Heart health benefits of soy: a meta-analysis of 38 studies showed that soy protein is in food consumption for maintaining healthy cholesterol levels linked. Another study shows that soy protein can antioxidant properties to protect the LDL (bad cholesterol) oxidation.

In addition, the capacity of soy protein a positive impact on travel of cholesterol in the blood vessels, may also soy isoflavones support healthy function of the arteries. Studies have shown that postmenopausal women, soy protein (rich in isoflavones) experienced significant improvement in arterial elasticity supplements.

This flexibility has been found decline with age, the change as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Some scientists predict that the effects of isoflavones may be equally important to support healthy aging, and to keep the heart and its capacity for normal cholesterol levels.

American Cancer Society has created guidelines for a healthy diet: eat Vote for the best food of plant origin. Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables daily. Food crops, such as bread, cereals, grain products, rice, noodles and bread several times a day.

Limit intake of foods high in fat, particularly animal. Choose foods is low in fat. reduce the consumption of meat, are especially high in fat. It is a physically active: achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

At least moderately active for 30 minutes or more per day. Permanent healthy weight. Limit alcohol consumption at all. For those who are already limiting alcoholic beverages, consumption of two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. Soybean in accordance with the guidelines 1 and 2, which promotes health.

Soy and bone health: Americans generally believe that the best source of calcium for milk, but many other calcium. In fact, soy protein an excellent source of calcium in the diet, with 50% of the daily value of this important nutrient per serving.

Soy protein for strengthening bones, replace food sources of animal protein. Long-term bone health, calcium is only part of the truth. Loss of calcium in the urine is another factor that a negative calcium balance. High intake of animal protein, which is rich in sulfur amino acids appear to correspond with this.

Soy protein, the less sulfur amino acids, meat and other animal protein is the loss of calcium and lower retention of calcium in the skeleton. In one study, calcium was 30% less, compared, although the sources of soy protein with the same amount of protein from meat, poultry and fish in healthy adults consume calcium.

Soy isoflavones in the diet can also help maintain bone health. Recent studies have shown that have the consumption of products containing soy isoflavones have a positive effect on bone in healthy postmenopausal women.

Soy and breast health and prostate cancer: It has long been known that many Asian populations that consume soy higher breast and prostate health than the western population. Many factors affect the health of the prostate, but recent research shows that a large number of soy consumption, the health of the population of these factors.

The study found eating that many people, the soy milk contains (isoflavones) 70% greater chance of maintaining the health of prostate cancer than those who receive little or no soy should have in the diet. Recent studies of population and health care in China examined the association between the consumption of soy during adolescence and breast health in the future.

Taking into account the known risk factors and reported consumption of soy foods in puberty linked to maternal health has improved, if these women are grown before and after menopause. Researchers believe that consumption of soy as a young and continues throughout life, which combined with the preservation of health and the mother.

Another possibility that soy may help heart, breast and prostate health, is that it offers protection against oxidation. Soy isoflavones, genistein, was shown to be antioxidants.

NOTE: Although all data show benefits of soy protein, the scientific evidence is not uniform proper use of soy in the history of women with breast cancer. Suggest that women in this story, the possibility of consumption of soy in conversation with your doctor.

Soy Protein and Menopause: Cultural Studies in postmenopausal women found that women in Japan, the transition of women experience in the West. Eleven soybean is often used in Asian countries, which is used about 45 mg of isoflavones per day average person.

Postmenopausal women, soy protein particularly important because it is so obviously useful conceived during menopause and bones and helps maintain normal cholesterol levels.

Vitamin A and the Carotenoids
Vitamin A carotenoids are found naturally in fruits and vegetables which are yellow, red, green and orange. This antioxidant family includes alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin. Working as anti-cancer agents, carotenoids decrease the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration as well as helping to inhibit heart disease, according to Balch. The body converts carotenoid energy into vitamin A, reduces the oxidation of DNA and prevents the oxidation of cholesterol.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C works in conjunction with vitamin E to maintain its potency. Due to its water solubility, vitamin C works in bodily fluids as an effective free-radical scavenger. According to the book “Prescription for Nutritional Healing” the cells of the brain and spinal cord can be protected by significant amounts of vitamin C. This powerful antioxidant also guards against atherosclerosis by preventing free radical damage to the artery walls.

