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Ways to lower cholesterol

To receive information on ways to lower cholesterol levels through a diet fortified with stanols and sterols, visit Wellness Wednesday, held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 29 in the Children’s Hospital lobby.

by Janet Carter, Outpatient Dietitian
Heart Health Coordinator
Sterols and stanols are substances found in plants that, when included in food ingredients, can lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels in the blood and prevent harmful buildup on artery walls.
 
Some food manufacturers are now fortifying a few of their food items (usually margarines and salad dressings) with plant sterols and stanols. In the right form and quantity, these substances inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the gut.
 
In addition to watching how much cholesterol and saturated fat consumed, consider incorporating sterols and stanols into your diet, either by eating a plant-based diet or trying some of the following kinds of fortified foods: BenecolSpread; Take Control Spread; SmartBalanceOmegaPlus Buttery Spread; Promise Activ Supershots; Nature Valley Healthy Heart Chewy Granola Bars; and Yoplait Healthy Heart Yogurt.
 
For information, visit http://www.corowise.com.
 

New skinny on vinegar
Source: Dr. Ann Kulze's July newsletter—http://www.dranns10steps.com/index.cfm.

A new report found that the vegetables and olive oil that make up the backbone of the Mediterranean Diet are the key players in its well-documented health and youth-enhancing effects, and that combining them provides additional efficacy (BMJ, June 09).
 
Here are some reasons for including a pre-meal appetizer of tossed salad with an olive oil and vinegar-based dressing:

  • The bulk provided by the pre-meal veggies acutely reduces mealtime caloric intake.
  • The fat in the olive oil delays stomach emptying (which boosts satiety).
  • The oleic acid in the olive oil triggers a quick release of the appetite suppressive hormone CCK.
  • The vinegar reduces the glycemic response of carbs coming on board.



Friday, July 24, 2009




The Catalyst Online is published weekly by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. The Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to The Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.