Namaste to All! I wanted to introduce GaiamTV. which is a new website where you can watch a wide variety of yoga, wellness, fitness, inspirational and so much more! The best part is that you can watch these videos anytime, anywhere. You can use your phone, computer, tv, ipad.If you need a dose of mind, body, spirit you can simply log in and get what you need in the moment! They’ve put together an amazing collection of over 2000 high quality videos. Whether they are live, taped or acquired, they were hand selected based on the positive impact on you and your life!

This offering comes to us from Gaiam, a leading lifestyle media company. The site is a representation of the exceptional and expansive catalogue they have worked so hard to provide for us! They are a trusted resource for some of the best: health, fitness, wellness and spiritual development in the industry.

Catch one of the many yoga classes from short practices to long ones. Log in to practice with top yogis, such as: Rodney Yee, Seane Corne, Shiva Ray, Kathryn Budig, Tommy Rosen, Kia Miller and Suzanne Deason. Gaiam TV also features today’s most influential spiritual teachers, such as: Deepak Chopra, the Dalai Lama, Wayne Dyer and Jack Canfield.

In addition, they offer expert health information for many conditions from renowned Mayo Clinic™. Here you can find many wellness videos, http://www.gaiamtv.com/category/wellness-center.Don’t forget to check out a collection of uplifting and inspirational films as well as fitness and science videos.There is so much to choose from! There is definitely something for everyone!

Right now, they are offering a 10-day free subscription. Members pay just $9.95 a month for unlimited access. For more details and to check it out; click over to http://www.gaiamtv.com/?v=b

FREE GIVEAWAY!! 1st person to email me at: https://www.facebook.com/stephanie.churchill1  wins a FREE  3 MONTH MEMBERSHIP to GAiamTV !

Next, I will be taking some of the classes and sharing some reviews. Let me know if you find any classes you like!

An empty lot, rare in the center of Philadelphia’s business district, has suddenly transformed from grass and weeds to 32,000 square feet of produce, flowers, and trees. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS),  Independence Blue Cross (IBC), and Brandywine Realty Trust introduce “PHS Pops Up” at 20th and Market Streets, a showcase for PHS’s community greening program and for IBC’s commitment to the health of our community.

“Independence Blue Cross is excited to partner with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society on this project that combines greening and improving the community’s health in a unique way,” said Daniel J. Hilferty, president and CEO of IBC. “The pop up garden beautifies this Market Street corner and offers an original way for thousands of workers, residents, students, and families to learn more about nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. We hope people take advantage of this fun and engaging garden and incorporate what they learn into their everyday lives.

At the pop-up garden, PHS is growing vegetables, herbs, grains, and uniquely manicured topiaries to garner support and awareness for its City Harvest program, which provides fresh produce for underserved residents.

The garden will be open to the public every Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 2 p.m. throughout the summer and early fall, when free, on-site programming will include horticultural workshops on container gardening, cut flowers, organic pest control and other topics. Tours, special events and family programs are also planned at the garden throughout the summer and early fall. A complete listing of activities is available at PHSonline.org.

Independence Blue Cross (IBC) presents “Yoga and Nutrition in the Garden,” a FREE healthy eating and yoga foundations class for the public that offers a break from the ordinary day – in the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s (PHS) Pops Up Garden at 20th and Market Streets. Sessions will be offered on three consecutive Mondays: August 15, 22, and 29 over lunchtime. The garden will be dismantled in late October, but will bloom again next spring in a new location.

Members of the public are invited to enjoy the peaceful environment of the Pops Up Garden for a brief nutrition presentation and discussion beginning at 12:30 p.m., followed by a half-hour of standing yoga instruction, starting at 1p.m. Together, these healthy education elements, part of the IBX Healthy Steps program, will provide soothing tranquility and wellness for the mind, body, and spirit.

The classes are free and open to participants of all fitness levels. Participants can experience the physical and mental health benefits associated with gentle yoga and learn simple and effective ways to achieve a smart diet with emphasis on fresh vegetables and herbs.

“Standing yoga can safely stretch your muscle groups and relieve stiffness, tension, and overall fatigue,” said Dr. Richard Snyder, chief medical officer at IBC. “Yoga can also lower blood pressure and slow the heart rate, which can favorably impact the health of those with high blood pressure and heart disease. For many people, standing yoga offers anti-stress benefits as well, so it may be a great mid-day opportunity for center city Philadelphia workers, residents, or visitors.”

