During these days of intense competition, consumers are exposed, actually bombarded, to several promotions and ads all day long. Companies need to find innovative ways to reach people if they want to get more sales or even survive in some cases.

Your marketing plan or strategy should include efforts to get people to know your brand and your offer and to remember it when the time of purchase arrives.

Some experts say that a person needs to be exposed to your ad or brand for at least seven times in order to remember it in the future. It sounds a lot and difficult to achieve at least for me.

Some traditional advertising methods like newspapers or billboards are quite expensive but it’s undeniable that they give you big exposure and the possibility to reach a lot of people. However, if you take into account that a person needs to see your ad seven times or more to be able to remember it, the cost starts to go up becoming impossible to afford specially for small and medium businesses.

A very popular and less expensive alternative is to give away promotional products with your logo and basic info.

When talking about promotional products, the idea behind them is to give your prospects customers something that they’ll keep and not throw away. What is more, in an ideal world, it should be an item or object that they’ll need to use or to look at several times increasing the exposure of your brand.

Table calendars are a very good example of a promotional product that people would probably like to keep and will look at it over and over. However, the main problem with calendars, and many other items as well, is that they’ve become very popular and many companies will use them as promotional items, therefore, people end up with around five or six calendars not knowing what to do with them. If you’re lucky your calendar will make it to the table, however, most of the times quite a lot of promotional products ends on the trash can.

If you don’t want that to happen to you, you need to find a promotional product that besides accomplishing the characteristics mentioned before, it will stand out and people will have a motivation to keep. You need to find a different idea, something not usually done by other companies.

It’s in this scenario that I would like to talk about promotional luggage tags.

Promotional luggage tags are perfect to put your service or product into the public eye. Everyone from frequent travelers to kids need one from one way or another to label luggage or bags. You can put your logo or company name at the front side and leave the back side blank for people to fill up their own information.

Luggage tags and bag tags have become a very useful accessory for people who are traveling, specially for frequent travelers, such as executives, sales people or sports teams. Alternatively, they have other uses, for example, they can be used on back packs, sport bags, instrument cases, computer cases, gym bags, golf bags, strollers and diaper bags.

If you do it right, people will keep your promotional luggage tags for a long time, that’s why it’s recommendable to do them in a durable material such as PVC or plastic. Furthermore, if you want to go one step further we would recommend to include a fun, unique or catchy design so people will have more incentives to keep them.

So, why not give away promotional luggage tags in your next trade show or event or send them to existing customers as a gift?. Word of mouth is an excellent way to promote a business, and personalized luggage tags with your logo simply take it one step further. They’re a worthy addition to any marketing plan.

Choosing The Right Promotional Items To Advertise Your Business

Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid or vitamin B3, is a water soluble vitamin, meaning that it is not stored in the body like fat soluble vitamins are. Niacin should be replaced daily through diet or supplements. It is broken down into nicotinamide coenzymes which are used by the body in many energy-producing reactions and syntheses. Although they may sound ominous, these are in no way related to nicotine or harmful tobacco compounds.

Nicotinic acid in its common form has been used to lower serum cholesterol since 1955. It is often prescribed for patients to take along with modern cholesterol drugs. Nicotinic acid studies have shown marked reductions in total blood cholesterol and in trigycerides, and a reduction in strokes, TIAs and in recurrent heart attacks. Controlled studies using thousands of patients and following their health for many years have provided this valuable information.

Niacin therapy increases HDL levels (“good” cholesterol) and it causes changes in LDL (“bad” cholesterol) by altering the smaller dense LDL particles in the bloodstream into larger particles that are more buoyant. The more bouyant particles will not collect as readily to form arterial plaque.

The adult RDA of niacin has been set at 14-16 mg per day. If niacin is prescribed by your doctor, it will be in a much higher dose, usually 2 – 3 grams (that’s grams vs milligrams). Even though it is cheap and available over the counter, niacin should be considered a very potent drug. It can have dangerous side effects, and you need to be monitored by your doctor if you are taking it. With small doses it is very common to have flushing, itchy skin, and nausea/vomiting. You should take niacin with a glass of cool water; hot beverages can exaggerate the common flushing and itching reaction.

