If you are looking for a list of foods that help to lower  cholesterol, please read on.  Normally the first thing that you do  when you go on a diet  and lose weight is try to cut out as much fat in your body.  While eating a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet has been the slogan for weight loss and heart disease prevention in many years, and you are one of those who have come to believe that you need to eliminate all the fats in your diet, think again.   Studies have shown that there are good and bad fats, and that there are good and bad cholesterol.

The bad cholesterol or LDL, is not good for health because it builds up in arteries and forms hard plaques, increasing the risk for diseases. Good cholesterol or HDL, is used by the body to scavenge some of that bad cholesterol from the bloodstream and from arteries and transport it back to the liver for disposal,  repair and protect nerves, organs, the brain, cells and other parts of the body. Ideally you need to have your bad cholesterol under 100 and your good cholesterol above 40.

Fat is a excellent source of energy and yet some fats are bad for you. The mix or types of fat you incorporate in your diet determine to a large extent the amount of total and LDL cholesterol in your bloodstream.   The key to a healthy diet is to substitute good fats for bad fats—and to avoid trans fats.  The "bad" fats include saturated fats and trans fats which increase the risk for certain diseases. The "good" fats consist of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and they help to lower disease risk. These fatty acids are obtained from the foods that we eat and the oils that we choose.

Below are healthy reminders:

Obtain your fat source mostly from plants, not animals.

Try to avoid foods with hydrogenated on the label.

Stick to certain types of oils  like olive oil. 

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.  Aside form being low in fat, fruits and vegetables are fibre-rich foods that deliver awesome benefits including the vitamins and other antioxidants that prevent cellular damage and aid in a number of cellular processes.

Here are a list of foods that help to lower cholesterol:

Can anyone take too much Vitamin E or experience vitamin E overdose? As in any other good thing, it has been said that too much of anything can be bad. Basically, how much vitamin E do you need?

A person’s daily need for vitamin E depend on factors like age, gender and overall health status including the levels of oxidative stress in the body. Children aged 1 to 8 years require 6 to 7 mg or 9 to 10.5 IU (International Units) of vitamin E and adults need around 16.5 to 22.5 IU. Pregnant women would need around 22.5 IU while those lactating about 28.5 IU. Also, if a person’s diet is high in foods containing polyunsaturated fats, he may have higher requirement for vitamin E.

Deficiency of Vitamin E

Vitamin E deficiency rarely occurs in humans. Individuals who are prone to have this condition are those who cannot absorb dietary fats or have fat metabolism disorders and very low birth weight infants who may have been born with very low tissue levels of the vitamin, and have poorly developed ability to absorb dietary fats.

What are the symptoms of having a deficiency of vitamin E? Vitamin E deficiency in humans may lead to damage to nerves such as loss of muscle coordination, loss of reflexes, diminished sensation to vibration, muscle weakness and weakened ability to coordinate movements which could result to inability to walk at the extreme. Vitamin E deficiency is reported to contribute to cardiovascular diseases including atherosclerosis and increased possibilities of certain cancers. Children who have developed this condition of early vitamin E deficiency exhibit decline in cognitive function in their early years causing them to fall behind in the development of intellectual skills.

Vitamin E Overdose

On the other hand, what can result from a Vitamin E overdose? You will know that you are taking too much Vitamin E when some symptoms develop. The Food & Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine has set the upper tolerable intake level (UL) at 1,000 mg or 1,500 IU for any form of supplementary alpha-tocopherol or vitamin E per day. Since vitamin E can act as an anticoagulant, one of the health risks of taking too much vitamin E is increased possibilities of bleeding problems, especially those who are taking medications that may interact vitamin E. Other symptoms of a vitamin E overdose may include fatigue, weakness, nausea, flatulence, headache and diarrhea. Too much Vitamin E may be toxic in the body.

Vitamin E Intakes

One person’s daily requirement can be obtained from natural foods containing vitamin E. Incorporating Vitamin-E rich foods in your daily diet will help you meet your daily need. Dietary supplements, can be recommended in cases where developing a regular healthy food regimen is not attained and vitamin E deficiency sets in. Consultation with a licensed health care professional is advised if you choose to take nutritional supplements. Taking caution and not overdoing it should always be in mind since the best care for health is met by carefully developing healthy patterns that includes food and nutrition planning.

Feeling guilty indulging in that chocolate bar? If you are a chocoholic, here are cool facts about chocolate that you can chew. Chocolatey chocolate is good for you. Now, you may wonder if there’s science behind the news. According to a study published by the Journal of Medical American Association, eating a small portion of chocolate each day may be good for you. The study was undertaken to determine the effects of low doses of dark polyphenols of chocolate on BLOOD PRESSURE.

Done in a randomized, controlled setting at a primary care clinic in Germany between January 2005 and December 2006, the experiment involved 44 adults aged 56 through 73 years (24 women, 20 men) with stage 1 hypertension who were not taking blood pressure medications.

Participants were arbitrarily given either 6.3 grams or an equivalent of 30 calorie portion per day of chocolate containing 30 mg of polyphenols or matching polyphenol-free white chocolate for the duration of 18 weeks.

The results of the study are interesting. After 18 weeks of dark chocolate intake, volunteers experienced reduction of systolic blood pressure by about 2.9 mm Hg and 1.9 mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure without changes in body weight. Hypertension generally declined from 86% to 68%. Compared with the white chocolate group, those in the chocolate group experienced progressively lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure over time. White chocolate intake caused no changes in blood pressure or plasma biomarkers.

Dark chocolate are made of cocoa beans which give it its bittersweet taste. The natural compounds in cocoa beans are exceptionally rich in flavonoids which are natural antioxidants thought to help maintain cardiovascular health. Flavonoids help the body process nitric oxide, a compound which causes blood vessels to relax, facilitating healthy blood blow, reducing the risk of blood clots and clogging of arteries.

When buying chocolate, be choosy since not all chocolates are created equal. Natural flavonoids present in cocoa beans are mostly destroyed by processing depleting them of their natural goodness. Check the labels and look for rich, dark chocolate that are high in cocoa content or at least 70 percent cocoa solids (cocoa mass). Not milk or white chocolate but the dark, rich chocolate.

Research on the potential health benefits of chocolate appears to be very promising, however larger long-term trials are still needful before we can truly determine the impact of chocolate consumption on cardiovascular health. Chocolates often contain other ingredients, such as saturated fats, that more than outbalance the antioxidant benefits to be gained from cocoa. The best bet for heart health is still a daily consumption of balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, engaging in regular physical activity and minimizing stress. However, every now and then, feel free to treat yourself to a guilt-free piece of rich, dark chocolate.