People often think that lowering cholesterol is to avoid fatty and oily foods, but it really is not that simple. Lowering cholesterol does not rely on how much cholesterol intake you are getting, but in the kind of cholesterol you are putting inside your body.

An understanding must be made that there are different types of cholesterol, HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad Cholesterol). Unlike certain nutrients, cholesterol does not dissolve in blood. It gets transferred to cells by small carriers called lipoproteins. HDL is high-density lipoprotein and LDL is low-density lipoprotein. HDL is considered to be good cholesterol since doctors say that this carries cholesterol to the liver where it is broken down. This process protects the body from certain heart diseases since it flushes out the bad cholesterol from the arteries. Now LDL is considered bad cholesterol since it builds up deposits in your body. These deposits harden and make arteries less flexible. Once the LDL builds up completely, it blocks arteries and a stroke or heart attack occurs.

So when we talk about lowering cholesterol in the body, we actually mean to lower LDL or the bad fats which are saturated fats and trans fats. And to lower bad fats, a low cholesterol diet is the key. We should minimize foods that are high cholesterol foods like red meat, processed foods, foods full of trans fat from hydrogenated oil, dairy products and baked foods. What we need to do is to eat foods that lower cholesterol levels. We should actively increase our intake of HDL which are the good fats.

So what are the foods to reduce cholesterol levels?

Nuts and seeds are healthy sources of good oils. Examples of these are flaxseeds, almonds, peanuts, cashew nuts, walnuts, and sunflower seeds. These nuts and seeds raise HDL levels and are rich in nutrients and fiber as well. Certain studies show that a daily intake of nuts and seeds can raise HDL level from 8 to 12%. People whose diets involved these types of food showed relative weight loss and lowered cholesterol count altogether.

A diet filled with Omega-3 fatty acids also raise HDL levels. Fishes such as tuna, salmon, mackerel are great sources of Omega-3 which are examples of foods to reduce cholesterol level.

Of course we all know that vegetables and fruits are naturally healthy. Spinach, potatoes, bananas and pineapples have been shown to lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar levels, and lower blood fats and lower bad cholesterol.
Avocado is a fruit proven to greatly reduce cholesterol. Contrary to the belief that avocados are a fattening fruit, they really full of nutrients that not only lower LDL but help you lose weight as well.

Pineapple, orange juices and cranberry juices should be part of a diet to lower cholesterol levels. These fruit juices are the answers on how to lower cholesterol naturally. They are tasty add-ons to any meal and it’s often good practice to at least drink fresh fruit juices every day. Be wary of canned juices though, sometimes they are filled with artificial flavors and sugars. Going natural and using a good old blender is still the best way.

Virgin coconut oil is also known to be a sort of miracle oil against LDL. VCO is the only true natural oil and it does wonders for the body. It is produced in fresh coconuts and contains lauric acid which acts as a natural cholesterol stabilizer. Aside from lowering cholesterol, it also provides energy for the body.

Soluble fibers should also be part of your daily diet to lower cholesterol. Examples of fiber rich foods are oats, wheat and grains. Wheat bread is a popular food to reduce cholesterol levels. Try eating grain based snacks and have oatmeal for breakfast. Doing so will result in both a reduction in LDL cholesterol and an increase HDL cholesterol. Another fact is that two servings of fiber rich foods a day also relieve constipation.

And in conclusion, eating these cholesterol lowering foods will not only reduce LDL, but will also help condition your body. When people ask how to lower cholesterol without medication, these foods are the answer. Blood pressure, excess fat, blood sugar, as well as certain types of cancers can be reduced with cholesterol lowering diets. Eating these types of foods everyday will also create renewed vigor in a person and encourage them to maintain a clean lifestyle. But first and foremost, discipline will always be the first step.

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Thanks for sharing your time with us – The Editors

We examine Kate’s diet and fitness regime, and look at how her lifestyle with William promises a healthy future for the royal couple.

DIET

Despite the gossip surrounding her eating habits, Kate sticks to a low GI diet of lean meats, fish and vegetables to stay healthy.

She loves “summer foods,” She loves “summer foods,” including beans, salads and salmon, and although she doesn’t deny herself, she is believed to be extremely disciplined in what she eats.

Kate has also been linked to Dukan diet, originated by Pierre Dukan, to fit into her wedding gown on April 29.

