7 Secrets To Glowing Skin!

Get Glowing Skin

If you’ve noticed your skin looking and feeling dry, dull, or generally aged, it’s time to get proactive about skin renewal. “Healthy skin renews itself every 14 to 30 days.  Encouraging this renewal process means your skin will be able to repair itself faster from a minor cut or scratch, retain moisture better, and produce more collagen. Read on for ways to jump-start the skin renewal process to reveal smoother, glowing skin.

Start in the Shower

Protect your skin by limiting your shower time to 10 minutes, tops, and use warm water, not hot. (The heat actually allows moisture to escape from your skin.) Another strategy: Forgo the soap. Harsh deodorant soaps can strip your skin of moisture and cause itching and flaking. Body washes are often less irritating than bar soaps because they’re less abrasive. Look for a body wash that contains moisturizing ingredients like natural oils or ceramides.

Exfoliate Regularly

Once or twice a week, exfoliate your skin in the shower. A washcloth or loofah is enough to do the trick. For the best results, lightly scrub the skin in a circular motion.  This will remove dead skin that is dull or flaky. Your skin will look brighter and feel softer. Plus, you’ll have removed the dead skin that can prevent lotions and creams from absorbing effectively.

A word of caution: Be careful not to overdo it. If you scrub too hard or too frequently, you run the risk of irritating skin and leaving it drier than it was before.

Stay Hydrated

Good hydration on the inside and out provides your skin cells what they need to stay healthy. Be sure to drink enough water, especially when exercising. While experts disagree as to how much water a body needs, the general consensus is that you should drink about two liters (or eight 8-ounce glasses) a day.

You can improve hydration with other measures. If you use heat in the winter, live in a dry climate, or live at a high altitude, use a cool-mist humidifier to add moisture back to your environment and keep your skin healthy.

Give Your Skin Shut-Eye

Shortchange yourself on sleep and you’re putting more than your mental sharpness at risk: Nighttime is when our skin repairs and renews itself the most. All you have to do is look in the mirror after a night of rough sleep — chances are you have bags under your eyes and your skin looks sallow. Aim for seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep a night for optimal skin rejuvenation.

Get Your Omegas

Whether you pop some pills or eat more salmon on a weekly basis, your skin will thank you for it. Research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation in your body and help skin retain its moisture.  Omega-3 fatty acids assist in cell repair and defend against cell damage.  You can take supplements customized to your DNA for your skin, to learn more go to http://www.thelifestylechanger.com

Maximize Your Moisturizer

If your skin is dry, chances are you know to apply a moisturizer after your bath or shower. To amp up the benefits, turn it into a relaxing ritual.  After a shower or bath, don’t dry off completely; instead, leave some of the moisture on your skin. Apply a generous amount of the moisturizer to your hands. Your hands will be your applicators, and you want to make sure that they’re hydrated so that you can easily spread the product over the rest of your body. Squeeze another dollop of moisturizer into your hands and allow the heat of your hands to warm the product. Apply the moisturizer in circular motions all over your body, making sure to massage it in so it’s well absorbed.  Also make sure that the products you use are made from natural ingredients, free from chemicals and preservatives.

Do Something You Love

When you’re happy on the inside, it shows on the outside — Do something everyday that you Love to do!

Study gives the skinny on eating chocolate!

Sweet news about those chocolate cravings: People who eat moderate amounts regularly are thinner than those who eat chocolate less often. The new research involved 1,018 healthy men and women, who exercised on average 3.6 times a week and had a balanced, nutritious diet. The body mass index of those who ate chocolate five times a week was 1 point lower than people who did not eat it regularly. Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. “I was pretty happy with this news myself,” says lead author Beatrice Golomb, associate professor of medicine at the University of California-San Diego. “Findings show the composition of calories, not just the number of them, matters for determining ultimate weight.”One point on the BMI scale “is not insignificant,” Golomb says; 1 point translates to 5 fewer pounds for someone 5 feet tall, 7 pounds for someone 5-foot-10. Findings were published Monday in Archives of Internal Medicine.The study was observational, meaning it analyzed data based on how much chocolate people said they ate, rather than a controlled trial in which some people are given chocolate and compared with others who did not get chocolate. Past research has found that dark chocolate can be beneficial for the heart, says physician Suzanne Steinbaum, director of women’s health and heart disease at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. One study of more than 100,000 people found that those who ate dark chocolate regularly reduced their relative risk of heart disease by a third. Golomb’s study did not specify the type of chocolate. Neither study received funding from chocolate makers.Cocoa is rich in antioxidants called flavonoids, which help fight inflammation, lower blood pressure and improve overall vascular function. The antioxidants also affect metabolism and improve insulin sensitivity, Golomb says. Insulin resistance contributes to hypertension and obesity. “The chocolate provided better metabolism for all calories, not just the chocolate calories.”At a time when 66% of U.S. adults are overweight or obese, the results need to be regarded with some caution, experts acknowledge.”Before you start to eat a chocolate bar a day to keep the doctor away, remember a chocolate bar can contain over 200 calories, which mostly come from saturated fats and sugar,” says Nancy Copperman, a registered dietitian and director of public health initiatives at the North Shore-LIJ Health System in Great Neck, N.Y.  She advises limiting chocolate to a 1-oz. portion of dark chocolate a day, or adding cocoa powder to your food or coffee just once a day.

