22% of all Canadians have high blood pressure, 42% of them don't know it, and 16% of Canadians treat their high blood pressure and control it.

66% of all Canadians are overweight or obese, and 25% of children are overweight or obese. More than 1.3 million Canadians have diabetes and about 90% of those are type 2 which is for the most part preventable. A diabetic woman has 8 times as great a risk of heart disease as a man. About 50% of all Canadians over 12 years old are not active physically.

25% of Canadians 31-50 years of age get more than 35% of their calories from fat which increases their heart health risk. 64% of adult Canadians and 70% of children between the ages of 4 Years and 8 years of age eat less than 5 servings of fruit and vegetables daily. By making specific dieting changes many people are able to successfully improve their blood test results and so stay away from prescription drugs.

Some people are able to reduce or stop taking their medication completely with their doctor's approval. If you have one or more of the heart disease risk factors, adopting a heart healthy diet can help reduce your risk. Eating to guard against heart disease is more than limiting, or avoiding, certain foods, such as saturated fat, trans fat sodium, and excessive alcohol, It also requires you to add foods rich in soluble fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and monounsaturated fats to your diet to help reduce LDL cholesterol in your bloodstream.



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High Blood Pressure and Your Health.

There are over 50 million Americans that have high blood pressure. Hypertension could lead to strokes and other cardiovascular problems. High blood pressure or hypertension are known as a silent killer. Without regular check ups people do not know they have it until it is too late. One of the most effective ways to lower your high blood pressure is through your diet.

How to Lower Your High Blood Pressure.

These simple tips will help you lower and control your hypertension. If you are under a doctors care and he has prescribed medication for you, continue to follow their directions and take your medication. Over time it is possible to wean yourself from the medication, but do not quit without your doctors approval. This is how you lower your blood pressure:

*1. Do not smoke cigarettes or use any tobacco products.
*2. If you are overweight lose weight.
*3. Increase your activity and exercise regularly.
*4. Eat a healthy low fat, high fiber diet especially lots of fruit and vegetables.
*5. Lower your salt and sodium intake.
*6. Avoid alcohol and caffeine
*7. Reduce and Eliminate Stress from your life as much as possible.
*8. Get plenty of fresh air and sunlight.
*9. Sleep regularly.

These same tips will help you reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, high cholesterol, obesity and many other diseases while strengthening your immune system and increasing your energy.

Low Fat Diet Reduces Your High Blood Pressure.

There are two major food types that dramatically affect our blood pressure. They are saturated fats as well as sodium.

Saturated fat increases your blood pressure and you should limit butter and margarine, salad dressings, fatty meats, whole milk dairy problems, fried foods and fast foods. Read nutrition labels and learn what is in the foods you eat.

Those things that are high in sodium and and saturated fats should be avoided.

Avoid Sodium.

Many people think salt and sodium are the same and they are not. Salt is a mineral that is full of sodium but it is not sodium. Sodium can be found in foods other than salt. Therefore, even if you do not add salt to your foods or cook with salt you could still be getting a lot of sodium in your diet. Sodium is the number one thing to increase blood pressure in many people, especially African Americans. Be very careful to reduce your sodium intake. Over a short period of time your body will let you know when things are too salty. But until then avoid, salt, canned soups and most canned foods, salted snacks and all deli meats. Do not eat fast foods. MSG, like salt is another mineral high in sodium and should be completed avoided. It is found most often in Chinese food.

What Should You Eat to Lower Your Blood Pressure.

The healthiest thing to eat is fresh fruit and vegetables. A variety is good but those fruit high in potassium are especially good while you are getting used to eating less sodium. Eat foods that are high in dietary fiber such as 100% whole grains like oats, wheat, etc. If you want meat choose skinless turkey or chicken. Fish can be 3 times higher in sodium that skinless turkey, chicken or even lean beef. Lean pork can be even 3 to 5 times higher in sodium than fish. So at all costs avoid pork.

Finally, eat of fruits and vegetables with every meal and snack. Avoid sodium and foods high in saturated fats. Eat foods high in fiber and 100% whole grains. Follow the other tips and soon you can lower your high blood pressure.



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When people hear of the word cholesterol, they perceive it as a disease-giver. What most of them do not know is that cholesterol could be either good or bad. Cholesterol in general actually helps some areas of your body to work properly. What makes cholesterol a threatening element is when too much of it circulates in your body. So, to regulate the cholesterol levels in your body, it would be better if you would practice some natural lowering cholesterol methods.

Your own lifestyle plays an important role in lowering the cholesterol in your body. Changing your habits could be one of the best natural lowering cholesterol processes that you can do. You can start doing it by eating foods that are low in cholesterol such as white or lean meat, fish rich in omega-3 such as mackerel, and foods that are rich in fibers such as fruit and vegetables. Use olive oil instead of vegetable oil when cooking because the former is healthier.