Her mother, Carole, has been a Dukan devotee since using the diet to shed weight last year and it is rumoured she has turned her daughter on to the regime.

A variation on the hugely popular Atkins diet – high protein and low carb – the Dukan diet already has several famous fans, including Hollywood A-listers Jennifer Lopez and Nicole Kidman.

The four-stage diet consists of a series of phases – attack, cruise, consolidation and stabilisation – whereby foods are withdrawn and then slowly re-introduced.

According to the Dukan diet website, the phases enable the dieter to lose then maintain the correct level of weight for body type.

DUKAN DIET FORMULA

ATTACK

Brief and headlong phase with immediate results. During this phase, the diet is made up of 72 high-protein foods enabling quick weight loss.

Cruise During this phase, the diet alternates pure protein days (PP phases) with 28 recommended vegetables (PV phases). CONSOLIDATION Phase of 10 days which prepares for the return to a balanced diet.

Monitored freedom with a target of establishing this freshly conquered and still vulnerable ideal weight. This phase brings the gradual return of fun foods.

STABILIZATION

Definitive phase based on three simple, concrete, easy but non-negotiable measures. This phase is both the easiest and most essential in the slimming method because 95 per cent of people who follow a diet put the weight they have lost back on.

FITNESS

Because Kate leads such an active lifestyle, her diet of low GI carbs only serve to help maintain her slim frame while muscle definition is down to her choice of exercise.

She is a keen gym bunny and does at least one hour every day, using the private facilities installed at Clarence House.

Her favourite high-energy workout includes rowing, running and weight lifting. She also cycles regularly, balancing her cardio workouts with yoga sessions to improve flexibility.

A typical workout routine for Kate would include short 20-minute bursts of high intensity training to keep things fresh and interesting.

Kate’s workout

RUNNING

To really burn fat and ensure a body fit for a princess, vary the speed of your workout. Running at a high intensity for three minutes and a moderate intensity for five will ensure all of your muscles are working hard and help tone your abdomen.

ROWING

For super-toned arms, rowing is the best thing to banish bingo wings and impress the future king. An intense 30-minute rowing session can burn 300 calories.

A session on the rowing machine will provide great strength, flexibility and posture in your upper body.

WEIGHTS

Adding weights to a cardio routine will help with muscle definition and sculpting body shape. As weights are essentially the same as resistance training, it will help improve co-ordination and increase bone density as well as improving performance during cardio routines.

Doing step-ups and push-ups alongside squats and lunges using an exercise band will also give the same effect. For best results, do repeat each move 10 to 12 times, breaking just long enough to catch your breath in between. Repeat for two to three sets.

YOGA

Lactic acid build-up in the muscles from vigorous cardio exercising contributes to muscle fatigue so it’s vital to use yoga stretches in between regular workouts to release any lactic acid build-up.

Forward bends stretch the lower back and hamstrings. This helps you let go of tension in the back, neck and shoulders, increasing the flexibility of the spine.

Backward bends open the chest, hips and rib cage and hips, building strength in the arms and shoulders. They also add to flexibility in the shoulders, while helping ease the tension from the front of the body and hips.

Seated asanas – or poses – increase suppleness in the hips and lower back. Strengthening the whole back, they increase the flexibility of the spine and elasticity of the hips, knees, ankle and groin.

Balancing asanas are essential for cultivating muscle tone and physical harmony as well as strength and agility. Great for overall posture.

LIFESTYLE

Holiday activities with Prince William include skiing, which uses both upper and lower body to get the heart rate soaring and can burn up to 1400 calories an hour.

On their trip to Kenya last year, they had an active holiday, including horse and camel riding.

Tennis-mad Kate, who plays at Princess Diana’s old haunt, the Harbour Club in Chelsea, is all set for Wimbledon this year when she will be the Royal representative.

She also loves swimming, which helps tone up her body.

NAUGHTY BUT NICE…

Kate has a notoriously sweet tooth,. Haribo Starmix and Tangfastics are her favourites. She stocks up from local stores when she is with her family in Bucklebury, Berkshire.

Shopkeeper Hash Shingadia and his wife Chan said: “Kate loves them. She came in with her mother and bought some Haribos.

“She also bought French bread, ham, salami, cream and eggs and her favourite magazines, Hello!, Tatler and Elle. She’s a normal girl.”

