Product Giveaway

We are proud to announce our first giveaway product: 

The Healing Formula

I'm so grateful for you, my readers! So as a way of saying thank you, I spoke with one of our partners, Martin Morisett of The Healing Formula, and he agreed to have his product be the first giveaway here on Healthy Now and Later. 

Enter to Win

The Healing Formula™ is the invention of Janice Zayas, a CNA at the time. She developed the formula while working as an in home care nurse in San Diego, CA, caring mostly for terminally ill patients. Several times she was hired to care for patients who had been bedridden for many months or even years. Some had horrible bedsores, sometimes going all the way to the bone. Some had even gone into gangrene. 

The Healing Formula is not only for pressure ulcers, but also for diabetic ulcer, MRSA infected ulcers, cuts, rashes, burns, and bleeding gums. 

At the insistence of her employers, she took her idea to an invention marketing company. Her son, Martin Morisett, soon got involved with the business and in 1998 The Healing Formula became mass produced. The rest is, as they say, is history. 

How it works is by oxygenating the area, stopping infection, reducing pain while promoting healing. The appealing features are its effectiveness at promoting healing and the speed at which it works. This is because it's ingredients are a combination of Certified Organic Aloe Vera, Hydrogen Peroxide and Irish Moss. There are well over 6,000 peer published documents on the ingredients in this formula with not one adverse reaction reported when used properly. 

Click here to enter to win your own free 8 ounce bottle of 

The Healing Formula 

Interview with McDermott Footcare

I'm please to announce and introduce our partnership with McDermott Footcare. Founder Terry McDermott is a Certificate in Advanced Nursing Foot Care and Diabetic Foot Care. Her blog is saturated with expert advice and knowledge about padding for bunions, reducing corns and callouses,  footwear assessment, diabetic foot care, and more. 

On October 13th, 2014, McDermott Footcare interviewed Leah Korkis, RN, the nurse-entrepreneur owner of Healthy Now and Later. You can find this interview on the McDermott Footcare Blog. 

Click the first link below to find out how Healthy Now and Later got started, how Leah Korkis views optimal heath, and what her future plans are for the site. 

TAKE ME TO THE INTERVIEW

TAKE ME TO MCDERMOTT'S FOOTCARE

Eating Well As You Get Older: Know How Much to Eat

Eating a mix of healthy foods every day provides the nutrients, fiber, and calories your body needs. The amount you should eat depends on your age, whether you are a man or woman and your height and weight. It also depends on your level of physical activity. Here are the recommendations from the National Institute on Aging: 

Daily Calorie Levels for Women

A woman over age 50 should consume about

• 1,600 calories a day if her level of physical activity is low (only performs activities associated with typical day-to-day life)\
• 1,800 calories daily if she is moderately active (walks the equivalent of 1.5 to 3 miles a day at 3 to 4 miles per hour)
• 2,000 to 2,200 calories daily if she has an active lifestyle (walks the equivalent of more than 3 miles a day at 3 to 4 miles per hour).

Daily Calorie Levels for Men

• 2,000 to 2,200 calories a day if his level of physical activity is low (only performs activities associated with typical day-to-day life)
• 2,200 to 2,400 calories daily if he is moderately active (walks the equivalent of 1.5 to 3 miles a day at 3 to 4 miles per hour)
• 2,400 to 2,800 calories daily if he has an active lifestyle (walks the equivalent of more than 3 miles a day at 3 to 4 miles per hour).

Likewise, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as also come forward with a version of "MyPlate" for older adults:

For the older adult MyPlate, emphasis is placed on nutrient-dense and fiber-rich foods such as whole, enriched and fortified grains and cereals, brightly colored vegetables, deep-colored fruits, low fat and nonfat dairy products, dry beans, nuts, fish, poultry, and vegetable oil and soft spreads low in saturated trans fats. 

