Olive Oil

Olive oil is a beneficial dietary fat with some great health benefits! It is a staple of the Mediterranean diet and is associated with a decreased risk of heart disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and asthma. 

Daily consumption of olive oil may even have a positive impact on your cholesterol levels. It has been associated with a significant decrease in LDL-cholesterol and an increase in HDL cholesterol (more commonly known as “the good cholesterol”)

Furthermore, a Mediterranean Diet - characterized by high consumption of olive oil, legumes, unrefined cereals, fruits, vegetables, moderate consumption of fish and dairy products (mostly as cheese and yogurt), and low consumption of meat, meat products and wine - is associated with a significantly lower risk of death from all causes. 

Practical Tips:

• Add 2 tbsp of raw (uncooked) olive oil to your diet each day in place of other unhealthy fats/oils
• Choose extra virgin olive oil (instead of regular olive oil or virgin olive oil) which is a richer source of polyphenols - known to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticoagulant actions. Buy organic where possible. 
• Be sure to let your olive oil come slowly up to heat with your pan. Do not add olive oil to a hot pan and be careful not to burn, or smoke your olive oil. This turns it into an unhealthy trans fat!
• To get the most health benefit and flavour from your olive oil, buy and store oil in glass opaque containers, and add olive oil to foods after cooking.
• Instead of serving butter, fill a small condiment dish with extra virgin olive oil for use on bread, rolls, potatoes or other vegetables. For even more flavour, try adding a few drops of balsamic vinegar or a sprinkling of your favourite spices to the olive oil.

Fabulous Flax

Flax seeds are a true health food!

Flax is an excellent source of dietary fiber, alpha-linolenic acid and phytoestrogens. They are also rich in magnesium, potassium, and manganese.

Many of the beneficial health effects of flax are obtained via their phytoestrogen content. Ground flax seed is rich in lignans, one of the major classes of phytoestrogens and daily consumption can result in a significant impact on hormonal balance. Dietary flax can improve menstrual irregularities and menopausal symptoms and has also been shown to decrease the risk of breast cancer.

For men, flax seed has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer and may in fact, decrease prostate tumour growth.

Flax seed is also a fantastic source of fiber and thus can improve bowel regularity, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, lower cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar levels and prevent colon cancer.

Choose freshly ground flax seed to obtain maximum health benefits. I recommend buying whole flax seeds, storing them in the freezer and grinding fresh seeds once weekly using a coffee grinder. Store the ground flax in the fridge or freezer and add to cereals, salads, smoothies, yogurt, sauces or juice. Try including a minimum of 2 tbsp of ground flax into your daily diet. This amount of ground flax will provide 5g of fiber.

While flax oil is also a great addition to the diet, it does not possess the lignan content of ground seeds and thus, it does not provide the same phytoestrogen and fiber benefits as ground flax seed. Flax oil contains more alpha-linolenic acid than the ground seed however only a small amount of this oil can be converted to the health promoting Omega 3 oils. Supplement with a high quality fish oil to obtain the maximum health benefits of Omega 3s.

Coffee and Cholesterol

Does coffee increase your cholesterol?

Yes and No. Here's why...

Cafestol, a compound found in coffee, has been found to be the culprit that elevates cholesterol. Researchers have found that cafestol is the most potent dietary cholesterol-elevating agent presently known.

Researchers have found that Cafetiere, or French press coffee, boiled Scandinavian brew and espresso contain the highest levels of the cafestol. However, when brewed with a paper filter, all the coffee oils, including cafestol, are filtered out. (NOTE: Removing caffeine does not remove cafestol).

If you are a coffee lover, be sure to use paper filters when brewing your favorite coffee.

NOTE: Starbucks does NOT use coffee filters, but Tim Horton’s and Second Cup does.

Do I have to eat breakfast?

Yes. A healthy diet includes breakfast every morning.

If you do not currently eat breakfast, make an effort to start. If you think you're too busy in the morning, prepare as much as you can the night before. If you can't stomach anything first thing, take your breakfast to go and eat once you get into work or school.
People who eat a healthy breakfast are more likely to:
• Consume more vitamins and minerals and less fat and cholesterol
• Have better concentration and productivity throughout the morning
• Control their weight
• Have lower cholesterol, which reduces the risk of heart disease
Skipping breakfast often means eating more calories later in the day. One study reported that missing breakfast was associated with a fourfold increase in the risk of obesity. (Harvard Men's Health Watch)
After a long period of not eating (overnight) our blood sugar begins to drop. Low blood sugar will stimulate the body to crave sweets and other unhealthy foods. Often we will end up snacking our way through the morning or find ourselves tempted to overeat or make unhealthy choices at lunch in order to satisfy our hunger.
In general – think protein and fiber for breakfast.
Both protein and fiber in the morning will help to slow digestion as well as the absorption of sugars (carbohydrates). This means that you will be full for longer and energy will remain consistent throughout the morning – eliminating the need for an extra coffee and preventing that ravishing hunger at lunch time.

Diets high in fiber are also known to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and even intestinal polyps and colon cancer.