Dr. Curtis McElroy

Author: docmac

  • What Is a Low Cholesterol Diet?

    What Is a Low Cholesterol Diet?

    Has your doctor told you that you need to go on a low cholesterol diet? Or maybe you have some family history of heart disease or other problems and you want to start early to stay as healthy as you can for as long as possible.

    A diet of this nature is one of the best ways that you can eat to protect your heart. To eat this way simply means you’re watching that you eat. You’re actively limiting the bad fats – saturated and trans fat.

    Some foods that are high in saturated fat include egg yolks, butter, meat with skin on (example fried chicken with skin), lunch meats, bacon, cheese, whole milk and sweets (also referred to as junk food).

    Foods that are very high in trans fat are foods you’ll usually find that are quick and convenient to eat. These include fast food meals, especially foods that are fried or slathered in butter or margarine that’s easily spreadable (you’ll find these packaged in tubs). Quick-to-cook foods like frozen meals are usually high in trans fat, too.

    Going on a low cholesterol diet doesn’t mean that you have to give up eating the foods you love. You have to find a cooking style to make the same dish in a healthier way. You also have to find a way to add the foods that are good for you to your diet that help you fight high cholesterol.

    Foods that are good for keeping your cholesterol at a healthy level include beans, whole grains (if you eat white bread switch to wheat), fruit and vegetables. Look for margarine that contains sterol and stanols (these are plant additives) rather than trans fat. Learn to use olive oil instead of butter.

    Replace processed, sugary breakfast meals that are high in saturated and trans fat with foods like oatmeal. Not only is oatmeal good for the heart and good for lowering cholesterol, but it also contains plenty of soluble fiber.

    Eating fiber is a great way to control your appetite, which can lead to weight loss. Having a healthy weight is a way to fight back against bad cholesterol levels. Plus, soluble fiber works to lower cholesterol. Make sure that you add foods like bananas, onions and asparagus to your diet because they also help to win the war against bad cholesterol.

    When you’re on a low cholesterol diet, you want to watch the appearance of the meat that you get. The more white (often called ‘marbling’) that you see present in a cut of meat, the more fat it contains.

    Look for meats that have less of a marbled look to them. Make sure that you add fish to your weekly menu planning. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to lower cholesterol. Buy fish such as salmon, tuna, or trout to aid you in getting your cholesterol lowered.

  • 5 Health Issues Men Should Not Procrastinate About

    5 Health Issues Men Should Not Procrastinate About

    Regular exercise, a healthy diet, and taking care of our emotional wellbeing are all-important elements of living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining an optimal level of health. Medical experts and research has confirmed repeatedly that the lifestyle choices we make are crucial for healthy aging, and preventing various diseases that can result in premature death.

    However, prevention goes a step beyond, with preventative medical care that can alert both men and women to various medical conditions that can lead to serious complications that can affect health and shorten one’s lifespan. Early detection and monitoring for high-risk conditions is an essential element of good healthcare.

    When it comes to healthcare, men tend to see doctors less and do not pay as much attention to their possible health concerns as women do. They can often go years between doctors’ visits—missing valuable opportunities for screening and detection of possible physical diseases.

    Here are some health concerns worth keeping on top of so that you don’t end up with unnecessary complications:

    • High blood pressure: Men are just as prone to high blood pressure as women. High blood pressure is largely hereditary but can be influenced by environmental factors such as caffeine intake, intake of salt, and obesity. Unless the blood pressure is extremely high, you will have no symptoms and the blood pressure will be left unchecked and unnoticed. Visit your doctor every five years or so to have your blood pressure obtained. Try to check your blood pressure at stations found in most pharmacies. Numbers of 140/90 or greater bear a visit to your doctor.

    • Colon cancer: Colon cancer is the second largest cause of cancer death among men. Fortunately, it is largely preventable by being screened for colon cancer, beginning at age 50 (and sooner if it runs in the family). It involves having a colorectal specialist insert a camera at the end of a flexible tube into the colon to look for and remove cancer-causing polyps. This procedure is called a colonoscopy and it should be repeated every ten years as a screening measure, starting at 50 years of age. Keeping a high fiber diet that is low in fat can also reduce the risks of colon cancer.

    • Prostate Cancer: Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, after skin cancer. Doctors know that there are basically two types of prostate cancer—slow growing and fast growing. Either way, it is worth getting screened for prostate cancer through the use of digital rectal examination every five years at the doctor’s office. Some doctors also draw blood for prostate specific antigen or PSA. This number can be high in enlarged prostate conditions or in prostate cancer. If it is elevated, doctors can try and determine if it is related to cancer or not.

    • Smoking Cessation: Lung cancer caused by smoking is the number one cause of cancer deaths in America. The simplest way to reduce your risk of lung cancer is to never smoke or to stop smoking as soon as possible. There are many ways to quit smoking, including medications like Chantix® or nicotine replacement modalities. Gum, lozenges and patches are available that contain nicotine to help you get off the smoking habit. There are even vapor cigarettes that can provide nicotine but not the harmful carcinogens. The Centers For Disease Control recommend only one screening test for lung cancer, known as the low-dose computed tomography, through the test is not always accurate and has its own risk factors. The LDCT uses an X-ray machine that scans the body and uses low doses of radiation to created detailed pictures of the lungs.