Check also for your weight because that alone can lower your cholesterol levels. Do some simple exercises to keep your heart pumping smoothly. This could burn excess calories, making your body healthier. With a healthy weight, you have a better chance to achieve a lower and healthier cholesterol level.

Aside from doing all the above, some foods as well as food supplements can contribute towards lowering your cholesterol level. By simply eating those highly recommended foods regularly, you will lower your cholesterol in a natural way. One of the best foods that can work on your cholesterol is garlic. For years, garlic has proven itself to give wonderful health benefits.

Aside from eating foods such as garlic, there are still other foods that contain nutrients necessary for keeping your cholesterol on its balanced level. Moreover, there are also other things such as policosanol, guggulipid extract, green tea extract, and beta sitosterol that also work effectively. It is also good to know that they likewise provide other benefits that can make your body healthy.

Not only does the policosanol lower bad cholesterol but it also increases the good cholesterol level in your body. Guggulipid extract can also treat other body ailments. Green tea has always been associated with weight loss. It has been mentioned that if you have a healthy weight, it is more likely that you can lower your cholesterol level. Lastly, beta sitosterol contains elements that fight cancer.

Just before taking any of these natural lowering cholesterol processes, consult your physician first especially if you are under a certain medication or if you have an ailment. This will prevent any serious reactions that could harm you.



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If you are looking for effective ways to address your existing heart or cardiovascular problem, then chances are you've probably encountered fish oil and other similar supplements being suggested into your cardiovascular diet.

These benefits are all made possible due to the presence of omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil supplements. Hence, including this particular food substance regularly into your diet is vital in reducing the possibility of developing heart problems, especially for those determined to be at high risk.

Intake of fish oil as cardiovascular disease prevention can do a lot of benefits to your heart. Some benefits that can be derived from fish oil for cardiovascular health include improved heart rhythms, improved heart rate, reduced blood clotting, and reduced inflammation. To learn more about how fish oil and omega-3 fatty acids could make these benefits happen, read more below to find out.

Cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of deaths all over the world. This fatal condition is due to uncontrolled heart rhythms. The intake of fish oil and the increased amount of omega-3 fatty acids in the body alter the heart's electrical activity. As a result, it helps to stabilize the heart's natural rhythm to prevent cardiac arrest.

In conjunction with your heart rhythm, fish oil is beneficial as a cardiovascular disease prevention method since it regulates your heart rate. It represents the total beats of your heart per minute when at resting phase. Physically fit individual have comparably lower heart rate as compared to those who are obese. The normal heart rate ranges between 60 to 80 beats per minute, but this usually increases as a person ages. By consuming foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like fish oil, you can significantly lower your heart rate and your chances of developing heart attack.

Although blood clotting is important to allow your wounds and injuries to heal quickly. However, excessive clotting can be dangerous to your heart since it could block your arteries until it eventually closes out blood vessels leading to your vital organs.

With the presence of omega-3 fatty acids in your red blood cells and plasma, you can reduce clumping of blood platelets to make it easier for your blood to pass through the narrow blood vessels. The suggested amount of these EFAs to prevent excessive blood clotting would be approximately 10 grams daily.

And finally, EFAs are beneficial in creating an anti-inflammation effect on your blood vessels. Increased inflammation on your vessels have been identified to impair their function and result to more complicated heart disease. So, your ability to prevent that from happening is a great method to prevent acquisition of cardiovascular diseases.

Fish oil for cardiovascular health has been considered a health miracle. So, if you want to find out more on how you can utilize this as an effective method for cardiovascular disease prevention, then fill up on the information you need.



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High cholesterol affects around 15 percent of teenagers and is, unfortunately, a growing problem. Left unchecked and untreated, the build up of cholesterol can continue into adulthood and lead to a significant increase in the risk of early heart disease. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States today. This is why teenagers with high cholesterol, and their parents, need to be aware of how to tackle the problem.

Around 1.5 percent of teenagers suffer from high cholesterol because the condition runs in their family. A cholesterol test should also be considered if there is a family history of high blood pressure. Teenagers are also putting themselves at risk of developing high cholesterol if they smoke regularly. However, the leading cause of high cholesterol in teens is obesity. Poor diets and a lack of exercise can cause a fatty build up in the arteries which can lead to severe health problems in adulthood.

To reduce the risk of your teenager developing high cholesterol, or to lower it if it has already become a problem, one of the first things you will need to do is encourage them to become more physically active. People need to aim for a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise a day, 5 days a week. If they are obese or experiencing health problems they should build up to 60 minutes of exercise most days of the week in order to improve their health.

