Cholesterol Expert Melanie Thomassian shares Cholesterol management news and commentary at CholesterolNetwork.com. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. (www.HealthCentral.com) is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822 http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822 http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/34299/statins-children Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:16:00 -0400 Melanie Thomassian Statins are one of the most frequently prescribed drugs for cholesterol lowering in adults worldwide. However, new guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics are recommending these drugs for "at risk" children as young as 8 years. The recommendations have proved controversial in the US, with some health professionals extremely concerned that such drugs would be prescribed to young children. The AAP however, believe that the drugs could... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/34299/statins-children http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/18585/acids-heart Sat, 14 Jun 2008 18:04:00 -0400 Melanie Thomassian Omega-3 fatty acids are "healthy" fats, which are thought to protect the body against heart disease. They help the heart beat more regularly, reducing blood "stickiness," therefore making it less likely to clot, and protecting the arteries from damage. They also help to maintain healthy joints, and are associated with beneficial improvements in our mood. Fish oil contains two omega-3 fatty acids: EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), and DHA... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/18585/acids-heart http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/21199/linked-risk Thu, 06 Mar 2008 11:11:00 -0500 Melanie Thomassian It is estimated that about 40% of adult males, and 24% of adult females are habitual snorers. Researchers have long suspected the link between snoring and cardiovascular illnesses, but a recent study has now confirmed this link. Hungarian researchers interviewed 12,643 participants, and found that loud snorers had a:34% increased risk of having a heart attack.67% greater chance of suffering a stroke. The study also indicated that those who... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/21199/linked-risk http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/21200/diets-heart Thu, 06 Mar 2008 11:10:00 -0500 Melanie Thomassian I absolutely detest the culture of "fad" dieting that is so prevalent today. In America, it is estimated that 45% of women, and 30% of men diet to lose weight.  Over the years, various diets have come and gone again, but a concept that has remained for some time is low-carb eating. Supporters of low-carb diets often claim that more weight loss can be achieved with this regimen. While this often is true initially, studies... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/21200/diets-heart http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/18473/12-top-dine Sun, 30 Dec 2007 19:36:00 -0500 Melanie Thomassian For many people, regularly eating away from home has become a way of life, with some finding that they eat out almost as often as they eat at home. This is often due to work commitments or business lunches, but if this is the case for you it's important to choose carefully from the menu.  Making healthy food choices requires a good understanding of nutrition, so that way you'll know exactly which meals are the best options in... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/18473/12-top-dine http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/16898/savvy-food Mon, 03 Dec 2007 14:30:00 -0500 Melanie Thomassian The supermarket shelves are packed with aisle after aisle of brands and varieties of foods. Often it seems quite mind boggling, but thankfully the food label can help us to make sense of these foods.   Unfortunately, many of us pay little or no attention to the information provided. However, learning how to read and understand food labels is extremely important and can go a long way in helping us make heart healthy food choices. ... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/16898/savvy-food http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/16917/sterols-stanols Mon, 26 Nov 2007 13:16:00 -0500 Melanie Thomassian Supermarket shelves are packed with a vast array of ‘cholesterol lowering' products. These products contain substances called sterols and stanols, touted as being able to lower cholesterol levels. But, what are they, and do they really work?  What are sterols and stanols?  The structure of sterols and stanols are similar to that of cholesterol. Therefore, when they travel through our digestive tract they compete with... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/16917/sterols-stanols http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/16362/snack-healthy Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:25:00 -0500 Melanie Thomassian It's true that many people avoid snacking at all costs because they fear that it's bad practice for healthy eating. Even if our main meals are generally well balanced, it's very easy to put our total diet out of sink with a few poor choices in the snack area!  However, for some snacking can prove to be a very beneficial source of nutrients, if the snacks are well chosen. By eating a few small, healthy snacks during the day... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/16362/snack-healthy http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/15801/visual-aids Mon, 05 Nov 2007 10:30:00 -0500 Melanie Thomassian It has been suggested that the growth of our portion sizes over the years may be the result of poor marketing by manufactures and fast food restaurants - sounds like passing the buck to me! However, there's no doubt that we appear to be confused by what constitutes a healthy portion of food.    The size of our plates and the amount of food we pile onto them has definitely grown considerably in size. Apparently, the average... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/15801/visual-aids http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/14960/trans-fats Mon, 15 Oct 2007 11:00:00 -0400 Melanie Thomassian Reducing the saturated and trans fats from our diet can be a massive step towards decreasing our risk of developing heart disease. But, do we really know what these fats are, or indeed what foods they're found in?  According to a new American Heart Association survey, consumer awareness of saturated and trans fats are at an all time high. However, we're still in need of key information on how to improve our eating habits. The... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/822/14960/trans-fats