Dr. Gerald Gau of the Mayo Clinic says, “Eggs are high in cholesterol, and a diet high in cholesterol can contribute to elevated blood cholesterol levels. But the extent to which dietary cholesterol raises blood cholesterol levels isn't clear.”

According to Hiebert, it’s the saturated and trans fats in foods (not the cholesterol in eggs) that greatly raise blood cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. Such “bad fats” are found in pastries, whipped toppings and many pre- packaged food. “[But] eggs are low in saturated fat… and do not contain any trans fat,” Heibert says.

She also points to the recent revisions to Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating. The guide now allows for a two- egg serving in the meat and alternatives food group, where at one time it allowed for only one egg.

And a study by Harvard University concluded that having an egg a day did not put people at a higher risk of heart disease or stroke.

So what are you to do with all of this information? Well, I’m a big fan of playing it safe and doing things in moderation. Should you be alarmist, and avoid eggs like the devil’s food? Absolutely not. Do you gorge yourself on these oval delights as if they were going out of style? No, no, no.

Dr. Gau wisely suggests that a healthy adult should limit his dietary cholesterol intake to less than 300 mg a day. Someone with heart disease, diabetes or high cholesterol should limit dietary cholesterol intake to less than 200 mg a day. To put this all in perspective, keep in mind that the yolk of one large egg has about 213 mg of cholesterol.

So if you eat an egg on a given day, it may be a good idea to limit or avoid other sources of cholesterol for the rest of that day. And if you really love your eggs, try using eggs whites instead -- they contain no cholesterol.

You can also scout your supermarket aisles for cholesterol- free egg substitutes, which are made with egg whites. And they are a smart substitute in recipes that calls for eggs!

Regardless of where you stand on the eggs debate, it is important to realize that nearly all of the essential nutrients needed for good heart health are contained in eggs: eggs offer folate, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, vitamin B12 and antioxidants such as lutein.

For these reasons, be sure to eat eggs, but do so wisely and in moderation.

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The Beat Stress Handbook -- by Jeff Jurmain, MA

Few things aggravate illnesses and damage the body more than long-term stress. The accumulative effects of weeks, months, years or decades of stressful experiences can take an enormous toll on your body. We all know this. Yet, in our mostly fast-paced society, stress continues to wreak havoc. It is a part of North America.

Stress is damaging because it changes every system in your body -- the heart, blood vessels, lungs, digestion, brain, sensory organs, and immune system. They change because your body is confronting the stress and defending itself. But when stress continually presents itself, it starts to have more major effects on those bodily functions.

With that in mind, all of us need to actively beat stress. And here is a handbook of sorts (or, rather an e-mail) with some stress-busting ideas to possibly incorporate into your life.

1. Don’t put undo pressure on yourself. Avoid unrealistic goals that cause stress if you can’t meet them.

2. Focus on breathing. Take 20 minutes and lie on your back and inhale slowly while raising arms to the ceiling. Then exhale while smoothly returning arms to the side. Also try deep breathing in any position, inhaling through nose, and feeling the oxygen enter your body.

3. Experience what you want in life. Cut stress by working on your favorite hobby, playing sports, gardening, doing volunteer work, taking a vacation, or simply getting out into nature. This also helps curb any anger contributing to stress.

4. Get simple. A walk can clear the mind and reduce tension. Stretching your muscles and focusing on them at the same time do the same thing.

5. Try aromatherapy, the alternative medicine using fragrant oils of plants. These “essential oils” help relieve different stresses when you breathe in the soothing, calming vapors.

6. Give yoga or Pilates a go; these classes come in all shapes and sizes. They are powerful stress-busters for millions of people. Yoga blends meditation, physical postures, and breathing exercises. Pilates is similar, focusing on the muscles that keep you balanced as well as breathing techniques. 7. Engage in relaxation therapy, the most famous of which is meditation. They are all designed to eliminate stress. All involve getting yourself in a relaxed, comfortable position, and either focusing on your breathing, chanting, or visualizing yourself somewhere.

8. Stay rested by doing as much as you can to ensure a good night’s sleep.

9. Periodically, get a massage. The deep circular massages slow down the heart and relax the body. That’s Swedish massage, the standard one; shiatsu applies direct pressure to body parts; and reflexology aims at acupuncture points in the hands and feet.

10. Try a few cups of valerian tea a day. This herb is proven to quell anxiety and insomnia. Chamomile, passion flower, and lemon balm are all known to exert a soothing effect. Taking ginseng is known to improve the body’s reaction against any type of stress.

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A Simple Therapy to Relieve Allergies -- by Wendy Potter, BA

If you’re suffering from allergies with sinus pain, you don’t need to rely on just drugs. Researchers have confirmed that “nasal saline irrigation” could be a big help!

This technique might sound complicated. But it just involves cleaning the inside of your nose with salty water. Yes, that that might seem unpleasant. But, for chronic “rhinosinusitis” sufferers, the benefits could far outweigh any discomfort. The main rhinosinusitis symptoms include pain and pressure in the face area, stuffed up and/or runny nose and reduced sense of smell. Sound familiar? Some less common symptoms are headache, fever, bad breath, fatigue, tooth or gum pain, cough, and ear pain. It’s a pretty common problem. Most people will get it due to allergies, like leaf mold, ragweed or dust mites.

