What
is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a form of fat found in the blood and all cells of the
body. It is critically important in helping form cell membranes, steroid
hormones and bile acid, but cholesterol can also build up in the inner
walls of the arteries that supply blood to the heart. Those deposits contribute
to the formation of plaque, which can cause the arteries to narrow, making
them less efficient at transporting blood. This condition can lead to
coronary heart disease. You can help reduce your risk of a heart event
by lowering your cholesterol to a healthy level recommended by your doctor.1
There are two types of cholesterol that can be measured:
- Low-density Lipoproteins (LDL) This is the "bad" cholesterol, which increases your risk of heart disease. Too much LDL in the blood can lead to cholesterol build-up and artery blockages.
- High-density Lipoproteins (HDL) This is known as the "good" cholesterol because it works to slow the build-up of cholesterol by carrying it away from the arteries to be expelled from the body. High levels of HDL cholesterol seem to help protect against heart attack and other cardiovascular complications.2
Know Your LDL (Bad)
Cholesterol Number
Get your cholesterol checked! Your LDL (bad) cholesterol number is very
important. Your individual goal number will be based on your medical history
and any risk factors or genetic predisposition you may have for heart
disease. Ask your doctor what your goal number should be. The average
person should try to maintain an LDL cholesterol level below 130 mg/dL.
If you have heart disease or diabetes, your goal should be less than 100
mg/dL. Ask your doctor to help you develop the right plan to reduce your
cholesterol number to goal.3
Fighting Cholesterol
Fighting high cholesterol isn't easy, but it is very important! If you
have high cholesterol, guidelines suggest that you be more careful about
what you eat and exercise more. You also may take a daily medication to
help reduce your LDL cholesterol levels. However, more than 60 percent
of people treating high cholesterol with diet, exercise, and medication
still have not lowered their cholesterol to within a healthy range. The
consequences can be very serious, because the higher your cholesterol
numbers are, the higher your risk of a heart event. To mount a successful
attack against cholesterol, you and your doctor may need to expand the
scope of your treatment.4
There are TWO Sources
of Cholesterol
In addition to being found in the foods we eat, cholesterol is produced
naturally in the body. In fact, most Americans don't know that heredity
has a lot to do with high cholesterol. It's true, there are there are
two sources of cholesterol: cholesterol comes from the food you eat, and
your body naturally produces it. The amount you produce is influenced
by your heredity. Lifestyle modifications such as diet and exercise help
to lower cholesterol, although many patients still have higher levels
of LDL (bad) cholesterol than they should.5
It is important to treat both sources of cholesterol - providing a more
comprehensive treatment and even further lowering cholesterol to a healthy
level. Talk with your doctor to find out what type of treatments, if any,
is right for you.
Make Healthy Diet
and Regular Physical Activity a Priority
Although medicine can be necessary to lower your cholesterol, it's always
important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, which includes low-saturated-fat
and low-cholesterol foods and also regular physical activity.6
Many people have difficulty with high cholesterol simply because their
body produces too much of it. But foods that are high in cholesterol or
saturated fats also contribute to the problem. Eat healthy. Try oil-and-vinegar
dressing on salads, remove excess fat from beef, and trim the skin from
chicken. Read labels and replace higher-fat foods with those that are
lower in fat.7 Consider heart-healthy
cooking methods, such as baking, broiling, roasting, grilling or poaching.
Use small amounts of polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fat.
|
IF
YOU USUALLY
EAT
|
INSTEAD
TRY
|
|
Steak
Hamburgers Fried Chicken Whole or 2% Milk Cheese or Sour Cream Potato Chips |
Fish
Turkey Burgers Broiled or Baked Chicken Fat-free (Skim) or 1% Milk Low-fat Cheese or Sour Cream Rice Cakes/Baked Potato Chips |
Make regular physical activity part of your life. Change your life add in regular aerobic activities. Pace yourself; it's important to increase your activities gradually in accordance with your doctor's recommendations. To help you develop a healthy lifestyle, we've included a few tips that can help you get started.8
|
INACTIVE
|
MILDLY
ACTIVE
|
ACTIVE
|
|
Join a gym or recruit an exercise partner Walk on your lunch hour or coffee break Take the stairs Take the dog for an extra walk |
Increase the frequency of your exercise activities Join a gym or recruit an exercise partner Explore a new sport Create an exercise schedule and stick to it |
Exercise at least five times a week for 30 to 60 minutes Choose activities like biking and swimming that use large muscle groups Vary your routine to avoid burnout |
1
American Heart Association. 2002 Heart and Stroke Facts. Dallas, TX: American
Heart Association; 2001, 5
2 Ibid, 5
3
Ibid, 5
4 MSP Patient Information Kit 0903zetez0192b
and www.twocholesterolsources.com
5 American Heart Association. 2002
Heart and Stroke Facts. Dallas, TX: American Heart Association; 2001;1
6 www.twocholesterolsources.com
7 Ibid
8 Ibid