The USDA recommends one to one and a half cups of fruits and two to two and a half cups of vegetables per day. A general rule in regards to nutritional value for fruits and vegetables is the more colorful, the better for you. Brighter colored vegetables and deeper colored fruits often contain the highest levels of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A good fact to know for diabetic individuals is that vegetables will not affect the blood sugar levels, and therefore can be eating in more generous portions.

The other half of the plate is grains, protein, and dairy. The USDA recommendation for starch is about three ounces. These starches are the primary components of calories and are quickly metabolized for fuel. They highly recommend those three ounces come predominately in the form of whole grains, especially those that are fortified. Fortified grains offer more vitamin D, iodine, folic acid, and iron. The USDA is also encouraging of low and non-fat dairy options. Three cups is recommended. This includes cottage cheese, yogurt, and cheese. Lean proteins of fish, beans and chicken are also encouraged, up to five to five and a half ounces a day. Peanut butter and tofu also fall into this.

Next there are oils. Although not considered to be a food group, they do provide essential nutrients, and therefore made in on the MyPlate. Outside of directly cooking with oil, they also can be found in fish, nuts, and dressings. Notice the USDA emphasis on the use of spices. This is to encourage the use of various spices as a substitute for salt. This is due to the influence salt has on blood pressure. That being said, the daily recommendation is less than fifteen hundred milligrams per day. Nevertheless, from 2007-2008 the average American consumed more than three thousand milligrams a day. That is double the recommended salt intake! 

Notice that they are still recommending 8-8oz sources of fluids, however there are plenty of options on how to get that fluid. Water, juice, fat-free milk, tea, coffee, and soup all fall into the category of fluid. It’s especially important for older adults to consume these 8-8oz sources of fluid, as they are drastically more prone for dehydration. 

This illustration below shows how water accounts for less of our body mass as we age. Therefore, even if an elderly person is consuming fewer liquids than their body’s required amount, these affects will show more readily than in a younger adult or child. Not only that, but we know that the elderly also has a decreased ability to tell if they are thirsty. Considering this, always keep a glass nearby for easy access. 

10 Resources Every Caregiver Should Know About

Here’s a list of must-have resources to help you in your caregiving role:

1. Alzheimer's Association
Information and support for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. Operates a 24/7 helpline and care navigator tools.

2. Alzheimers.gov
The government’s free information resource about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

3. ARCH Respite Resources 
Find programs and services that allow caregivers to get a break from caring for a loved one.

4. Family Caregiver Alliance 
Information, education and services for family caregivers, including the Family Care Navigator, a state-by-state list of services and assistance.

5. Medicare.gov
Provides information about the parts of Medicare, what’s new and how to find Medicare plans, facilities or providers.

6. National Family Caregiver Association 
Information and education for family caregivers; includes the Caregiver Community Action Network, a volunteer support network in over 40 states.

7. LongTermCare.gov
Information and tools to plan for future long-term care needs.

8. Social Security  
Information on retirement and disability benefits, including how to sign up.

9. State Health Insurance Assistance Program 
A program that offers one-on-one insurance counseling and assistance to people with Medicare and their families.

10. Veterans Affairs 
Support and services for families caring for veterans along with a VA caregiver support line.


BONUS!

11. Healthy Now and Later
Fact-sheets for common health topics (in Spanish and English), an "Ask a Nurse" option for further explanation and tips, disease-specific meal plans and recipes, a nation-wide database of financial assistance and not-for-profits for caregivers and seniors, and more.

Feel free to add a resource that you know of as a comment below. 

How to keep-your-brain well into the golden years

Contrary to popular belief, recent studies have found that there are probably ways to regenerate brain matter.

Animal studies conducted at the National Institute on Aging Gerontology Research Center and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, for example, have shown that both calorie restriction and intermittent fasting along with vitamin and mineral intake, increase resistance to disease, extend lifespan, and stimulate production of neurons from stem cells.

In addition, fasting has been shown to enhance synaptic elasticity, possibly increasing the ability for successful re-wiring following brain injury. These benefits appear to result from a cellular stress response, similar to that of the muscular regeneration that results from the stress from exercise.