The Pops Up Garden offers a great location to learn or practice standing yoga. Focusing on effective yoga breathing techniques as well as precise alignment, standing yoga poses can be done in the comfort of a home garden or just about any exercise space. Participants must be at least 18 years old, must sign a waiver upon arrival, and are advised to bring bottled water. Appropriate shoes and clothing must be worn and yoga mats are not required.

Come Out on May 15, 2011, Sunday, at 8:30 – 12:30 to the Art Museum to Practice Yoga on the Steps for the Benefit of those who need your support to manage, heal and overcome Breast Cancer!!!!

YOUR HELP CAN Make a DIFFERENCE!

I know it is early! But, It is a Hair Raising, Overwhelmingly Positive Energy Flowing event from Start to Finish!!! Imagine 600 people: some who have breast cancer, some who are in remission, some who’s family or friends who have been affected by breast cancer or others, like me, who want to show their love and support. It is a great event & lots of fun!!!!!

Totally Zen wants you to Help Show Your Support as a Team! Totally Zen has signed up to organize other people to come together for a Very Worthy Cause!!! PLEASE sign up at the following link to be a part of the Totally Zen Team. We will meet at the Art Museum & practice yoga together as a team and part of a larger WHOLE to HELP OTHERS IN NEED!!!

We  plan to give away TOTALLY ZEN t-shirts to those who join the team. I will contact you once I receive notice from LBBC that you have registered. I will get your size and color preference. I am willing to OFFER 100 PEOPLE a FREE T-SHIRT!!

PS. -It would be GREAT to SEE YOU WEAR the TZ t-shirt the day of the event!

Join and Donate the Team:

http://lbbc.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=454660&lis=1&kntae454660=1A9765A7ABF84D5B9E041665BFCB5FAA&supId=0&team=4128948&cj=Y

If you cannot make it, PLEASE DONATE at this site to help Totally Zen reach their fundraising goal:

http://lbbc.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=454660&lis=1&kntae454660=1A9765A7ABF84D5B9E041665BFCB5FAA&supId=324195377

Please note:

• The event will be held rain or shine

• The Healthy Living Expo will be open throughout the event

• Please bring your own mat and/or towel

Schedule

• 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Registration & Check-In

• 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Program & Yoga Class

• 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Closing & Health Expo

If you do not pre-register online, please come early.

Registration & Fundraising

We need your help! Every participant who raises $75 or more will receive a Yoga on the Steps for LBBC T-shirt.

THANK YOU & NAMASTE!!!

It occurred to me that a Zen experience can be created through appreciating and enjoying a nice bottle of wine. Designing all of the parts that come together (time, environment, wine, company (or not)) to savor wine and fully embody the time and space.

*Zen emphasizes experiential Wisdom in the attainment of enlightenment.*

How to get into the Zen of Tasting Wine… Even if you are not a wine connoisseur; let your intuition lead you in choosing wines. First, choose a bottle: mostly based on the overall vibe, including: label, grape, region, bottle shape, year and price. Then, look at the back & read the summary. I know it is silly; but if you “feel it“ or “get into” there is a better chance you should buy it. Try to envision the wine and its experience before you even taste it! Imagine a wine expert evaluating this statement, no don’t. Also, look to see if it is has Sulfates =not good (headache). Be a little adventuresome and travel to different parts of the world & get to know them through tasting the qualities of their wine.

The terms and knowledge are useful to deepen the experience of drinking it but not a requirement. How would some one find the Zen in Tasting WINE?

It is like anything you savor, recognize and bring your awareness to in the moment. Completely appreciating all it has to offer you.

Once you have the “right” bottle, take it to the “right” place and put it in the “right” glass. Open it in a mindful way. You can straighten your spine, open your chest, put your hand on the base of the glass swirling it around to “open the bouquet”, lift the glass, take a few deep breaths absorbing all the wonderful aromas, then sip enough that you can still swish it around your mouth. Think about what is happening to your taste buds. Finally, swallow and enjoy!! If the bottle is good and to your liking; you are in Heaven and should Repeat Responsibly!

Whatever works for you and your company, menu & atmosphere is the “right” bottle. There are so many different types of wines that you can become overwhelmed. Read, ask or simply go with your educated guess until you have “mastered” buying the “right wine” and it becomes a simple and satisfying process.

