Pre-menopausal women may already track their menstrual cycles - to predict periods, to pinpoint days of ovulation and peak fertility.

And new research adds women trying to determine their cholesterol levels to the list of those who should keep a calendar of their cycles.

Researchers noted that the ebbing and flowing of hormones - in this case, estrogen - can affect a woman’s tested readings for LDL “bad” cholesterol, HDL “good” cholesterol, and triglycerides.

via MedBroadcast: The researchers found that as estrogen levels rise, HDL, or “good” cholesterol also rises, peaking at ovulation.At the same time, as estrogen levels increased, total and LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, as well as levels of triglycerides, fell … This decline began a couple of days after estrogen levels peaked at ovulation.In addition, levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides were lowest just before the start of menstruation, the researchers noted.

Obese women over 40 had a greater fluctuation in levels than other women.

To get an accurate, reliable cholesterol reading, women are advised to have their levels tested at the same time each month for several cycles to get a consistent reading.

Related: Cycle calculator, What should your target cholesterol levels be?, Should your cholesterol be tested - and how often?, PMS Symptom Tracker (Opens as PDF)

You worry about a lot of things when you’re in your 20s and your 30s - your career, your identity, meeting the right person, starting a family. But not many 20- and 30-somethings think too much about their cholesterol.

Sure, you might know that high cholesterol puts your heart at risk, but it seems like one of those worries you can put off for another decade - or 2 or 3. A newly published study may lead to a change of heart … [Read more →]

> Do you want clear skin, shiny hair, white eyes and boundless energy? Eat a clean diet.

> Can exercise lower your bad cholesterol? Keep reading to find out.

> Red meat can be a part of a healthy, balanced diet - if you “meat” these 4 standards.

> Think you can spot a genital wart? Test yourself.

You probably don’t get enough fibre. I’m not jumping to conclusions here, either - just figuring the averages. According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, Canadians consume an average of 4.5 to 11 grams of fibre per day - a bit off the recommended mark of 26 to 35 grams (and if you have diabetes, up to 50 grams per day).

Fibre is the part of plant-based foods that is nearly indigestible. Rather than being absorbed through digestion like other nutrients, two types of dietary fibre get to work in our bodies. One type, insoluble fibre, softens and adds bulk to our stool, scrubbing out our digestive tracts and helping us stay regular. And since it takes time to work its way through our body, insoluble fibre keeps us feeling full and curbs appetite.

Soluble fibre is gooey and glue-like, trapping substances related to cholesterol, slowing gastric emptying, and delaying our small intestine’s absorption of glucose. When cholesterol gets cleared out, we reduce our risk of heart disease.

Here are loads of ideas for adding fibre to your diet:

> Did you know that a raw unpeeled apple has almost 10 times the fibre of a cup of apple juice? Yep, eating the peels makes a big difference to your total daily fibre intake.

> Consider fibre from the husks of psyllium.

> Medbroadcast suggests a handful of fibre-rich options: beans, oats, berries, plums, figs, and all sorts of greens.

> 9 simple ways to fit fibre into your day

> 14 types of fibre-filled whole grains to try

> 30-Day Fibre Challenge: Better health could be just a month away!

> Heart & Stroke Foundation offers up their top 10 high-fibre foods list.

Amidst all of the talk about Nutrition Month in Canada, I found myself discussing, of all things, Tim Hortons donuts.

I’d called a friend while he happened to be queued up at Tim’s to grab a coffee and a snack. We joked about which donut could possibly be the least dreadful for his health.

Since donuts don’t come with nutritional labels, a consumer has to seek out the sweet treat’s sugar-fat-cal stats. My friend is trim and fit, but he tries not to overdo it on sugar, since type 2 diabetes runs in his family, so we wondered which variety might have fewer grams of sugar.

I bet him it was the old fashioned plain and became curious if I was right. So, I decided to look up a few donut detals, first here and then here. I was most surprised by what I learned about that tinier treat - the Timbit! [Read more →]

Ask MedBroadcast’s nutrition expert, Brennan Robertson, your nutrition questions and get all the latest in nutrition news.

Q: What are probiotics and should I be taking them regularly?

Keep reading for Brennan’s answer … [Read more →]