Niacin doses at higher levels, but as low as 1 or 1.5 gram (well below a commonly prescribed dose) can cause liver problems, severe headache, skin rashes and dermatitis, and can cause severely impaired glucose tolerance. Make sure that your doctor is aware of any history you have with liver function, diabetes, gout, peptic ulcer, inflammatory bowel, migraine, or heart arrhythmia. Alcohol should not be consumed when you are taking niacin.

Healthy individuals can get adequate niacin by eating a balanced diet. Good food sources of niacin are chicken, beef, pork, eggs, milk, wheat flour and corn/maize flour. Niacin is one of the ingredients added to fortified cereals and breads, usually by means of enriched flour. Those on a gluten-free diet may want to take a daily supplement that includes niacin.

Sources:
http://www.drugs.com/niacin.html

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/niacin/

What Is Normal Cholesterol Level

We'd like bulk chocolate that you would be able to buy in any grocery store. You do not need a specific model. Only decide on any chocolate bars you or your kids enjoy. We additionally need modest cake instances, some candy and nuts, fruits, chocolate wafers or anything you want to combine or add to your chocolates, within or out.

So now, let's get on our aprons and start this pleasurable encounter.

Set together the elements. You should buy them or you need to use your children' chocolate bars left in the fridge. Get some sprinkles from your cooking area and have all the items established on a thoroughly clean table.

Soften the chocolate. Hmm. Smells fantastic. Sounds tempting. Even so remember to, do not be tempted! Resist putting your fingers within just the mixture and licking them off! Bear in intellect, we are building selfmade chocolates. As soon as melted, you may possibly add some candy and nuts, chopped strawberries or blueberries or the rest so as to add much more texture, taste and individuality.

Pour the chocolate appropriate into a candy mildew or modest situations like an ice case or a modest Tupperware. You may possibly form the chocolate through the use of chocolate molds, basically bear in mind to be fast to pour the chocolate mixture into the mildew previously than it commences to established. Now you can add sprinkles on primary of the chocolate, like marshmallows, modest stars or anything your creativeness can come up with.
Put the chocolate within just the fridge. Interesting it there for about an hour.

Choose the chocolates out of the situations or molds, and wrap them in chocolate wrappers or you perhaps can put them entirely in a bowl. Wow! Now it's chocolate-consuming time!

Chocolates created at dwelling make exceptional treats in your good friends and young children. It is a certain sensation to try to eat something that has been particularly created for you, and chocolates are maybe one of the mouth watering of all preferences!

There are several explanation why people make chocolate at house and building your loved types absolutely content is just one of them. One more motive is perhaps you need to start a chocolate-building small business at house. Creating chocolates is fulfilling but it will also be very profitable.

Promotional products are huge. It’s practically impossible to think of a successful business that doesn’t have some sort of promo product, be it nothing more than the standard branded pens.

Before you decide to make the leap into promo products, make sure that you have some idea of what “branding” means. Build your company image with a well-designed logo and standard slogan. Your company brand can be enhanced by promo products, but you must have a good logo to start with.

What are Promotional Products, and Do They Work?

In simplest terms, promo products are useful or decorative items – merchandise – imprinted with a company’s name, logo, or slogan and used in marketing campaigns. The most common promo items are pens, mugs, and mouse pads.

Baylor University conducted a study on promo products, to survey how effective they actually are. In the study, 3,000 school administrators were divided into three groups and sent a specific type of mailing. The first group received a simple envelope with a sales letter and business reply card. The second group received an envelope with the same sales letter and reply card, but they also were given a promotional product. The last group received all of the contents that the second group did, but their mail was delivered in a box instead of an envelope.

How did it turn out? Actually, the results were impressive: the administrators who received the box of goodies responded at a rate 75% higher than those who received only the sales letter, and 57% higher than those who received their goodies in an envelope.

Another study, conducted by Southern Methodist University, explored the role that promo items play in gaining repeat customers. After two separate studies, their results showed that customers who received promotional products returned sooner, more often, and spent more money than customers who received dollars-off coupons.

