Tag Archive for: LDL

“Vitamin C is arguably the most important vitamin due to all its capabilities internally and externally.”

Dr. Goldfaden

Photo via @designlovefest

We know what vitamin C does for your skin, but it is also crucial for your body and that coveted glow! Vitamin C is an antioxidant that fights free radicals, supports the immune system and helps make collagen in the body! Vitamin C has also been shown to lower LDL (the bad cholesterol), ward off heart disease and absorb iron in the body. But here comes the tricky part…Humans lack the ability to produce their own vitamin C. Because vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, a large portion of the vitamin C we ingest gets excreted before our body can actually use it.

How much we need

Men need around 90 mg per day while women need 75mg. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding you need anywhere from 85-120mg a day!

How to get it

Oral supplementation:

65-90mg per day should do the trick. Don’t take too much as it can interfere with the absorption of other crucial vitamins and upset the digestive system.

Eating foods rich in Vitamin C:

Red peppers, bell peppers, strawberries, kiwi, oranges, kale and fermented foods as mentioned in Health.com (kimchi or sauerkraut) all rank super high in vitamin C. A diet high in these fruits and vegetables will ensure glowing skin.

 

 

Who doesn’t like a glass or two of wine? Over 330 million cases of wine is purchased yearly in America and the average person consumes 267oz yearly. White wine, specifically Chardonnay, is the favorite just beating out Cabernet by a slim margin. But how healthy is wine for your diet, skin, allergies and overall health?

aaIf you’re watching your diet, wine is high in calories and you need to consider that before guzzling away. The average glass of wine has around 125 calories, 3.5 grams of sugar and 5 grams of carbs. So, one or two glasses are fine but more than that and you are blowing your calorie intake for the day.

Wine can both aid and age your skin depending on the amount consumed.  Red wine contains Flavonoids, antioxidants and Resveratrol. Resveratrol comes from grapes and works it’s magic by not allowing the telomere (ends of DNA strand) to shorten, thus causing the aging process. However, consuming too much wine/alcohol can have the reverse affect. For example it you look at a heavy drinker’s skin they tend to be blotchy, red and dehydrated. Unfortunately for me and many people, wine can cause allergies. Many people are allergic or become allergic to tannins, sulfites and histamines. All of these can cause hives, redness, itching or congestion. Personally red wine is worse that white for me, but neither make me feel great, so I am trying to stay away, it’s so hard!

Red wine tends to be a tiny bit healthier than white wine. Remember anything in nature that is dark in the colors blue, red and green is beneficial for our health. Think blueberries, spinach and red wine. Red wine is also particularly good for the ‘good cholesterol‘. Red wine is considered heart healthy! So the moral of the story is, if you don’t have allergies to wine-drink up, in moderation of course…….just look at the Italians!

 

We know vitamins are crucial to good health but there are quite a few that are extremely beneficial for your heart! You may be surprised-we were!

If you want to ensure your ticker stays healthy and your cholesterol stays low, you have to exercise, know your numbers and watch your diet. However, add these non-traditional supplements into your daily regimen for extra heart health. The Omega’s are the most popular of the heart healthy vitamins. Try and look for fish oils that contain Omega 3-6-and 9! Niacin or B-3 and Green Tea Extract have been shown to treat high cholesterol. Another interesting and relatively unknown supplement for a healthy heart is Red Yeast Rice, which lowers LDL and triglycerides. Add in some Coenzyme Q10 to reduce chest pain, so exercise is easier, and you have a pretty strong heart cocktail. Ginger and Turmeric are well known when treating the heart and the body in general, not to mention they’re yummy in edible form. Last but not least is a plant, Policosanol, which is extracts of plant wax and very beneficial in lowering cholesterol.

If you are concerned about your heart health, get your numbers checked. Try some exercise, cut out the smoking and add some exercise into your daily routine.  A healthy heart is a happy heart!