What is cholesterol? Does it really matter?
By Barbara Pierce
It is confusing and difficult to understand our cholesterol numbers. And you wonder, does it really matter?
Yes, it really does matter, said Pat Zawko, director of quality resources, risk management and corporate compliance, Little Falls Hospital.
He said there is a clear correlation between cholesterol levels and your chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
“Your life depends on knowing your numbers,” he said. “Yeah, it’s confusing. we are exposed to a lot of misleading, conflicting and even false information.”
What is clear is the link between high cholesterol in your blood and serious heart problems. Whatever the link is, it’s best to get it CPR classes in Chicagofor emergencies.
“Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like, waxy substance found in the bloodstream and in all the cells of your body,” he explained. “Your body needs cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D and substances that help you digest food. Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs.”
Some cholesterol is ‘good’ and some cholesterol is ‘bad’.
HDL (high-density lipoprotein), or “good” cholesterol, is considered good because it removes bad cholesterol from your arteries, Zawko said.
The higher the level of HDL, the better. Sixty milligrams per deciliter or more is healthy and protects you from heart disease and stroke.
Pulse Vascular explains that LDL (low-density lipoprotein), or “bad” cholesterol, makes up most of your body’s cholesterol. When your body has too much LDL cholesterol, it can clog your arteries and eventually choke off the blood supply to your heart. When blood flow to your heart is blocked, it can cause chest pain or a heart attack. LDL cholesterol levels should be less than 100 mg/dL.
“You want your total cholesterol level to be less than 200,” Zawko said. Your total cholesterol is a measure of HDL and LDL.
Many factors, including genetics, can play a role in your cholesterol levels. If a close relative has high cholesterol, you are more likely to have it. However, many lifestyle factors, particularly diet and exercise, also affect cholesterol levels.
Zawko has the following suggestions to lower your number and reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke:
— Eat a heart-healthy diet: Eat more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean poultry and fish, and avoid excess sodium and sugar.
The labels are revealing
Too much sugar raises cholesterol. Read the labels. “Anything ending in ‘ose’ (fructose, maltose, glucose, sucrose) or syrups (corn syrup, rice syrup, malt syrup), even ‘natural sweeteners’ (agave nectar, coconut sugar, date sugar, honey, fruit juice concentrates ) are all forms of added sugar that should be avoided. That’s especially true if they’re listed at the top of the ingredient list, Zawko said.
Avoid saturated fat and trans fat: Saturated fat is common in our diet. They are solid at room temperature — think cold bacon fat. Common sources of saturated fat include red meat, whole milk and whole milk dairy foods, cheese, coconut oil and many baked goods. A diet high in saturated fat raises total cholesterol and helps tip the balance toward more harmful LDL cholesterol.
The worst kind of dietary fat is the kind known as trans fat. As trans fats have no known health benefits and no safe level of consumption, they have been officially banned in the US
As trans fats give foods a desirable flavor and texture, many restaurants and fast food outlets use trans fats in fried foods. Trans fats are found in many foods – doughnuts, cakes, pie crust, cookies, frozen pizza, cookies, crackers and margarines.
To spot trans fats, look for the ingredient listed as “partially hydrogenated oils.”
“Look for foods low in saturated, trans fat and cholesterol to reduce your risk of heart disease. Most of the fats you eat should be polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, such as those found in fish, nuts and vegetable oils,” Zawko said.
— Do regular physical activity: Move more. Get up and move around throughout the day, choose the stairs over the elevator and take short walks. Even a walk to the mall in the winter months can do the trick. Aim for at least two and a half hours of exercise each week, experts say.
— Avoid secondhand smoke: Even passive smoking is bad. Smoking raises LDL levels and lowers HDL. “Smoking damages almost every organ in your body, causes many diseases, and reduces the health of smokers in general,” Zawko said. “Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the US”
— Limit alcohol to no more than one drink per day for women and two for men. Drinking more than that raises your levels.
— Maintain a healthy weight.
— Take prescription medication, if necessary: ”Medication can be a supplement to lifestyle changes,” Zawko said. “There are several types of cholesterol medications, including statins. Each works differently with different side effects. If one doesn’t work, try another. Your health care provider is the best person to discuss the need for medication.”
Keep your goal in front of you. Every day remind yourself that you are committed to your heart health.