In the world of direct mailings, a 1-2% response rate is considered successful (100 responses on a mailing of 10,000). If you can boost this even by 20%, imagine the money you’ve made off of your little promo items.

Cream of the Crop: Where to Get Promotional Products

I don’t know about you, but I’m so used to the average branded pen that they don’t even warrant my attention anymore. Ditto on the little refrigerator calendars. Hey, I may just be a writer but even I might also be a potential customer, and if you aren’t catching my attention, are you catching the attention of others?

The following websites represent my picks for the Top Ten Promo Products available. They’ll get you going with some really exceptional and unique promo items.

1. Memory & MP3 Players – www.epromos.com – In our world of technology gotta-have-it-now gadgets, everyone is looking for more. Epromos offers a selection of portable memory and mp3 players that your customers will be lining up to receive.

2. Flip Books – www.flippies.com – If you’re looking for something unique, you can’t find much better than this. Turn your marketing message into an engaging, entertaining, interactive experience with custom flip books that put your brand in action with the “flip-of-a-thumb”. This site makes things even easier by providing a full idea center that helps you generate ideas on how you can use flip-books as part of your promo product line.

3. Software – www.artplus.hr – I absolutely love this site, even though it’s hard to remember the extension (.hr). They offer you the ability to give your customers and clients truly original and useful software applications (and no, I don’t mean cheesy screensavers) that you brand with your company’s information.

4. Pen Radio – www.apromotionaloutlet.com – Alright, so I said I don’t give much attention to imprinted pens … but this one goes beyond the norm in too many ways to count. Not only is it an attractive ballpoint pen packaged in a presentation case, but it opens up to reveal a radio, comes with batteries and ear buds, and will definitely create the impact you’re looking for.

5. Child Fingerprint & ID Kit – www.4imprint.com – This promotional item takes branding a step further by offering something that your customers will use and truly thank you for providing. For a few cents more, this site also provides a DNA ID kit.

6. Fortune Cookies – www.promopeddler.com – All wrapped up in a Chinese take-out style box, these fortune cookies make a metaphoric statement that says, “With us, you’ll always be lucky”… or something like that.

7. Passport Cases – www.myshopangel.com – If your clientele travels a lot (or if you are, in fact, a travel agency), you can’t get a smarter promo item than these passport cases. Not only will your brand be in front of your client throughout their travels, a subconscious association with your company forms between the joys experienced traveling and the comfort of always knowing where their important papers are.

8. Holiday Music CD – www.branders.com – Most businesses realize that sending out holiday cards to customers is just plain good business. It lets your customer know you appreciate their patronage. Include something like this music CD and you double the impact.

9. Embroidered Fleece Blankets – www.sweetpromos.com – These heavyweight fleece blankets roll up with their own handles to make a duffle-like companion. The embroidery featured on them is just professional, worthy of employee appreciation gifting.

10. Executive Darts – www.promogeek.com – Packaged in a beautiful brushed-aluminum case are both the dart board and a set of 6 darts. The case doubles as an “easel” support for the dart board, or the board can be hung. Either way, this is an attractive promo item that will really set you apart.

Choosing Good Gifts For Boyfriends: Shopping Made Easy

There are many discussions about how egg affects your health and diet. Eggs are known for being high in cholesterol but are they really bad for your health? Of course too many of anything would be bad for your health. Thus, eating to many eggs in a day would be bad for your health. However, not eating eggs at all is not the way to go. In no way would it be beneficial for your health. In careful study of the many sides, below is a suggestion of how many eggs one should eat in a week.

On the one side eggs are associated with the risk of having a heart disease. However, eating one egg a day does not even account to 1 percent of having a heart disease. Eating eggs regularly actually helps prevent blood clots and strokes.

Eggs are high in protein food containing the hormone PYY which makes you feel full longer. Thus, eating eggs may help you from snacking on junk food or binge eating when trying to be on a diet but are frequently hungry.

Eggs contain vitamin D, a source that is lacking in overweight or diabetic people. On this note eating eggs would fill in one of the necessary nutrients that a healthy body needs.

