About LDL, HDL, Triglycerides

"Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet" has been the mantra for healthful eating for decades. Touted as a way to lose weight and prevent or control heart disease and other chronic conditions, millions of people have followed (or, more likely, have tried to follow) this advice. Detailed research—shows that the total amount of
fat in the diet isn't really linked with weight or disease. What really matters is the type of fat in the diet. Bad fats, meaning trans and saturated fats, increase the risk for certain diseases. Good fats, meaning monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, do just the opposite. They are good for the heart and most other parts of the body.

What about cholesterol in food? For most people, the mix of fats in the diet influences cholesterol in the bloodstream far more than cholesterol in food does. Almost all foods contain some fat. Even quintessential fat-free foods like carrots and lettuce contain small amounts of this nutrient. That's a testament to how important fats are for life. Fat provides a terrific source of energy as well as a great depot for storing it. It
is an important part of cell membranes, helping govern what gets into cells and what comes out. The body uses cholesterol as the starting point to make estrogen, testosterone, vitamin D, and other vital
compounds. Fats are also biologically active molecules that can influence how muscles respond to insulin's "open up for sugar" signal; different types of fats can also fire up or cool down inflammation. Fat and cholesterol can't dissolve in water or blood. The body gets around this basic chemistry problem by packaging fat and cholesterol into tiny, protein-covered particles called lipoproteins. Although
lipoproteins can carry quite a bit of fat, they mix easily with blood and flow with it. Some of these particles are big and fluffy, others small and dense. The most important ones are low-density lipoproteins (LDL), high-density lipoproteins (HDL), and triglycerides.

What can I do to lower my total cholesterol and LDL?
A. Several strategies can help you lower the amounts of total and harmful LDL cholesterol in your bloodstream, and thus your risk of heart disease.
•       Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) carry cholesterol from the liver to the rest of the body. Cells latch onto these particles and extract fat and cholesterol from them. When there is too much LDL cholesterol in
the blood, these particles can form deposits in the walls of the coronary arteries and other arteries throughout the body. Such deposits, called plaque, can narrow arteries and limit blood flow. When plaque breaks apart, it can cause a heart attack or stroke. Because of this, LDL cholesterol is often referred to as bad, or
harmful, cholesterol.
•       High-density lipoproteins (HDL) scavenge cholesterol from the bloodstream, from LDL, and from artery walls and ferry it back to the liver for disposal. Think of HDL as the garbage trucks of the
bloodstream. HDL cholesterol is often referred to as good, or protective, cholesterol.
•       Triglycerides make up most of the fat that you eat and that travels through the bloodstream. As the body's main vehicle for transporting fats to cells, triglycerides are important for good health. But as is
the case for so many things, an excess of triglycerides can be unhealthy. In general, the lower your LDL and the higher your HDL, the better your chances of preventing heart disease and other chronic conditions.

Diet and Cholesterol: How Fat and Cholesterol in Food Affect Blood Levels

The types of fat in the diet determine to a large extent the amount of total and LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream. Cholesterol in food matters, too, but not nearly as much. Good Fats: Unsaturated Fats
Unsaturated fats are called good fats because they can improve blood cholesterol levels, ease inflammation, stabilize heart rhythms, and play a number of other beneficial roles. Unsaturated fats are predominantly found in foods from plants, such as vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds. They are liquids at room temperature.

There are two types of unsaturated fats:

•       Monounsaturated fats are found in high concentrations in canola, peanut, and olive oils; avocados; nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans; and seeds such as pumpkin and sesame seeds.
•       Polyunsaturated fats are found in high concentrations in sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils, and also in foods such as walnuts, flax seeds, and fish. Omega-3 fats, which are fast becoming the
darling of the supplement industry, are an important type of polyunsaturated fat. The body can't make these, so they must come from food. An excellent way to get omega-3 fats is by eating fish two or three times a week. Good plant sources of omega-3 fats include chia seeds (sold as Salvia), flax seeds, walnuts, and oils such as flaxseed, canola, and soybean.

Researchers conducted an analysis of 60 trials that examined the effects of carbohydrates and various fats on blood lipid levels. In trials in which polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats were eaten in place of carbohydrates, these good fats decreased levels of harmful LDL and increased protective HDL.  More recently, a randomized trial known as the Optimal Macronutrient Intake Trial for Heart Health
(OmniHeart) showed that replacing a carbohydrate-rich diet with one rich in unsaturated fat, predominantly monounsaturated fats, lowers blood pressure, improves lipid levels, and reduces the estimated
cardiovascular risk.

Most people don't get enough of these healthful unsaturated fats each day. No strict guidelines have been published regarding their intake. Prudent targets are 10 to 25 percent of calories from monounsaturated
fats and 8 to 10 percent of calories from polyunsaturated fats. Since no one eats by percentage of daily calories, a good rule of thumb is to choose unsaturated fats over saturated whenever possible.