Did You Know…

…that castor oil, the time-revered folk remedy, has been shown to shrink cysts and tumors … curb alcoholism … alleviate arthritis … treat moles, warts and skin cancer … and even grow hair?

     Derived from castor beans (which aren’t really beans at all but seeds from a tropical-looking, leafy plant), castor oil is an age-old remedy that has been in and out of the spotlight for thousands of years.

The first recorded use dates back to the Ancient Egyptians, who used castor oil to promote long, lustrous locks, and to treat eye and skin irritations.  Castor oil enjoyed a surge of popularity in medieval times, when Europeans used it as a topical skin lubricant to treat skin infections.

Castor oil made its way back into the spotlight in the 20th century, when the “father of holistic medicine,” Edgar Cayce, claimed that it helped restore lymphatic tissue in the small intestines, thereby boosting absorption of fatty acids and promoting tissue growth and repair.

The versatile nature of castor oil is fully exploited in the 21st century.  Castor oil is a popular ingredient used in cosmetics, printing ink, plastics, car and jet engine lubricants, ant-ifungal treatments and modern drugs.  Conventional medicine recommends castor oil as a laxative and an eye drop.  Oncologists use castor oil to transport chemotherapy drugs to cancerous tumors, and obstetricians often use it to induce labor.

It has amassed quite the credentials over the years, but it is mostly used as a…
  Laxative to relieve constipation and stimulate healthy digestion
  Pain reliever for achy muscles and arthritic joints
  Anti-inflammatory agent
  Remedy for abdominal discomfort
  Cure for skin disorders, such as ringworm, athlete’s foot
and eczema
  Blemish buster
  Ointment for open wounds
  Conditioning treatment for hair and skin

While castor oil can be applied topically or ingested—the World Health Organization (WHO) maintains that 1 tablespoon for adults and 1 teaspoon for kids is safe to take every day.

How Castor Oil Helps Reduce Pain, Shrink Tumors and Eliminate Warts

The most common application of castor oil is as a castor pack.  Castor packs cleanse and detoxify the liver, kidneys and intestines, thereby aiding digestion and soothing abdominal discomfort.  Enhanced with phytonutrients, castor oil penetrates deep into the lymphatic system, purging the intestines of harmful toxins.  Because castor oil encourages lymphatic drainage, castor packs may help to shrink tumors and cysts when placed directly over or under the tumor.

Castor oil boosts the immune system not only by eliminating toxins, but also by increasing immune cells, such as white blood cells, which help stave off infection.

When placed on achy joints and muscles, castor packs reduce pain.  Castor packs are also a popular treatment for alleviating cramps during menstruation.

Its small molecular size enables it to penetrate deeply into the skin, cleansing and unclogging pores of excess oil, bacteria and makeup.  When applied 2-3 times a day for several weeks, castor oil has also proven effective as a remedy for skin conditions such as sunspots, warts and moles.

Jamaican Black Castor Oil for Regrowing Hair?

Castor oil’s moisturizing properties make it a wonderful hot oil treatment.  It repairs hair, delivering essential nutrients and minerals to the scalp, and dissolving sebum, bacteria and built-up chemicals.  A particular type of castor oil, Jamaican Black Castor Oil, has been shown to help re-grow hair by stimulating the production of keratin.  Regular use encourages stronger hair that is less prone to split ends and chemical damage.

