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To build muscle and lose fat, you need lots of healthy foods. Proteins to build & maintain muscle. Carbs for energy. Fruits & veggies for vitamins, minerals and fiber. Water for hydration & recovery. And healthy fats to help fat loss.

Unfortunately, the rising food prices make it hard to eat healthy. Your paycheck is most likely not rising as fast. Worst case you’re student which makes it even harder. These 20 tips will help you eat healthy on a budget.

1. Buy Whole Foods. Unprocessed foods are cheaper and more nutritious than processed foods. They also give you total control over the ingredients. Avoid anything that comes from a box 90% of the time.

• Proteins. Ground beef, frozen chicken breast, tuna cans, calves’ liver, cottage cheese, plain yogurt, eggs, milk, whey, …
• Carbs. Pasta, rice, oats, potatoes, beans, apples, bananas, raisins, broccoli, spinach, cabbage, …
• Fats. Olive oil, fish oil, flax seeds, real butter, mixed nuts, …

2. Buy Cheap Proteins. You need 1g protein per pound of body-weight per day to build and maintain muscle. Eating whole protein with each meal also helps fat loss as protein has a higher thermic effect than other foods.

Keep the steaks & salmon for special occasions. Buy eggs, milk, whey, mackerel, tuna, calves liver, frozen chicken breast, cottage cheese, … Read the post with the 10 cheapest sources of protein for more ideas.

3. Buy Frozen Fruits & Veggies. Unfreeze berries in microwave and eat warm with cottage cheese. Put frozen spinach in a colander the night before and try one of these recipes the next day. Try also frozen beans & broccoli. Benefits:

• Save Money. Often half the price of fresh. Almost infinite shelf life when kept in freezer. And you can buy in bulk to get more discount.
• Save Time. Frozen fruits & veggies are pre-washed and pre-cut, which saves preparation time. Time is money.
• Nutrient Dense. If frozen right when picked, frozen fruits & veggies can contain more nutrients than fresh ones.

4. Buy Generic Food. And store brands. Raw foods like rice, pasta, eggs, milk, cottage cheese, frozen fruits/veggies, … taste like brand name foods once you get used to them. But they’ll save you money on packaging & advertising.

5. Buy Supplements. They’re cheap and make your life easier, however whole food is better. You can use supplements, but make sure the bulk of your diet consists of whole, unprocessed foods.

• Whey. Cheapest protein you’ll find. 1 scoop ON whey is 24g protein/30g serving. At 2 scoops/day, a 10lbs bag will last 10 weeks for 84,99$.
• Fish Oil. Cheaper than fish. 1tsp Carlson Fish Oil is 1600mg omega-3. At 1tsp/day, 1 bottle will last 40 days for 23,04$.
• Multi-vitamins. Vitamin deficiency is common. 1 bottle AST Multi Pro 32x contains 100 servings and will last 3 months for 17.95$.

6. Buy in Bulk. Especially when you have promos running. Foods like pasta, rice and oats are easy to stockpile. If they’re on sale, buy as much as you can afford & store to last you until the next sale. More ideas.

• Side of Beef. Not necessarily cheaper, but you have better quality meat. Buying a side of beef gets you 100lbs meat at 3,60$/lbs.
• Supplements. You often get free shipping and discounts when buying in bulk. Make a 4 month order for you, friends & family and split the costs.
• Frozen Fruits & Veggies. Check tip #1. Saves money, saves times and nutrient dense. Buy mixed berries, spinach, broccoli, beans, etc.

7. Buy In Season Fruits & Veggies. Food grown in season tastes better and is cheaper. Root vegetables in the Winter. Apples & squash in the Fall. Broccoli & berries in the Summer. Check this, this & this guides for more info.

8. Buy Calorie Dense Foods. Whole milk, potatoes, rice, pasta & oats are filling, healthy and easy to stockpile. They’ll help you get your daily caloric needs fast & cheap, and make gaining weight for skinny guys easier.

