, because breast milk is not especially rich in iron. After that time, food ought to be selected that has a higher iron content. Meat will provide the iron for a meat-eater, so a vegetarian mother has to take this into account. The advice of your doctor, midwife or dietitian will be invaluable here as elsewhere.

A great deal of parents give their infant rice cereal fortified with iron as one of the baby’s first foods. Check with your medical doctor, but it is usually a good idea to carry on with your breast milk or formula feeds even if you are feeding rice cereal. Other grains and cereals such as oats, barley and corn can be used too, however they ought to be passed through a blender first and mixed with fruit or / and vegetable puree.

You may be advised that the iron content of these foods is still not sufficient, in which case it is fairly normal to be given an iron supplement to add to the baby’s food. It is about this time, after the baby is happy eating cereal, that fruit and vegetable purees can be given in their own right. Make sure that the fruit and vegetables are properly pureed or mashed.

Bananas, avocado, apples and canned peaches or pears are all good choices here as are vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, and green beans, although they have to be cooked first, naturally. There are lots of good recipes on the Internet or at your medical doctor’s surgery to make sure that your baby gets all the nutrients it needs from a vegetarian diet,

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece writes on a variety of subjects, but is at present concerned with Recipes to Lower Your High Blood Pressure. If you want to know more, go to our web site at Gourmet Recipes and Good Health.

3 Nourishing Sandwich Recipes Without Meat

Friday, November 25th, 2011

Sandwiches are one of the first ever fast food recipes. You can make them in advance and take them with you, they can be consumed hot or cold but they do not require re-heating. Sandwiches can include meat or not and in fact are a robust meal for a vegetarian. Sandwiches are the vegetarian’s answer to a hamburger. So, I have put three very healthy sandwich recipes below that do not involve meat.

Recipe 1

French Onion Sandwiches Serves 4

2 tablespoons butter or margarine 4 ounces seasonal mushrooms, chopped pretty small 1 medium onion, sliced and separated into rings 1 cup vegetable stock 1 tablespoon cornflour 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 clove garlic, chopped finely or 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder Dash of pepper 4 (1-inch) slices French bread, toasted 2 (1-ounce) slices Swiss cheese, halved (optional)

In a large skillet melt butter. Add mushrooms and cook on medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes until done. Remove from skillet, retaining juice.

Cook onion in juice until tender.

Combine stock, cornflour, Worcestershire sauce, garlic (or garlic powder) and pepper. Add to skillet. Cook and stir until bubbly. Boil and stir 2 minutes more.

Place mushrooms on bread. Top with cheese and onion mixture.

Recipe 2

Fried Green Tomato Sandwiches Serves 4

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced 1 large egg white 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 1 pound green tomatoes (3 medium), cut in 1/2-inch slices 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise dressing 1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 4 green-leaf lettuce leaves 8 slices firm whole-grain or white bread, toasted

Cook mushrooms. Drain on paper towels.

Meanwhile, in pie pan, beat egg white and salt. In another pie pan, combine cornflour and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Dip tomato slices in egg-whites to cover both sides, then dip in cornstarch to coat both sides well. Lay on waxed paper.

In mushroom juice in skillet, cook tomato, a couple at a time, on medium-high heat until golden brown but heated through, around 3 minutes. Drain.

In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, yogurt, chives and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread on toast. Arrange lettuce, tomatoes, and mushrooms between toast slices.

Recipe 3

Greek Salad Heroes Serves 2

3/4 cup thinly sliced fresh mushrooms 1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumber 2 tablespoons ripe olives 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano 2 Roma or small tomatoes, thinly sliced 1 clove garlic, minced 2 (2 1/2 ounce) submarine rolls 2 lettuce leaves

Combine first 8 items in a small bowl; mix gently. Let stand for 30 minutes, mixing sometimes.

Cut a thin slice off the top of every roll and set aside.

Cut a 2-inch wide, V-shape wedge down the length of every roll (as they do at Subway). Keep bread wedges for another use.

Drain vegetable mixture. Line each roll with a lettuce leaf then spoon vegetable mixture evenly on top, cover with roll tops.

These healthy sandwich recipes without meat make a lovely snack or light luncheon but can be kept fresh in a lunch box all day.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article writes on several subjects, but is at present concerned with French dip sandwich recipes. If you want to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes.

What Is A Lasik Eye Examination For?

Friday, September 9th, 2011

The first thing that will occur before any surgery is an assessment of the eye in question. An examination is vital, because not everyone is a perfect candidate for Lasik surgery. This is because not all eyes are the same shape and not everyone is suffering bad eyesight for the same reason. So, during the examination, the Lasik surgeon will ascertain the cause of your failing eyesight and map an accurate picture of your eye.