Additional research suggests that increasing time intervals between meals might be a better choice than chronic calorie restriction.

But if your not keen on starving yourself, there are other options. Another recent finding, stemming from the Burnham Institute for Medical Research and Iwate University in Japan, reports that the herb rosemary contains an ingredient that fights off free radical damage in the brain. The active ingredient, known as carnosic acid (CA), can protect the brain from stroke and degeneration of the neurons such as in Alzheimer’s disease.

Although researchers are patenting more potent forms of isolated compounds in this herb, unlike most new drugs, simply using the rosemary in its natural state may be the most safe and clinically tolerated because it is known to get into the brain and has been consumed by people for thousands of years. 

Another brain booster that Bruce N. Ames, Ph.D., a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of California, Berkeley, swears by his daily 800 mg of alpha-lipoic acid and 2,000 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine. These chemicals are said to boost the energy output of our cells. In a study of elderly rats, those on these supplements had more energy and ran mazes better.

Omega-3s fatty acids found in walnuts and fatty fish (such as salmon, sardines, and lake trout) are thought to help ward off Alzheimer's disease. In addition, they likely help prevent depression and have been shown to help prevent sudden death from heart attack--all good news.

Turmeric, typically found in curry, contains curcumin, a chemical with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In India, it is even used as a salve to help heal wounds. East Asians also eat it, which might explain their lower rates (in comparison to the United States) of Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and various cancers. If curry isn’t part of your favorite cuisines, there are curcumin supplement of 500 to 1,000 mg.

Physical exercise may also have beneficial effects on neuron regeneration by stimulating regeneration of brain and muscle cells via activation of stress proteins and the production of growth factors. However, some research suggests that not all exercise is equal. Interestingly, some researchers found that exercise that was considered a drudgery to the participant was not beneficial in neuronal regeneration. On the other hand, physical activity that was "fun", even if equal time was spent and equal calories were burned, resulted in neuronal regeneration.

Exercise can also help reduce stress, but any stress-reducing activity, such as meditation and lifestyle changes, can help the brain. There is some evidence that chronic stress shrinks the parts of the brain involved in learning, memory, and mood. 

It should go without saying that short-term cognitive and physical performance is not boosted by fasting, due to metabolic changes including decrease in body temperature, decreased heart rate and blood pressure and decreased glucose and insulin levels, so don't bother planning a marathon or a demanding work session during a fasting period.

As part of a healthy lifestyle moderate food intake, exercising, and eating anti-oxidant rich foods, has long been known to boost longevity, but it’s good to know that we can bring our brains along with us as we make it into those golden years.

References:
Anson, R. M., Guo, Z, de Cabo, R., Iyun, T., Rios, M., Hagepanos, A., Ingram, D. K., Lane, M. A.  & Mattson, M. P. (2003, April 30). Intermittent fasting dissociates beneficial effects of dietary restriction on glucose metabolism and neuronal resistance to injury from calorie intake. National Academy of Sciences Online Early Edition.

Duan, W., Guo, Z., Jaing, H., Ware, M., Li, X-J., & Mattson, M. P. (2003). Dietary Restriction Normalizes Glucose Metabolism and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels, Slows Disease Progression and Increases Survival in Huntington Mutant Mice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Online Early Edition.

Jaret, P., & Martin, A. (2003). Miss a meal, add years to your life. Health, 17(9), 41-44.

Von Bubnoff, A., & Lloyd, J. (2006). Prevention's anti-aging guide: How to take off 10 years or more. Prevention, 58(9), 166-213.

Old-fashion remedies now with the evidence to prove their worth

As it turns out, Grandma does know best. Here are some great old-fashion remedies that have come out as actual strokes of genius.

1. Prunes
This uncanny fruit actually come into good handy when your pipes are clogged (in your intestines that is). Due to their dietary fiber and magnesium content, prunes act as a tasty option for a mild laxative. Not only that, but in this recent study of women, those who ate 10 dried prunes a day showed higher bone density than those who ate 10 dried apples a day.

