Elevated cholesterol levels continue to be a problem for the American population.  High cholesterol levels increase the risk of heart disease and heart attack.  While there are a number of prescription drugs on the market for this problem, there is a more natural approach to lowering cholesterol.
Red yeast rice, which is a Chinese product that is used as a preservative, flavoring and coloring for food, has been found to be effective in lowering cholesterol levels.    While it is a food staple in some Asian countries, red yeast rice has compounds called monacolins that act to inhibit the synthesis of cholesterol in the body.
As an over the counter supplement, red yeast rice has been sold under names such as Cholestin for naturally reducing your cholesterol levels.  There is an ongoing dispute, both legally and industrially, over whether red yeast rice is to be considered a drug or a dietary supplement.  This dispute involves the manufacturers, the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry.
In ancient Chinese medicine, red yeast rice was used primarily to calm gastric problems, promote circulation and for spleen and stomach health.  Human studies have been ongoing for red yeast rice as it relates to cholesterol levels since the 1970’s.  Reports and findings showed it to be effective in lowering total blood cholesterol and the low density lipoproteins which is the “bad cholesterol” and triglycerides.
Although red yeast rice is natural, it still has a long list of possible side effects.  These may include headache, abdominal discomfort, heartburn,gas, bloating, muscle pain, dizziness, asthma and kidney problems.  Red yeast rice is contraindicated for people with liver disease.
If you have an elevated cholesterol level, you should certainly consult with your physician about the best treatment options.  Ask your doctor if red yeast rice would make sense for your situation as it has compounds related to statins.  Another great way to regulate cholesterol that is beneficial to the heart and circulatory system is using one of the best omega 3 dietary supplements also for numerous benefits as well as skin and hair improvements and mental clarity.

According to a study done recently in China, it was found that red yeast rice can reduce the risk of a second heart attack by nearly half.  That is not just god, that’s pretty amazing, although I will say I wonder what the variable and control groups were like, but still, this points to the fact that red yeast rice may prove a hug asset as an introduction to your traditional diet.  That and of course a diet rich in natural sources of omega 3’s, fiber and antioxidants which means lots of leafy green veggies, darly and brightly colored fruits and whole grains and lean nuts. 

Going out to eat is such a treat since you get waited on and often you choose something that you rarely get at home.  To keep dining out enjoyable without any regrettable repercussions later on from tainted food, there are a couple of tips to keep in mind to safely keep the experience a pleasure.
When choosing a restaurant to dine out in, observe the overall cleanliness of the staff, the tables  and if they have an open kitchen, check out the kitchen area.  Prior to dining out, you can check with your local  health department to see if there have been any complaints on the restaurant of your choice.
Don’t be afraid to ask how the food is prepared and how it is stored prior to making your food selection.  It doesn’t matter whether the restaurant is upscale with posh surroundings or a local diner with homecooked meals when it comes to the possibility of food poisoning.  It can occur in any type of restaurant.
Certain foods put you at a higher risk for causing gastric distress.  Some of the foods to avoid ordering when dining out are raw or uncooked shellfish, rare meat or undercooked poultry and some of the fresh cheeses such as brie or camembert.  Another high risk selection for possible food borne illnesses are raw or undercooked eggs. 
You would not necessarily think of some of the foods that contain raw or undercooked eggs when ordering them.  These food selections include home made mayonnaise, Caesar salad dressing and french toast.  In the dessert category, selections such as lemon meringue pie, tiramisu or chocolate mousse will contain raw   or undercooked eggs.
For dining out in the buffet style restaurants, seek one out that’s crowded so you’ll know the foods are being restocked freshly and frequently.  Avoid mayonnaise based kinds of salads when dining out buffet style.
Some of the signs and symptoms of suspected food poisoning could include diarrhea lasting more than 2 to 3 days, vomiting or nausea, signs of dehydration, blood in your stool, shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, an inability to take in any fluid or food and any nervous system symptoms.  In the unfortunate event of food poisoning, seek medical attention quickly.
  