A scientific review decided to examine several studies already done on using salt-water irrigation for the symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis. The report findings were published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

Overall, the reviewers found that salt-water irrigation water on its own or with oral antihistamines was effective in treating the symptoms of allergy/irritation. Many study participants also reported better quality of life when using this treatment. They just felt better.

But when saline irrigation was used in conjunction with other therapies, it didn’t have any effect on quality of life. These other treatments were reflexology and steroids given nasally. The salt-water treatment was also proven to be inferior to these treatments when used on its own.

The review also found that more salt in the water didn’t improve the effect of the therapy. Studies on the best delivery method for saline irrigation are ongoing. However, a member of the review team, Dr. Richard Harvey, suggests that squeeze bottles and pressurized sprays might top the list. This is because they can deliver the salt water at a higher pressure.

So, if you have chronic rhinosinusitis, you can consider adding nasal saline irrigation to your treatment regime. You can buy products over-the-counter at most pharmacies. Follow the package directions carefully. You could also try making your own solution. To do this, mix 1/4 tsp of kosher salt, 1/4 tsp of baking powder and eight ounces of warm tap water. You’ll need a bulb syringe to administer it. Using the bulb syringe, you wash each nasal cavity once or twice a day with between eight ounces and 16 ounces of solution.

First, stand over a sink. Turn your head so that your left nostril is down. Then, squeeze the solution from the syringe into your right nostril. The water will flow out from your left nostril into the sink. Once this is done, blow your nose gently. Do the whole process again in reverse for the other nostril. While you’re irrigating, try to breathe only through your nose. That way you’re less likely to swallow the solution. Irrigation might be mildly uncomfortable at first, but you should get used to it. If you experience any pain or major discomfort, discontinue it at once. Continue with any medications or therapies that your doctor has prescribed.

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Olive Oil Could Keep Blood Clots Away --by Cate Stevenson, B.A.

Olive oil is rich in monosaturated fats. Monosaturated fats are the healthy fats that can help protect you from heart disease.

Olive oil is particularly high in a healthy fat called oleic acid. And, olive oil is also rich in phenols. Phenols are thought to be good for the heart.

It comes as no big surprise then, that a new study has made one more connection between olive oil and good health.

Spanish researchers have proven that eating foods prepared with olive oil may help ward off harmful blood clots in those with high cholesterol.

The researchers explained in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” that, in the early stages of atherosclerosis, the balance between clot-promoting and clot-dissolving factors in the blood vessels shifts. Substances that promote blood clots take the lead and having high levels of fat in the blood can worsen this imbalance.

The researchers knew that the phenols in olive oil had been shown to fight clotting in lab tests, but they wanted proof that studies involving human participants would give the same results.

The researchers set about designing a test involving 21 people with high cholesterol. Each person had to eat two different breakfasts. For one week, they ate either white bread with virgin olive oil that was known to contain phenols, or white bread with olive oil from which much of the phenols had been extracted. Study participants were then switched to the opposite meal.

Two hours after the high-phenol meal, study participants' concentrations of blood clotting promoters were lower compared with the low-phenol group.

In conclusion, the researchers suggest that previous studies that yielded mixed results regarding olive oil's effect on the blood may have been due to differences in phenol content.

You can use olive oil in a number of different ways. Use it as a salad dressing. You can cook with olive oil, as it retains most of its nutritional benefits even under high heat. And you can use olive oil as a substitute for butter or margarine. Just spread it on a piece of toast or on sandwich bread.

One more interesting fact about olive oil: Jean Calment, who holds the world’s longest confirmed lifespan, attributed her longevity and youthful appearance to olive oil! Not only did she eat olive oil every day, but she also rubbed it into her skin.

So add some virgin olive oil to your daily diet and give your heart a boost.

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Sources:

Cracking Open the Egg Myth --“Eggs. Health or Not?”, accessed August 24, 2007. http://www.health24.com/dietnfood/General/15-742,33881.asp -- “Eggs: Are they good or bad for my cholesterol?”, accessed August 24, 2007. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cholesterol/HQ00608 -- Bernard, Neil D, M.D., “Hold The Eggs.” accessed August 24, 2007. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D03EFD D103DF933A05757C0A96F958260&n=Top%2fReference %2fTimes%20Topics%2fOrganizations%2fH%2fHarvard %20University%20

The Beat Stress Handbook -- “Coping with Stress,” Heart & Stroke Foundation, 1997

A Simple Therapy to Relieve Allergies -- Harvey, R., and others, “Nasal saline irrigations for the symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis,” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007; 1 (CD006394. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006394.pub2).

Olive Oil Could Keep Blood Clots Away -- “Virgin olive oil may keep blood clot-free,” MedlinePlus, accessed Aug. 24, 2007; http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_53728.html

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