2. Chicken Noodle Soup
It's almost too good to be true, but researched actually looked into this remedy. Evidence revealed that chicken noodle soup actually acts as an anti-inflammatory, reducing all the redness that comes with the common cold or flu.

3. Fruits and Veggies
Fruits and vegetables are fantastic for your health. Click here to read more about all the vitamins packed in your favorites, along with the numerous benefits that come with. For example, apples are a high source of what called "pectin", a soluble fiver that has been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, decrease the risk of colon cancer and breast cancer, and even lessen the severity of diabetes. That'll definitely keep the doctor at bay!




What old-fashioned remedies are you still using? I'd love to hear! 

What is a Medigap Plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan?

Seniors have important choices to make once they are eligible for Medicare. Will the government’s Medicare plan pay enough of their medical expenses after age 65? 

Seniors should not wait until they reach age 65 to study their options! Advance research and discussion will help them make an informed decision when they are eligible for Medicare.

Seniors should consider before they reach age 65 do they need a Medigap plan or a Medical Advantage plan in addition to Medicare?

A Medigap plan is a medical plan that supplements the government provided Medicare plan Parts A, B and D. Medigap plans are also called “Medicare Supplement” plans. Medigap plans pay some of the medical care costs that Medicare does not pay including deductibles, co-pays, medical care outside of the U.S. and more. Medicare pays its benefits first and then the Medigap plan pays the difference, if any, between the benefit promises of the Medigap plan and what Medicare paid. Medigap plans are sold by many private insurance companies. While the plans are similar there are differences in the exact benefits provided by each plan. Seniors should select a Medigap plan based upon the level of benefits they want to receive in total. The senior will pay a premium for the Medigap plan to the private insurance company and premiums for Medicare Part B and D to the U.S. government.

A Medicare Advantage plan is completely different from a Medigap plan. A Medicare Advantage plan is also called Medicare Part C. Medical Advantage plans are sold by private insurance companies who have been approved by Medicare. The plans cover the same medical expenses that Medicare Part A and Part B cover. Most Medicare Advantage Plans also cover prescription drugs which are included in Medicare Part D. Some important features of these plans are:

• Many plans also pay medical costs not covered at all by Medicare, like vision and dental expenses;
• HMO and PPO style plans will have networks to use; and
• Some Medicare Advantage plans have $0 premiums each month as the government payment to them covers the full cost of the Advantage plan.

Medicare.gov contains extensive factual information on both of these types of private plans as well as details of what Medicare covers.


By Cynthia Bengtson, Account Executive with Combined Worksite Solutions
Licensed life and health insurance agent in CA, TX, NV, and AR. 

Old age is no place for sissies.

Here is a list of the 5 most common problems I hear about as a nurse from those 55 and better, and how you can prevent, overcome, or manage them. 

1. Memory Loss 

"Senior moments" can happen to anyone. As one women I know in her sixties said, "People lose their keys when they are my age and they think it's their age. Even though, plenty of teenagers lose their keys, and when they do, they just say they lost their keys." Until recently, scientist thought this was due to information overload, however now they have started to truly pull apart the differences between the start of dementia verses just regular, well, forgetfulness. The adult brain actually may function better in some ways, because it knows how to ignore what it deems as unimportant. Did you catch that? What IT deems as unimportant. So when you're on your way to the kitchen and--you get there with a blank stare completely forgetting what you went there for. Don't fret. Your brain just ranked "it" lower on the importance scale. This particularly applies to the 50 and 60-something's. The best thing to do to keep your neurons in gear is the following: Stop smoking if you do, exercise if you don't already, and keep your mind active with things including playing puzzles like crosswords or sudoku, learning new things, and reading.