The examination of your eye will also reveal the thickness of the cornea and the ability of your eye to create tears. In order to do this, the surgeon will put a liquid into your eye in order to dilate it. This makes it easier to find any irregularities including the refractive error, which is a term used to describe why your eyesight is not perfect.

The Lasik surgeon will then talk about the results of the examination with the patient. This is to discover any previous surgery or damage the eye has undergone. There will also be questions concerning the patient’s other illnesses, the patient’s family history of eye issues and concerning any medicine that the patient is currently taking. Impending pregnancy is a reason for waiting and the patient will be asked what his or her expectations of the surgery are.

The surgery usually produces excellent results with massive improvements in eyesight, but a surgeon would prefer that you do not expect quite as much. They prefer you to be surprised at how excellent the results are than disappointed. Most individuals are very happy with the results, it should be said.

Before going for the examination, it is a good idea not to get your hopes up. Some people are found unsuitable for Lasik eye surgery. Some might be recommended other surgery techniques like complete lens replacement. With lens replacement, the old, human lens is extracted from within the eye and a plastic one is put in.

This lens replacement surgery is invasive, but does not hurt and just takes about 40 minutes. Lasik surgery takes less time and is also painless. If the surgeon rejects Lasik surgery, enquire about alternative techniques including the replacement of your lens.

There are also different techniques of Lasik, so if you are refused one sort, ask if there are other types of laser surgery on hand.

Assuming that you are accepted for laser surgery, your surgeon will give you a couple of directions which you should follow as if your eyesight depended upon it. These directions can vary from surgeon to surgeon, from patient to patient and from technique to technique, but may be similar to those below.

Often, they will recommend that you do not wear contact lenses for a while (days or weeks) before the operation. This is because contact lenses can distort the shape of the eye or cornea. It also depends on which type of contact lenses you use - hard or soft, so make certain your surgeon knows and make certain that you know what you use so that you can give accurate information.

General advice is to be careful with eye make-up for 48 hours before the operation and have someone to pick you up from the surgery.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on a number of topics, but is now concerned with wet macular degeneration treatment. If you would like to know more, please visit our site at Macular Degenerative Disease

Eye Issues That Diabetes Must Be Aware Of

Friday, August 5th, 2011

Diabetics have problems with sugar and starch, both of which the body processes into glucose which it applications for energy. The difficulty with diabetics is that this glucose is not processed in the correct manner, it enters into the blood stream and is not dealt with by insulin as it should be.

The presence of glucose in the blood is normal and is called glaecemia but when the blood is over saturated, it is known as hyperglaecemia. For this reason, diabetics have to be aware of their blood/sugar levels at all times, which means that they have to be cautious of what they eat.

Lots of diabetics learn tell-tale indications that their bodies give to warn them of their high or low blood/sugar level, but most diabetics also use blood tests by a physician or even home blood/sugar monitors, which have become cheap enough to purchase for personal use.

Not having enough glucose (sugar) in the blood is known as hypoglaecemia and leaves the brain starved of energy, which leads to temporary dizziness, confusion, blackout or a convulsion. Restoring the glucose level to normal returns full awareness, Most diabetics learn to successfully circumvent this situation. More difficult is hyperglaecemia.

Hyperglaecemia is the opposite of hypoglaecemia and brings with it its own concerns but they tend to cause long term concerns. Protracted periods of hyperglaecemia lead to cardiovascular concerns, kidney issues and concerns with eyesight and even teeth.

These complications take a long time to develop and the diabetic may not realize that there is a difficulty until it is too late. Hence the need to monitor blood/glucose levels often. One of the first parts to show concerns from hyperglaecemia is the retina because it is so sensitive.

Hyperglaecemic blood in the blood vessels in the retina causes them to swell developing high pressures on the sensitive eye constituent parts. Eyesight is soon impaired. The biggest worry for most diabetics is going blind or suffering macular degeneration, which impairs vision pretty severely but does not lead to total blindness.

It is very important for diabetics to have an eye examination at least once a year and twice is better. The opthamologist will be on the look out for a condition known as diabetic retinopathy. If you are a diabetic you should be on your guard.

If you experience blurred vision, sudden dark spots or flashing lights before your eyes or feel pressure (not simple), you ought to get to the opthamologist as soon as you can.

There are treatments, particularly in the early stages, but the longer you leave it the worse it gets and the harder to put right, if that is at all feasible.