    The CDC recommends yearly lung screenings for those who: have a history of heavy smoking, smoke now or have quit within the last 15 years and are between 55 and 80 years old. Heavy smoking is defined as smoking at least one pack of cigarettes per day for one year. A 30 pack-year history can equate to 1 pack a day for 30 years or two packs a day for 15 years.

    • Heart Disease: Men are at a greater risk of heart disease than women are and must begin making strides toward lowering their risk early in life. Things like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, lack of exercise, and family history contribute to a high risk of heart disease. Especially with men who have family histories, measures should be taken to reduce the other risk factors. This means adopting a heart healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in fat. It means a commitment to exercise at least thirty minutes per day, five days a week. Finally it means seeing a doctor to find out about risk factors like high cholesterol and high blood pressure. If these are elevated, your doctor may prescribe medications that can further reduce your risk of getting a heart attack.

    • The Family Connection: Besides all the conditions listed above, it is also a good idea to find out about any medical conditions that run in the family as genetics can play a big role in the development of certain diseases.

    Oftentimes, children, parents, and grandparents share similar health problems because inherited factors put family members at risk through genes. Disease often results from the combined effects of minor changes in multiple genes, and each gene then contributes in a small way to the symptoms of and development of disease.

    Heart disease, diabetes, and cancer account for 7 of every 10 deaths in the United States, and they are considered genetic diseases because they run in families. Gathering a detailed family history can give you important information as to your risk factors and that awareness can be used to monitor for and possibly prevent the onset of problems whenever possible.

  • Stress Management Using Alternative Medicine

    Stress Management Using Alternative Medicine

    In today’s day and age, society is typically centered on “busy.” There is this unspoken concept that the busier you are, the more successful you will be or are. However, the busier you are the more stressed out you are bound to be as well.

    Stress wreaks havoc on the human body and it can be very hard to control if you don’t know the triggers of your stress.

    To give you a general idea, here are the top five most common stressors that are likely causing you to freak out.

    • Work
    • Family
    • Divorce
    • Major trauma, i.e. death of a loved one, dealing with grief and loss
    • Major illness
    • Moving
    • Finances
    • Car accident

    Once you have identified the parts of your life that are stressing you out, you can move on to learning how to fix them.

    Now, of course there is the option of common medications (anxiety medicine), but some of us just aren’t interested in that style of chemical treatment. If you are one of those people, then take a few minutes to read about alternative and natural methods for treating your everyday stress.

    Herbal Remedies for Stress Management

    The use of herbal treatment has seen a huge rise in popularity in the last few years, even though, it has been used for thousands of years of Eastern culture.

    Herbal remedies are an alternative treatment under the umbrella of Holistic medicine that focuses on the individual’s entire makeup, instead of just treating specific symptoms, such as, stress. The level of stress you are experiencing will decide what type of holistic medication or treatment you should avail.

    Take a look at a few examples below and see if any fit your needs!

    • For the everyday jitters or nerves, drink chamomile tea or take a chamomile supplement pill. There are a few compounds in chamomile that have the ability to attach themselves to brain receptors that control stress, just like modern drugs, such as, Valium.

    • For minor anxiety or stress, consider the herb Lemon Balm. This herb is sold in the form of a tea, as well as, a capsule. A quick cup of Lemon Balm tea in the morning before work/school or even before bed has shown significant results in reducing symptoms of anxiety and stress.

    • For daily anxieties or scenarios where you know you will be anxious, use lavender. Several studies have shown that people who smelled lavender or drank lavender tea prior to a stressful situation display a lower amount of anxiety. Having lavender scented candles in your home is a great way to decrease your level of stress on a daily basis.

    Physical Activities For Stress Management

    Although this is not exactly “medicine”, physical activity is a prime treatment for stress.
    Combine physical activity with some herbal remedies and you should notice a significant decrease in your stress and anxiety levels.

    Exercise is the most commonly stated cure for stress, which is why people tend to overlook it. However, exercising is backed by years of scientific research that has proven exercising can reduce stress levels.

    This is something you should consider if the bulk of your stress is coming from fear of physical illness. Stay active, run a few times/week or take up Pilates or Yoga.

    Take Omega-3 Vitamin Supplement

    Omega – 3 is known to reduce the chemicals in the brain that give off stress signals. Taking these supplements once or twice a day will help regulate your stress levels.

    Take A Hot Bath

    Believe it or not, heat is actually a great way to lower your stress levels. Sitting in a hot tub, steam room, or hot bubble bath loosens up the muscles and settles down the brain. If you have time, try to take a warm bath or go to a steam room a few times per week.

    Aromatherapy can play a role here as well by adding essential oils to the water and inhaling their healing aroma you can reduce stress. Jasmine, Lavender, Frankincense
    Rose, Chamomile and Vanilla are known for their relaxation properties.

    Add to the warmth by drinking a hot cup of chamomile tea!

    Acupuncture

    Acupuncture is one of the most used alternative medicine therapies for stress. Acupoints in the body are stimulated by special needles that help relieve tension in the body and relieve stress.

    Hypnosis

    Another critical tool in fighting stress is hypnosis and especially self-hypnosis relaxation audio CDs or MP3s that are readily available in many varieties. These can provide real results and are versatile enough to be used anytime throughout the day to regroup and detach from the stresses around you.

    Combine the above alternative treatments for stress management and see just how much your life can improve!

Copyright @ 2017 DrCurtisMcElroy