9. Buy Discounted Meat. Grocery stores often discount meats by up to 70% as they approach expiration date. Buy several pounds and store in your freezer.

10. Buy From Local Farmers. Or farmer’s markets. They aren’t always cheaper, but you get tastier & better quality food and they often give you free stuff when you buy a lot. Find local farmers in your area here & here.


Image credit: chad

11. Buy Everything from 1 Place. Time is money and fuel is expensive. Stop shopping for sales going to 10 different places. Find 1 or 2 places that get you cheap prices for most foods you need and buy everything there.

12. Drink Tap Water. Get a brita pitcher and filter your tap water. It’s cheaper than bottled water, soda or orange juice. One $8 filter cleans 40 gallons water and makes it taste a lot better.

13. Clip Coupons. Invest 2$ in your Sunday paper or print the coupons from the Grocery Coupon Guide. Read also how to get the most out of coupons.

14. Get The Customer Card. Many grocery stores hold sales for customer card holders only. Some cards save AND give you money, like gift certificates once you’ve spent a fixed amount. Signing up takes 5 mins and is free.

15. Check the Unite Price. But also how the big the servings are. Big packages are often, but not always cheaper than small ones. Sometimes 2 small boxes are cheaper than 1 big one although there’s more packaging.

16. Eat Less Total Calories. Lose the fat if you’re over-weight: it will save you money and improve your health. If you want to bulk up, decide what’s more important to you: gaining weight or saving money.

17. Avoid Impulse Buying. “Failing to plan is planning to fail”. The best way to avoid impulse buying is to prepare yourself before you do the grocery.

• Makes a List and Stick to It. Plan your meals ahead, including portion size. List all foods you need for the next 7 to 14 days. Go the grocery store, get what’s on your list and get out.
• Eat Before You Go Shopping. This prevents buying foods not on your list because you’re hungry. Eat a solid meal before doing the grocery.
• Shop Alone. Prevents impulse buying from wife/husband and/or kids. Leave them home. Take them to more fun places when you get back.

18. Stop Buying Food Outside. Preparing your own food gives you total control over the ingredients and is cheaper than buying food at work/school.

• Take Food with You. Food containers for work/school, protein shake for the gym, bag of nuts when you go to the movies, …
• Eat Before Leaving Home. Eat breakfast, eat before doing the grocery, eat before going out with friends/family, …

19. Prepare Your Own Food. Cook all your meals for the day on waking up or before going to bed. It takes 30-40mins, saves you stress about what you’ll be eating the rest of the day and you eat healthy while saving money.

• Stop Buying Processed Food. Buy oats instead of cereals, make home made protein bars, home made tomato sauce, home made pizza, …
• Keep it Simple. Make double portions, take leftovers with you, use cans of tuna & mackerel, rice & pasta, frozen veggies, …
• Learn to Cook from Scratch. Learn to work with spices & herbs. Try the recipes on this blog. Invest in a cook book like Gourmet Nutrition.

20. Grow Your Own Food. Cheaper than frozen, tastes better and you control what you put on them to keep bugs off. Plant your own trees that grow berries, walnuts & apples. Buy chickens for free eggs & meat. More ideas:

• Square-Foot Gardening. Build a raised bed and divide it into sections of 1 square foot. Check Mel Bartholomew’s site & book for how to’s.
• Container Gardening. Grow vegetables in containers on your balcony or doorstep. Check this & this guides.
• Rent Garden Plots. If you don’t have a yard, some cities rent garden plots. Just google rent garden plots in your state.

Bonus Tip. Healthy & budget don’t mix well. If you really want to eat healthy you’ll have to put money down. Get a job if you don’t have one. Work on a salary increase or additional stream of income if you do.

If you like this post, vote for it on stumbleupon and del.icio.us.

Image credit: Powershotsmag.com

Do you use straps for Deadlifts? Do you wear gloves because your hands hurt? Look at the picture at the top. The guy deadlifts a heavy weight with his bare hands. How come he doesn’t need straps or gloves?

