Lower Cholesterol 

 Do I have to change my diet to lower my cholesterol?

Changes in diet should be your first step in lowering cholesterol. Limit the amount of fat, especially saturated fat, in your diet. High-fat foods include butter, whole milk, ice cream, and some meat. High-fiber foods from plants, such as green, leafy vegetables, and fruits, as well as grains, do not contain any cholesterol. Choose low-fat or non-fat dairy products. Your healthcare professional can determine your dietary goals with you and provide you with more information about a healthy eating plan.

Are there certain foods I should be eating, or foods I should be avoiding?

In general, to help lower your cholesterol, eat less fat and eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

What foods contain fat and cholesterol?

Many animal products are generally high in fat and cholesterol. Avoid saturated fats, such as lard and hydrogenated oils. Foods containing saturated fats include beef, whole-milk dairy products, butter, cream, ice cream, cheese, and eggs. Organ meats such as kidney and liver, and sweetbreads also contain large amounts of cholesterol. Shellfish, including lobster, are high in cholesterol too, but tend to be lower in saturated fat. Egg yolk contains about 215 mg of cholesterol. A lean three or four ounce piece of white meat chicken has only 72 mg or so of cholesterol.

What about foods labeled "cholesterol free" or "low fat"?

Watch out! Cholesterol-free foods, especially processed foods, can still be high in fat. Remember to read food labels and to avoid both fat and cholesterol. In addition, some foods labeled "fat free" or "low fat" may be high in sugar. Too much sugar can cause other health problems or lead to weight gain. If you have diabetes be sure to talk to your healthcare professional about the right diet for you.

Should I avoid all fat in my diet?

In general, fat should be limited in your diet. Polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats are better choices than saturated fats. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are found in liquid oils from plants. Corn and soybean oils are examples of polyunsaturated fats; olive oil and canola oil have monounsaturated fats.

Does alcohol consumption affect my cholesterol level?

Drinking alcohol can also affect your cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Check with your healthcare professional to determine whether moderate alcohol intake is appropriate or whether alcohol should be completely avoided.

What causes a person to be overweight?

There are many causes of a person being overweight. Two of the most common are eating too much and not being active enough. When you eat more in calories than your body burns up, the extra calories are stored as fat in your body. Everyone has some stored fat, but too much fat results in a person being overweight

Why should I lose weight?

Losing weight will help you feel better and make it easier to be more active. Losing weight may also help to:

• Improve blood cholesterol levels
• Lower your blood pressure
• Help control your blood sugar
• Lower your risk of heart disease

 

How can high cholesterol be controlled?

Sometimes changes in diet and lifestyle may be enough to lower cholesterol to a desirable level. Other times, diet and lifestyle changes must be combined with medication.

Once your cholesterol goal is reached, however, you must continue to follow your doctor's advice to maintain a healthy cholesterol level. Remember that high cholesterol cannot be cured, but it can be controlled. Your cholesterol level will likely creep up again if you stop treatment. You will need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and keep your cholesterol at an acceptable level. Make changes in your cholesterol-lowering program only on the recommendation of your healthcare professional.

How does smoking effect cholesterol?

Smoking has several harmful effects on cholesterol. First, smoking reduces HDL-cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol), in some cases by as much as 15%. Second, smoking may change LDL-cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) in such a way that it is more likely to create buildup of fat and cholesterol deposits in the coronary arteries. If there is excessive buildup of cholesterol, blood flow may become restricted.

Is it true that drinking a glass of wine a day will help lower my cholesterol level?

Ingesting alcohol does not lower total cholesterol or LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol). There have been studies that suggest that modest alcohol intake can increase HDL-cholesterol (good cholesterol) by 5-10%. However, alcohol has many more negative effects on the body than its potetially positive effect on HDL-cholesterol. Drinking too much alcohol can cause liver, heart and other problems. Alcohol also tends to raise triglycerides, contains a great deal of empty calories, and is a risk factor for high blood pressure. Diet, exercise and where needed, drug therapy, are the recommended approaches for keeping cholesterol under control. Speak with your health care provider about a cholesterol management plan that's right for you.

When should I get my cholesterol checked?

That depends. Experts recommend that all adults over the age of 20 have their cholesterol measured at least once every five years. Based on the results and your overall risk for heart disease, your cholesterol should be checked every 1 to 5 years. Most likely, your doctor will work with you on a schedule to monitor your cholesterol level.

How common is high cholesterol?

Nearly 97 million Americans have total cholesterol levels at or above the desirable level of less than 200 mg/dL. It is estimated that 52 million Americans need some type of medical intervention for high blood cholesterol.

In adults, total cholesterol levels of 240 mg/dL or higher are considered high, and levels from 200 to 239 mg/dL are considered borderline-high.

What foods contain fat and cholesterol?

Many animal products are generally high in fat and cholesterol. Avoid saturated fats, such as lard and hydrogenated oils. Foods containing saturated fats include: beef, whole-milk dairy products, butter, cream, ice cream, cheese, and eggs. Organ meats such as kidney, liver, and sweetbreads also contain large amounts of cholesterol. Shellfish, including lobster, are high in cholesterol too, but tend to be lower in saturated fat. Egg yolk contains about 215 mg of cholesterol. A lean 3- or 4-ounce piece of white-meat chicken, by comparison, has only 72 mg or so of cholesterol.

But watch out -- cholesterol-free foods, especially processed foods, can still be high in fat. Read food labels to avoid both fat and cholesterol.

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are found in liquid oils from plants. Corn and soybean oils are examples of polyunsaturated fats; olive oil and canola oil have monounsaturated fats. Although fat in general should be limited, polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fat are better choices than saturated fats.

How can exercise help improve my cholesterol levels?

Regular aerobic exercise such as swimming, vigorous walking, biking, or playing tennis increases your HDL cholesterol level, lowers your triglyceride level, and may lower your LDL cholesterol level. A regular exercise plan can also help to reduce body weight and fat. Of course, you should always consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

How does my healthcare professional measure my cholesterol levels?

A simple blood test tells you and your healthcare provider what you need to know about your cholesterol level. Blood is withdrawn, and the amount of cholesterol is measured as milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) of blood. Ask your healthcare provider for your levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

What is the difference between HDL and LDL?

low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (lie-poh-pro-teen): known as the "bad cholesterol," low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in high levels can deposit on the walls of the blood vessel and cause formation of plaques.

high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (lie-poh-pro-teen): known as the "good cholesterol." High density lipoprotein is believed to carry cholesterol to the liver for removal from the body.

triglycerides (try-glih-suh-rides): a type of fat in the blood that increases after you eat. Persons with high blood triglyceride levels may also have high total cholesterol and "bad" LDL cholesterol levels.