I have always had such a natural aversion to drinking milk, especially milk that is of a higher fat percentage. I’ve had asthma since a young age, and I remember having it hammered into my mind that dairy products, especially milk, were mucous producing agents that should be avoided at all costs. 

By mucous producing agents, I mean that milk has the ability to promote the production of mucous, that sticky, gooey stuff that inflames the lungs and air passages when you have a cold or allergies - or asthma.  It makes it very difficult to breathe, especially when you have narrow passages to begin with. 

Even with the downside to dairy products, most nutritionists still recommend women get about three small servings, spaced throughout the day, of high quality, low fat dairy.  Examples of this might be low fat cheese such as mozzarella (made with part skim milk, not whole milk), lowfat yogurts, skim milk, or maybe a smoothie made with yogurt and skim milk and some fruit. 

Skim milk fortified with Vitamin D is probably one of the best sources of calcium since it combines calcium with Vitamin D, which complement one another and make eachother more absorbable by the body.  Vitamin D is also a vitamin that is difficult to obtain but also necessary for the body’s continued healthy function, so the fact that a skim milk is fortified with it is a huge bonus. 

The reason that they say to space your dairy products throughout the day is that the body is designed to only absorb so much calcium at one time.  By spacing them out, you are making it more likely that your body will absorb more of the essential mineral to be used by the bones, teeth, hair, ligaments and joints, and to keep you walking upright well into older age, and not breaking bones, as is so common in women as we age. 

This is strictly a matter of opinion and taste on my part, but I feel that drinking organic, fresh ground coffee is better for me personally than drinking the pre-ground stuff that’s also not organic, meaning it’s been sprayed with pesticides and other chemicals to keep the bugs away and make for a more plentiful crop.

If you live in a climate where winters are cold, like I do here in the northeast part of Ohio, then you really look forward to the spring time, when fresher produce happens your way, instead of the grainy, tasteless stuff you’re stuck with in the midst of wintertime where all you can get your hands on is irradiated fruits and veggies that have been sitting in a crate for days on end before they reach your grocers produce section.

One of my favorite fresh produce items that come along starting in the spring and stay well into the summer and fall are berries.  I love to eat some fresh, tasty blueberries with vanilla yogurt and almonds for breakfast.  Or fresh, ripe strawberries are one of the best things too.  Growing up on five acres of land when I was younger, and having access to fresh raspberry bushes really made you realize that berries and fruits in general are so much better when they’re right off the bush or vine.

We also were fortunate enough to have grape vineyards around us, and actually had one vine of concord grapes in our backyard for a while before we decided to yank them out to give more room to the backyard, and have less to take care of.  Getting the grapes right off the vine was almost akin to eating a dessert, because they burst open with flavor in your mouth, and had an uncomparable sweetness to them from the grapes we were used to getting from the grocer’s produce section.

Right now, grapes are just starting to get better in the stores I shop in.  Just the other day, I bought some large red seedless grapes from Chile, and they were phenomenal.  They were full, firm and bursting with sweetness.  And of course, grapes are great antioxidant fruits.  Plus they’re ultra easy to take with you anywhere, kind of like a banana, because all you have to do is rip a part of the vine off and take them in your lunch bag.

Grapes also make a great snack, they’re full of fiber and vitamins, and they taste excellent when paired with a slice of mozzarella cheese.  One of my favorite snacks when I was practicing the Zone Diet, was three large black olives, a bunch of grapes (red, seedless), and a slice of mozzarella cheese.  It filled me up just enough, and provided protein, omega 3 fatty acids, and fiber and sweetness from the grapes.  All in undered one hundred calories too.

Blueberries can make a great snack too, especially when they are firm and ripe, because you can just throw some in a baggie and they are chock full of antioxidants.  In fact, the blueberry is just now being recognized for it’s potential cancer fighting benefits and the naturally therapeutic properties of it’s chemical makeup that contribute to it being a great natural anti inflammatory.  Combine that with its abundance of antioxidants, and you have darn near a perfect food!