Harvard Medical School Guide to Lowering Your Cholesterol


Book Description

From the experts at one of the world's most respected medical schools--your complete guide to managing cholesterol and staying healthy for life Everybody knows that high cholesterol is something to be concerned about. But what does it really mean when your doctor tells you that your cholesterol levels are high, and what should you do about it? If you're worried about your cholesterol, here's your chance to get the answers you need from a top expert at the Harvard Medical School. As founder and chief of the prestigious Lipid Metabolism Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Mason W. Freeman treats hundreds of patients each year and oversees breakthrough cholesterol research. In The Harvard Medical School Guide to Lowering Your Cholesterol he explains: What cholesterol is and the difference between "good" and "bad" cholesterol How to assess your risk for high cholesterol How to work with your doctor to develop the best treatment plan for you Cholesterol-lowering drugs--who should take them, what to look out for, and how to be sure your doctor is monitoring you properly How to manage your cholesterol through diet and exercise The latest scientific findings on alternative therapies About the Harvard Medical School health guide series Each book from Harvard Medical School gives you the knowledge you need to understand and take control of your health. In every book, a world-renowned expert from Harvard Medical School provides you with the latest information on diagnosis, traditional and alternative treatments, home remedies, and lifestyle changes that can make a powerful difference in your health.




Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy


Book Description

In this national bestseller based on Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health research, Dr. Willett explains why the USDA guidelines--the famous food pyramid--are not only wrong but also dangerous.




Controlling Your Blood Pressure


Book Description

A shocking one in three American adults has high blood pressure, yet barely half of them have it under control. Millions more have high blood pressure and don't even know it because there are no warning signs or symptoms. It's called the silent killer because the first "symptom" is often a stroke or heart attack. Fortunately, high blood pressure is easy to detect and treat. Sometimes people can keep blood pressure in a healthy range simply by making lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, increasing activity, and eating more healthfully. In this Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School experts, you'll uncover the best ways to stop this silent killer, including: 5 ways to lower your chances of ever getting high blood pressure.




The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi


Book Description

A longtime teacher and Harvard researcher presents the latest science on the benefits of T’ai Chi as well as a practical daily program for practitioners of all ages Conventional medical science on the Chinese art of T’ai Chi now shows what T’ai Chi masters have known for centuries: regular practice leads to more vigor and flexibility, better balance and mobility, and a sense of well-being. Cutting-edge research from Harvard Medical School also supports the long-standing claims that T’ai Chi also has a beneficial impact on the health of the heart, bones, nerves and muscles, immune system, and the mind. This research provides fascinating insight into the underlying physiological mechanisms that explain how T’ai Chi actually works. Dr. Peter M. Wayne, a longtime T’ai Chi teacher and a researcher at Harvard Medical School, developed and tested protocols similar to the simplified program he includes in this book, which is suited to people of all ages, and can be done in just a few minutes a day. This book includes: • The basic program, illustrated by more than 50 photographs • Practical tips for integrating T’ai Chi into everyday activities • An introduction to the traditional principles of T’ai Chi • Up-to-date summaries of the research on the health benefits of T’ai Chi • How T’ai Chi can enhance work productivity, creativity, and sports performance • And much more




The Harvard Medical School Guide to a Good Night's Sleep


Book Description

Put your sleep problems to rest with this proven six-step plan How many times have you heard it's important to get a good night's sleep? It sounds simple, but it isn't always easy. Now one of the nation's leading sleep experts gives you a step-by-step program for overcoming sleep problems from insomnia and snoring to restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea. Dr. Lawrence Epstein of Harvard Medical School reveals his proven six-step plan to maximize your nights and energize your days. He explains the health benefits of sleep and identifies signs of sleep problems as he gives in-depth advice on how to: Turn your bedroom into the optimal sleep environment Finally overcome insomnia Silence buzz-saw snoring Relax restless legs Deal with daytime exhaustion Determine if sleep medication is right for you Improve your sleep by improving your child's sleep




Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure with Dash


Book Description

This book by the National Institutes of Health (Publication 06-4082) and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute provides information and effective ways to work with your diet because what you choose to eat affects your chances of developing high blood pressure, or hypertension (the medical term). Recent studies show that blood pressure can be lowered by following the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan-and by eating less salt, also called sodium. While each step alone lowers blood pressure, the combination of the eating plan and a reduced sodium intake gives the biggest benefit and may help prevent the development of high blood pressure. This book, based on the DASH research findings, tells how to follow the DASH eating plan and reduce the amount of sodium you consume. It offers tips on how to start and stay on the eating plan, as well as a week of menus and some recipes. The menus and recipes are given for two levels of daily sodium consumption-2,300 and 1,500 milligrams per day. Twenty-three hundred milligrams is the highest level considered acceptable by the National High Blood Pressure Education Program. It is also the highest amount recommended for healthy Americans by the 2005 "U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans." The 1,500 milligram level can lower blood pressure further and more recently is the amount recommended by the Institute of Medicine as an adequate intake level and one that most people should try to achieve. The lower your salt intake is, the lower your blood pressure. Studies have found that the DASH menus containing 2,300 milligrams of sodium can lower blood pressure and that an even lower level of sodium, 1,500 milligrams, can further reduce blood pressure. All the menus are lower in sodium than what adults in the United States currently eat-about 4,200 milligrams per day in men and 3,300 milligrams per day in women. Those with high blood pressure and prehypertension may benefit especially from following the DASH eating plan and reducing their sodium intake.




Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide


Book Description

An accessible guide to family health care discusses drug interactions, symptoms, first aid, and how to choose a family doctor, including a new research about hormone therapy and heart surgery.




Lowering Your Cholesterol


Book Description

As founder and chief of the prestigious Lipid Metabolism Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Mason W. Freeman treats hundreds of patients each year and oversees breakthrough cholesterol research. In The Harvard Medical School Guide to Lowering Your Cholesterol he explains:*What cholesterol is and the difference between good and bad cholesterol *How to assess your risk for high cholesterol *How to work with your doctor to develop the best treatment plan for you *Cholesterol-lowering drugs--who should take them, what to look out for, and how to be sure your doctor is monitoring you properly *How to manage your cholesterol through diet and exercise *The latest scientific findings on alternative therapies




The Great Cholesterol Myth, Revised and Expanded


Book Description

The best-selling book on heart disease, updated with the latest research and clinical findings on high-fat/ketogenic diets, sugar, genetics, and other factors. Heart disease is the #1 killer. However, traditional heart disease protocols—with their emphasis on lowering cholesterol—have it all wrong. Emerging science is showing that cholesterol levels are a poor predictor of heart disease and that standard prescriptions for lowering it, such as ineffective low-fat/high-carb diets and serious, side-effect-causing statin drugs, obscure the real causes of heart disease. Even doctors at leading institutions have been misled for years based on creative reporting of research results from pharmaceutical companies intent on supporting the $31-billion-a-year cholesterol-lowering drug industry. The Great Cholesterol Myth reveals the real culprits of heart disease, including: inflammation, fibrinogen, triglycerides, homocysteine, belly fat, triglyceride to HDL ratios, and high glycemic levels. Best-selling health authors Jonny Bowden, PhD, and Stephen Sinatra, MD, give readers a four-part strategy based on the latest studies and clinical findings for effectively preventing, managing, and reversing heart disease, focusing on diet, exercise, supplements, and stress and anger management. Myths vs. Facts Myth: High cholesterol is the cause of heart disease. Fact: Cholesterol is only a minor player in the cascade of inflammation which is a cause of heart disease. Myth: Saturated fat is dangerous. Fact: Saturated fats are not dangerous. The killer fats are the transfats from partially hydrogenated oils. â?? Myth: The higher the cholesterol, the shorter the lifespan. Fact: Higher cholesterol protects you from gastrointestinal disease, pulmonary disease, and hemorrhagic stroke. Myth: High cholesterol is a predictor of heart attack. Fact: There is no correlation between cholesterol and heart attacks. Myth: Lowering cholesterol with statin drugs will prolong your life. Fact: There is no data to show that statins have a significant impact on longevity. Myth: Statin drugs are safe. Fact: Statin drugs can be extremely toxic including causing death. Myth: Statin drugs are useful in men, women, and the elderly. Fact: Statin drugs do the best job in middle-aged men with coronary disease. Myth: Statin drugs are useful in middle-aged men with coronary artery disease because of its impact on cholesterol. Fact: Statin drugs reduce inflammation and improve blood viscosity (thinning blood). Statins are extremely helpful in men with low HDL and coronary artery disease.