Bad Fats: Saturated Fats

Our bodies can make all the saturated fat we need, so we don't need to eat any of it. That's why saturated fat can be in the bad category—because we don't need to eat any of it, and it has undesirable effects in cardiovascular disease. Saturated fats come mainly from meat, seafood, poultry with skin, and whole-milk dairy products (cheese, milk, and ice cream). A few plant foods are also high in saturated fats, including coconut (debatable, because our doctor says it is not harmful) and coconut oil, palm oil, and palm
kernel oil. Saturated fats boost total cholesterol by elevating harmful LDL. Like all dietary fat, saturated fat also raises the protective HDL. Unsaturated fat is much preferable since it lowers the bad cholesterol and raises the good.

As a general rule, it's a good idea to keep your intake of saturated fats as low as possible. Saturated fats are part of many foods, including vegetable oils that are mainly unsaturated fats, so we can't eliminate them from our diets. Seven percent of total calories or lower is a good target. Red meat and dairy fats are the main sources of saturated fat in our diets, so keeping these low is the primary way to reduce intake of saturated fat.

Very Bad Fats: Trans Fats

Trans fatty acids, more commonly called trans fats, are made by heating liquid vegetable oils in the presence of hydrogen gas, a process called hydrogenation. Partially hydrogenating vegetable oils makes them more stable and less likely to spoil. It also converts the oil into a solid, which makes transportation easier. Partially
hydrogenated oils can also withstand repeated heating without breaking down, making them ideal for frying fast foods. (Fully hydrogenating a vegetable oil creates a fat that acts like a saturated fat.) It's no
wonder that partially hydrogenated oils have been a mainstay in restaurants and the food industry.
The Bottom Line: Recommendations for Fat Intake Although the different types of fat have a varied—and admittedly confusing—effect on health and disease, the basic message is simple: Out with the bad, in with the good. As you limit the amount of trans and saturated fats in your diet,  there is no good evidence that
replacing saturated fat with carbohydrates will protect you against heart disease, while there is solid proof that replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fats will help.

•       Try to eliminate trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils. Check food labels for trans fats; avoid fried fast foods.
•       Limit your intake of saturated fats by cutting back on red meat and full-fat dairy foods. Try replacing red meat with beans, nuts, poultry, and fish whenever possible, and switching from whole milk and
other full-fat dairy foods to lower fat versions.
•       In place of butter, use liquid vegetable oils rich in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats in cooking and at the table.
•       Eat one or more good sources of omega-3 fats every day—fish, walnuts, canola or soybean oil, ground flax seeds or flaxseed oil.

Truths About Onions

In 1919 when the 'flu killed 40 million people there was this Doctor who visited many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu. Many of the farmers and their family had contracted it and many died.
The doctor came upon one farmer and to his surprise, everyone was very healthy. When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different, the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home, (probably only two rooms back then).

The doctor couldn't believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions. She gave him one, which he placed under the microscope. He found the 'flu virus in the onion. It had obviously absorbed the bacteria, thereby keeping the family healthy.

Now, I heard this story from my hairdresser in AZ. She said that several years ago many of her employees were coming down with the flu and so were many of her customers.

The next year she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop and, to her surprise, none of her staff got sick. It must work... and no, she is not in the onion business.

The moral of the story is, buy some onions and place them in bowls around your home.

If you work at a desk, place one or two in your office or under your desk or even on top somewhere. Try it and see what happens. We did it last year and we never got the flu.

If this helps you and your loved ones from getting sick, all the better. If you do get the flu, it just might be a mild case. What have you to lose? Just a few bucks on onions..!!!

Now there is a P.S. to this...

I sent it to a friend in Oregon who regularly contributes material to me on health issues and she replied with this most interesting experience about onions:

Weldon, thanks for the reminder. I don't know about the farmers story, but I do know that I contacted pneumonia and needless to say I was very ill. I came across an article that said to cut both ends off an onion, put one end on a fork and then place the forked end into an empty jar...placing the jar next to the sick patient at night. It said the onion would be black in the morning from the germs. Sure enough it happened just like that... the onion was a mess and I began to feel better.

Another thing I read in the article was that onions and garlic placed around the room saved many from the black plague years ago. They have powerful antibacterial and antiseptic properties.

This is the other note.

LEFT OVER ONIONS ARE POISONOUS

I have used an onion which has been left in the fridge, and sometimes I don't use a whole one at one time, so save the other half for later.
Now with this info, I have changed my mind....will buy smaller onions in the future.
When food poisoning is reported, the first thing the officials look for is when the 'victim' last ate ONIONS and where those onions came from (in the potato salad?). It's probably the onions, and if not the onions, it's the POTATOES.