*As such, it de-emphasizes theoretical knowledge in favor of direct realization through meditation and dharma practice. *

If you want a little direction on how some of the wine experts base their experience use these four stages to wine tasting:

The appearance of the wine ? How it looks in color. After you swirl a major change means the wine is more complex wine. No changes mean it is a simpler wine.

How does it smell in the glass? Detect hints of familiar smells. You want to note the things you smell for the next step.

What sensations does it produce when held in your mouth? Try to note the full flavor of the wine and see if you pick up the hints of flavor that you smelled!

What finish – or aftertaste – does it have? Was it light, medium, or full-bodied? What is the flavor impression – fruit, butter, oak? How long did the taste last?

These four things combine to establish the properties of a wine, such as the complexity, character and suitability for drinking.

* The more wines you taste, the better you will become with this entire sensory process. The Ahhhhhhh moments are what it’s all about in the end! Not being an expert can add mystery and suspense to the art of buying and tasting wine. Remember it is all an opportunity for growth. If you have any wine wisdom and care to share it would be wickedly intoxicating to hear your take on the Zen of wine tasting!!

*Zen*

Jack LaLanne was born in September of 1914 only leaving his body earlier this week to, hopefully, rest in peace. What a tremendous inspiration to all of us who want to be healthy and fit throughout our lifetimes! We will miss your vivacious attitude & vigor!

At age 60 he swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman’s Wharf handcuffed, shackled and towing a 1,000-pound boat. At age 70, handcuffed, shackled again, he towed 70 boats, carrying a total of 70 people, a mile and a half through Long Beach Harbor.  He ate two meals a day and shunned snacks.

Here are some notable excerpts from an interview at age 91:

*Jack LaLanne: You have to work at living, period. You’ve got to train like you are training for an athletic event. Most older people just give up. They think, “I’m too old for that,” because they have an ache here or a pain there. Life is a pain in the butt; you’ve got to work at it!

*Interviewer: You advocate holistic medicine, don’t you?

Jack LaLanne: Absolutely. Even doctors are accepting it more now. I say stick with Mother Nature as much as possible. Herbs are great. I will say that doctors are doing a lot of wonderful things with some of these medications, and they really help some terminally ill people, but too many rely on that. You know, people over eat and they don’t exercise and they get fat. Then they go to the doctor and they want a shot to make them healthy. It doesn’t work that way. Everybody wants a shortcut, but there are no shortcuts. I wish there were. You see some of these commercials, 3 minutes a day is all you need. Oh brother! I wish it was that simple. __

Interviewer: What is the maximum that the human body is designed to live?

Jack LaLanne: At least 120, maybe up to 150. Every 10 or so years, the average life expectancy goes up 2–3 years. It’s up to around 76 now. In the past it was only 50 or even 40. Look at how many people are living to be 100 now; that’s nothing. You know, I can’t afford to die—it would be bad for my image!

Interviewer: Anything else you want to say to our readers?

Jack LaLanne: Anything in life is possible, if you make it happen. Help the most important person on this earth: YOU.

Mr. LaLanne endorsed himself, products and his calling into his final years. The most exciting thing was he still spoke with optimism and promoted an active and fit life!

Interview by Dennis Hughes, Share Guide Publisher

Watch this: Jack Lalanne – Fingertip Pushups

With only 7 to 10 percent of the population being left handed, lefties are a serious minority. While they’ve endured a serious amount of prejudice (the word for left in almost every language has a less than positive connotation) and even aggression over the years, today, many left handed people are proud of their unusual handedness. And why not? After all, they have to survive and thrive in a world designed for those who are right handed. The next time someone teases you about your left handedness, bring up one of these facts that show that being left handed just might be a genetic blessing after all, offering you bigger and better abilities that can help you do everything from get a degree to kick butt at video games.

Being left handed is an advantage in many sports. You might just come out ahead in athletics if you’re a lefty. Since most players are right handed, many are unused to dealing with those who are left handed. Take baseball for instance. Southpaws have the advantage of already facing first base when they’re at bat, can more easily keep an eye on first base when pitching and can cover a large amount of the field when playing in the outfield by having their glove in their right hand. Other sports that offer an advantage to lefties are fencing, boxing and tennis.