Cholesterol Clarity


Book Description

Are you confused by what your cholesterol levels really say about your health? Don't you wish someone could just spell it out in simple, easy-to-understand language and tell you what, if anything, you need to do about your cholesterol? Good news! That's precisely what Cholesterol Clarity is designed to do. Jimmy Moore, a prominent and highly respected health blogger and podcaster, has teamed up with Dr. Eric Westman, a practicing internist and nutrition researcher, to bring you one of the most unique books you'll ever read on this subject, featuring exclusive interviews with twenty-nine of the world's top experts from various fields to give you the complete lowdown on cholesterol. If you're worried about any confusing medical jargon in this book, don't be—this critical information is broken down for you to grasp what is really important and what is not. You won't find this kind of comprehensive, cutting-edge, expert-driven cholesterol information all in one place anywhere else. Has your doctor told you your total and/or LDL cholesterol is too high and thus requires you to take immediate action to lower it? Has the solution to your "high cholesterol" been to cut down on your saturated fat intake, eat more "healthy" whole grains and vegetable oils, and possibly even take a prescription medication like a statin to lower it to "desirable" levels? If so, then this is the book for you. Learn what the real deal is from some of the leading experts on the subject. Not only will Cholesterol Clarity tell you what your cholesterol tests—LDL, HDL, triglycerides, and other key cholesterol markers—really mean, but it will also arm you with nutritional guidance that will lead you to optimal health. Are you ready to find out what the HDL is wrong with your numbers?Within the pages of this book you'll learn invaluable lessons, including: • Why your LDL-C and total cholesterol numbers may not be as important in determining your health as your doctor may think-The undeniable negative role that chronic inflammation plays in your health • Why cholesterol-lowering statin drugs don't necessarily solve your heart health concerns • Why your doctor should be testing for LDL particles and particle size when measuring cholesterol • Why HDL and triglycerides are far more predictive of health concerns than LDL-C and total cholesterol • Why consuming foods with saturated fat is good for you, and why carbohydrate-based foods can be detrimental to attaining the best cholesterol numbers • Why a growing number of physicians, researchers, and nutritionists believe treating cholesterol numbers is virtually irrelevant Contributing experts include Cassie Bjork, RD; Philip Blair, MD; Jonny Bowden, PhD; John Briffa, BSc, MB, BS; Dominic D'Agostino, PhD; William Davis, MD; Thomas Dayspring, MD; David Diamond, PhD; Ron Ehrlich, BDS, FACNEM; Jeffry N. Gerber, MD; David Gillespie; Duane Graveline, MD; Paul Jaminet, PhD; Malcolm Kendrick, MD; Ronald Krauss, MD; Fred Kummerow, PhD; Dwight C. Lundell, MD; Robert Lustig, MD; Chris Masterjohn, PhD; Donald Miller, MD; Rakesh "Rocky" Patel, MD; Fred Pescatore, MD; Uffe Ravnskov, MD, PhD; Stephanie Seneff, PhD; Cate Shanahan, MD; Ken Sikaris, BSc, MBBS, FRCPA, FAACB, FFSc; Patty Siri-Tarino, PhD; Mark Sisson; Gary Taubes