Pellicano is scheduled to stand trial in early February on federal charges of wiretapping and racketeering. The charges laid out in a 68-page Federal indictment that include paying law enforcement sources for confidential information. A federal judge cleared the way for Pellicano to act as his own attorney. That decision could ultimately mean Finn will have to face in court the man she came to fear and loathe.

Erin Finn’s involvement in the federal case against Anthony Pellicano is a story, as the cliché’ saying goes “right out of Hollywood”.

Finn no longer lives in Los Angeles and says she was forced to leave Southern California because the threats, pressure and fear became too much to bear. Finn called LA home for over many years and at one point was the girlfriend of Robert Pfeifer. Pfeifer, a former rock musician and Disney record executive, who has already pled guilty to federal charges related to hiring Pellicano to wiretap Erin Finn. He was released on 1.2 million-dollar bond pending sentencing in early 2006. He is expected to be a key witness against Pellicano and is believed to be cooperating with federal authorities on the case.

Finn assisted the FBI by working directly with lead FBI agent Stanley Ornellas. ERS News requested an interview with Ornella’s prior to publication of this story. FBI Los Angeles spokesman Laura Eimiller told ERS News “the investigation / prosecution of Mr. Pellicano and others charged in connection with the wiretapping conspiracy is ongoing, therefore, Mr. Ornellas is prohibited from commenting, as are any FBI personnel”.

Finn’s resume runs the gamut from model, to escort, house sitter, and Internet tech geek with her own web presence; with a site for guys who like their web woman techno savy and attractive. She currently runs her own website… She also has friends like former super-hacker Kevin Mitnik.

Erin Finn got to know Anthony Pellicano, more than she ever expected or wanted too. In a series of extensive in-depth and exclusive interviews conducted with “The Enterprise Report” over the past year and half, Finn detailed how she went from the ex-girlfriend of a little known record executive, to a key witness in the federal case against Anthony Pellicano. Her story is revealed here for the first time.

How Erin Finn met Robert Pfeifer isn’t entirely clear. What is clear is Finn became his girlfriend and the two dated and began an intimate relationship. Pfeifer became embroiled in a series of civil legal matters surrounding his employment in the entertainment industry. Pfeifer had been involved in a sexual harassment lawsuit in which Finn was required to give a deposition about Pfeifer and his alleged drug use and other matters. According to Finn, she testified honestly and truthfully in the case and Pfeifer was not pleased about what she had to say about him. That was the beginning of Erin Finn’s problems.

Pfeifer was so upset with Finn and her testimony against him that he hired Anthony Pellicano and others to dig up the dirt on his former girlfriend. Pfeifer and Pellicano had known each other for years. Pfeifer’s ex-wife even claimed he looked up to Pellicano as his “godfather”. Digging up dirt on Finn, according to federal prosecutors, meant Pellicano wiretapped Finn’s phones. It also meant, if necessary, obtaining confidential law enforcement information. His sources included an LAPD cop and a member of the Beverly Hills Police Dept according to federal prosecutors.

Finn testified before a secret Los Angeles federal grand jury about what Robert Pfeifer and Anthony Pellicano were doing to her phones and her psyche. Neither one was very comforting or reassuring to Erin Finn. When the FBI came knocking on Finn’s door they found someone who was willing to help them. She had wondered what had taken them so long. She knew someone was wiretapping her, and she came to believe it was Pellicano because of his intimate knowledge of her private conversations. Finn says Pellicano knew details about her mother that only she and her mother had discussed on the phone. She took to playing radio broadcasts over her telephone calls in an attempt to make it harder for anyone to listen in.

As the case against Pellicano and others moved forward Finn developed an affinity for her FBI friend agent Ornellas. She had become so entangled in the Pellicano case that the pressure caused her to leave Los Angeles. She now lives out of state, far from Hollywood.

While Finn doesn’t relish her role as a key witness against Pellicano in his upcoming trial, she does know that that FBI knows that she is crucial to the government’s case. So crucial is her testimony that although Finn did speak candidly to this reporter in extensive interviews about her involvement in the case, she is still is afraid to speak entirely openly without the approval of the FBI.

In early 2006 Finn agreed to on camera TV interview with this reporter. The time and location set, the airline tickets purchased and the out of state location was to be kept secret at Finn’s request. Her Los Angeles based civil attorney, Byron Ball, also had given the O-K for the interview. Ball a well-respected civil litigator, is representing Finn along with other plaintiffs in a pending lawsuit in relation to some phone company employees assisting Pellicano in placing wiretaps on her and other victims. After all was set, Erin wanted to make one last phone call to Ornellas to make sure all was right with her FBI protector. The call would change Finn’s mind about doing the TV interview with this reporter and it would put fear back in the mind of Erin Finn.