Prevention is always better that cure, so diabetics ought to maintain their blood glucose level within standard boundaries and maintain a proper body weight. To do this, you will have to learn how much sugar is in various foodstuffs and take regular exercise. In other words: diet and exercise.

Other concerns that a diabetic may experience with their eyes is glaucoma and cataracts. Cataracts can be cut away quite easily, but glaucoma is very serious and leads to blindness.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on a number of topics, but is now concerned with wet macular degeneration treatment. If you want to know more, please go to our site at Macular Degenerative Disease

3 Unusual Bread Recipes

Friday, August 5th, 2011

Westerners love bread, although not everyone eats it because it is fattening. Eating too much bread is fattening, but good bread is very filling, so there is no need to over indulge, which means that it does not have to become a burden on your waist band. Likewise, good bread does not need butter or margarine, so that is another economy on calories and oil.

Bread can also be a decent source of dietary fibre and once you have eaten real bread, you will never go back to white, sliced, supermarket bread. In fact, it is the white sliced bread that gives bread such a dire name.

These recipes are meant to be mixed and baked in a bread making machine, but they may be mixed by hand too. I have used a bread making machine for years, and I used to make it by hand, and I can honestly say that I can not tell the difference between them.

Furthermore, the machine saves a great deal of time and because it cooks on a timer, you can wake up to warm bread every morning, if you want.

Recipe 1

Celery Bread

1 sachet yeast 1/4 teaspoon ginger 1/4 teaspoon sugar 3 cups Better for Bread flour 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats 2 tablespoons gluten 2 teaspoons celery seeds 1 1/2 teaspoons elery, garlic or onion salt 3/4 cup celery — fresh / slice thin 1 tablespoon celery leaves, fresh / chopped 1 egg 10 3/4 ounces cream of celery soup 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 3 tablespoons warm low-fat milk

Combine all ingredients and bake

Recipe 2

Citrus Bread

2/3 cup water 2 cups white bread flour 1 teaspoon dry milk 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon butter 2 tablespoons orange marmalade 2 teaspoons lime juice 1 pinch lemon peel 2 teaspoons yeast (active, dry)

Combine all ingredients and cook.

Recipe 3

Chart House Squaw Bread

1 1/4 cups warm water 2 tablespoons molasses 1/2 teaspoon caramel coloring * — optional. 1 1/2 teaspoons malted barley flour ** 2 cups bread flour 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup unprocessed bran or wheat bran 1/4 cup dark brown sugar (3 TB) 1 1/2 tablespoons oatbran 1 1/2 tablespoons rolled oats 2 teaspoons granola 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 2 1/2 teaspoons yeast (1 envelope)

Oil but/or butter are not needed.

* Caramel colouring is just used to give the bread an almost pumpernickel colour. You can get it in a cake decorating store . ** The malted barley flour is also known as diastatic malt powder.

In a bowl mix bread flour, whole wheat flour, unprocessed bran, dark brown sugar, oatbran, rolled oats, granola, malted barley flour and salt.

In bread pan add water, molasses, and caramel colouing. Add flour mixture; top with yeast and pick dark bread setting.

NOTE: Raisins could get added if desired. If you do, eliminate the caramel coloring yet liquify the water, 1/4 cup raisins, molasses yet brown sugar before adding to the machine.

Owen Jones, the author of this article writes on many subjects, but is currently concerned with French dip sandwich recipes. If you want to know more or check out some special offers, please go to our site at Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes.

Some Facts About The Constituents Of Food

Saturday, July 30th, 2011

It is very handy to know something about the most common constituents of foodstuffs, so that you can use this knowledge to your advantage whilst choosing and cooking food. The more you know about the constituents of food the better prepared you will be to select the best method of preparing that food. In this piece we will talk about some constituents of food.

Carbohydrates are a concentrated form of energy as is fat. However, the two substances differ in several ways, not least in that fat supplies energy in a very concentrated kind whereas carbohydrates provide energy in a more economical way. Over indulging in either fats or carbohydrates will result in becoming overweight quite quickly.

Therefore, this is the region that dieters must concentrate on, although ‘experts’ do not agree which is the most damaging. Traditional diets recommend cutting back on fats, whereas some more contemporary diets recommend practically eliminating carbohydrates from one’s diet.

The fact is that the body and most of the food that we put into it is made up of chemical elements, the most important of which are nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Protein is the only thing that we eat that contains nitrogen, which goes a long way to account for why protein is indispensable to us.

Protein is also the hardest substance to find in the vegetarian diet. It is not impossible by any means, but the options are severely restricted because most individuals get their protein from meat, fish, dairy and eggs.