Diet is also an important factor. The biggest culprit for high cholesterol is processed foods, so meals should be cooked from scratch whenever possible. Saturated fats, which mostly come from animal produce such as meat and dairy, and hydrogenated fats, found in some oils, should be restricted. Good alternatives to 'bad' fats are liquid margarine and olive oil.

Teenagers should also ensure they are getting their 5 portions of fruit and vegetables today as these often have properties which help lower cholesterol. Apples, pears, prunes and brussell sprouts all contain soluble fibre which breaks down bad cholesterol. Soya, oats, pulses and nuts can also aid cholesterol reduction. However, due to their high calorie content nut intake should be restricted to a handful or less a day.

If trying to lower cholesterol through diet and exercise fails to yield results after a year then medication may be prescribed. These usually work by blocking cholesterol production, increasing levels of 'good' cholesterol or reducing cholesterol absorption. As with any form of medication, these drugs can have unpleasant side effects and should only be considered if all other measures have failed.



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It is a scientifically proven - and well publicised - fact that eating well significantly lowers your risk of developing serious diseases. This is especially true of heart disease. If there is a history of heart problems in your family or if you are worried your lifestyle may have put you at increased risk, then it is never too late to make changes to your diet that will significantly improve your health.

If you want to lower your cholesterol levels, you first need to know which foods you should eat in moderation. Fat is essential to the body, but modern eating habits mean people are getting far more trans fat and saturated fat than is healthy. A good diet should be made up of less than 7 percent of these fats. They are found mainly in animal sourced products (meat and dairy). You should also aim for lower levels of hydrogenated fat, so should check the ingredients on your margarine to choose the healthiest option and then use this for cooking rather than butter, which is a big culprit in high cholesterol. As a general rule, processed convenience foods are worse for cholesterol levels so aim to cook from scratch most nights of the week.

There are foods which can lower your cholesterol, so you should aim to include more of these in your diet. Start your day with an oat based cereal as it is an easy way to get more soluble fibre, which can reduce your 'bad' cholesterol levels by approximately 5 percent. You can also increase your intake of soluble fibre by eating certain fruits and vegetables such as prunes, pears, apples, pulses and brussell sprouts.

If your diet is fairly balanced and sensible, you can reduce your cholesterol levels further through eating more polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. These are unsaturated fats and come mostly from plant, rather than animal, sources. Try using olive oil rather than vegetable oil and snacking on almonds and walnuts. Do bear in mind though, nuts are very calorific so you should be careful how much you eat and limit it to less than a handful.

If you are concerned about your cholesterol levels, visit your family doctor. They may be able to test how high your cholesterol is, and can certainly give you further advice about how to improve your lifestyle and eating habits to reduce it and make your heart healthier.



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Cholesterol is an essential fatty substance (called a lipid), which is present in the circulatory system. It is needed by the body for the production of hormones and vitamin D. A small amount is secreted by the liver, which also removes excess cholesterol from the blood stream, and the rest of it is absorbed through animal sources like meat and dairy. But if you are getting too much bad cholesterol in your diet then it can lead to life threatening conditions such as heart disease.

Cholesterol cannot travel through the blood stream on its own, so it it first needs to bond with a protein. This forms a lipoprotein, and there are two types. The first is a High Density Lipoprotein. This is what doctors and dieticians would call 'good cholesterol' as it removes cholesterol from the walls of the arteries which will then allow the liver to absorb it. The second type is the 'bad cholesterol' which you should try to avoid. Low Density Lipoprotein is what causes an undesirable fatty build up on the artery walls. Left unchecked, this will eventually lead to a narrowing of the arteries which can trigger serious cardiovascular problems, for instance a heart attack.

Potentially dangerous levels of bad cholesterol are usually caused by a poor diet, but it can also be an inherited problem. For example, genetics may mean a person has insufficient LDL receptors in the liver, so too little LDL is absorbed from the blood stream. This is a common problem among men and women who suffer from heart attacks at an unusually young age.

For most people though, keeping your heart and arteries healthy is a matter of eating good food while avoiding the bad. Convenience food is often full of much higher levels of saturated fat than home cooked meals, and the rise of cardiac problems in the populations strongly correlates to the greater availability of processed food. Try instead to eat a varied diet rich in vegetables, fruit, fish and whole grains. Olive oil is a healthier option than vegetable oil, and buy trans-fat margarine for cooking purposes rather than using butter - these are much less likely to cause problematic build up in your arteries.

Another change you should make to your lifestyle if you are concerned about how cholesterol may be affecting your health is to get more exercise. Physical activity raises HDL levels. As already stated, HDL is considered good cholesterol because it helps remove and break down any build up you might already have on your artery walls so it possible to reverse some of the damage you might already have done to your body. It is never too late to reduce your risk of heart disease.



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