Lefties have a greater chance of being a genius– or having a high IQ. Researchers aren’t sure why, but those who are left handed seem to make up a disproportionately large part of those who are highly intelligent. For example, twenty percent of all Mensa members are left-handed. When you consider that less than 10 percent of the total population is left handed, this makes for a lot of smart lefties. Some think this genius stems from being forced to use both sides of the brain more often, allowing these individuals to more easily process a large amount of information.

Left handed men may make more money. All that genius has to lead to something, right? According to studies, left handed males who have gone to college earn 13 percent more than their right handed counterparts. The causes of this difference are unknown, but the gap is statistically significant enough that its not a simple anomaly. Oddly enough, however, the results are quite different for women, with lefties earning 5% less than women who are right handed.

Left handed people adjust more easily to seeing underwater. Bizarre as it may sound, one of the benefits of being left handed is being able to adjust more easily to see the world around you when you’re underwater. While you may not need this ability very often, it could come in handy if you live by the sea or enjoy swimming. While it’s not quite clear why this is so, scientists think it has something to do with a different part of the brain being dominant in left handed individuals.

Lefties are better able to multitask. One of the advantages of being left-handed is that it forces your brain to think more quickly. What this means for everyday life is that those who are lefties may find it easier to multi-task and deal with a large, sometimes unorganized stream of information. Researchers found that conversations between the left and right sides of the brain happen more quickly in left handed people. The more dominant the left handedness is, the better these abilities are.

Some left-handed individuals have better memories. While it isn’t true for all who are left handed, data from recent studies suggests that those who come from families of lefties tend to have better memories, though only of the episodic kind. The odd thing about this study, however, was that individuals didn’t necessarily need to be left-handed themselves to have a better memory– just come from a family of lefties. These studies show that traits related to handedness may be passed down separately, though some lefties would prefer to think that their left-handed benefits just rubbed off on their right-handed counterparts.

Generally, lefties are better at playing video games. Some of the traits that make lefties better thinkers and multitaskers also make them better at playing video games. Research conducted by Dr. Nick Cherbuin shows that lefties are better at handing large amounts of stimuli, making them naturally better at killing zombies, playing virtual tennis or fighting off alien hordes in the virtual world.

Left handed stroke victims recover faster than right handed stroke victims. While the reasons behind this aren’t entirely clear, some believe it’s due to left handed people having to strengthen both sides of the brain when navigating a right handed world. Because many lefties are better able to use their non-dominant hand, it is easier for them to recover from a stroke that damages one part of their brain. Of course, recovery for those suffering from a stroke is never easy, no matter which is their dominant hand.

Left-handed people are likely to be more visual than language-based, making them ideal for artistic pursuits. Research has shown that university students are more likely to major in visually-based, as opposed to language-based, subjects when they’re left handed. While another study — not comprehensive at only 103 students — showed that within the sample, 47% of art students were left- or mixed-handed. If you want to be an artist this is an amazing benefit, putting you in the likes of greats like Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and Rembrandt.

Southpaw drivers are more successful at learning to drive than right handed people. If driving came easy to you, it might have a good deal to do with your left-handedness. A driving school poll found that 57% of left handers passed their driving test first time compared with only 47% of right handers. This is pretty amazing, considering that most cars are designed with right handed individuals in mind.

http://www.accreditedonlinecolleges.com/

Wellness week is a great opportunity for someone to take a tour through the opportunities that your local communities provide for you to take better control of your health. Whether it is to learn about new treatments/classes, find a practitioner or have a sample treatment before you commit to the full service these events are designed to introduce you to the people and their talents, training and gifts from G-d. People who take care of your mind, body and spirit love what they do and are more than Happy to share their knowledge with you!

Health translates into overall daily wellness and cumulatively that turns into vitality. As we age we should pay more attention to the things we put in our bodies, how we treat our body, what our mind is doing and saying, how we feel in general and specifically treat little aches, pains and dis-comforts in the beginning so that we stay well. There are amazing recovery stories of all sorts of people who have suffered from certain illnesses and diseases and have cured themselves with the help of alternative and conventional health care providers, diet, exercise, rest, meditation and so forth. Health and wellness is a huge business but is also a unique time in history to have so much knowledge at our fingertips, so many people in these industries, so many opportunities and choices as to how to take care of our health.

