Healthy Life

by Irene Parks

Research shows that there's a possible link between birth control pills and high cholesterol (LDL). But that doesn't mean that if you've got a cholesterol problem that you can't use birth control. You just need to know how to choose the right birth control for you.

Most birth control pills contain estrogen and progestin-they're called combined pills because of this combo. The estrogen in the pill actually helps increase "good" cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol), and a decrease in "bad cholesterol" (low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol).

Sounds perfect, right? But there's a downside too: The progestin in the pill does the opposite. It can raise LDL cholesterol levels and lower HDL levels. If you have low HDL and high LDL levels to begin with and take a high progestin birth control pill, then you may see a jump in your "bad" cholesterol levels. For many people the increase is insignificant, but if you have a cholesterol problem to begin with, then even an insignificant increase could put your LDL levels too high.

If you have a cholesterol problem or find that your regular combined pill is increasing your cholesterol too much, then you may want to consider switching to a low-dose birth control pill. These pills are just as effective as regular combined pills but contain much less progestin.

An added benefit of switching to a low dose pill (besides for lowering high cholesterol) is that it can increase libido. While there's no known connection between high cholesterol and low libido, if you happen to suffer from both these conditions, then reducing progestin is definitely the best thing you can do for your body, your heart, and your sex life!

By Jesse Miller

It's not just exercising or carrying out heavy workouts that would make your life healthy. You need to have a healthy diet and the proper eating habits that will actually make your life healthier and improved. Along with the exercises and the workouts, an individual need to concentrate on his eating habits. He should know what food he is to intake and which food items he need to avoid.

Individual's must be aware of the nutritional facts of the food that he takes. He must also develop good eating habits, which means he should take the more healthy and valuable food according to his needs. Good eating habits are the real key to a much healthier and quality life.

Some tips are mentioned below for the healthy eating habits that should be kept in view while setting up the eating schedule and while developing your eating habits:

1.Firstly your diet should be properly balanced and moderate.

2.Try to eat a wider variety of food, which must be rich in nutrients.

3.Your meal must include grain products, fruits fresh vegetables, fish, meat and else protein rich products. These all things are rich in minerals and vitamins and the good thing is that they are low at fats and calories. These vegetables and protein rich diet helps to prevent diabetes and many heart diseases.

4.You must develop a habit of taking your breakfast. Do not skip your breakfast at all. Breakfast should be rich in fruits and milk. Fresh juice can be a healthy addition to the breakfast menu. Try to avoid the oily items in your breakfast.

5.Try to make your lunch the only big meal of the day. In every lunch meal try to start with low fat starters that may be soup or green salad. It can even be a glass of water.

6.Carbohydrates, Fats and Proteins should be mainly included in your lunch meal. Don't forget to eat slowly and don't overload yourself.

7.Try to avoid junk food through out your daily routine.

8.Use healthy snacks such as vegetables and meanwhile cottage cheese is an even better choice.

9.Develop a habit of drinking at least 10 glasses of water, which will help to keep your body hydrated. It also helps you to loose weight.

10.Avoid excess eating as it can lead to obesity. Instead of crash dieting, try to reduce foods rich in sugar, fats and salt.

If you keep these points in mind while developing your eating habits you can surely have a very constructive and positive change in your diet and you health.

By Alvin Hopkinson

Blood pressure is two measurements that determine the pressure of your blood moving through your arteries. The arteries carry the blood from your heart to the rest of your body.

High blood pressure or hypertension occurs when the blood circulates through the arteries at a higher pressure than normal. At this point, it is important to implement treatment to reduce blood pressure. High blood pressure can cause further complications that are potentially life threatening if not treated immediately.

High blood pressure is a dangerous disease that damages the blood vessels. The disease also raises the risk of stroke, kidney failure, heart disease and heart attack. The disease may develop in children as well as in adults. The risks of developing hypertension may increase if it is prominent within your family, if you live an unhealthy life- style, and if you have had high blood pressure in the past.

It is recommended by healthcare providers that you get your blood pressure checked regularly; especially if you have a predisposition to develop the condition. Upon diagnosis, the physicians prescribe and recommend several treatment therapies to reduce blood pressure.

There are many ways to lower high blood pressure and manage the effects of the condition. In most cases, physicians first implement drug therapy to fight the progression of hypertension. However, treatment can also begin with you. It begins with changes that you make in your life- style.

Changing your life- style will not only reduce blood pressure, but it will significantly decrease your risk of heart disease. More so, a healthy life- style will effectively reduce the amount of medicine (and dosages) that you are prescribed. Some effective life- style changes that you should consider to reduce blood pressure are:

1. Stop smoking cigarettes or any tobacco product 2. Exercise regularly 3. Implement relaxation techniques 4. Loose weight and maintain healthy weight 5. Reduce sodium, alcohol and caffeine 6. Consume healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables 7. Consume healthy foods that are low in cholesterol and fats