The other three elements: carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are constituents of carbohydrates. In fact, the very word ‘carbohydrate’ suggests the names of those three elements. ‘Carbo’ - carbon and ‘hydrate’ - hydrogen and oxygen, as in water. Carbohydrates are most extant in starches and sugars.

Starch is one of the most omnipresent kinds of carbohydrate. It is found exclusively in vegetables and pulses et cetera. While starch is boiled, it expands and bursts its cell walls causing water to thicken but when it is cooked with dry heat, it melts and turns into dextrine, which is a stage before it becomes sugar.

Sugar is another vital constituent of carbohydrates and is also discovered usually in vegetables and fruit, although there is also some in milk in the form or lactose. Corn produces glucose. Young vegetables contain sugar, but as they become older it becomes starch.

Sugar melts with the application of heat, but if it is already in liquid form, it will give off water and start to caramelize. The distinctive colour or caramel is brown, yet if it is over cooked, it becomes dark brown and bitter. Sugar in fruit and vegetables will leach out into boiling water and so will be lost, unless that water is retrieved and used elsewhere.

Cellulose is a kind of carbohydrate closely related to starch. It is to be found in the structure of plants and vegetables and although it is largely indigestible, it cannot be ignored in the human diet. Cellulose surrounds the goodness we are looking for in vegetables, so by cooking this food we are trying to break down the cellulose to release the goodness.

Young vegetables have thinner cellulose than older ones, which is why some vegetables have to be cooked quickly and fiercely whilst others have to be cooked slowly but gently.

Owen Jones, the author of this article writes on several topics, but is at present concerned with French dip sandwich recipes. If you want to know more or check out some special offers, please go to our site at Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes.

Cooking Essentials (Part 2)

Friday, July 8th, 2011

The control of waste is an important part of cooking, which is part of household management. One of the first items to comprehend when contemplating waste is the difference between waste and refuse. Waste is the disposal of something that could have been eaten, whereas refuse is the disposal of something that could not have been consumed.

This is an important distinction, because there is little you can do with something like, say, egg shells, but if you buy so many eggs that half of them go off before you can use them, it is a different question. Over buying is tough, particularly if you strive to do most of your shopping in one session.

The secret to wasting less is in experience and knowledge. For instance, if beef rises above a particular cost an inexperienced cook might make a decision to buy pork or lamb, yet the choice is not that easy, because there is much more inedible fat in pork and lamb than there is in lean beef.

After poor choice of products, the next biggest source of waste is choosing the wrong manner of preparing or cooking the food. Peeling too thick or cooking at a very high heat are good examples of this difficulty.

A successful week’s menu ought to supply all the nutrients, vitamins and fibre that a person requires. We do not have to eat all vitamins and all nutrients each day, yet there are some that we should eat every day and we ought to eat enough fibre every day as well. This is not a problem to set up. Specialists recommend eating five portions of fruit and vegetables each day, yet maybe the skill comes in providing variation to avert boredom.

Some individuals can achieve this variation pretty instinctively, but for the remainder of us there is another line of attack and it is known as planning. You can easily plan the meals for a week before you go shopping. Planning your meals like this will also save you money, because it discourages impulse buying. If you still have a problem with impulse buying, order your groceries over their web site.

Two good tips for holding costs down yet for still providing variety were also largely ostracized in the Seventies and Eighties, but which are also experiencing a come-back now are: eating seasonal, local food and preparing three (or at least two) course meals.

Local seasonal ingredients are cheaper than stuff flown in from half-way around the world (or ought to be) and starting dinner off with soup and a bread roll and finishing it with a dessert means that you do not need to eat so much of the main course, which is usually the most expensive of the three courses.

Owen Jones, the author of this article writes on several topics, but is at present concerned with French dip sandwich recipes. If you want to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes.

3 French Dip Sandwich Recipes

Saturday, July 2nd, 2011

French dip sandwich recipes are very popular. The French dip sandwich was invented by accident by a Frenchman, but he was not living in France. He had emigrated to the United States and was resident in Los Angeles. Philippe Mathieu had opened his sandwich bar and delicatessen called ‘Philippe The Original’ on North Alameda Street in 1908, but the Eureka moment came ten years later when a policeman came in to buy a beef sandwich.

Philippe accidentally dropped it in the pan in which the beef had been cooked, yet served it up anyway. The policeman came back with a few friends the next day to try the ‘dipped’ sandwich so the French dip sandwich was born. The sandwich bar is still there and still serving French dip sandwich recipes nearly 90 years later.

