It’s almost that time of year again where we begin to think about breaking away from the rat race and taking a nice, long vacation (although they always seem too short to me). While we are all entitled to a little bit of rest and relaxation, this also the time we are tempted to break away from our diets. This is mostly due to eating out, where some foods may contain hidden fats that could raise your cholesterol levels.

It’s true that a little bit of fudging on your diet will not hurt things too much, however the bad diet habits you develop over your vacation could continue when you resume your post-vacation activities. The good news is that, even trying to lower your cholesterol, you can enjoy delicious food during your travels. These helpful tips will help you to keep on the path of having a healthy heart:

• Traveling When Trying to Lower Your Cholesterol
• Foods to Eat on a Cholesterol Lowering Diet
• Eating Out on a Low Cholesterol Diet

_{Photo Credit: Phil Date Photography, istockphoto}

A recent study published in the journal, Lipids in Health and Disease, suggests that lifestyle changes can help when it comes to your risk of heart disease. It can also help you to lower your cholesterol levels.

The researchers in this study examined the effects of lifestyle changes in roughly 146 participants who either already had established coronary heart disease or had the risk factors for it (such as diabetes). Half of these individuals underwent the following lifestyle changes during the study and had to keep an awareness journal regarding them:

• A vegetarian diet low in fat, that emphasized plenty of fruits, whole grains, vegetables, and soy.
• Approximately 180 minutes of aerobic exercise.
• One hour of dedicated to stress management, which could range from deep breathing exercises to yoga.
• One hour group sessions per week that emphasized adherance to the changes and determined progress.

The remaining participants just received standard care from their healthcare provider. These researchers examined cholesterol, blood pressure, and weight over a year.

They found that LDL cholesterol, as well as oxidized LDL, were reduced through lifestyle modification (8.3% and 9.5%, respectively). LDL particle size was also increased in those individuals in the lifestyle modification group. Other risk factors for coronary heart disease, such as weight, blood pressure, and physical activity, were also improved in the lifestyle modification group in comparison to the group of participants just receiving standard care.

This is just one of many studies that echo the benefits of making positive changes in your lifestyle to lower your risk of heart disease. Although the end results may be modest, making these healthy adjustments now can help to improve your general health -- especially your heart health -- down the road.

More about lifestyle and your heart:

• What Are Your Risk Factors for Heart Disease?
• Making Changes to Your Lifestyle to Lower Cholesterol

Are you nuts about nuts? I am, and maybe you are, too. When I was growing up, I was always told that nuts were fattening, which was sad because they were my favorite snack. While it's true that they are fattening, it is also important to know that they are full of a "good" kind of fat--unsaturated fat. Unsaturated fats are known for their cholesterol-lowering benefits. In addition to that, nuts contain a lot of protein, vitamins, and minerals. Does your favorite nut make the list of cholesterol-friendly nuts?

We've probably seen this product on the shelves - and may have even tried it for ourselves. Red yeast rice has gained a lot of popularity over the past through years for it's ability to lower cholesterol. A new report published in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that red yeast rice extract may even help those individuals intolerant to statins to lower their cholesterol levels.

Red yeast rice is exactly what it sounds like. A yeast that grows on rice, this ancient Asian ingredient already contains a statin-like compound: monacolin K. Monacolin K is a natural form of the cholesterol-lowering drug, lovastatin. While statins play an important role in lowering cholesterol and preventing heart disease, they also have some undesirable side effects, such as muscle pain and elevated liver enzymes. In some people, these symptoms can become so troublesome that they discontinue their statin therapy.

Roughly 62 people with high cholesterol, who had a previous history of discontinuing statin therapy, participated in the study. Half of these individuals took 6 red yeast rice tablets (600 mg each) and the other half took a placebo. Additionally, everyone in the study received instruction on how therapeutic lifestyle changes, such as exercise and diet, could also lower cholesterol. At the end of the 6 month study, it was discovered that the individuals who had received the red yeast rice tablets saw a reduction of LDL cholesterol by an average of 27%!

But buyer beware! Although these results look pretty impressive, it's important to note that they researchers in this study knew the exact amount in each tablet given to the participants in the study. In the real world, this is rare. Unfortunately, red yeast rice products are not considered to be a "drug" by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means that, while the FDA will ensure that the product is manufactured in a safe and clean facility, it does not regulate the amount of active ingredients -- like monacolin K -- contained in each red yeast rice product. Therefore, you could be getting more or less than what is stated on the label. This could mean the difference between wasting your money on sugar pills to costing you your health.

So, if you are interested in trying red yeast rice supplements to lower your cholesterol, talk it over with your healthcare provider first. Like statins, monacolin K has the potential to interact with other medications you may be taking. If any of you are already taking red yeast rice for lowering your cholesterol, let us know what your experiences have been with the product in the comments section.