Onions are a huge magnet for bacteria, especially uncooked onions. You should never plan to keep a portion of a sliced onion. It's not even safe if you put it in a zip-lock bag and put it in your refrigerator. It's already contaminated enough just by being cut open and out for a bit, that it can be a danger to you.
If you take the leftover onion and cook it like crazy you'll probably be okay, but if you slice that leftover onion and put on your sandwich, you're asking for trouble. Both the onions and the moist potato in a potato salad will attract and grow bacteria faster.

So, how's that for news? Take it for what you will. I am going to be very careful about my onions from now on.

Please remember it is dangerous to cut onion and use or cook the next day. It becomes highly poisonous for even a single night and creates toxic bacteria which may cause adverse stomach infections because of excess bile secretions and even food poisoning.

Story of Appreciation

This is a powerful message in our modern society. We seemed to have lost our bearing & our sense of direction.

**Story of Appreciation**

One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company.

He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made the last decision.

The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, never had a year when he did not score.

The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?" the youth answered "none".

The director asked, " Was it your father who paid for your school fees?" The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.

The director asked, " Where did your mother work?" The youth answered, "My mother worked as clothes cleaner.

The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.

The director asked, " Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?" The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me.

The director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.*

The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid.

The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.

This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future.

After finishing the cleaning of his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.

That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.

Next morning, the youth went to the director's office.

The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: " Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?"

The youth answered, " I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes'

The Director asked, " please tell me your feelings."

The youth said, Number 1, I know now what is appreciation. Without my mother, there would not the successful me today. Number 2, by working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done. Number 3, I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationship.

The director said, " This is what I am looking for to be my manager.

I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired.

Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously.

A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, would develop "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel sense of achievement. He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying the kid instead?*

You can let your kid live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your kid learns how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done.

 

Study: Breast-feeding would save lives, money

CHICAGO — The lives of nearly 900 babies would be saved each year, along with billions of dollars, if 90 percent of U.S. women fed their babies breast milk only for the first six months of life, a cost analysis says. Those startling results, published online Monday in the journal Pediatrics, are only an estimate. But several experts who reviewed the analysis said the methods and conclusions seem sound. "The health care system has got to be aware that breast-feeding makes a profound difference," said Dr. Ruth Lawrence, who heads the American Academy of Pediatrics' breast-feeding section.

The findings suggest that there are hundreds of deaths and many more costly illnesses each year from health problems that breast-feeding may help prevent. These include stomach viruses, ear infections, asthma, juvenile diabetes, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and even childhood leukemia. The magnitude of health benefits linked to breast-feeding is vastly underappreciated, said lead author Dr. Melissa Bartick, an internist and instructor at Harvard Medical School. Breast-feeding is sometimes considered a lifestyle choice, but Bartick calls it a public health issue. Among the benefits: Breast milk contains antibodies that help babies fight infections; it also can affect insulin levels in the blood, which may make breast-fed babies less likely to develop diabetes and obesity.

The analysis studied the prevalence of 10 common childhood illnesses, costs of treating those diseases, including hospitalization, and the level of disease protection other studies have linked with breast-feeding. The $13 billion in estimated losses due to the low breast-feeding rate includes an economists' calculation partly based on lost potential lifetime wages — $10.56 million per death. The methods were similar to a widely cited 2001 government report that said $3.6 billion could be saved each year if 50 percent of mothers breast-fed their babies for six months. Medical costs have climbed since then and breast-feeding rates have increased only slightly.

About 43 percent of U.S. mothers do at least some breast-feeding for six months, but only 12 percent follow government guidelines recommending that babies receive only breast milk for six months. Dr. Larry Gray, a University of Chicago pediatrician, called the analysis compelling and said it's reasonable to strive for 90 percent compliance. But he also said mothers who don't breast-feed for six months shouldn't be blamed or made to feel guilty, because their jobs and other demands often make it impossible to do so. "We'd all love as pediatricians to be able to carry this information into the boardrooms by saying we all gain by small changes at the workplace" that encourage breast-feeding, Gray said.

Bartick said there are some encouraging signs. The government's new health care overhaul requires large employers to provide private places for working mothers to pump breast milk. And under a provision enacted April 1 by the Joint Commission, a hospital accrediting agency, hospitals may be evaluated on their efforts to ensure that newborns are fed only breast milk before they're sent home. The pediatrics academy says babies should be given a chance to start breast-feeding immediately after birth. Bartick said that often doesn't happen, and at many hospitals newborns are offered formula even when their mothers intend to breast-feed. "Hospital practices need to change to be more in line with evidence-based care," Bartick said. "We really shouldn't be blaming mothers for this."