 
Vitamin E
Useful for preventing the oxidation of fats, vitamin E prevents the cell’s protective coatings from becoming rancid due to the oxidation of free radicals. Vitamin E is fat-soluble. It enhances the immune response, helps prevent cataracts and decreases the risk for coronary artery disease, according to Balch. In order for the body to maintain adequate levels of vitamin E, the antioxidant zinc must also be present.

Selenium
An essential trace mineral, selenium works with vitamin E to protect cell membranes and tissues. Selenium works by targeting natural hydrogen peroxide in the body and converting it into water. Found naturally in asparagus, garlic and grains, selenium helps guard the heart, liver and lungs against free radical damage.

 
Coenzyme Q10
Though coenzyme Q10 is not technically a vitamin, it is produced naturally in the body and levels often decrease with age. Found in highest concentrations in the heart and liver, coenzyme Q10 plays a crucial role in the generation of proper cellular energy. Working in the mitochondria of the cell, coenzyme Q10 helps to metabolize carbohydrates and fats and has a natural anti-aging effect. Supplementing the diet with coenzyme Q10 may be especially beneficial for heart patients as it is known to increase circulation and stimulate the immune system, according to Balch.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid
Working as a “recycler” of vitamins C and E, alpha-lipoic acid restores the antioxidant properties of vitamins after they have neutralized free-radicals in the body. Stimulating the absorption of other vitamins, alpha-lipoic acid is especially beneficial for detoxifying the liver of metal pollutants and lowering blood cholesterol levels, according to Balch’s “Prescription for Nutritional Healing”.

People with high triglyceride levels who ate nuts saw a 10.2% fall in blood lipid levels, said the study, which analysed data from 25 trials conducted in seven countries, involving 583 men and women aged 19-86 with high or normal cholesterol levels.

The data analysed for the study compared nut-eaters to a control group that did not eat nuts. None of the participants were taking medication to lower their blood lipids.

Researchers led by Dr Joan Sabate of Loma Linda University in California found in the study in the American Medical Association’s Archives of Internal Medicine that the benefits to health were the same no matter what nut is eaten.

A person’s weight and baseline LDL cholesterol levels did, however, influence whatever benefits might be derived from eating nuts. The higher the starting LDL-C, the greater the cholesterol-lowering effects of nuts, the study found.

And the lower a patient’s body mass index – if the patient was not overweight or obese – the greater the effects of nuts on lowering cholesterol levels. This urges more research to determine why nuts are less effective in lowering the blood cholesterol levels of obese people.

A person’s diet also played a role in the effect nuts have on blood cholesterol levels. Consumers of diets which are high in saturated fat got more benefits from nut-eating than those who already ate a healthy diet, high in monounsaturated olive oil, fish and fresh fruit and vegetables, the study found.

And there’s more good news: the benefits of eating nuts remain with us for a long time; nut consumption appears to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes; and, in spite of their high fat content, nuts do not necessarily make us fat.

“Increasing the consumption of nuts as part of an otherwise prudent diet can be expected to favourably affect blood lipid levels … and have the potential to lower coronary heart disease risk,” the study concluded.

Blood is watery, and cholesterol is fatty. Just like oil and water, the two do not mix. To travel in the bloodstream, cholesterol is carried in small packages called lipoproteins (lip-o-PRO-teens). The small packages are made of fat (lipid) on the inside and proteins on the outside. Two kinds of lipoproteins carry cholesterol throughout your body. It is important to have healthy levels of both:

• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)  cholesterol is called “bad” cholesterol
  High LDL cholesterol leads to a buildup of cholesterol in arteries. High LDL level in your blood increased risk of coronary heart disease.
• High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is called “good” cholesterol
  HDL carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver. The liver removes the cholesterol from your body. The higher your HDL cholesterol level, the lower your chance of getting heart disease.

Total cholesterol is the sum of LDL (low density) cholesterol, HDL (high density) cholesterol, VLDL (very low density) cholesterol, and IDL (intermediate density) cholesterol.