If you grip the bar correctly on Deadlifts, you’ll minimize callus formation, won’t need straps or gloves and can even add a few extra pounds to your max. This post will teach you how to grip the bar correctly on Deadlifts.

Where to Grip The Bar. The shorter the movement, the more weight you can lift. A wide grip — like a snatch grip — forces you to pull the bar higher than a narrow grip does. A wide grip also makes you start from a deeper position.

The most efficient way to Deadlift is with your arms perpendicular to the floor. Narrow your stance so your legs don’t get in the way of your arms. The picture at the top shows the correct way to grip the bar on Deadlifts.

How to Grip The Bar. Use a normal grip — both palms facing your body — as much as you can. This strengthens your grip.

• Bar Close to Fingers. You’ll minimize callus formation by putting the bar close to your fingers instead of in your palm. Lower the weight until you get used to the new grip technique if it feels weird.
• Avoid Gloves. Gloves add inches to the bar which makes grip harder. Let grow calluses, your skin will toughen up.
• Avoid Straps. Deadlifting with straps because you have a weak grip further weakens your grip. Lose the straps. Add grip training if needed.
• Use Chalk. Chalk minimizes callus formation by filling your skin folds. It also keeps your hands dry from sweating. Use chalk if your gym allows, you’ll be able to Deadlift more weight.
• Squeeze The Bar Hard. Put your left hand on your right shoulder. Make a fist with your right hand. Tighten your right fist and feel the tension in your shoulder/biceps. The harder you squeeze the bar, the harder your surrounding muscles work.

The Mixed Grip. When both palms face your body you have 8 fingers on 1 side of the bar and 2 thumbs on the other side. Your thumbs will give out first with heavier weights. The solution is to switch to the mixed grip.

• 1 Palm Facing You, 1 Palm Facing Away. This puts 4 fingers & 1 thumb on both sides of the bar. Both thumbs are supported by 4 fingers. Check the picture at the top for an example of the mixed grip.
• Face Your Dominant Hand Away. Tends to be the strongest position. Use it on your heaviest set. Alternate the supine/pronated hand on each of your submaximal sets to avoid muscle imbalances.

Some lifters use the hook grip for Deadlifts. Benefits: symmetry and your lockout drops by a few inches. The problem however: it hurts. Try it: start light, add weight gradually and maybe you’ll end like this guy.

As you requested, I will review books, dvds or any other products that I have, 1-2x per month. I’m starting with a product several of you asked me to review: Magnificent Mobility DVD by Eric Cressey & Mike Robertson.

Eric Cressey & Mike Robertson. Eric Cressey, MS, CSCS and Mike Robertson, MS, CSCS, USAW are powerlifters and strength & conditioning coaches. They work with athletes of all levels, from youth to professional.

They’re called the mobility guys because they’re specialized in preventing and rehabilitating injuries by teaching you to move efficiently. Magnificent Mobility contains exercises that they use with their athletes.

What Is Magnificent Mobility? Magnificent Mobility is a 50mins DVD containing 36 exercises that improve your flexibility and activate dormant muscles. These exercises will improve your posture and can prevent or even fix injuries.

• 36 Exercises. Dynamic stretches that improve your flexibility by moving your body through space. Activation drills to activate muscles that often aren’t firing when needed, like your glutes. And 3 static stretches you can do post workout. Most exercises are for your hips & back, but you get some for your upper-back, shoulders & neck too.
• Written & Audio Cues. How to perform the exercises, what you must pay attention to to get the most out of them, what you should avoid, diagrams of muscles worked for each exercise, etc. They explain and show you what to do, while you get written cues on your screen.
• Demonstrations For Each Exercise. Cressey & Robertson demonstrate how to perform each exercise. You get multiple angles. Each exercise is 1 chapter on the DVD for easy navigation.

