High Cholesterol

What is it?

Cholesterol is a fat like substance in your blood which your body needs to function normally; however, if there is to much, over time it can build up and begin to harden. This causes arteries to become narrowed which restricts or cuts off blood flow causing a heart attack, stroke, or heart disease.

High cholesterol itself does not have any direct symptoms! It is important for everyone to find out from their doctor what their cholesterol levels are regardless of age, sex, or medical history.

The Facts About Cholesterol:

Types of cholesterol:

LDL "Bad cholesterol" - This is what can clog your arteries. In general, the higher the level of LDL in your blood and the more risk factors you have, the greater your chances of heart disease, heart attack or stroke. LDL should be at a level of less than 100mg/dL.
HDL "Good cholesterol" - HDL helps to reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in your body. This should be at a level of 60mg/dL or more.
Triglycerides - Another fat which can lead to heart disease, heart attack and stroke. These should be at level of less than 150 mg/dL.

Note: Total cholesterol should be less than 200 mg/dL.

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Risk Factors for High Cholesterol

Cigarette smoking
High blood pressure
Low HDL cholesterol (Less then 40mg/dL)
Family history of heart disease
Age
Being overweight
Being inactive

Risk Factors for Heart Disease

Cigarette smoking
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Family history of heart disease
Race (African Americans, Mexican Americans, American Indians, native Hawaiians and some Asian Americans have a higher risk)
Age
Sex (Men have a greater risk then women)
Being overweight
Being inactive

Improve Your Cholesterol

According to the expertes, the best things you can do to improve your cholesterol is exercise, lose excess weight, and eat a heart friendly diet. See below for some suggestions:

Diet:
1. Cut down on foods with high levels of saturated fats (less the 7% total calories)
2. Cut down on foods with high in cholesterol (less than 200 mg per day)
3. Increase the amount of soluble fiber in your diet (10 to 25 gm per day)
4. Increase the amount of fruits and vegetables in your diet
5. Grill, broil, or roast meats instead of frying them
6. Switch to low fat dairy products
7. Use vegetable oils like canola, corn, or olive
8. Add foods which may aid in lower your cholesterol to your diet. These include fatty fish, walnuts, almonds, oatmeal, oat brand, soy products, and products that contain plant stanols (heart healthy tub margirine).
Weight Being overweight increases your cholesterol levels. If you are overweight, losing excess weight can lower your LDL and raise your HDL.
Exercise: Regular physical activity of at least 30 minutes a day can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels. (See our Basic Exercise Guide)

Please note that some people may not be able to simply reduce their cholesterol level with the lifestyle changes above. These people may need to take cholesterol lower prescription drugs.

Other Things You Can Do

If you smoke, QUIT!

Ask your doctor if your current medications can raise cholesterol levels.

There is some research tha supports the use of some vitamins and supplements to help lower cholesterol levels. Ask your doctor before beginning to take any of the following supplements.

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Garlic
Ginseng
Capsicum Fruit (Cayenne Pepper, Red Pepper, Hot Chile Peppers)