Carbs vs cholesterol

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, August, 2003 by Kristina Haar

In a study from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, women who ate diets high in refined carbohydrates such as white flour and sugar had slightly lower HDL (the "good" cholesterol) and significantly higher triglyceride levels than women who mostly ate healthier carbs like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans. Get a blood cholesterol test every five years, and strive for the numbers shown below. (Hint: losing weight via exercise and a healthier diet helps in all categories.)

* LDL cholesterol builds up in the arteries, leaving you vulnerable to heart attack. A good test result is less than 130 mg/dl, and less than 100 mg/dl is even better.

* HDL (the "good") cholesterol keeps blood vessels clear. 40 mg/dl or higher is good; 60 mg/dl or higher is better.

* TRIGLYCERIDES, a type of fat in the blood, also damages arteries. Less than 150 mg/dl is a good result.

Your office desk harbors 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat.

Source: University of Arizona (Tucson)