The High Cholestrol Overview
Cholestrol comes in too forms. The good HDL cholestrol looks like wax combined with fat, and is vital for many body parts like membranes, the brain, cell walls, muscles, liver, the heart, the intestines, nerves and the skin. This good waxy fat helps the body to produce Vitamin D, hormones and bile for fat digestion. Only low amounts are required to do the job. However, an excessive level of bad LDL cholestrol causes major health problems and diseases.
High cholesterol leaves a plaque-type build up inside arteries, veins and capillaries that can result in poor or now blood flow to vital organs and parts of the body, including the heart and brain. Coronary heart disease or CHD is a direct result of this pressure on the circulation system. It can also lower oxygen and nutrient supply to the heart.
Treatment of high cholestrol begins with special blood tests. It is important to know one’s overall cholesterol level, but this is just the start. Lipid profiling is done to analyze the LDL, overall cholesterol, HDL and triglycerides. Health experts recommend that adults have these tests done about every five years. In fact, they recommend that HDL, or good cholestrol levels should be 40 mg/dL or more. A HDL of 60 mg/dL can help to protect against heart diseases.
Sadly many people have above normal LDL levels and lower than normal levels of HDL. Some of this is born out of their diet, where they consume food rich in saturated and trans fats.
It is important to reduce LDL levels by taking the following life saving steps:
Avoid bad fats
Avoid shellfish
Keep body weight down to recommended levels for your frame
Do a weekly exercise program
Drink no more than 1 glass of alcohol per day or less
Reduce personal stress
Keep total fats to 30% or less than overall calories
Keep saturated fats to 7% or less than overall calories
Keep polyunsaturated fats to 10% or less than overall calories
Keep monounsaturated fats to 10% or less than overall calories
Keep cholesterol to 200 mg daily or less
Keep carbohydrates to a maximum of 60% of total diet
Try a vegetarian diet
Use margarines with stanol esters in them
Try aerobic exercise
Take niacin supplements
Take B vitamin supplements
Eat more fiber (whole grains, peas, beans, vegetables and fruit)
Eat natural or organic products
Avoid excess sugar
To successfully eat low LDL foods, whilst raising HDL level, choose from:
Wholewheat bread
Rye bread
Pumpernickel bread
Wholewheat tortillas
Bran or oat cereals
Brown rice
Wild rice
Wholegrain Thai rice
Bulgur
Couscous
Quinoa
Spelt
Kamut
Barley
Hominy
Millet
Fresh, canned, dried or frozen fruit without additional sugar
Fresh, frozen, and no-salt vegetables
Frozen or fresh fruit juices without additional sugar
1% or no-fat milk
Low fat yogurt
Low fat cheese
Lean meats
Extra lean ground beef
White turkey or chicken meat without skin
White fish, but no shellfish
Tuna in water
Organic, low fat peanut butter
Plain popcorn
Lots of fresh water
The American Heart Association has cookbooks that contain recipes that will lower high cholestrol levels. There are also others available through most hospital book stores.
As people get older their cholestrol levels increase naturally, putting them more at risk of heart disease. However, by following a healthy diet, regular exercise, keeping body weight down and stopping smoking, it is possible to lower cholestrol levels and avoid strokes and heart attacks.