A community yoga studio is the perfect place to find good quality practitioners who are waiting for you to come say hello! Recently it was wellness week at Studio 34. This yoga studio in West Philadelphia is a rustic, warm, peaceful studio nestled close to Clark Park & all the best restaurants in the area. They offer tons of classes each week, workshops, bodywork, reiki and have tons of resources. I went over and had the pleasure of meeting a lot of different wellness providers. I was able to chat with several practitioners and get to know what they do best. They had art therapy, massage, raffle tickets, a sand box and great natural food. I even won a massage, can’t beat that!

Two nurses in Rushden, Ann Woodcock and Jenny Embling, have gone beyond conventional nursing of late and are now ready to launch a program where they are going to use hypnotherapy to help people lose weight.They have designed a course where Miss Embling is going to give instruction on healthy eating and exercise, whilst Mrs. Woodcock is going to follow up with hypnosis to help people achieve their ideal weight.

They have recently given a statement to the Evening Telegraph in which they testify to the success of this combination between a traditional and a novel approach to help people. The reason, they claim, this combination works so well is because hypnotherapy can get to the crucial connection between the mind and body in such a way as to have the mind succeed with the body where the body alone would not be able to do so.

An essential lesson that the mind learns under hypnosis is that food is energy and not a reward for good behavior. In other words, eating is an essential survival technique. Yes, it can be a pleasurable activity in and of itself, but that’s just icing on the proverbial cake.

Further evidence for the success of complementary therapies is provided for us by another pair of professionals, Tracy Jones and Carolyn Arnold. They are both hypnotherapists and they decided to try a model approach. They decided to see if they could hypnotically influence each other’s behavior by the use of Skype and the Internet. This trial was necessitated by the fact that they live more than a hundred miles from each other. Tracy Jones was interested in using hypnotherapy to help women with fertility issues after her own problems with that earlier in her life. Carolyn Arnold and she have now been able to help each other lose weight by connecting through the use of Skype. They are now convinced that this method can work, and they are now going to start using it with their respective patients.

A staggering 40 per cent of pregnant women may be smoking while trying to carry their babies to term. The North Lincolnshire Council has funded an anti-smoking campaign in Scunthorpe for pregnant women who smoke to the tune of £15,000. This fund is going to pay the salary and cover the other costs entailed by the part-time worker who is going to provide the essential hypnotherapy to pregnant women who wish to give up smoking for their own as well as for the sake of their unborn children.

It is clear that hypnotherapy added to traditional treatments can increase the rate of success for women who want to lose weight or have fertility issues or are trying to quit smoking during pregnancy.Instead of getting rid of the old (traditional treatment), this is a case where the new (hypnotherapy) added to the old gives us a combination that delivers results with surprising efficiency and a high rate of success.

This is indeed a promising development: combining the old with the new can, it appears, work wonders in the present. And this should be the case for the future as well.

This article provided courtesy of: http://www.naturaltherapyforall.com/

I have been observing my own self-healing practices for years and the most amazing thing about yoga and qigong is how “in touch” you become with your own body! When you practice yoga and qigong you begin to connect your mind to your body. When this happens the body begins to talk to you. It can help you be aware of aches, pains, sickness, potential health illnesses that can be addressed before illness sets in. When you bring these new discoveries to light and try to understand the root cause which may be mental, emotional, physical and trace them back it can be so liberating what you find and how much you can heal your own body.

Healing can begin at any time in one’s life. Some people have a nurturing instinct from the get go & then other’s don’t realize until they have become hurt, broken, abused, old, run down or ill. Rejuvenating one self should be part of our daily or at least weekly life regimen.

As we age our machines/bodies become weak, misaligned, toxic, unconnected to the other parts of the self like your mind or spirit. But, we truly have the ability to heal ourselves in simple yet profound ways. The culmination of these healings can elevate our overall health level. We do have the ability to know our own bodies, listen to them and become proactive in the way we take care of them!

Modern medicine is a must in certain situations but imagine if you were “tuned in” to your body way before you got to the level of disease. Finding ways to care for your self and rebuild your own health, when and if possible. Yes, I am speaking of diet, herbs, exercise, live/raw/organic foods, supplements, massage, reiki, qigong, chiropractic care, alternative ways of caring and healing the self.

As we continue to add more supplements to our diet, drink lots of water, pay more attention to your nutrition, get some rest, do some deep breathing, practice yoga/qigong or stretch on a regular and we can witness an improvement to our mood, energy level, fitness and maybe even our relationships.

