Diary Of Doc Diva

Hey Lovelies,

I hope you all are having a great weekend so far? Am I the only one who thinks the summer is flying by prettie quickly? I am trying to make the most of what is left of the summer, and so far, I have a lot of things left undone on my "to-do" list. I can't even believe that I have not stepped foot to New York this summer, and it is only like 10 minutes away from me.  I also wanted to go to Atlantic City, NJ, as I have never been (covers face) so hopefully, I will, before it starts to get cold.

If you guys remember, I had blogged about these floral/striped sandals in the spring HERE. I finally got a chance to wear it to my friend's baby shower. If you were able to get your hands on a pair, you would agree that they are very comfortable.

Hey lovelies,

Today, I would like to talk about a few dietary changes we can make to lower our cholesterol. High cholesterol levels are becoming more of a problem, especially in the younger population. More and more young people are presenting with high cholesterol levels. Lowering your cholesterol levels is a great way to keep your heart healthy, and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. Some people are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol levels, so in addition to dietary modification, will need to take medication to control their cholesterol levels.

The American Heart Association recommends all adults 20 years and older, have their cholesterol and other risk factors checked. Before you are able to lower your cholesterol, you have to know your numbers. In order to test your cholesterol, your doctor will check your complete fasting lipoprotein profile, also called lipid panel. Typically, a lipoprotein profile will contain a total blood (or serum) cholesterol, High Density Lipoprotein/ HDL (good) cholesterol, Low Density Lipoprotein/ LDL (bad) cholesterol, and tryglycerides.  Ideally, you want to increase your good  (HDL) cholesterol, and decrease your bad (LDL) cholesterol.

In addition to exercise, one major way to lower your cholesterol is through your diet. Here are top foods, that will help you lower your cholesterol;

1. Oatmeal, Oat bran and High Fiber foods

Eating Oatmeal, lowers your LDL (the bad) cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in beans, apples, prunes, barley. Soluble fiber help to reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your body.
Personally, I try to eat oatmeal at least once every day. When I cook (nigerian) soup, I don't make "pounded yam" or "garri", I use oatmeal, and I find that I enjoy it just as much.

One of the things I love about the summer is the fact that I get to go to a lot of outdoor activities with friends, including going to the beach, barbeques, etc. On one of such occasions, I wore this ensemble to a barbeque with my girlfriend. Usually, when I go to events that there will be lots of food, I tend to wear free flowing clothes, so that I don't have to worry about sucking in my tummy after I have stuffed my face! LOL.