Magnificent Mobility Introduction. The first chapter of Magnificent Mobility is an introduction by Cressey & Robertson on stretching, some things you’ll learn:

• Why static stretching pre-workout isn’t a good idea
• What the goal of your warm-up should be
• What dynamic stretching is and what are its benefits

Magnificent Mobility Exercises. The DVD is split into easy, medium & hard exercises so you can start whatever your flexibility. Full list of exercises:

• Easy Exercises. Cat/camels, yoga twist, side twist, bent knee twist, bird dogs, side-lying trunk twist, calf stretch, fire hydrants, supine bridges.
• Medium Exercises. Single-leg supine bridges, anterior-posterior leg swings, side-to-side leg swings, supine scorpions, prone scorpions, hip corrections, windmills, high knee walks, pull-back butt kicks, mini-band side steps, cradle walks, scap push-ups, overhead dislocations.
• Hard Exercises. Toy soldiers, single leg RDL, reverse warrior lunge with twist, walking spiderman, alternating lateral lunge, squat to stand, crossover overhead reverse lunge, running but kicks, high knee skips, deep wideout drops, supine leg whips.
• Static Stretches. Warrior lunge hip flexor stretch, prone ITB/TFL stretch, double neck stretches. Do these post workout.

You can do these exercises as warm-up and/or on non-training days to speed up recovery. Try all exercises the 1st time, then pick the ones you like the most. Doing all the medium exercises takes about 10mins.

Is Magnificent Mobility for You? Magnificent Mobility DVD contains exercises for your hips, spine, calves, upper-back, shoulders & neck. Most are for your hips & back. I recommend Magnificent Mobility if you have back problems.

• You Can’t Squat or Deadlift Correctly. Tight glutes can make your lower back round on Squats & Deadlifts. Exercises like cradle walks can help you improve flexibility in your glutes so your back stops rounding.
• You Have Back Pain. Dormant glutes & tight hip muscles will make your lower back compensate. Magnificent Mobility has dynamic stretches for your hips and glute activation exercises.
• You Have Nagging Injuries. Knee pain, hip pain, groin pain, back pain, etc. You’d be amazed how many of your nagging injuries go away by improving mobility and activating muscles that have become dormant due to sedentary lifestyle or bad posture.

What I Like About Magnificent Mobility. I used to have back pain when lifting and standing for long time. Nothing helped, so I bought Magnificent Mobility. I did the exercises 3-4x/week, and got rid of the back pain.

Years later, I still do the exercises as a preventive measure and use them with people I train. Results are always the same: they get rid of their nagging back pain in a matter of weeks by improving hip mobility and glute activation.

What I Don’t Like About Magnificent Mobility. Someone with anterior pelvic tilt has different needs than someone with posterior pelvic tilt. You don’t get any info about which exercises you should do based on specific problems.

Cressey & Robertson give, however, good after sale support. And you still have the diagrams for each exercise showing you which muscles are worked if you want to make your own routine.

Get 10$ Off Magnificent Mobility. The Magnificent Mobility DVD costs 49,99$. You get 10$ off this price until July 30th if you buy Cressey’s Maximum Strength through his site and mention “Mehdi” in the comment box.

Click Here to order Magnificent Mobility DVD.

Image: Kirk “Captain Kirk” Karwoski

The Squat is the toughest weight lifting exercise, both physically and mentally. You’ll sometimes lack motivation to go to the gym because you know a heavy Squat session is waiting for you there.

Time to cut the crap. What you Squat is ridiculous compared with what others lift. “Somewhere out there, a little Chinese girl is warming up with your max”. These are the 10 most impressive Squats of all time.

1. 1000lbs. Lee Moran was the 1st man to Squat 1000lbs. On his 1st attempt the bar flipped over his head and knocked him out. On the 2nd attempt 1 collar came off and the bar flipped over again. This was his 3rd attempt: 1003lbs.

Why impressive? His 2 failed attempts didn’t affect him.

