Gillian McKeith's Food Bible (243 page)

EXTRA TIPS

Moderate exercise daily is essential. Walking is a good place to start if you don’t currently do any exercise. Start with 20 minutes a day; swing your arms naturally and aim to get your heart rate up without actually panting when you finish.

Learn to manage stress. High blood pressure is often linked to stress, so review your life and see what is stressing you. Yoga, tai chi, meditation, and breathing exercises are all techniques that can help.

When you get up in the morning, before you jump out of bed and start your day, take five minutes just to be still. Sit on the end of your bed, close your eyes, place your right hand on your stomach, and simply breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth very slowly. Feel the breath in your stomach. Do this 20 times.

Monitor your blood pressure. It is important to monitor your blood pressure to see how you are getting on. Do not be alarmed if your blood pressure rises initially. This can be a result of sodium
being released from the cells as you replace it with magnesium and potassium. Do not give up on the diet because you think it is not working. This is a sure sign that your body is restoring balance. Stick with it and you should start to see the readings coming down and overall health improving.

Treat yourself to essential oil massages. Essential oils are absorbed through the skin and can have a calming effect on the nervous system, which controls blood pressure and stress reactions.

HIGH CHOLESTEROL

Cholesterol is a fat-soluble substance that is made in the liver, as well as being derived from the diet. It is only found in animal products. There is no cholesterol in plant foods. Despite its reputation, cholesterol is essential for health; it is needed for healthy cell membranes and is a precursor to the steroid hormones (including testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen).

Cholesterol is carried in the bloodstream from the liver to the cells by lipoproteins. Low-density lipoproteins, or LDLs, carry cholesterol to the cells. High-density lipoproteins, or HDLs, carry cholesterol from the cells back to the liver so that it can be reused or eliminated. The reason LDLs are called bad cholesterol and HDLs are called good cholesterol is because if there is too much LDL or not enough HDL, cholesterol can build up in the body and be deposited on the artery walls. This can then contribute to many diseases of the cardiovascular system.

There may be no symptoms of high cholesterol, but related disorders include obesity, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, and gallstones.

When cholesterol levels are tested, results are usually given for total cholesterol as well as LDL, HDL, and triglycerides (blood fats). Total cholesterol should not be more than 5mmol/l. LDL cholesterol levels should be no more than 3mmol/l, while HDL cholesterol should be above 1mmol/l.

CAUSES

The cholesterol we get from food accounts for only about 20 percent of our total cholesterol. The rest is made in the liver. For vegans, 100 percent of their cholesterol will be made by the liver. So, while it is wise not to eat too many high-cholesterol foods, it is actually more important to avoid the foods that increase the liver’s production of cholesterol. These are saturated fats, mainly from red meat and dairy products, sugar, alcohol, and refined carbohydrates.

Action plan

The aim is to normalize the balance between LDL and HDL cholesterol and reduce the oxidation of cholesterol. If you are being treated with any medication consult your GP.

EAT/DRINK

Fiber, which is needed for the removal of excess cholesterol from the body.
Good sources include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, black-eyed peas, and pulses.

In the case of cholesterol, it is true that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Apples contain pectin, a fiber that can help to lower cholesterol.

Olive oil, garlic, onions, apples, fish, artichokes, beets, carrots, oats, and lentils, all of which have proven cholesterol-lowering properties.

Walnuts and/or almonds. They are excellent sources of cholesterol-lowering nutrients. Soak your almonds overnight for easy digestion.