2. Depression
The good news is that the majority of older adults aren't depressed. The bad news is, it's on the rise. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "major depression in older people living in the community range from less than 1% to about 5% but rise to 13.5% in those who require home healthcare and to 11.5% in older hospital patients." Depression can especially come to those who have multiple multiple illnesses (like heart disease, diabetes, kidney failure, ect.) or those who have lost multiple loved ones. There are means of getting help if you see yourself or someone else going in this direction. There are medications available (prescription and non-prescription). Studies have also shows that simply increasing physical activity, increasing the amount of time spent doing enjoyable activities, and spending time with others (whether volunteering or simply spending more time with friends/family) may also improve mood.  Read more from the CDC by clicking here. 


3. Visual impairment
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 65 % of all people who are visually impaired are aged 50 and up. The biggest culprit: Macular degeneration.  Macular degeneration results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field (the macular) due to damage to the light-sensitive tissue lining the inner surface of the eye (the retina). As a result, the center of your vision is lost making it difficult to read or recognize faces. The peripheral vision remains however. (See image to the right; top image is normal vision, bottom image is what would be seen with macular degeneration.)  To help prevent macular degeneration, wear sunglasses when in direct sunlight, manage high blood pressure, and do not smoke.


4. Joint pain
First, the bad news. With age, joints do become stiffer and less flexible. The fluid-filled sacs that once served as soft cushions between cartilage or bone may have less fluid in them or non at all. This causes cartilage to rub together and erode. Minerals may deposit in and around some joints ( referred to as calcification). This is especially common in the joints of the shoulders. Hip and knee joints may begin to lose joint cartilage due to degenerative changes. However some joints, such as the ankle, typically change very little with aging. The good news is that exercise will actually help maintain bone mass. Also, a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D (which helps absorb calcium) will also do you good. Likewise, there are prescription and non-prescription means of preventing bone loss and maintaining joint health. 


5. Hearing problems
Hearing loss can be difficult for the individual affected, as well as their loved ones. Doctors do not know why age-related hearing loss happens, but it seems to run in families. Another reason for hearing loss may be exposure to too much loud noise. Less commonly it can occur due to a virus or bacteria, heart conditions or stroke, head injuries, tumors, and certain medicines. Here is a link to an infographic that outline the degrees of sound that effect our ears: Via facebook or Blog. The best thing to do if you start to notice hearing loss is to speak with your doctor about what is causing the loss. From there, they will help you find the best route of management.   

FAQ About the Body

Ever wonder why you get pruney in the water? Or what those sounds are coming from your stomach? I'll reveal all:  

Q: Why do my fingers get pruny when I've been in the water for a long time? 
A: Scientists think this is actually a function of your nervous system as a means of increasing traction. Notice that you only get pruny on your hands and feet: Making it easier to grip things when you're still wet and easier to get traction if you need to run while wet.

FACT: A single strand of human hair can hold up to two candy bars. 

Q: What is actually happened when my foot falls asleep and I get that pins and needles feeling? 
A: The feeling of pins and needs in your foot or hand is actually the feeling of your nerves waking back up. When you compress a nerve bundle, like when sitting in an odd position or putting a lot of your weight in one area, it shuts off information from that part of your body to the brain. So that pins and needles feeling is the communication being restored.

FACT: The body sheds around 600,000 skin particles per hour. 

Q: Why do I get the chills when I'm sick? 
A: The chills are your nervous system contracting muscles to create heat inside your body in an attempt to cook the virus/bacteria. This is why chills are most often associated with a fever.

FACT: Nerve impulses to and from the brain travel on average 170mph. 

Q: When I get hungry, why does my stomach make that loud noise? 
A: Actually, your stomach makes that noise all the time. As a nurse, I actually make it a point to listen for those sounds. Not having those sounds is considered abnormal and possibly a medical emergency. It's when the stomach is empty (when you're hungry) that the sounds echo, making it seem like they are loud.


More questions about the body? Visit Healthy Now and Later or ask below:

Stoping and Smell the roses to check your chances of Alzheimer's.