What Is High Blood Cholesterol?
Too much cholesterol in the blood, or high blood cholesterol, can be serious. People with high blood cholesterol have a greater chance of getting heart disease. High blood cholesterol on its own does not cause symptoms, so many people are unaware that their cholesterol level is too high.

Cholesterol can build up in the walls of your arteries (blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body). This buildup of cholesterol is called plaque (plak). Over time, plaque can cause narrowing of the arteries. This is called atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.

Special arteries, called coronary arteries, bring blood to the heart. Narrowing of your coronary arteries due to plaque can stop or slow down the flow of blood to your heart. When the arteries narrow, the amount of oxygen-rich blood is decreased. This is called coronary heart disease (CHD). Large plaque areas can lead to chest pain called angina. Angina happens when the heart does not receive enough oxygen-rich blood. Angina is a common symptom of CHD.

Some plaques have a thin covering and can burst (rupture), releasing cholesterol and fat into the bloodstream. The release of cholesterol and fat may cause your blood to clot. A clot can block the flow of blood. This blockage can cause angina or a heart attack.

Lowering your cholesterol level decreases your chance for having a plaque burst and cause a heart attack. Lowering cholesterol may also slow down, reduce, or even stop plaque from building up. Plaque and resulting health problems can also occur in arteries elsewhere in the body.

Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant, scavenging potentially harmful molecules called free radicals. Although not firmly established by clinical trials, this antioxidant capacity may help boost immune function. Vitamin C intake may be particularly helpful to smokers, as they are more likely to suffer from oxidative stress and cell damage that can deplete vitamin C. Alcohol also reduces level of Vitamin C in our body. Individual who drink more than 2 alcoholic drinks a day require comparatively large amout of Vitamin C.  

Vitamin C affects cells on the inside and outside of the body. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined links between nutrient intakes and skin aging in 4,025 women aged 40-74. It found that higher vitamin C intakes were associated with a lower likelihood of a wrinkled appearance, dryness of the skin, and a better skin-aging appearance.

Vitamin C Isn’t Only Orange
Most people think of oranges when they think of Vitamin C, however, most fruits and vegetables contain Vitamin C. Although, citrus fruits are among those with the largest content, green bell peppers, leafy greens, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, potatoes and cantaloupe also contain large amounts. Other foods that contain vitamin C are watermelon, papaya, brussel sprouts, raspberries, blueberries, pineapple, red bell peppers and cranberries. Eating a balanced diet filled with a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables will give you the right amount of vitamin C for your body.

Vitamin C is easily absorbed both in food and in pill form, and it can enhance the absorption of iron when the two are eaten together. Water-soluble vitamins must be continuously supplied in the diet to maintain healthy levels. Vitamin C is not stored in the body (excess amounts are excreted), so overdose is not a concern. But it’s still important not to exceed the safe upper limit of 2,000 milligrams a day to avoid stomach upset and diarrhea. 

Deficiency of vitamin C
Lack of vitamin C can lead to a condition called scurvy, which causes muscle weakness, swollen and bleeding gums, loss of teeth, and bleeding under the skin, as well as tiredness and depression. Vitamin C deficiency also causes wounds to heal slowly.

Individuals who are likely to be vitamin C deficient are people suffering from:

• AIDS
• Alcoholism
• Burns
• Cancer
• Diarrhea (prolonged)
• Fever (prolonged)
• Infection (prolonged)
• Intestinal diseases
• Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
• Stomach ulcer
• Stress(continuing)
• Surgical removal of stomach
• Tuberculosis
• Infants receiving unfortified formulas
• Smokers
• Patients using an artificial kidney (on hemodialysis)
• Patients who undergo surgery
• Individuals who are exposed to long periods of cold temperatures

Recommended Vitamin Dosage

The more vitamin C you take, the more that gets excreted through your urine. In other words, while taking high doses of vitamin C is usually not dangerous, but it is not usually beneficial either. If you are unsure about anything related to your dosage or vitamin C dosing in general, please talk with your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