The Myth Surrounding Castor Oil Toxicity

Despite thousands of years of safe and effective use—as well as approval from health organizations such as the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—castor oil’s reputation has come under attack.  There is a myth being propagated that castor oil is toxic and should not be ingested internally or topically.

Castor oil owes its effectiveness to its main constituent, a rare omega-9 fatty acid called ricinoleic acid.  Ricinoleic acid is not to be confused with ricin, a toxin made from a protein in castor seeds that, if ingested or inhaled, is fatal.  In fact, the FBI cites ricin as one of the top 3 chemical warfare agents.

While castor beans can be lethal if ingested, castor oil itself is not poisonous.  According to the International Journal of Toxicology’s Final Report on Castor Oil, castor oil isn’t contaminated by ricin, because ricin does not “partition” into the castor oil.  Interestingly, preliminary research has shown that when combined with antibodies, ricin may actually shrink tumors in lymphoma patients.

Don’t believe the myth:  The FDA, the WHO and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) all verify castor oil’s safety and effectiveness.

Side effects may include abdominal cramping, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting.  Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not use castor oil.  It is always advisable to consult your doctor before implementing castor oil into your treatment plan.

Quinoa: Super Survival Food!

If you have emergency rations stashed away, there is one item you should include that is easy to prepare and particularly healthful. It’s the ancient Inca “super food of the gods,” the seed (not a grain) known as quinoa.

Long Lived Seed

Quinoa has been around for more than 5,000 years and is still going strong. Most quinoa is organically grown in the Southern Hemisphere (Bolivia) with the use of traditional farming methods on high-altitude farms without chemicals. It hasn’t been tinkered with to date by genetic engineering (GM), and Southern Hemisphere farmers are fighting hard to maintain their ancient cultivation practices.

Not only is quinoa a complete vegetable protein source, containing all the essential amino acids, it includes a wealth of many of the nutrients the human body needs for optimal health.

A 1-cup serving of uncooked quinoa contains 24 grams of protein, close to 48 percent of the recommended daily value (DV), which means quinoa does not need to be combined with other foods to make a complete protein equivalent to meat, fish, eggs or dairy. It is only 16 percent fat.  However, the omega 6 fatty acid content is low and not in the proper ratio to omega 3 fatty acids. So you should also consume foods like fish that are rich in omega-3s.

Quinoa contains virtually no sugars and boasts 36 percent of the DV for carbohydrates (mostly as starch) and a whopping 48 percent DV for dietary fiber. Plus, it tastes deliciously nutty. Even though it is lacking in vitamins C and D, it is a vegetarian powerhouse of other vitamins and minerals. It’s gluten-free. And, best of all, it cooks in 15 minutes.

Nutrient Hero

However, here’s what may be the most important aspect of quinoa: In the event of a disaster with no gas or electricity available for cooking, quinoa can be soaked in water until mushy enough to eat and still provide a belly full of nutritious food.

Furthermore, quinoa can be sprouted for eating as a fresh vegetable; so stock a survival kit with a seed-growing jar and enough water to subsist on. Helpfully, quinoa doesn’t require much storage space and will last for several years in hermetically sealed pouches.

Quinoa can be prepared in a pot with a lid over a camping stove or even over an open-air fire pit since it doesn’t take long to cook. Just remember to have a supply of old-fashioned wooden matches — some independent hardware stores still sell them — to use for fire. While you are at it, get field savvy about edible wild plants that you can chop up and place in the cook pot to make survival stew. Remember, it’s survival food, not a gourmet restaurant meal. However, it will keep you alive and thriving nutritiously.

One caution when preparing quinoa for any purpose: It needs to be rinsed thoroughly to remove the saponin coating on each seed. If not rinsed off, the saponin may convey a bitter taste that overwhelms its delicious, almost sweet, nut-like taste.

The Next Level

To take survival food to a higher level, combine quinoa with survival rations of canned beans (like chickpeas or kidney beans), walnuts, and fresh sprouts grown from alfalfa, arugula, broccoli, clover, radish or other non-GM heirloom sprouting seeds.

If you haven’t yet made food preparations for an emergency, I think you better get started. It’s better to be prepared and not have to use your rations than to need them and have to go hungry.

Pork: Did Leviticus 11:7 Have It Right?

By Dr. Mercola

Levitical guidelines label the pig an “unclean” animal, and prohibit the consumption of pork.

Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, there may be good reason to carefully consider your decision to include pork as part of your diet, as despite advertising campaigns trying to paint pork as a “healthy” alternative to beef, research suggests it may be hazardous to your health on multiple levels.

Pork consumption has a strong epidemiological association with cirrhosis of the liver — in fact, it may be more strongly associated with cirrhosis than alcohol (although some have questioned the studies that indicate this, and point out that countries with high pork consumption tend to have low obesity rates.)

Other studies also show an association between pork consumption and liver cancer as well as multiple sclerosis.

What’s behind this data?

Most U.S. Pigs are Fed Grains, Making Them High in Inflammatory Omega-6 Fats

One contributing factor is the diet upon which the pigs are raised, which will impact the level of polyunsaturated omega-6 fat it contains.

Too many polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs)contribute to chronic inflammation, which causes all sorts of problems over the long-term. Inflammation is at the source of just about every chronic disease we see today.

Most pigs raised in the United States are fed grains and possibly seed oils, which dramatically increase their omega-6 content, as well as the highly inflammatory byproduct of omega-6 fatty acid metabolism: arachadonic acid. According to the Weston A. Price Foundation, lard from pigs fed this type of diet may be 32 percent PUFAs. On the other hand, lard from pigs raised on pasture and acorns had a much lower PUFA content, at 8.7 percent, while those fed a Pacific Island diet rich in coconut had even less, only 3.1 percent.ⁱ

About one third of the staff at Mercola.com is based in the Philippines where pork is a very popular part of their diet. However, unlike the U.S. in which most of the pigs are fed grains, most of the pig diet in the Philippines is vegetable based. My staff tells me that there is a dramatic difference in the taste. So it is possible that many of the adverse consequences being ascribed to pork may be related to the pigs’ diet.

As reported by Dr. Paul Jaminet,a trained astrophysicist and his wife Shou-Ching, a Harvard biomedical scientist, who together authored the book Perfect Health Diet:

“So the omega-6 content can cover a 10-fold range, 3% to 32%, with the highest omega-6 content in corn- and wheat-fed pigs who have been caged for fattening. Corn oil and wheat germ oil are 90% PUFA, and caging prevents exercise and thus inhibits the disposal of excess PUFA. Caging is a common practice in industrial food production.”

Consumption of this PUFA-rich meat may very well be a factor in liver disease, as studies show feeding mice corn oil (rich in omega-6) and alcohol (which is metabolically similar to fructose) induces liver disease,ⁱⁱ and omega-6 fats have also been linked to cirrhosis of the liver.

However, even though most pork in the United States is likely to be high in omega-6 fats, it is not the largest contributor of omega-6 fats in the U.S. diet — this honor goes to vegetable oils. Dr. Jaminet continues:

“Either fructose or alcohol can react with polyunsaturated fat to produce liver disease. Sugar consumption, for example in soft drinks, may be just as likely to combine with pork to cause a cirrhotic liver as alcohol. But no other common dietary component can substitute for the role of polyunsaturated fat in causing liver disease.

… We would expect that if pork can cause liver cirrhosis it will also promote liver cancer, since injured and inflamed tissues are more likely to become cancerous. Indeed, there is an association between pork consumption and the primary liver cancer. … But fat composition is hardly likely to be the sole issue with pork. Most polyunsaturated fats in modern diets are derived from vegetable oils, not pork. It seems that there must be something else in pork besides polyunsaturated fat that is causing liver disease.”

Most Pork is Consumed in Processed Form

Another reason to reconsider pork, in theory, would be the fact that most is consumed in processed form. Dr. Jaminet reports that in the U.S., pork consumption can be broken down as follows:

• Smoked ham 28%
• Sausage 13%
• Bacon 6%
• Processed lunchmeat 6%
• Other forms of processed pork 10%

Processed meats are those preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or the addition of chemical preservatives. Particularly problematic are the nitrates that are added to these meats as a preservative, coloring and flavoring. The nitrates found in processed meats are frequently converted into nitrosamines, which are clearly associated with an increased risk of certain cancers. It’s for this reason that the USDA actually requires adding ascorbic acid (vitamin C) or erythorbic acid to bacon cure, as it helps reduce the formation of nitrosamines.