Being French, Philippe would have described his sandwiches ‘au jus’, which is the same as ‘with juice’, but lots of Americans do not realize this so ask for their French dip sandwiches ‘with au jus’. Nowadays, the sauce is frequently specially made or concocted separately so that it is far more elaborate than merely the meat juices from the pan, but you can make it as complicated or as simple as you want. There is also no reason why you can not make up vegetarian or fish French dip sandwich recipes

Recipe 1

French Dip Sandwich Serves 4

1 can Franco-American Au Jus Gravy 4 servings thinly sliced roast beef 4 servings French bread or long hard rolls, cut in half lengthwise

In a 10 inch skillet, combine gravy with beef. Over a gentle heat, warm through, stirring occasionally.

To make the sandwiches, place the beef on the bread. Serve each sandwich with small bowl of gravy for dipping.

Recipe 2

French Dip Sandwich Au Jus Serves 8

3 pounds beef, chuck, trimmed 2 cups water 1/2 cup soy sauce 1 teaspoon dried rosemary 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 bay leaf 3 peppercorns (3 to 4) 8 French rolls, split lengthways

Place beef in a slow cooker. Add water, soy sauce, and seasonings. Cover then cook on HIGH for 5-6 hours or until beef is tender.

Remove meat from broth; pull apart with forks and keep warm. Strain broth; skim off fat. Pour broth into small cups for dipping. Serve beef on toasted rolls.

Recipe 3

French Dip Sandwiches Serves 4

1 long loaf French bread 1/2 pound cooked roast beef (from deli or leftovers) 1 package roast beef au jus gravy 4 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Cut French loaf in half end-to-end. Spread with butter and sprinkle with garlic. Wrap in foil and heat in oven until warm. Mix gravy as directed on package and heat up beef in juice. Drain beef from gravy then put on bottom half of warm bread. Put top on sandwich and slice. Put gravy into small bowls (one for each person). Dip sandwich in gravy to eat.

Serve with French fries and a salad.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece writes on several topics, but is currently concerned with French dip sandwich recipes. If you want to know more or check out some special offers, please go to our site at Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes.

Some Basics About Cholesterol And Triglycerides

Friday, July 1st, 2011

Cholesterol has a bad press to be certain, but this is because the press does not usually give the full story. It is easier and more frightening to leave a couple of bits out. The fact is that we have to have cholesterol and triglycerides for that matter in order to live normally. The point where these fats become a problem is when we have too high a percentage of them in our blood.

This is a comparable situation to having a lot of sugar in the blood on a regular basis, which is otherwise called diabetes. A different word for this is hyperglycaemia and hyperglycaemia can be a cause of having too many triglycerides in the blood as well, which by the way is known as hypertriglyceridemia. ‘Hyper’ meaning ‘too much’.

Cholesterol and triglycerides are the two foremost fats in our blood system. Cholesterol and triglycerides come from the foodstuffs that we consume, but our own bodies make them too. Cholesterol is crucial for several fundamental bodily functions like regulating hormones and making bile.

Having said that, there are two sorts of cholesterol: low and high density cholesterol. The low end can go very low and the lower it goes the worse it is for you. This is a very complicated topic which is better explained in a longer article, but all you have to bear in mind is that low density or LDL is bad and high density cholesterol is ‘better’.

This is a very simplistic description, but it is the one that we are told of in the popular press. HDL cholesterol is believed to help mop up LDL cholesterol, which is why it is known as good.

If this natural process does not take place or goes out of balance, the LDL cholesterol waxy fat will stick to the walls of arteries making them thinner, narrower. This is called atherosclerosis (furring of the arteries) and means that the heart has to pump blood harder in order to get oxygen to each part of the body.

This is called hypertension or high blood pressure and puts the heart at danger of stress and failure - coronary heart disease and stroke are the possible results of furred arteries.

There is a lot that you can do to amend any issues with your cholesterol levels. Most of our cholesterol comes from eating red meat and full-fat dairy products, so merely by replacing every other steak with a salad could hugely reduce your difficulty. There are other ways of doing this as well, like exercise.

Exercise is a useful way of burning up the surplus fats in your blood stream, but it has to be carried out on a regular basis. Not that it takes a lot. If you think of what you eat and reduce the foodstuffs heavy in cholesterol, you might merely need 30 minutes moderate exercise a day in order to be healthy.

The fact is that if you do not do something about your state of affairs, you will be put on tablets for the rest of your life. You may think that this is a good alternative to diet and exercise, but it is not really. It is just the easy option.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on a number of topics, but is now involved with the question: what is a triglyceride?. If you want to know more, just visit our web site at What Foods Lower Cholesterol?