Knowing the facts about cholesterol can reduce your risk for a heart attack or stroke. But understanding what cholesterol is and how it affects your health are only the beginning.
To keep your cholesterol under control follow the guidelines from the American Heart Association, they are:
- schedule a screening
- eat foods low in cholesterol and saturated fat
- maintain a healthy weight
- exercise regularly
- follow your healthcare professional's advice
High Cholesterol COMES NATURAL WHY NOT CURE IT NATURALLY:
Most people thing that they only eat cholesterol, however 75% of the cholesterol is made in your liver and other body cells and only 25% comes from what we eat.
LDL cholesterol is the “bad” cholesterol. When too much of it circulates in the blood, it can clog arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. So the goal is to keep it undercontrol. The LDL cholesterol is actually produced naturally by the body, and the genes that make it happen comes from their mother, father or even grandparents. This gene is what actually causes them to make too much. Eating saturated fat, trans fats and dietary cholesterol also increases how much you have. If high blood cholesterol runs in your family, lifestyle modifications may not be enough to help lower your LDL blood cholesterol. Everyone is different, so work with your doctor to find a treatment plan that's best for you.
What Do you NEED TO DO?
- Start by learing your cholesterol levels
- Learn the options for managing your cholesterol
- Cholesterol is normal for all of us, a part of our body.
- Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like, waxy substance found in the bloodstream and in all your body's cells.
- Cholesterol is an important part of a healthy body
It serves to hormones and cell membranes But too much can cause major risk for coronary heart disease (which leads to heart attack) and for stroke.- Cholesterol can’t be dissolve in the blood stream.
- The female sex hormone estrogen tends to raise HDL
The American Heart Association recommends LDL (bad) cholesterol-lowering drug therapy for most women with heart disease. Drug therapy should be combined with a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol and sodium, and rich in fruits, vegetables, whole-grain, high-fiber foods and fat-free and low-fat dairy. Women also should manage their weight, get regular physical activity and not smoke.
- It is carried through the blood by proteins called lipoproteins.
- Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as “bad” cholesterol.
LDL (Bad) Cholesterol
If there is too much LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood, it can slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. When plaque and other substances combine with cholesterol they create a thick, hard deposit that can narrow the arteries and make them less flexible. This narrowed of the artery is what causes heart attack or stroke can result.
- High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is known as “good” cholesterol and make up between 1/4 and 1/3 of blood cholesterol.
HDL (good) Cholesterol
And the good cholesterol does the reverse and helps you fight off heart attacks. Low levels of HDL (less than 40 mg/dL) also increase the risk of heart disease. Medical experts believer that good cholesterol carries the bad cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it's passed from the body while others believe that that HDL removes excess cholesterol and slows the process of plaque development.
- These two types of lipids, along with triglycerides and Lp(a) cholesterol, make up your total cholesterol count, which can be determined through a blood test.
Triglycerides
Elevated triglycerides can be due to overweight/obesity, physical inactivity, cigarette smoking, excess alcohol consumption, and a diet very high in carbohydrates (60 percent of total calories or more). People with high triglycerides often have a high total cholesterol level and are most likely to have heart disease and/or diabetes.p(a)
- High cholesterol is one of the major controllable risk factors for coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
- Buildup of fatty plaque in arteries begins in childhood and progresses slowly into adulthood
- 450,000 deaths a year in the United States.
- About 37 percent of the people discharged from hospitals for coronary heart disease are under age 65.
- Many of these adults have children who may have coronary heart disease risk factors that need attention.
Numbers you need to be aware of:
Total cholesterol (mg/dL)
Acceptable — less than 170
Borderline — 170–199
High — 200 or greater
LDL cholesterol (mg/dL)
Acceptable — less than 110
Borderline — 110–129
High — 130 or greater
The American Heart Association endorses these guidelines of the National Cholesterol Education Program’s Expert Panel on Blood Cholesterol in Children and Adolescents.
1. My choices about diet and physical activity are responsible for my cholesterol level.
While it is true that diet and physical activity contribute to overall blood cholesterol levels, some LDL (bad) cholesterol is manufactured naturally by the body. A heart-healthy diet and regular physical activity are important for everyone for maintaining cardiovascular health, but medication may also be needed to control your cholesterol levels.
2. Using margarine instead of butter will help lower my cholesterol.
Both margarine and butter are high in fat, so use both in moderation.
3. Thin people don’t have to worry about high cholesterol.
Any type of body can have high cholesterol. Overweight people are more likely to have high cholesterol, but thin people should also have their cholesterol checked regularly.
4. My doctor hasn’t said anything about my cholesterol, so I don’t have to worry.
Your health is your responsibility.
5. Since the nutrition label on my favorite food says there’s no cholesterol, I can be sure that it’s a “heart-healthy” choice.
Nutrition labels on food are very helpful when choosing heart-healthy foods, but you need to know what to look for.
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