Meat cooked at high temperatures, as many processed meats often are, can also contain as many as 20 different kinds of heterocyclic amines, or HCAs for short. These substances are also linked to cancer. Heating meat at high temperatures also appears to increase the formation of nitrosamines, with well-done or burned bacon having significantly more nitrosamines than less well-done bacon.

Many processed meats are also smoked as part of the curing process, and smoking is a well-known cause of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which enter your food during the smoking process.

So it’s known that eating processed meats exposes you to at least three cancer-causing substances: nitrates and nitrites (leading to nitrosamines), heterocyclic amines, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Ironically, despite this known connection, Dr. Jaminet reports that liver cancer appears to be even more strongly associated with the consumption of fresh pork than processed pork, which suggests another causative factor.

Does Pork Contain an Infectious, Disease-Causing Pathogen?

This is the conclusion reached by Dr. Jaminet, who suggests that an infectious pathogen in pork is responsible for the associated health conditions including liver disease and multiple sclerosis:

“Consider: Traditional methods of processing pork, such as salting, smoking, and curing, are antimicrobial. They were developed to help preserve pork from pathogens. So if processed pork is less risky than fresh pork, we should look for a pathogen that is reduced in number by processing.

If a pathogen is the cause, then it makes sense that fiber would be protective [fiber consumption is protective against pork-induced cancer]. Fiber increases gut bacterial populations. Gut bacteria get “first crack” at food and release proteases and other compounds that can kill pathogens. Also, a large gut bacterial population makes for a vigilant immune system at the gut barrier, making it more likely that pathogens will fail to enter the body. The gut flora are a valuable part of the gut’s immune defenses.”

So while pork is arguably “good” meat from a biochemical perspective, I believe there is enough scientific evidence to justify the reservations or outright prohibitions in many cultures against consuming it. Pigs are scavenger animals and will eat just about anything, alive, sick or dead. Their appetite for less-than-wholesome foods makes pigs a breeding ground for potentially dangerous infections. Even cooking pork for long periods is not enough to kill many of the retroviruses and other parasites that many of them harbor.

Granted, the occasional consumption of pork might be fine, but it’s a risk, and the more you consume it the more likely it is that you will eventually acquire some type of infection. The pork and swine industry has been continually plagued, and continues to be so to this day, by a wide variety of hazardous and deadly infections and diseases, including:

• PRRS — A horrendous disease, which I first reported on in 2001, but which had been a nightmare for many nations since the mid-1980s, is still alive and kicking today. At one point referred to as “swine mystery disease,” “blue abortion,” and “swine infertility,” the disease was finally named “Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome” (PRRS), and may afflict about 75 percent of American pig herds.

  The PRRS virus primarily attacks the pig’s immune system, leaving its body open to a host of infections, particularly in the lungs. Initial research revealed that the virus was transmitted via semen, saliva and blood, leaving pigs herded closely together and transported in close quarters by trucks more susceptible to infection.

  However, according to research presented at the 2007 International PRRS Symposium, the disease is also airborne, making eradication efforts very difficult.

• The Nipah Virus – Discovered in 1999, the Nipah virus has caused disease in both animals and humans, through contact with infected animals. In humans, the virus can lead to deadly encephalitis (an acute inflammation of your brain). I originally reported on this virus in 2000, but according to CDC data, the Nipah virus reemerged again in 2004.ⁱⁱⁱ
• Porcine Endogenous Retrovirus (PERV) – According to a study in the journal Lancet, this virus can spread to people receiving pig organ transplants, and according to test tube studies, PERV strains do have the ability to infect human cells.^ivPERV genes are scattered throughout pigs’ genetic material, and researchers have found that pig heart, spleen and kidney cells release various strains of the virus.
• Menangle Virus – In 1998, it was reported that a new virus infecting pigs was able to jump to humans. The menangle virus was discovered in August 1997 when sows at an Australian piggery began giving birth to deformed and mummified piglets.

Is Organic, Pastured Pork Healthy?

If you choose to eat pork, I would recommend seeking a naturally raised, pastured source, as there’s no question that pigs raised on CAFOs will not only be higher in omega-6 fats, but also may be more likely to harbor disease, not to mention be treated inhumanely.