Advice: Take a daily multivitamin, because most people don’t get enough of several nutrients. And if you want to combat colds and flu, wash your hands more often.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C tops the list of immune boosters for many reasons. It is available naturally in many fruits and vegetables. Also, you can buy a vitamin-C-fortified version of just about anything. Vitamin C increases the production of infection-fighting white blood cells and antibodies and increases levels of interferon, the antibody that coats cell surfaces, preventing the entry of viruses. Vitamin C reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by raising levels of HDL (good) cholesterol while lowering blood pressure and interfering with the process by which fat is converted to plaque in the arteries. As an added perk, persons whose diets are higher in vitamin C have lower rates of colon, prostate, and breast cancer.

Vitamin E: Vitamin E stimulates the production of natural killer cells, those that seek out and destroy germs and cancer cells. Vitamin E enhances the production of B-cells, the immune cells that produce antibodies that destroy bacteria. Vitamin E supplementation may also reverse some of the decline in immune response commonly seen in aging. Vitamin E has been implicated in lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Carotenoids: Beta carotene increases the number of infection-fighting cells, natural killer cells, and helper T-cells, as well as being a powerful antioxidant that mops up excess free radicals that accelerate aging.

Bioflavonoid: A group of phytonutrients called bioflavonoid aids the immune system by protecting the cells of the body against environmental pollutants. Bioflavonoid protects the cell membranes against the pollutants trying to attach to them. A diet that contains a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, at least six servings per day, will help you get the bioflavonoid needed to help your immune system work in top form.

Zinc: This valuable mineral increases the production of white blood cells that fight infection and helps them fight more aggressively. It also increases killer cells that fight against cancer and helps white cells release more antibodies. Zinc supplements have been shown to slow the growth of cancer.

Garlic: This flavorful member of the onion family is a powerful immune booster that stimulates the multiplication of infection-fighting white cells, boosts natural killer cell activity, and increases the efficiency of antibody production. Garlic may protect against cancer, though the evidence is controversial.

Selenium: This mineral increases natural killer cells and mobilizes cancer-fighting cells. Best food sources of selenium are tuna, red snapper, lobster, shrimp, whole grains, vegetables, brown rice, egg yolks, cottage cheese, chicken (white meat), sunflower seeds, garlic, Brazil nuts, and lamb chops.

Omega-3 fatty acids: The omega 3 fatty acids in flax oil and fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) act as immune boosters by increasing the activity of phagocytes, the white blood cells that eat up bacteria. One way to get more omega-3 fatty acids in your diet is to add one to three teaspoons of flax oil to a fruit and yogurt smoothie.

But by fine-tuning certain aspects of your health routine, such as diet and stress management, you can help strengthen your immune system’s defense against bacteria, toxic chemicals, and viruses that cause conditions like the common cold and flu.

Natural Immune Boosters
Here are the five best ways to support your immune system naturally.

1) Diet
Following a diet rich in antioxidants is essential to supporting your immune system. Abundant in many fruits and vegetables, antioxidants combat free radicals (chemical by-products known to damage DNA and suppress the immune system).

Choosing healthy fats (such as the omega-3 fatty acids available in oily fish, flaxseed, and krill oil) over saturated fats (found in meat and dairy products) may help increase your body’s production of compounds involved in regulating immunity. For an additional immune boost, try adding garlic (shown to possess virus-fighting and bacteria-killing properties) and ginger (a natural anti-inflammatory) to your meals on a regular basis.

Drinking plenty of water and steering clear of sugary beverages, like soda and energy drinks, may also help fend off infection by flushing out.

2) Exercise
Regular exercise is one of the pillars of healthy living. Working out regularly can mobilize your T cells, a type of white blood cell known to guard the body against infection. In a 2006 study of 115 women, participants who engaged in moderate exercise (such as brisk walking) for an average of 30 minutes daily for a year had about half the risk of colds as those who did not work out routinely.

Regularly engaging in intense, vigorous activity like running, on the other hand, may weaken your immune function and leave you more susceptible to viral infections. However, animal-based research suggests that supplementing with the antioxidant quercetin could reduce flu risk among athletes.