The Earliest Sign of Alzheimer's Disease Isn't Memory Loss 

Research has discovered that a poor sense of smell may be one of the earliest signs of Alzheimer's Disease. “Understanding smell loss, we think, will hold some clues about how to slow down this disease,” said Daniel Wesson, assistant professor of neuroscience at Case Western Reserve and lead investigator for the study, which was published in The Journal of Neuroscience. 

Loss of the sense of smell can be caused by many conditions other than Alzheimer’s, including medications, viral illnesses or injuries to the olfactory systems. But a poor sense of smell has also long been recognized as an early sign of Alzheimer's. It may also be an early sign of mild cognitive impairment, a form of memory loss that sometimes precedes Alzheimer's. Not all people with Alzheimer’s lose their sense of smell.

The new research shows how and where in the brain this happens, and that the impairment is likely to be treatable.

Mice exposed to a very minute amount of beta-amyloid lost their ability to detect odors. Plaques made up of the toxic proteins appeared in the rodents' brain areas responsible for smell long before they showed up in areas important for memory. The mice spent more time sniffing than usual but became incapable of remembering smells or telling the differences among odors in lab experiments.

The research team then sought to reverse the effects. The mice were given a drug that clears beta-amyloid from the brain. After two weeks on the drug, the mice could process smells normally. After withdrawal of the drug for one week, impairments returned.

Like the mice in the study, people with Alzheimer's may have a poor sense of smell and be unable to detect common odors like natural gas or roses. But no drugs are currently available that clear beta-amyloid from the brain, though scientists continue to test new candidates.

“The evidence indicates we can use the sense of smell to determine if someone may get Alzheimer’s disease, and use changes in sense of smell to begin treatments, instead of waiting until someone has issues learning and remembering,” Dr. Wesson said. “We can also use smell to see if therapies are working.”

The problem: a decreased sense of smell is a natural sign of aging according to Dr. Paul Takahashi at the Mayo Clinic. "Some loss of taste and smell is natural with aging, especially after age 60," Dr. Takahashi explains, "and although you can't reverse age-related loss of taste and smell, some causes of impaired taste and smell are treatable". 

To be young again: The 5 ways you can start looking how you feel

Aging can be very stressful if you don’t have the right information on how to age well. Here are 5 steps that you need to know about aging so you can stop stressing about life and start living life. 

1. Act the Age You Feel 

Gone are the days when you are told to, "Act your age". Act the age that you feel. This will not only boost your mood, but also give off a natural youthfulness. 

2. Keep Mentally Active 

Keeping mentally active will help keep your mind sharp. Mental activities take longer as we grow older, but just like a muscle, the brain can be kept fit with activity. Some suggestions: suduko, crossword puzzles, riddles, word-find, jigsaw puzzles, ect. Other activities things like reading a book or taking on opportunities to do mental math can help. As they say, "Doing a puzzle a day can keep brain fog away". For online puzzles, visit BrainBashers or ProProfs.

3. Explore Uncharted Territory. 

Ask yourself; "What have I already wanted to do?" Or, "What have I always wanted to see?" Write these answer down and then make a plan to pursue them. Retirement isn't about giving out the life you always knew, it's about re-prioritizing to do what you've always wanted. If you've always wanted a pet; get on. If you've always wanted to learn how to pain; sign up for lessons. If you've always wanted to run a marathon; start running. 

4. Eat Right 

"You are what you eat", "An apple a day keeps the doctor away", "A healthy outside starts fro the inside". The sayings go on and on about the importance of eating right. 

5. Prevention is key

Go to your doctors appointment to make sure your numbers are in order. Exercise. Keep up with your vitamins. Health is easy to keep, but can be hard to get back if someone goes on for too long or is missed. Prevention goes a very long way. 

Tell me, how old do you feel? Which from this list of 5 do you feel that you especially want to work towards? I'd love to hear your stories. 

The good, the bad, and the borderline: What do your cholesterol levels say about you?