Never Give Up

Great Sunita krishnan - Must Act

Dr. Sunitha Krishnan who was born in 1969, is an india social activist and chief functionary and co-founder of Prajwala, an institution that has helped thousands of trafficked women and girls find a safe haven in their shelter. The organization also helps pay for the education of five thousand children infected with HIV/AIDS in Hyderabad alone. Prajwala's "second-generation" prevention program operates in 17 transition centers has helped thousands of children of prostitued mothers. The NGO's strategy is to remove women from brothels by giving their children educational and career opporutunities. Krishnan and her staff train suriviors carpentry, welding, printing, masonry and housekeeping.

Prajwala Home Site: http://www.prajwalaindia.com/home.html

Prajwal's Contact Address:
20-4-34,
III Floor Behind Charminar Bus Stand Charminar,
Hyderabad - 500002
Andhra Pradesh,
INDIA
Ph: 91-40-24510290
Fax: 91-40-24410813
Email: praj_2010@yahoo.com

USED VS LOVED

Dear All...

 While a man was polishing his new car, his 4 year old son picked up a stone and scratched lines on the side of the car.

 In anger, the man took the child's hand and hit it many times not realizing he was using a wrench.



At the hospital, the child lost all his fingers due to multiple factures.



When the child saw his father with painful eyes he asked , 'Dad when will my fingers grow back?



The man was so hurt and speechless, he went back to his car and kicked it a lot of times



Devastated by his own actions..... sitting in front of that car he looked at the scratches; the child had written "LOVE YOU DAD"



Anger and Love have no limits, choose the later to have a beautiful, lovely life and remember this. Things are to be used and people are to be loved, The problem in today's world is that People are used while things are loved.

 Let's try always to keep this thought in mind;


Things are to be used,

People are to be Loved.



Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become habits.

Watch your habits; they become character.

Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.




I hope you have a good day, no matter what problem you may face. It's the only day you'll have before it's over.



There always comes a time in life when you decide who wont matter any more and who always will.



So, don't worry about people from your past. There's a reason why they didn't make it to your future.

Mounamgaane Edagamani

Tappu Cheddam Randi - Yandamuri Veerendra Nath

యండమూరి వీరెంద్రనాథ్ రచించిన తప్పు చేద్దాం రండి పుస్తకం నుంచి నాకు నచ్చిన క్రింది సందేశములను ఇక్కడ పొందుపరుస్తున్నాను.

1. కోపములొ సమాధానం చెప్పొద్దు.

2. సంతోషములొ వాగ్థానము చెయ్యొద్దు.

3. ఒత్తిడిలొ నిర్ణయం తీసుకోవద్దు.

4. అనుభవం పాఠం చెప్పినా నేర్చుకోలేనివాడు మూర్ఖుడు.

5. తన అనుభవంతో పాఠం నేర్చుకున్నవాడు సామాన్యుడు.

6. ఇతరుల అనుభవంతో నేర్చుకున్నవాడు మేధావి.

7. అసలే అనుభవ పరిచయమూ లేకుండా తెలుసుకున్నవాడు ఙ్నాని.

8. ఆందరూ మూర్ఖులుగా మారి ఒక్కదు మారకపోతే ఒక సమస్య. ఒక్కదు తొందరగా మారి అందరూ మారకపోతే ఇంకా పెద్ద సమస్య.

9. "ప్రతి మనిషి విజయమూ అతని నీతి, నిజాయితీల మీద ఆధారపడి ఉంటుంది... అంటే... అవి ఎంతవరకూ కావాలని కాదు. చట్టానికి లోబడి, వాటిని ఎంతవరకూ వదిలిపెట్టవచ్చో తెలుసుకోవటం మీద..." .

10. నీ చర్య వలన నీకు నష్టం జరిగితే అది నీ 'బలహీనతా. నీ చర్య వలన ఇంకొకరికి నష్టం జరిగితే అది నీ తప్పు.

11. నీ మనసుకు నువ్వు జవాబుదారి. ఒకవైపు మనసుకి సమాధానం చెప్పుకోవాలి. మరొకవైపు జీవితంలో గెలవాలి. రెండూ ముఖ్యమే.

12. నిగ్రహం వల్ల ఆనందం కలగాలి. అసంత్రుప్తికాదు.

13. Life is filled with possibilities that challenge us each day. To take a chance... Try something new, see things in a different way and as its through, we learn to change and grow.

14. Never Explain yourself to anyone because the persone who likes you doesn't need it & the person who dislike you wont believe it...

The Great Gatsby

My friend suggested me to start writing blog. I have no idea what to write, but just thought of write something. I got an idea I can save all the points I read in books in single place, that might becomes my Blog.

Recently I was reading the book named "THE GREAT GATSBY", I like some points in that.

• 'Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,' my father told me, 'just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.'
• I wanted the world to be in unifrom and at a sort of moral attention forever; I wanted no more riotous excursions with privileged glimpses into the human heart.