Eggs contain the omega 3 fatty acid DHA that in a recent study by National Institute on Aging shows the possibility of preventing the Alzheimer’s disease.

On the other hand, eggs are known for being high in cholesterol. Therefore, if you like to minimize the chances of being high in cholesterol or trim all the fat, then you may consider eating only egg whites since they contain all of the protein and very little fat if any.

But Remember do not be afraid of eating eggs, they are healthy for you. Eating one egg a day which amounts up to 7 eggs in a week is fine for your health. In fact, it is good for your health since eggs contain protein and nutrients that is healthy for your body. They are rich in Omega 3. They are the same Omega 3 in milk which advertised milk cartons display and which you are encouraged to have and in walnuts. Omega 3 helps reduce the risk of heart disease so do not be scared of eating eggs because you are afraid it risks you of having a heart disease.

So enjoy your eggs and know that they are in fact healthy for you.

Sources

“Are Eggs Healthy for Weight Loss?” Johns Hopkins University”Are eggs a good source of protein and can they be part of a healthy diet?” About.com”Good Fat, Bad Fat: The Facts About Omega-3″ WebMd.com”Science News” Science Daily

Is All Cholesterol Bad For Your Health?

During these days of intense competition, consumers are exposed, actually bombarded, to several promotions and ads all day long. Companies need to find innovative ways to reach people if they want to get more sales or even survive in some cases.

Your marketing plan or strategy should include efforts to get people to know your brand and your offer and to remember it when the time of purchase arrives.

Some experts say that a person needs to be exposed to your ad or brand for at least seven times in order to remember it in the future. It sounds a lot and difficult to achieve at least for me.

Some traditional advertising methods like newspapers or billboards are quite expensive but it’s undeniable that they give you big exposure and the possibility to reach a lot of people. However, if you take into account that a person needs to see your ad seven times or more to be able to remember it, the cost starts to go up becoming impossible to afford specially for small and medium businesses.

A very popular and less expensive alternative is to give away promotional products with your logo and basic info.

When talking about promotional products, the idea behind them is to give your prospects customers something that they’ll keep and not throw away. What is more, in an ideal world, it should be an item or object that they’ll need to use or to look at several times increasing the exposure of your brand.

Table calendars are a very good example of a promotional product that people would probably like to keep and will look at it over and over. However, the main problem with calendars, and many other items as well, is that they’ve become very popular and many companies will use them as promotional items, therefore, people end up with around five or six calendars not knowing what to do with them. If you’re lucky your calendar will make it to the table, however, most of the times quite a lot of promotional products ends on the trash can.

If you don’t want that to happen to you, you need to find a promotional product that besides accomplishing the characteristics mentioned before, it will stand out and people will have a motivation to keep. You need to find a different idea, something not usually done by other companies.

It’s in this scenario that I would like to talk about promotional luggage tags.

Promotional luggage tags are perfect to put your service or product into the public eye. Everyone from frequent travelers to kids need one from one way or another to label luggage or bags. You can put your logo or company name at the front side and leave the back side blank for people to fill up their own information.

Luggage tags and bag tags have become a very useful accessory for people who are traveling, specially for frequent travelers, such as executives, sales people or sports teams. Alternatively, they have other uses, for example, they can be used on back packs, sport bags, instrument cases, computer cases, gym bags, golf bags, strollers and diaper bags.

If you do it right, people will keep your promotional luggage tags for a long time, that’s why it’s recommendable to do them in a durable material such as PVC or plastic. Furthermore, if you want to go one step further we would recommend to include a fun, unique or catchy design so people will have more incentives to keep them.

So, why not give away promotional luggage tags in your next trade show or event or send them to existing customers as a gift?. Word of mouth is an excellent way to promote a business, and personalized luggage tags with your logo simply take it one step further. They’re a worthy addition to any marketing plan.

Choosing Good Gifts For Boyfriends: Shopping Made Easy

Dogs suffer from many of the same ailments that people do: skin irritations, arthritis, cancer, even diabetes. It’s no easier to watch a dog go through these horrible ailments than it is to watch a person, but one ailment that’s definitely treatable in your dog is diabetes. As with people, diabetes can cause all sorts of problems if it’s left untreated.

