CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING FOODS

Stress, heredity, poor diet, smoking, and obesity lead to higher levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Let’s meet the allies of our heart!

Oats

Oats serve as cereal rich in fibers, B-complex vitamins, proteins and antioxidants. Start your day with a healthy breakfast that includes 2 servings of oats (1 serving = 45 g) on a daily basis. Add fruits, nuts, dried fruits and/or dark chocolate chips and enjoy!

Studies have shown that this amount of oats can reduce LDL cholesterol levels by 5% in just six weeks.

Red wine

Research has shown that red grapes are rich in fibers, which contribute significantly to lowering the cholesterol levels.

One glass of wine with your lunch or dinner can improve HDL cholesterol levels.

Salmon and fatty fish

Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce cardiovascular disease. A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the harmful lipids in the body, such as cholesterol and triglycerides, and increase “good” cholesterol (HDL) levels. According to research, replacement of saturated fats with omega-3 fatty acids such as those found in salmon, sardines, and herring, can increase good cholesterol levels by up to 4%.

Nuts

If you want to reduce your cholesterol levels, it might be a good idea to include a handful of nuts in your daily diet. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who consumed 42 grams of walnuts, six days per week for one month reduced their total cholesterol by 5.4% and LDL cholesterol by 9.3%. Almonds and cashews are also good choices.

However, while nuts are good for a healthy heart, they also have high calorie content. As regards the amount, 10-15 medium-sized nuts are a good suggestion to reduce your cholesterol.

Legumes

Legumes, and especially beans, are rich in soluble fibers that help reduce cholesterol. According to research, it has been found that consumption of one cup of any legume per day can reduce cholesterol by up to 10% in just six weeks.

Green & black tea

Green tea has become widely known for its antioxidant properties, but is also a weapon in the fight against high LDL cholesterol. More specifically, the consumption of green tea seems to reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol without affecting the levels of “good” HDL cholesterol. In another study, black tea was shown to reduce blood lipids by up to 10% in just three weeks.

Consume 1 cup of coffee per day and replace the rest of them with green or black tea.

Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate is a strong antioxidant that can reduce LDL, i.e. the “bad” cholesterol in your blood.

Compared to milk chocolate, dark chocolate has 3 times more antioxidants that help prevent clogging of the arteries.

Margarine

Vegetable margarine is a tasty and easy-to-use food that meets modern day dietary requirements, both in heart protection guidelines as well as in the general promotion of health. Margarine is rich in plant sterols that drastically reduce cholesterol.

Replace butter with vegetable margarine or olive oil, taking into account the higher caloric cost.

Spinach

Spinach, as most green leafy vegetables, contains lutein, a substance that protects us from heart attack by keeping the arteries free from cholesterol. Half a cup of spinach per day is all it takes to keep your cholesterol at bay. For better absorption of lutein, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil.

Avocado

Avocados are a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids, a type of fat that can actually help increase HDL cholesterol levels and reduce LDL. Avocados are also rich in beta-sitosterol, a substance that has been proven to contribute in the reduction of LDL “bad” blood cholesterol.

However, avocados are high in calories and fat (300 calories and 30 grams of fat per avocado) and must therefore be consumed in moderation.

Garlic

Garlic has been found to lower cholesterol, prevent the forming of blood clots, reduce blood pressure, and protect against infections. It also helps to prevent vascular clogging due to atherosclerotic plaque forming on the vessel walls.

Olive oil

Olive oil is a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids. Moreover, unlike other types of oil, olive oil does not need to be chemically treated. As most fats, olive oil has a high caloric content. Even so, due to its tendency to reduce cholesterol levels, olive oil is a healthy alternative to saturated fats such as butter, palm oil and certain vegetable oils. In terms of consumption, two tablespoons a day are enough to reap the benefits for your health, and especially for your heart.

Eva Makri

Clinical Dietician – Nutritionist

OCTOBER: BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

In Greece, about 4,500 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year, while related deaths amount to approx. 1,600.

If the cancer is diagnosed early enough, before it spreads to other organs, the five-year survival rate of women with breast cancer exceeds 95%. But despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, breast cancer still remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women and the third cause of death overall in Europe and the United States.

Unfortunately, Greece is one of the countries where breast cancer is usually diagnosed when the disease is at a fairly advanced stage. Thus, the disease is more difficult to control and the chances of the cancer spreading to neighboring tissues and lymph nodes (invasive cancer) or to other parts of the body (metastatic cancer) are much higher. The organs most commonly affected by metastatic cancer are the bones (usually the first site of metastasis), the liver, the brain, and the lungs. In this case, the realistic goal of treatment is to offer relief from the symptoms, delay the progression of the disease and prolong life. About 50% of patients who are not diagnosed in an early stage will develop metastatic breast cancer and their average survival time is 18 to 30 months.

Breast cancer risk factors

The causes of breast cancer are unknown. However, there are certain factors that can increase a woman’s risk of developing the disease:

Family history of breast cancer

Middle age

History of benign breast diseases

Long-term exposure to hormones, e.g due to delayed menopause or hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women

Diagnosis and treatment

Symptoms of breast cancer include:

A hard mass («lump») that develops in the breast or armpit, which is usually painless and appears only on one side

Change in breast size or shape

Changes in the skin, such as appearance of cavities, folds or redness

Changes in the nipple, such as unusual discharge or rash around the nipple

Prevention always remains the best treatment. As the disease is now curable, provided that it is detected at an early stage, it is very important for women:

to check their breasts regularly by palpation, at least once a month, after the 7th day after the start of the period;

to visit their doctor immediately if they notice any unusual changes in the breast. There is no reason for panic, as most breast nodules are benign (non-cancerous) and can be removed without side effects;

to undergo a mammography regularly. Mammography is recommended after the age of 50, or earlier if there is a family history of breast cancer or other risk factors.

In case of diagnosis, the goal of treatment is to prevent the spread of the cancer cells (cells that have mutated and have started to multiply rapidly) and to kill them. The classic treatments for breast cancer, apart from surgery (mastectomy), are radiotherapy and chemotherapy (drugs administered orally or intravenously, usually in various combinations). Other treatments include biological therapies and hormone therapy.

Recent advances in medical research continue to equip oncologists with more “targeted” therapies, which are highly selective in locating and destroying cancer cells, thereby minimizing damage to healthy tissue.

Source: Ministry of Health

HPV, CHLAMYDIA, HERPES: SYMPTOMS OF THE MOST COMMON STD’S

Each year, millions of new cases of STDs are recorded worldwide. According to available data, there are around 20 million cases in the USA alone. STDs are more common in adolescents and young adults, mainly due to skipping condom use and frequent changes of sexual partners.

Find out here what the typical symptoms of HPV (genital warts), chlamydia and genital herpes are.

1. HPV (genital warts)

There are many different strains of the human papillomavirus, some of which infect the proctogenital region. Some of these cause warts on the skin. In many cases, the immune system treats the infection on its own, without any complications.

Consult your doctor if there are painless skin growths in the area of your genitals (penis, scrotum, anus).

2. Chlamydia

Unfortunately, this infection does not always manifest itself with obvious symptoms, which means that it can be inadvertently transmitted to a new sexual partner. When detected, the infection should be treated immediately to avoid adverse effects on fertility.

Common symptoms that indicate chlamydial infection are burning with urination and discharge from the vagina or penis.

3. Genital herpes

Herpes lesions are often confused with lesions caused by other skin diseases. They usually consist of blisters appearing in clumps. They can occur around the genitals or in the anal area and are accompanied by pain and often fever or headache and swelling in the lymph nodes. The lesions disappear after a few days (up to four weeks).

Source: Onmed.gr