3) Stress Reduction
Chronic stress can have a negative impact on immunity, according to a 2004 review of 293 studies with a total of 18,941 participants. The review suggests that while short-term exposure to stressors can rev up your immune defense, prolonged stress may wear down the immune system and increase your vulnerability to illness.

To keep your stress in check, incorporate a relaxing practice like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing into your daily routine. Or try tai chi, a gentle Chinese martial art found to increase immune defense against shingles in a 2007 study of 112 older adults.

4) Sleep and Hygiene
Simply keeping your hands clean is one of the best ways to ward off illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Make sure to wash your hands for 15 to 20 seconds (using warm water and soap) before preparing food or eating and after coughing, sneezing, using the bathroom, or touching public surfaces.

Another healthy habit vital to preventing sickness is getting a full eight hours of sleep each night, which may help regulate immune function.

5) Herbs and Supplements
Although scientists have yet to determine whether vitamin C can enhance immunity, there’s some evidence that this antioxidant can reduce cold incidence.

Herbs such as astragalus, echinacea, and elderberry, meanwhile, may help reduce the duration and severity of your sickness if taken as soon as you start to experience cold or flu symptoms.

International studies of millions of people by government, industry, universities, and private research institutions have determined that smoking can cause:

1. Stained teeth, fingers, and hair
2. Increased frequency of colds, particularly chest colds and bronchitis
3. Asthma
4. Neuralgia
5. Gastrointestinal difficulties, constipation, diarrhea, and colitis
6. Headaches
7. Nausea
8. Convulsions
9. Leukoflakia (smoker’s patch)
10. Insomnia
11. Heart murmur
12. Buerger’s disease (inflammation of blood vessel linings)
13. Shortness of breath
14. Arthritis
15. Smoker’s hack
16. Nervousness
17. Wrinkles and premature aging
18. Tension
19. Gastric, duodenal, and peptic ulcers
20. Lung cancer
21. Cancer of the lip, tongue, pharynx, larynx, and bladder
22.Emphysema
23.High blood pressure
24. Heart disease
25. Artherosclerosis arteriosclerosis (thickening and loss of elasticity of the blood vessels with lessened blood flow)
26. Inflammation of the sinus passages
27. Tobacco angina (nicotine angina pectoris)
28. Pneumonia
29. Influenza
30. Pulmonary tuberculosis
31. Tobacco amblyopia
32. impared hearing
33. Decreased sexual activity
34. Mental depression

Nicotine affects the nerve-muscle junctions, causing tremors and shaking. Nicotine causes narrowing and constriction of the arteries, adding to the heart’s load. Nicotine, through its ability to stimulate, causes excitement and anxiety. But the effect wears off, often a period of depression follows, whereupon another cigarette is taken. Nicotine, an insecticide, makes the blood more viscous and decreases the available oxygen. It also adversely affects the breathing, sweating, intestinal, and heart actions of our autonomic nervous system, probably due to hindering the blood flow to the nerve centers in the brain.

Two to four cigarettes in a row increase blood fats 200 to 400%. The average smoker (30 cigerettes per day) has 4 to 6 times the chance of having heart disease if he’s in the 45-54 year age group.

If the mother smoked during pregnancy, her baby will average 6 ounces less and its pulse will be 30% faster than a non-smoker’s baby, and there’ll be withdrawal symptoms in the baby after birth. Premature birth has been related to smoking by the mother. There is a direct link between parents’ smoking and children’s respiratory disease.

The smoker is sick more often. Smoking destroys vitamins, particularly vitamin C and the B’s. Vitamin C is an antioxidant, which means it blocks the formation of several cancer causing substances. In fact, smoking a single cigarette breaks down the same amount of vitamin C as you would get from eating an orange. If you smoke, it can be critical to supplement yourself with these vitamins.

It’s a good idea to take vitamins regardless of whether or not you have ever smoked. That’s because most of us don’t eat a balanced diet that provides us with all of the vitamins we need. Your best bet is to buy multivitamins and take one every day to overcome the effects of smoking to some extent.