There are certain signs that a person may have developed diabetes, and the same is true with dogs. They begin to display signs that something isn’t right – now it’s on the owner to recognize the signs and seek help for the dog.

One sign that your dog may have developed diabetes is that he is suddenly weak and has little energy. Since this particular symptom could point to any number of ailments, it’s best to take your dog to the vet for a checkup upon noticing that he’s so tired. Another red flag is that the dog has a definite increase in thirst. If he empties his water bucket much quicker than previously, have the dog tested for diabetes.

Some symptoms seem more severe, when dealing with diabetes in dogs, making it impossible for the owner to ignore, such as abdominal pain. Some owners notice that the dog will yell when getting up or lying down, or when petted in the abdominal area. Damage to the pancreas is the reason for the pain, but even still, it’s not too late to get treatment.

Dogs that are the most at risk for diabetes are ones that have had a poor diet most of their life, obese dogs, stress, or just being female. That’s right, female dogs are twice as likely to have diabetes as male dogs.

There’s no cure for diabetes but your vet can recommend insulin, dietary changes, and other therapies that will help your pet remain fairly healthy and alert. Exercise is also very important when trying to lessen the effects of diabetes.

Take your dog to the vet and have him checked for diabetes if you notice greater thirst, frequent urination, rapid weight loss, depression, abdominal pain, and sudden weight gain. The test is simple, and not all that expensive, and can mean the difference between good health or deterioration in your pet.

Diabetes is a serious illness that strikes people and dogs alike – often with severity. Seek help for your dog upon the first hints that he may be diabetic. You’ll be glad you did.

Information Cats

Obesity is a problem, a big problem. It is affecting our youth across the nation at an alarming rate, and Mississippi may be the worst offender (“Americans living longer” 2009). Small steps may be Mississippi’s best bet at addressing the issue of obesity of its youth and adolescents (Gilson, McKenna, Puig-Ribera, Brown, & Burton, 2008). For Mississippi, community based walking programs can be a good first response, as they address and can be accepted by, all social, economic, and cultural peoples.

One of the Healthy People 2010 Focus areas is nutrition and overweight issues (“A systematic approach,” 2009). Nationally, one in three citizens is obese (Americans living longer,” 2009). Our young people and adolescents are affected at an alarming rate. In Mississippi, this is no exception (“Obesity and the African American,” 2009). Mississippians, on average, are larger and more stagnant than peoples of other states. A walking campaign could be a way to begin to address the issue (Gibson, McKenna, Puig-Ribera, et al, 2008). Walking programs are a good choice as they are not intimidating, and can be done by all peoples regardless of social, economic, or cultural factors (“Health enhancement systems,”, 2009)

School and community based walking programs could be a first step toward combating obesity for Mississippi as they are not intimidating for most people to start, and can be funded with relative ease. Federal and state grants can be accessed to provide funding for the promotion and operation of walking events. School policies that limit unhealthy food choices and mandate activity and exercise minimums for its students can be implemented. Legislation that supports the policies of the schools, and offers additional funding for those schools and communities that engage in positive change can be used.

Further recommendations for changing the culture of Mississippi includes offering additional funding for townships that advance infrastructure. Bike paths, parks, and sports areas can be implemented with federal and state grant monies. Towns and city officials can further encourage healthy behavior by acting as advocates for exercise, healthy diets, and fitness related events. Local communities can excise further taxes on the products and behaviors it wishes to diminish.

The challenges of providing healthy information will be many. Mississippi’s response to the issue has got to be expansive as the problem has been made worse by other factors (Novick, Morrow, & Mays, 2008). Health promotion includes educational materials and information that helps to make sound decisions (Hammond, 2009). The population has to be able to read to learn, and Mississippi has the highest illiteracy rate in the country. Secondary to this, written materials may not be an affective means of information transfer. Alternative mmethods will have to be employed.

Mississippi’s hot and humid weather is another obstacle (Lofton, 2008). Staying active in hot weather conditions can be difficult if not potentially dangerous. Finally, starting with an obese population, Mississippi already has a strike against it as the obese usually suffer from more negative health issues (“Americans living longer,” 2005).