2. 1000lbs x 2. Kirk Karwoski did raw Squats with 755lbs for 7 reps. 10 years after quiting competition he could still do 845lbs raw. He built this physique through powerlifting. Here’s “Captain Kirk” squatting 1000lbs for 2 reps.

Why impressive? “I want to hold it”

3. 1000lbs at 45. Dr. Fred Hatfield, aka Dr. Squat, won the World Powerlifting Championships 3 times. At age 45 he did a competitive Squat with 1014lbs at 255lbs body-weight. Video:

Why impressive? He did this age 45.

4. 1000lbs from Pins. Expect to Squat less weight when doing a Pin or Box Squat. You can’t use the stretch reflex when you start from a dead stop. Bud Jeffries doesn’t mind it: 1000lbs Squat from pins.

Why impressive? It’s a pin Squat.

5. No-No-No Squats. In 1993, 3 days before winning the World Weightlifting Championship, Ivan Chakarov was spotted in the training halls doing high bar, ass to grass Squats with 265kg for 2 reps at 91kg body-weight.

Why impressive? No wraps, no belts, no spotters.

6. 400lbs x 20. Take your 10 rep max Squat and do 20 reps with it. Breathe between reps until you got all 20 reps, no matter what. Breathing Squats will test your mental endurance. Jesse Marunde:

Why impressive? He did these after heavy Power Cleans and Pull-ups.

7. 920lbs at 50. Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell club is the only man over 50 years old who can Squat 920lbs. He’s the proof that whatever your age is, you can Squat if you want to.

Why impressive? 920lbs at age 50.

8. 310 kg x 2. I first put Idalberto Arranda here with his 290kg high bar, ass to grass Squat for a double. But then I remembered Eduardo Guadamud doing Squats with 310kg for 2 reps. Video:

Why impressive? Beyoncé playing in the background doesn’t affect him.

9. 815lbs at 181lbs BW. Wade Hooper took the 1st place in the 2008 USAPL Men’s Nationals with a 370kg Squat at 82,5kg body-weight. All using a single ply, walking out and squatting below parallel.

Why impressive? 4.5x body-weight Squat.

10. Female 843Lbs Squats. Becca Swanson is often referred to as the world’s strongest woman. She holds world records in the Squat & Deadlift. This video shows Swanson Squatting 843lbs.

Why impressive? I bet she Squats more than you do.

Squat vs. Deadlift. Image credit: Starting Strength 2nd edition.

The top picture is from the cover of Starting Strength and illustrates 2 technique essentials valid for most weight lifting exercises:

• You must keep the bar above the center of your feet.
• You must move the bar in a straight line.

Keeping the bar above the center of your feet ensures stability. Moving the bar in a straight line is more efficient: the shortest distance between 2 points is a straight line. Here’s how to push/pull the bar in a straight line.

Squat. You’ll always push the bar in a straight line on low bar Squats as long as you keep the bar above the center of your feet.

• Low Bar Position. If you put the bar higher, you’ll lean forward more and risk falling forward. Put the bar on top of your scapular spine.
• Push Your Hips Back. Squatting down kills posterior chain strength and moves the bar away from the center of your feet. Move your hips first.

Overhead Press. Your head is in the way when pressing overhead. Don’t press the bar diagonally. Get your head out of the way so the bar can go up.

• Tilt Head Back. Put the bar close to your clavicles with your elbows up. Look forward while tilting your head back so the bar can go up.
• Shift Torso Forward. Don’t stay behind the bar: get under the bar by shifting your torso forward as soon as the bar reaches forehead level.

Bench Press. Common mistake on the Bench Press is pressing the bar in a diagonal curve: toward your head. Straight line is shorter.

• Tuck Your Elbows. Safer on your shoulders. Tuck your elbows so they end up 45° to your torso rather than perpendicular to your body.
• Touch Your Lower Chest. Lower the bar against your xyphoid process. You can only do this if you keep your elbows tucked.
• Look at The Ceiling. The bar goes where you look. Don’t look at the bar. Fix a point at the ceiling where you want the bar to go.