That said, I can’t even safely recommend consuming pasture-raised pork, because of a study in Emerging Infectious Diseases citing concerns about pastured pigs being vulnerable to Trichinella spiralis infection, due to their exposure to wild hosts that carry the disease.^v

I would also seek out pork that was raised primarily on vegetables rather than grains. Pasture-raised pig farming has expanded with increased demand from health conscious consumers, and that study noted 28 U.S. farms were located within 50 kilometers of a previously infected site.

If you still want to continue buying pasture-raised pork, I’d advise you to at least take a look at this CDC map, which details areas where outbreaks have occurred, to avoid purchasing meat from a potentially unsafe location. Other than that, I would simply recommend you consider avoiding pork altogether, even organic pasture-raised versions, in favor of healthier and safer protein sources, like organic grass-fed beef, lamb, bison and chicken.

More great reasons to be a Vegetarian!

The 49 Worst Foods For Your Diet!

Buyer beware: Just because a food’s labeled “healthy,” “smart,” or “all-natural” does not mean it’s the best choice for someone who’s trying to lose weight. For example, honey, vegetable chips, and granola are just a few of the supermarket staples that have tricked dieters into believing they’re healthy choices, when in fact, they are as equally loaded with calories, fat, sodium, and glucose as their more vilified counterparts of table sugar, potato chips, and sweet cereals.

In an effort to help dieters keep it straight, obesity researchers at Otago University in New Zealand have identified a list of 49 foodsthat they say are extremely calorie-dense, but are almost totally lacking in nutritional benefit. Published in the current issue of the New Zealand Medical Journal, researchers say the list was primarily developed to help overweight and obese people easily identify which foods they should avoid. Lead researcher Jane Elmsile says it’s important to note that the list represents not only high-calorie foods, but also foods that are almost totally lacking in essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

Here’s the list, in alphabetical order:

1. Alcoholic drinks

2. Biscuits

3. Butter, lard, dripping or similar fat (used as a spread or in baking/cooking etc.)

4. Cakes

5. Candy, including lollipops

6. Chocolate

7. Coconut cream

8. Condensed milk

9. Cordial

10. Corn chips

11. Cream (including crème fraiche)

12. Chips (including vegetable chips)

13. Deli meats

14. Doughnuts

15. Energy drinks

16. Flavored milk/milkshakes

17. Fruit canned in syrup

18. Fruit rollups

19. Fried food

20. Fried potatoes/French fries

21. Frozen yogurt

22. Fruit juice (except tomato juice and unsweetened black currant juice)

23. Glucose

24. High-fat crackers

25. Honey

26. Hot chocolate, chocolate milk

27. Ice cream

28. Jam

29. Marmalade

30. Mayonnaise

31. Muesli/granola bars

32. Muffins

33. Nuts roasted in fat or oil

34. Pastries

35. Pies

36. Popcorn with butter or oil

37. Puddings

38. Quiches

39. Reduced cream

40. Regular powdered drinks

41. Salami

42. Sausages

43. Soft drinks

44. Sour cream

45. Sugar (added to anything including drinks, baking, cooking etc.)

46. Syrups such as golden syrup, treacle, maple syrup

47. Toasted muesli, granola, and any other breakfast cereal with more than 15 grams of sugar per 100 grams of cereal

48. Whole milk

49. Yogurt with more than 10 grams of sugar per 100 grams of yogurt

Is all cholesterol bad?‏

HDL vs. LDL CholesterolHow “Good” and “Bad” Cholesterol Can Help or Harm Your Arteries All cholesterol isn’t the same. There’s HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Both types of cholesterol molecules travel through the bloodstream in globular packages in combination with lipoproteins, and they perform different functions. HDL Cholesterol High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are small, dense molecules responsible for transporting cholesterol to the liver. HDL is good for your body because it helps remove cholesterol from the arteries and protects against dangerous blockages (plaques) in the arteries. HDL cholesterol is also less likely than other forms of cholesterol to oxidize and leave sticky plaques on artery walls. Your good HDL cholesterol hustles your bad LDL cholesterol to your liver to disposal before it can plant itself like barnacles in your arteries. People who exercise, don’t smoke, and maintain a healthy weight tend to have higher levels of this “good” cholesterol. Low HDL levels can be a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), while high levels (>60 mg/dL) help reduce CHD risk. LDL Cholesterol Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) carries the majority of cholesterol through your bloodstream and delivers it to the cells of the body. These molecules are larger, less dense, and less stable than HDL. They readily oxidize and deposit plaques on arterial walls to likely to clog arteries and lead to cardiovascular disease. That’s why LDL is known as the “bad” cholesterol. When it comes to managing your cholesterol, you need to know the good stuff from the bad. To improve your cholesterol , it helps to know how the different types of cholesterol affect your health. There’s LDL cholesterol — the kind that does a number on your arteries. Here’s what may be driving up that LDL cholesterol. Got high cholesterol? Start by taking a look at what’s on your plate. Poor diet is a leading culprit when it comes to unhealthy cholesterol levels. Eating a diet high in saturated fat and trans fatsincreases LDL (bad) and reduces HDL (good) cholesterol. Meats, eggs, and full-fat dairy products are particularly high in saturated fat, and any foods made with hydrogenated vegetable oils contain trans fats. Your Doctor will want to keep an eye on triglycerides, a fatty acid that can also raise your risk of heart disease. 8 Ways to Raise HDL (“Good”) Cholesterol You probably know all about the two types of cholesterol: HDL and LDL. Too much “bad” (LDL) cholesterol can gunk up your blood and clog your arteries. But “good” (HDL) cholesterol acts like a housekeeper for your blood, mopping up excess LDL and tossing it in the trash (your liver) for disposal. HDL also decreases inflammation and may protect against Alzheimer’s, too. How can you get more HDL? Start with these 8 strategies. Walking is one of the simplest ways to improve your cholesterol. Regular walkers have higher levels of healthy HDL cholesterol and lower levels of “bad” LDL. They also have fewer heart attacks and strokes. Plus, walking has the highest stick-to-it rate of any exercise. All you need is a comfortable pair of walking shoes, and you can walk just about anywhere, anytime. Aim for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week (more is even better).  For the most cholesterol-lowering benefits, keep up a brisk pace — fast enough that you’re slightly breathless but still able to carry on a conversation. If you’re new to exercise, check with your doctor before starting a walking program. He or she may tell you to begin with just 20 minutes a day, 4 days a week, and gradually increase your time and speed. Lose Weight Obesity and low HDL tend to go hand-in-hand. But you don’t have to become runway-model thin to raise your good cholesterol . You can bump it up 1 point for every 6.6 pounds of excess body weight you drop. Boost Your Vitamin B Two B vitamins can help raise HDL: niacin (B3) and pantothenic acid (B5). But talk to your doc before taking a niacin supplement. It works, but it can also have side effects, including liver damage and intense hot flushing (you can reduce those flushes by taking the vitamin on a full stomach or taking two baby aspirin with a full glass of water 1 hour beforehand). A supplement containing 300 mg of pantothenic acid (B5) can also help increase your good cholesterol. Opt for More Omega-3 Cold-water fish like salmon and trout are high in a particular type of omega-3 fatty acid called DHA(docosahexaenoic acid) that helps raise HDL cholesterol. (DHA also protects brain and eye health, and helps with weight control.) Also recommend is a daily 900-mg algae-based omega-3 supplement to ensure you get ample DHA.  Stop Smoking Kick this habit to the curb and you’ll crank up your HDL by a whopping 4 points — and slash your risk of lung cancer and other life-threatening diseases. If you’ve struggled to quit smoking before, but failed, don’t give up. Sometimes it takes a new approach or two to succeed. Drink Alcohol . . . in Moderation A daily glass or two of red wine or other alcoholic beverage may help lower your risk for cardiovascular disease by up to 40%. That’s because the ethanol in all forms of alcohol helps increase HDL cholesterol and prevent blood clots. But the key is moderation — no more than one drink per day for the ladies, two for the gents. Eat Less Sugar Gobbling more than 90 grams of added sugar a day can jack up bad-for-you triglycerides and take a bite out of your HDL levels. Keep added sugars to under 100 calories (about 2 tablespoons) a day. That includes obvious sources, like a teaspoon of sugar in your morning coffee, as well as added sugars hidden in processed foods — everything from condiments and salad dressings to cereal. Skip Bad-for-You Fat Cut back on foods high in saturated and trans fats. These unhealthy fats raise bad LDL cholesterol, boost inflammation, and damage blood vessels. Trans fats also reduce HDL. Cut down on saturated fat by eating less meat and full-fat dairy. Aim for no more than 7% of your daily calories from saturated fat. Avoid trans fats by skipping processed food like cookies, crackers, margarines, or any product containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (aka, trans fats).