Mississippi has attempted to identify specific objectives to address this concern based on the findings of its review of national, state, and community data (Novick, Morrow, & Mays, 2008). Mississippi towns are addressing the issue on a local scale, but the implications spread even further. On a national and global level, a healthy workforce is needed to compete economically. Companies desire to locate business and jobs in areas where a healthy workforce exists (Gilson, McKenna, Puig-Ribera, 2005). If Mississippi wishes to remain competitive and land new businesses in the future, a healthy work force has got to be present.

The CDC provides information regarding health and disease prevention to assist people with health decisions(Hammond, 2009). On a local level, health promotion is done by the county departments of health, and by local departments of the federally support Woman’s, Infants, and Children’s departments, known as WIC (“Health enhancement systems,” 2009). WIC provides education, nutritional counseling, and access to quality foods for mothers and children under the age of five (Novick, Morrow, & Mays, 2008). Local hospitals sometimes assist in the promotion of healthy events, and act as sources of first hand knowledge of the health of a community’s citizens.

Local, state, and federal data supports the notion that Mississippi’s youth have an obesity problem (Lofton, 2008). Geographically, culturally, and economically diverse populations can all be engaged at some level in a walking program as the starting point for healthier trends in behavior (“Health enhancement systems,” 2009). Federal and state grants can be accessed to ease the financial burden of starting and continuing such programs. Health policies and legislation can be enacted to promote healthy choices and lifestyles. Challenges of illiteracy, weather, and current poor health status will be difficult, but not impossible. Using available CDC, state, and county data will help managers make decisions on the ground, and anticipate future trends. Walking is not an exercise program that will intimidate new-comers to exercise, and already has teams of veteran supporters. It is important for Mississippi to take steps to improve its health, and a walking program can be its first step.

References • “Americans Living Longer, But Not for Long (Special Report).” (Mar. 2005). Encyclopedia. World News Service, retrieved on October 20, 2009 • “A systematic approach to health improvement,” (2009). Healthy People 2010. Retrieved on October 10, 2009 • Hammond, R.A. (2009). Complex systems for modeling obesity research. Preventing Chronic Disease. (6)3. • Gilson, N., McKenna, J., Puig-Ribera, A., Brown, W., and Burton, N. (2008). The international universities walking project: employee step counts, sitting times and health status. International Journal of Workplace Health Management. 1(3): pp. 152-161. • “Health enhancement systems; New walking program website inspires Americans to step out and step up to better health,” (Oct. 3, 2009). Obesity, Fitness, & Wellness Week. P. 2372. • Lofton, L. (2008, October 27). Rural healthcare challenges abound in communities around state. Mississippi Business Journal. 30(43), pB7-B11. • “Northwest middle school let’s go walking highlights’” (Oct16-22, 2008). Jackson Link. 15(42):p.13. • Novick, L.F., Morrow, C.B., and Mays, G.P. (2008). Public health administration: Principles for population-based management, (2nd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett, Inc. • “Obesity and the African-American adolescent in Mississippi: Overview,” (January, 2005). Southern Medical Journal. 98(1): 72-78.

High Blood Pressure Food – What To Avoid?

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: SYMPTOMS OF FELINE DIABETES

Sally has a cat named Kitty and has never heard of feline diabetes. She is also quite unimaginative when it comes to naming her pet. Kitty is a seven-year-old male who has been neutered. Lately, Sally has noticed that Kitty’s litter is soaked: the litter is not able to absorb all the urine. Kitty’s water bowl needs filling more often and Kitty is sleeping and lounging around more than usual. Even his catnip toys hold no interest. Sally realized something was wrong.

If Kitty were human, Sally would suspect diabetes. Was there such a thing as feline diabetes? Sally took Kitty to her vet, Dr. Fang, who ran a few tests and, indeed, Kitty did have feline diabetes. Dr. Fang explained that in addition to the symptoms Kitty presented with, cats with feline diabetes also suffered weight loss and poor coat conditions. Sally was worried and shed a few tears but Dr. Fang explained that with proper treatment, Kitty could live a full and normal life.