Deadlift. Starting with the bar away from your shins puts your hips too low, is harder on your lower back, and makes you Deadlift in a \ line.

• Bar Against Shins. Avoid scraped shins by wearing long pants or pulling your socks. Bar against shins in the starting position.
• Keep The Bar Close to You. The closer the bar to your body, the easier the lift. Roll the bar over your thighs on the way up.

Power Clean. Similar error as for Deadlifts: starting the Power Clean with the bar away from your shins because you fear hitting your shins.

• Bar Against Shins. Avoid scraped shins by wearing long pants or pulling your socks. Bar against shins in the starting position.
• Pull from Mid-thigh Level. Don’t pull too soon. Weight until the bar reaches mid-thigh level to start the 2nd pull.
• Touch Your Shirt. The closer the bar, the easier to lift. Touch your shirt at chest level on the way up.

Realize human biomechanics prevent you to push or pull the bar in a perfectly straight line. Strive, however, for a straight bar path. Lower the weight to get used to the new technique if you pushed/pulled differently before.

Cereals aren’t as healthy as you think. Image credit: hello sunrise

To build muscle & lose fat, 90% of your diet must consist of whole unprocessed foods. That’s anything that doesn’t come out of a box like meats, veggies, eggs, fruits, etc. Eating 6 meals/day leaves room for 4 junk meals per week.

You’re already doing that but not getting results? Maybe you’re not eating that healthy. Here are 10 foods you might think are healthy because they’re labeled as such, but which in reality are anything but healthy.

1. Breakfast Cereals. Cereals are labeled healthy & nutritive and recommended for weight loss. Read the labels: cereals are often high in sugar & salt and their vitamin/mineral content is chemical based. Drop that spoon.

Healthy alternative: one of these 7 breakfast recipes.

2. Granola Bars. Granola bars consist of healthy oats & nuts. But they’re glued together with blood sugar raising ingredients like corn syrup. Some bars even contain chocolate chips, making them as bad as candy bars.

Healthy alternative: homemade protein bars.

3. Yogurt with Fruit at The Bottom. Fat free doesn’t mean healthy. Labels tell you they contain added sugars, corn syrup or artificial sweeteners. Same with fat free frozen yogurts which can contain 20g sugars per 1/2 cup.

Healthy alternative: plain unflavored yogurt mixed with fruit cut into pieces.

4. Bread. Convenient and tastes good, but not as healthy as you think. Whole grain or whole wheat means nothing. Dark bread can still contain corn syrup & trans-fats and eating too much bread will make you fat.

Healthy alternative: Ezekiel Bread, but lower your bread intake.

Bread is also not as healthy as you think. Image credit: Harald Schmid

5. Sandwiches. Often labelled “fitness” or “light”, but containing sugar-laden salad dressings, little veggies & proteins and too much white bread. Freshness is questionable and you need the foot-long to fill your stomach.

Healthy alternative: make your own sandwiches.

6. Fruit Juice. Even 100% fruit juice has added sugars, usually fructose. Cans of fruit juice contain up to 38g sugar per 8oz. Excess fructose causes obesity, bad cholesterol, poor appetite control, etc.

Healthy alternative: home-made fruit juice or eat fruit.

7. Sport Drinks. Supposed to help you replenish electrolytes, carbs, etc. But it’s actually sugar water, with up to 30g sugar/serving. If you eat healthy and don’t drink 2 gallons water in 1 setting, you don’t risk water intoxication.

Healthy alternative: water during workout, protein + carbs post workout.

8. Fast Food Salads. Contain sugar-laden salad dressings, croutons made from refined white flour or white floor pasta. In many cases you’re better off ordering a double cheeseburger than a chicken salad.

Healthy alternative: make your own salads.