According to Finn, Ornellas’ told her not to talk to this reporter or any other until after the case came to trial. He said that case and her role in it had changed since her former boyfriend Robert Pfeifer had pleaded guilty to charges related to wiretapping her. All this meant that her testimony would be even more crucial than ever against Pellicano. Ornellas told her that talking to reporters would harm the case.

Finn says what Ornellas told her next is what changed her mind. Ornellas told her that Pfeifer has been released on bail pending his sentencing after posting a million-dollar bond. He was out on the street. Ornellas told Finn that if she went on camera for an interview that neither Ornellas nor the FBI could protect her from Pfeifer. The only problem was Agent Ornella knew then that Phiifer was prohibited from leaving California or traveling anywhere with out his FBI handlers knowing where he was. Along with a host of other restrictions placed on him by the Judge in the case as a condition of his release. Pfeifer was now “their” witness. If he went anywhere near Finn, who was now living out of state, he would be in even more trouble than he already was. Nonetheless, Finn changed her mind at the last minute about doing an on camera interview. Finn says she wants to tell her story and is even presently writing a book about how she got caught up in the Pellicano case.

Finn told ERS News she doesn’t want to get on the wrong side of the FBI and Stanley Ornellas who have been “nothing but good to her” since this all began over 5 years ago. Now Finn says she has turned a new leaf in her life and has moved on.
In the meantime she waits to play her part in the biggest case to hit Hollywood in decades: the United States government vs. Anthony Pellicano. When the trial starts she will get the chance to the tell her story to a jury. She may not be famous or a celebrity as are many in this twisted Hollywood tale, but she will no doubt be a key figure in whether or not the government will prove its case against Anthony Pellicano and send him to prison. Pellicano who will be representing himself will get a chance to question Finn directly. It’s likely that Erin Finn is not looking forward to that day at all.

ERSNews has exclusively obtained never before seen photos showing a destroyed US Marine Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV) that was attempting to evacuate wounded Marines out of a fierce battle with Iraqi forces on March 23, 2003 in An Nasiriyah as the US led collation rolled toward Baghdad.  Eighteen U.S. Marines died that day.   The incident  remains the single largest loss of life for American troops in the Iraq conflict since the start of the war.

The official Pentagon investigation concluded that  "friendly fire" had happened.  But the report concluded that no US Marines had been killed by "friendly fire."

The photographs used in the official military investigation were withheld until obtained by ERSNews under the Freedom of Information Act  after a long protracted fight over their release.  The photos released by the Pentagon’s Central Command (CENTCOM)  were altered by military officials and despite repeated requests to provide unaltered photos, the Pentagon has so far refused to do so.

Two of the exclusive photos obtained from non-military sources (of a series of more than two dozen)  show the complete  destruction of the AAV.  The photos were taken by an embedded photojournalist traveling with another US Marine unit who happened on the scene shortly after it had happened. 

According to the Pentagon’s own investigation released in early 2004, the mistake, made by a Marine forward air controller, resulted in a US A-10 Warthog attacking the US Marine vehicles.  The A-10, from a Pennsylvania Air National Guard unit, targeted and destroyed the AAV with at least one and possibly two Maverick missiles according to the A-10 pilot’s account of the ill-fated attack. The name of the A-10 pilot, has never been made public nor has the name of the Marine forward air controller code-named MOUTH.

Pentagon investigators concluded that they couldn’t determine what killed the nine US Marines — despite the fact that their own investigation determined that the AAV was struck by at least one Maverick missile fired by the American A-10.  Although an initial Military investigation determined that six to seven Marines were killed by friendly fire, that conclusion was later changed and eliminated from the final report.

One key piece of evidence could have been the A-10 Heads-Up-Display (HUD) cockpit videotape.  The HUD tape itself was never located by investigators and according to the pilot, who fired two Maverick missiles at the Marine AAV in question, the tape was lost somehow and probably accidentally re-recorded.

The photographs exclusively obtained by ERSNews and additional on-scene eyewitness accounts are evidence the Pentagon and Marines never uncovered in their official investigation.