Sally asked why Kitty had gotten diabetes and Dr. Fang said that felines, who were male, overweight, over six years old and neutered were most at risk. Heredity also played a role.

WHAT IS THE TREATMENT FOR FELINE DIABETES?

Kitty stayed a few days at the animal hospital while he was treated with pills and insulin. The hospital stay was necessary to get his insulin levels adjusted. Because he was fat, his food intake was reduced slightly and he was put on a high fiber diet that he didn’t like very much. Sally came every day to see him and on the third day she took him, his feline diabetes supplies, his insulin, and a sack of his new food, home.

Sally dreaded giving Kitty his first shot because it was so hard to give him a pill. Much to her surprise, she took a piece of skin from between his shoulders, put in the needle, and Kitty was none the wiser.

Soon Kitty was back to his old self, chasing his tail, bringing in dead birds, and jumping on people form a perch atop the refrigerator. Unfortunately, Kitty soon caught on to the shots and scratched and screamed and ran away. But Sally knew to toss a towel over Kitty ho, like most cats, loved to have his head covered. Then she could just part the towel at the shoulders and give Kitty his shot. She also made it a point to give him a treat after every shot.

WHAT ABOUT INSULIN SHOT AND FELINE DIABETES?

Sally had been warned that, like any cat with feline diabetes, Kitty could go into insulin shock, which is potentially fatal. Sally knew the signs: weakness, listlessness, and uncoordinated movements moving into convulsions, coma and death. One day Sally found Kitty half-conscious and unable to swallow anything. Remembering what Dr. Fang had told her; she grabbed a bottle of corn syrup and rubbed a tablespoon of it on Kitty’s gums. Pretty soon Kitty came around, but just to be sure, Sally took him to the vet. Kitty was fine and he and Sally lived happily ever after.

Diabetes Management And Team Approach

You take an occasional walk; try not to eat too much fast food, and even get enough sleep (except when there’s a good late night movie on). Yet perhaps a health care provider has told you that your cholesterol is too high, or a relative has mentioned that he or she has high cholesterol. The result: you care about your health and want to learn what you can do to minimize your risks and improve your health.

We’ve all seen those ads on TV or in magazines about the latest prescriptions or food products designed to lower cholesterol levels. Curious about whether such remedies are your only alternative? Here’s what you need to know to make a decision.

High Cholesterol Tests

Experts generally agree that cholesterol tests should be performed annually after age 40. For those who have a family history of high cholesterol, it is recommended that the testing process be started at a younger age. Be sure to alert your doctor of your family history. Typically, the cholesterol test is done in the morning, following an eight to 12 hour fast.

Medical studies indicate that the more important cholesterol number is the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol. Ideally, it should be less than 100, lower for diabetics. The high-density lipoprotein (HDL) should be greater than 45 for men and greater than 55 for women. However, having a low total cholesterol level should not be regarded as the ideal, according to noted expert Patrick Holford. For example, a research group in Japan “found that while high levels are associated with cardiovascular disease…low levels are associated with strokes” (Holford, The New Optimum Nutrition Bible, page 200).

Causes of High Blood Cholesterol
The old saying, “You are what you eat,” is valid with regard to your cholesterol levels. Some foods contain fats that have been shown to result in higher cholesterol levels, while other fats, so-called “good” fats, do not have a negative impact on your cholesterol and can actually improve your health. Here’s how to know the difference:
When you eat foods containing saturated fats, it causes your LDL cholesterol level to go up.
The same negative impact on your body occurs when you eat foods containing trans fatty acids (trans fats). Trans fats are created when vegetable oil is hydrogenated to harden it. This process may make those packaged crackers and other snack foods taste delicious – but the result on the cholesterol level is far from positive. “When our body tries to use trans fats, they block normal biochemistry, inhibiting the function of enzymes that are involved in the synthesis of cholesterol and fatty acids” (Lipski, Digestive Wellness, page 147).
So-called “good” fats can actually improve your health. These fats can be found in seeds and nuts such as sesame seeds and almonds, cold-water fish such as salmon and sardines, and cold-pressed seed oils such as “an oil blend or hemp oil” (Holford, The New Optimum Nutrition Bible, page 79).