More Malaysians are keeping awake till late to indulge in what is becoming a top national pastime – tucking it in at 24-hour eating joints. Yes, we are practically eating round-the-clock. If you are still not convinced, take a look at the goings-on at mamak shops close to and way past midnight. These shops have sprouted up all over the country to satisfy the cravings of Malaysians who are gorging on calorie-packed late night meals with hardly a care – and getting obese in the process. Statistics show that the prevalence of obesity among Malaysian adults increased by a staggering 250% over a 10-year period from 1996 while the number of the overweight has increased by 70%.

The National Health and Morbidity Survey in 2006 showed that two out of every five adults, or 43% were either overweight or obese and an alarming situation where the number of obese adults had more tha tripled over a decade, from 4% in 1996 to 14% in 2006. 

Besides that, about 38% of youngsters aged between 12 and 18 were classified as overweight. A recent survey of 10,000 students showed that 24% of those aged between 6 and 12 were either overweight or obese.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai obviously a very worried man, with more Malaysians at risk of being seriously ill due to uncontrollable eating. “It has to change… an unbalanced diet and eating late at night” he said.

“In the past, we used to have 2 meals. These days, we are eating 5 to 6 times daily, with late night supper at mamak stalls,” he said after launching the Malaysian Council for Obesity Prevention (MCOM) here yesterday.

MCOM, which comprises 13 professional bodies and NGOs, was set up to help the Government counter the problem of obesity in the country. The minister, an avowed vegetarian, spoke of another worrying trend – meat is fast becoming a staple-diet here. A diet rich in red meat causes high cholesterol, which leads to cardiovascular diseases.

“Available data on the prevalence of being overweight and obesity indicates that the problem we face may be more serious than those in other countries of the region,” he added.

Being overweight and obese, he said, would lead to chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and even cancer. According to statistic, 14.9% and 43% of Malaysians aged above 30 suffer from diabetes and hypertension, respectively, with 20.7% if adults over 18 suffering from high cholesterol.

Liow said 300 nutritionists would be employed to serve at government clinics nationwide to help tackle obesity by creating awareness on the dangers of unhealthy eating.

MCOM president Jong Koi Chong echoed the minister’s concerns, saying the unhealthy eating trend was becoming major problem. “Our metabolic rate is very low at night making it easy for fat to accumulate in the body. Most 24-hour restaurants serve food that is high in fat, calories and cholesterol. Sadly, more of our young, are picking up bad eating habits from adults,” he added.

Try to reduce—or better yet, eliminate—these bad-for-you foods from your repertoire:

Whole-milk dairy products
Saturated fat, which clogs arteries and increases LDL levels, is the No. 1 cholesterol-boosting culprit. And foods like ice cream and cheese are where you’re likely to find them. Swap for a lower-fat frozen yogurt, and skip the brie in favor of something less rich, like a part-skim mozzarella.

Processed meats
Bacon, sausage, liverwurst and the like are also wonderful sources of artery-clogging saturated fat. Look for lower-fat options, like bacon and sausage made from turkey and other lean protein sources.

Fast-food fries
Even worse than saturated fats are the dreaded trans fats. “You might as well take a gun and shoot yourself!” says Dorfman. The main source of trans fats are partially hydrogenated oils, and that’s exactly what most fast-food restaurants are still using to cook their fries. Trans fats hit cholesterol with a double whammy—in addition to raising your LDL, they simultaneously lower your HDL.

Tropical oils
Palm kernel and coconut oils are two of the fattiest of oils—100 percent of the bad-for-you saturated variety. Don’t use them when you cook at home, and try to avoid them when you eat out (most fast-food restaurants have eliminated them, but you can check their Web sites for detailed nutritional information). Use heart-healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats, like olive, canola and safflower oil, instead.

Baked Goods
Many manufacturers of packaged cookies and cakes have eliminated trans fats from their recipes, but check the nutrition labels to be sure. But all baked goods—even those that are homemade—are high in saturated fats, thanks to the butter and shortening. Since no one wants to give up dessert completely, eat high-fat baked goods only occasionally, opting more often for low-fat sweets like sorbets.
To help fight cholesterol, try to incorporate more of these foods into your daily diet.