9. Frozen Meals. Nothing is wrong with frozen veggies/fruits. But a lot is wrong with frozen meals often labeled “light” or “healthy”. They’re processed, high in sugar, and come with sauces & sodium. Avoid.

Healthy alternative: cook all your meals for the day in the morning or evening.

10. Diet Soda. Contain artificial sweeteners like the controversed aspartame. Do your research and decide if you want to take the risk. Start with this & this thread on diet soda in StrongLifts.com Forum.

Healthy alternative: water, water with squeezed lemon, green tea.

Image credit: rajmtx

This article was submitted by reader Kyle Peabody.

Cholesterol is a lipid found in the membranes of animal cells and transported by blood plasma. In today’s society, cholesterol is a hot topic: media bombards you with messages to keep your cholesterol levels low to stay healthy.

Unfortunately a lot of myths & misinformation surround cholesterol. As this post will explain you, lowering your cholesterol won’t improve your health. Here are 7 things you should know about cholesterol.

1. Dietary Cholesterol Is Not Bound to Blood Cholesterol. Your liver produces 3-6 times more cholesterol than you can eat. There’s no relation to cholesterol & saturated fat intake to higher cholesterol levels.

2. There’s No Such Thing As Good and Bad Cholesterol. Many people call HDL “good cholesterol” and LDL “bad cholesterol”. This is false.

• LDL Cholesterol. Carries proteins from your liver throughout your whole body into your cells.
• HDL Cholesterol. Goes from your cells back to your liver, where it’s recycled. Why? Recycling is more efficient than reproducing.

3. High Cholesterol Doesn’t Increase Risks of Heart Disease. Cholesterol gets dangerous when you have small cholesterol particles. These particles can lodge in the ribs of your blood vessels and build up as plaque.

This becomes dangerous as cholesterol oxidizes and solidifies in your arteries, causing blockage. A simple solution to this is to get you antioxidants. Eat lots of berries, drink real green tea, etc.

4. You Need Cholesterol to Make New Cells. Cholesterol is one of the building blocks of cells. This is important in strength training.

• Your muscles are tired post workout. In an effort to adapt & strengthen, they’ll create new muscle cells and fibers.
• You need cholesterol for the production of steroid hormones like testosterone. These hormones are essential to health.
• Stress, inflammation and strain on cell causes damage. You need cholesterol to repair and build new cells in these areas.

5. Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs Don’t Affect Particle Size. Your diet influences cholesterol particle size most.  Eating healthy keeps LDL particles acting normal.

Big pharma don’t want you to know this: millions of people would realize they don’t need their drugs. Knowing that these drugs are harmful to your health in the long term — specifically your liver — makes it a no-brainer to avoid them.

6. Cholesterol Isn’t The Most Dangerous Particle. Think of teenagers drinking soda and their acne. What does your body produce to combat the inflammation from the high sugar levels? Cholesterol to repair cells.

High sugar diets and junk food raise your cholesterol. The damage to your cells & blood vessels, can cause heart attacks, strokes or clogged arteries. Doctors notice you have high cholesterol, hence the causation myth.

7. High Cholesterol Has Many Benefits. High cholesterol levels will actually improve your health. Some of the benefits:

• Protects From Infections & Disease. Studies show that people with high cholesterol are more immune to infectious diseases.
• Makes You Live Longer. Studies also show that people with high cholesterol levels live longer than those with low cholesterol.
• Raises Testosterone levels. Anabolic Diet, Ultimate Diet and other high fat/low carb diets are linked with high cholesterol. This helps hormone production such as testosterone, a muscle building steroid.

Bonus Tip: How to Protect Yourself Against Heart Disease. More things you can do to reduce your risk for heart diseases:

• Exercise. Strength training, weight lifting, cardio, … Any physical activity will increase your muscle mass and lower your body fat.
• Eat Healthy. Avoiding artificial trans-fats and refined sugars. Balance your Omega 3/6/9 intake. Eat whole, unprocessed food 90% of the time.