In addition, weighing more than is optimal for one’s height and bone structure may result in a higher LDL level and lower HDL level. Inactivity also may negatively impact cholesterol levels, while exercising can assist in lowering the LDL level and improving the HDL level.

Genes, age, and sex also impact cholesterol levels. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute reports that “high blood cholesterol can run in families. An inherited genetic condition (familial hypercholesterolemia) results in very high LDL cholesterol levels. It begins at birth, and may result in a heart attack at an early age.” In addition, the institute notes “starting at puberty, men have lower levels of HDL than women. As women and men get older, their LDL cholesterol levels rise. Younger women have lower LDL cholesterol levels than men, but after age 55, women have higher levels than men” (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Web site; “High Blood Cholesterol”: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Hbc/HBC_WhatIs.html).

High Blood Cholesterol Concerns
Having high cholesterol does not result in symptoms, so you may think that it’s not risky. However, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, “People with high blood cholesterol have a greater chance of getting heart disease… Cholesterol can build up on the walls of your arteries (blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body)” (ibid), which is known as plaque. Plaque can result in narrowed arteries, a medical condition called atherosclerosis.
“There is no doubt that high blood cholesterol represents a risk factor for arterial disease” (Holford, The New Optimum Nutrition Bible, page 201). The good news for those who have high blood cholesterol or are concerned about it: dietary and lifestyle changes, as well as nutritional supplements, can help to reduce risk and improve heart health.

Nutritional and Lifestyle Recommendations
These general guidelines can help to enhance the health of the heart and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease:

Reduce the amount of foods high in saturated fats and do not put salt on your food. For example, consume less meat and fried food. Substitute oily fish (for example, salmon and herring).

Enjoy generous amounts of vegetables and fruits, in particular beans and green, leafy vegetables, and snack on seeds such as pumpkin seeds.
Do not smoke.

“Keep fit, not fat,” and “take a supplement of antioxidant nutrients, including at least 600 IU of vitamin E and 2 g of vitamin C, plus the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA and a multivitamin containing B6, B12, and folic acid” (Holford, The New Optimum Nutrition Bible, page 207).

Take 1 gram daily of no-flush niacin if you have low HDL and an EPA fish oil supplement of 1,000 mg of EPA if you have high cholesterol. If you also have high lipoprotein A, “take a supplement of at least 5 g of vitamin C and 3 g of lysine.” In addition, if you also “have high homocysteine, increase your intake of vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid (ibid).

Make fiber your friend. In addition to helping to “prevent obesity by slowing down digestion and the release of glucose and insulin, fiber has been shown to normalize serum cholesterol levels. High-fiber diets reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and certain types of cancer” (Lipski, Digestive Wellness, page 158).

Enjoy generous amounts of fruits and vegetables. “They are rich in nutrients and fiber, contain no cholesterol, and are low in fat” (Lipski, Digestive Wellness, page 164).

Special Cautions and Related Issues
We all enjoy an occasional meal in a restaurant or fast food drive-through. However, be cautious and inquire about the ingredients used and preparation of foods. For example, French fries often contain saturated and/or trans fats. For that reason, it is best to minimize meals eaten in fast-food restaurants; when you do, request a salad with fat-free salad dressing and without cheese or croutons.

In addition, you may want to discuss your homocysteine level with your health care provider. This dangerous amino acid has been shown to be linked to heart disease. In addition, homocysteine “damages cholesterol, making it accumulate in arteries,” which means “lowering your homocysteine can be expected to lower your cholesterol too” (Holford, The New Optimum Nutrition Bible, page 206).

References

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. High Blood Cholesterol. Retrieved April 12, 2006, from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Hbc/HBC_WhatIs.html

Holford, P. (2004). The New Optimum Nutrition Bible. Berkeley: The Crossing Press.

Lipski, E. (2005). Digestive Wellness. New York: McGraw-Hill.

One In The Best Foods From Nature Is Eggs