"Know your cholesterol levels". "This product is cholesterol free". "Top 5 foods that lower your cholesterol".

We see products and ads everywhere advertising and soliciting for low cholesterol. Sure, we know it's bad. But did you know that your body actually uses cholesterol? Actually, your body doesn't just use cholesterol, it actually needs cholesterol.

Lets dive into what exactly cholesterol is and what your body does with it. The behind the scenes of LDL and HDL cholesterol, and what those stand for. And how low can your cholesterol go, to be considered healthy.

The Many Roles of Cholesterol

Cholesterol is sent to your liver after absorbing it from carbohydrates, protein, and fat that you eat. The body then translates the cholesterol into two forms: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). With these, your body puts them to work to aid in a number of functions. Here are a handful:

1. Produce sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone in woman, and testosterone in men. These particular hormones play a key role in reproduction and physical features.

2. Create the steroid hormone cortisol, which helps regulate blood sugar and defending against infection.

3. Develop the hormone aldosterone, which helps your body regulate salt and water.

4. Absorb vitamin D, which in tandem with Calcium, is responsible for strong teeth and bones.

5. Make bile, the substance released by the gallbladder that helps your intestines digest food.

Is Cholesterol your Friend?

More like a "Fr-enemy" (Friend-Enemy)

All this talk about all that cholesterol does made me wonder: Is cholesterol a good thing? The answer: Yes and no. Hence, I've come to the conclusion that cholesterol is my "fr-enemy". 

When you have high cholesterol, you may develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels called "plaques". Eventually, these deposits make it difficult for blood to flow through your vessels. As this plaque builds within your vessels and blood flow becomes more and more restricted, your heart may not get as much oxygen-rich blood as it needs. This may lead to varicose veins, which is your body's way of creating other paths for blood to flow. Even worse, as these plaques increase grow, it increases your likelihood of having one completed block blood flow by either growing so large in the same place or by breaking off and having a plaque piece travel to a more narrow vessel. This will usually lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Cholesterol Overview

The Good vs The Bad

HDL vs LDL

HDL cholesterol is the well-behaved, or the "good cholesterol." HDL acts as a hunter, cruising the bloodstream to remove harmful bad cholesterol from where it doesn't belong. As a result, high HDL levels reduce your risk for heart disease -- but low levels can actually increase your risk.

LDL cholesterol is the hunted. LDL is what collects in the walls of blood vessels, causing the build up of plaque. Higher LDL levels put you at greater risk for a heart attack from a sudden blood clot in an artery.

Down to the Numbers

The good, the bad, and the borderline

"Good" within this case means you are at healthy level, and therefore at a low risk of heart disease. "Borderline" means you have some work to do, and your heart disease risk is increased. "Bad" indicates that you have a high risk of not only heart disease, but also stroke or heart attack.

Total cholesterol levels act as a quick glance at how your cholesterol is. The numbers are as followed:
Good: <200
Borderline:200-239
Bad: >240

HDL is good cholesterol, however there is still a suggested range. They are:
Low: <39
Normal: 40-59
High: >60

LDL is bad cholesterol, so these levels must be watched closely:
Good: <99
Borderline: 100-189
Bad: >190

Notes: I have intentionally left out the units for these values. If you are curious, it is mg/dL.

Here is an example of cholesterol levels that could use a little help. 

The 2 Best Ways to Stay in the Good

In the good cholesterol range, that is

1. Eat good fat
You've heard the saying, "You are what you eat". Well, your cholesterol level heavily reflects your eating habits, so choose foods that will keep your cholesterol good. This includes lots of fruits and vegetables, and watching the intake of fat, carbohydrates, and . Foods that are rich in monounsaturated fat are good for you and will increase your HDL cholesterol. This includes olive and canola oil, avocados, fish and peanut butter, to name a few.

2. Get fit.
Exercise also lowers LDL and increase HDL cholesterol. Choose the stairs or park your car at the back of the lot. These little things add up.