| HDL Cholesterol / Good Cholesterol HDL, or the "good" cholesterol, actually helps fight the risk of heart attack and/or stroke. Because they consist of more protein than that of triglycerides or cholesterol, they work hard to remove LDL from your artery walls. HDL transports cholesterol from cells to the liver. At this point, they are either reused or converted to bile acids and disposed. Low Cholesterol A good rule to follow is that any "total" cholesterol reading below 200 is good and anything over 240 indicates that you are at risk for developing coronary disease. In addition, your LDL cholesterol should measure below 130 and your HDL cholesterol should range between 35 and 40. When the HDL, or "good" cholesterol, reaches 60 or higher, you actually have the benefit of reducing your chance of heart attack. Low Cholesterol Diet Some foods contain what are called complex carbohydrates that you should try to eat more of. These include whole-grain breads, cereals, rice, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Foods high in fiber such as green, leafy vegetables and fruits contain no cholesterol and should be included more in your daily meals. These will help to raise your cholesterol level, which helps to fight off heart disease. High Cholesterol When you have high cholesterol, you are put at much higher risk for coronary heart disease. This disease fills the arteries with fatty deposits that act as obstacles. In other words, the artery becomes clogged and the required blood cannot get past these obstacles to adequately reach your heart. Eventually, this lack of blood flow causes what is known as a heart attack. High Cholesterol Diet Avoiding foods made from saturated fats - coming from animals, which is an essential line of defense in fighting high cholesterol. When buying cooking oils, look for unsaturated or vegetable fats. Use low fat cooking sprays in place of heavy oils whenever possible. Eat lean cuts of meat and avoid organ meat such as liver, kidneys, or brains. Drink skim or 1 1/2% milk in place of whole milk, avoid ice cream, cheese, and butter. Eat shellfish only on special occasion. Switch your normal margarine or butter intake to Benecol or Take Control products specifically designed to help reduce cholesterol. Cholesterol Count A good rule to follow is that any "total" cholesterol reading below 200 is good and anything over 240 indicates that you are at risk for developing coronary disease. In addition, your LDL cholesterol should measure below 130 and your HDL cholesterol should range between 35 and 40. When the HDL, or "good" cholesterol, reaches 60 or higher, you actually have the benefit of reducing your chance of heart attack. Cholesterol Diet Diet, meaning the right foods, is extremely beneficial as a tool for lowering LDL, bad cholesterol, and raising HDL, good cholesterol. Avoiding foods made from saturated fats - coming from animals - is an essential line of defense in fighting high cholesterol. When buying cooking oils, look for unsaturated or vegetable fats. You should also use low fat cooking sprays in place of heavy oils whenever possible. Cholesterol Lowering Drugs/Medication Several drugs have been successful in lowering cholesterol however, you should discuss options thoroughly with your physician since there is definite risk associated with these drugs. The most widely used include Norvir (ritonavir), Fortovase (saquinavir), Pravachol (pravastatin), Zocor (simvastatin), Lipitor (atorvastatin), Baycol (cerivastatin), Lescol (fluvastatin), Bile Acid Sequestrants to include Colestid (colestipol HCI) and Questran (cholestyramine). Cholesterol Lowering Foods Whole-grain breads, cereals, rice, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Foods high in fiber such as green, leafy vegetables and fruits contain no cholesterol and should be included more in your daily meals. Cholesterol Monitoring For the most accurate results, you should have your cholesterol checked by your physician. However, new technology is becoming more sophisticated offering at-home test kits that provide privacy and convenience. Although not all these tests will produce accurate results, most will give you a good idea of your level. Simply complete a finger stick and using just one drop of blood, you can check your levels. Cholesterol Reading Certified lab technicians based on the low/medium/high ranges will read lab work ordered by your physician. Test results usually take a few days at which time you will either be contacted or advised to call your physician"s office for the results. If you are using an at-home test kit, the majority of these kits come with chemically treated pad designed to react with blood samples. No special training is required. Easy to follow instructions are included as well as a telephone number to call should support be required. Cholesterol Screening Being screened for cholesterol is painless (small needle stick) and inexpensive. To keep track of their cholesterol levels, people with known cardiovascular disease or who have had previously high results should be checked several times. People on poor diets, who are overweight, smokers, and sedentary (little or no exercise) should have their cholesterol levels checked every three years at a minimum. In addition, individuals over the age of 50 should have their levels checked annually. If you do not have a primary healthcare provider, there are health fairs run by qualified medical personnel that often do this screening at no charge or you can contact your local health department. Cholesterol Test For the most accurate test results, you should have your cholesterol checked by your physician. However, new technology has become more sophisticated providing at-home test kits that give you privacy and convenience. Although not all these tests will produce accurate results, most will give you a good idea of your level. Simply complete a finger stick and using just one drop of blood, you can check your levels. Block Cholesterol Several cholesterol-blocking medications are on the market as a means of "blocking" LDL cholesterol. Also known as "cholesterol lowering" drugs, they are effective but are also known for producing bad side effects. The most popular "reducers" or "blockers" currently being used include Norvir (ritonavir), Fortovase (saquinavir), Pravachol (pravastatin), Zocor (simvastatin), Lipitor (atorvastatin), Baycol (cerivastatin), and Lescol (fluvastatin). LDL Cholesterol / Bad Cholesterol LDL is the type of cholesterol considered "bad", which is the specific type of cholesterol that clogs up the system and leads to a much higher risk of heart attack and/or stroke. Although there are other factors involved in this risk such as age, gender, smoking, family history of heart disease, and diabetes mellitus, cholesterol is a major contributing factor that should not be ignored. Lipid Profile A lipid profile is a set of tests commonly used together as a tool in identifying coronary heart disease risk. Although these tests are still done, they have not been good indicators whether or not someone is likely to have a heart attack and/or stroke directly relating to blocked arteries. The lipid profile includes tests for total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. Triglycerides Triglycerides are a particular form of fat that is transported through your blood to the tissue. The majority of your body"s fat tissue is made up of triglycerides. Triglyceride Levels The optimal number for your triglycerides would be anything 150 or less. When triglycerides are elevated, the risk of heart disease is also elevated. High/Elevated Triglycerides High or elevated Triglycerides can happen because your body is not able to handle the blood sugar circulating in your blood, you consume too much alcohol, you have an underactive thyroid, you have been fasting, or you are taking hormone replacement therapy. Triglycerides are a particular form of fat that is transported through your blood to the tissue. The majority of your body"s fat tissue is made up of triglycerides. However, high levels of triglyceride levels by themselves are not necessarily responsible for causing atherosclerosis. Cause of High triglycerides Some lipoproteins rich in triglycerides contain cholesterol, which in turn causes atherosclerosis in certain individuals that have high triglycerides that many times are accompanied with low HDL or diabetes tendencies that raise the risk of heart disease. What that means is that high triglycerides can be an indicator of a problem with lipoprotein. Lowering Triglycerides Proven ways of lowering triglycerides consist of weight loss by eating fewer calories and eating the right foods, adding in high soluble fiber to your daily food intake, get involved in an on-going exercise program, consume fewer carbohydrates, eat more fruits and vegetables, and avoid alcohol.
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