I am amazed and aware of how much stronger my energy is and how much more deep and effective my self-healing rituals are and my ability to heal others is now as compared to the beginning of my journey due to the practice and concentration of energy cultivation. It is empowering to know how strong we as people/humans are and that we have tools to harness and extend those powers to help others and ourselves.

Taking time to care for your self can save you BIG by avoiding the culmination of bad habits, laziness, avoidance that we use instead of being proactive, motivated, health seeking individuals that build well ness in our communities of family, friends and strangers all brought together on the philosophy of respecting and caring for the self.

Promoting wellness within slowly becomes evident to others and it feels great when someone asks for advice from you because you appear to look, feel healthy and vibrant. Sharing your health practices will make you feel better and inspire others to join in the fun!

Creating energy for healing is simple and effective.

*  Practicing Qigong daily will increase your overall energy level, boost immune system, improve your mood and well being, reduce stress, and raise your awareness of internal energy.

*   Practicing yoga will bring self-discipline, focus, coordination and stamina among many other benefits.

*  These Eastern art forms are the beginning of how to tap into and cultivate your internal energy.

****Of course, this is not medical advice and see your doctor if you are not feeling well. Some illnesses are genetic or imminent. I am only suggesting the more you know about your own body and keep up your health- the better off you will be in general.

I wanted to offer you this useful information ,on eating foods that reduce your cholesterol, as I introduce you to Blisstree, a new source of media that speaks to women in their 30s and 40s whose priorities include optimal wellness and overall balance in life among health, work, family, home, and relationships. They have been so kind as to offer us the ability to bring some of their information to you here at Totally Zen. This article was contributed by nutritionist Lauren Slayton of Foodtrainers!

Please, do yourself a favor and learn to like and incorporate these foods into your regular diet. A regular dose of these foods will help your cholesterol, blood pressure, heart and possibly even prevent diabetes.

1. Apples: Apple pectin is a soluble fiber that helps draw cholesterol out of the system. The flavonoids (Quercetin) in apples act as a powerful antioxidant that seems to short-circuit the process that leads “bad” LDL cholesterol to accumulate in the bloodstream.

2. Beans: Beans and vegetables are an excellent source of soluble fiber and high in vegetable protein. By properly combing beans with brown rice, seeds, corn, wheat you can create a complete protein. Properly combined beans become an excellent substitute for red meat protein that is high in saturated fat.

3. Brown Rice: The oil in whole brown rice, not its fiber, lowers cholesterol. Brown rice can be combined with beans to form an inexpensive complete protein low in saturated fat. In addition, this whole grain also supplies good doses of heart-healthy fiber, magnesium and B vitamins.

4. Cinnamon: A study published in the journal Diabetes Care found that half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day significantly reduces blood sugar levels in people with type-2 diabetes. It also reduces triglyceride, LDL, the bad cholesterol and the total cholesterol level.

5. Garlic: Garlic contains the chemical allicin, which has been shown to kill bacteria and fungi, and alleviate certain digestive disorders. It also lowers the blood-clotting properties of blood. But the most notable attention garlic has received over recent years is its possible usefulness in lowering cholesterol levels.

6. Grapes: Flavonoids in grapes protect LDL cholesterol from free radical damage and reduce platelet clumping. The LDL lowering effect of grapes comes from a compound that grapes produce normally to resist mold. The darker the grape, the better.

7. Oats: Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the “bad” cholesterol. Five to 10 grams of soluble fiber a day decreases LDL cholesterol by about 5 percent. Eating 1.5 cups of cooked oatmeal provides 4.5 grams of fiber — enough to lower your cholesterol.

8. Salmon: The major health components in salmon include: Omega-3 fatty-acids and protein. These components have a favorable cardiovascular effect. The American Heart Association recommends that people include at least two servings of fish/week, particularly fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, anchovies and herring), in their diets.

9. Soy: The top health promoting components in soybeans are isoflavones and soluble fiber. Isoflavones act like human hormone that can lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. All soy products (soybeans, soy nuts, tofu, tempeh, soy milk, etc.) are complete proteins.

10. Walnuts: Walnuts can significantly reduce blood cholesterol because they are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Walnuts also help keep blood vessels healthy and elastic. Almonds appear to have a similar effect, resulting in a marked improvement within just four weeks. A cholesterol-lowering diet with a little less than 1/3 of a cup of walnuts a day may reduce LDL cholesterol by 12%.

via Dietmotion