Controlling Your Cholesterol Level
High cholesterol is a top risk factor for heart disease, the leading killer of man and women in this country.
And it’s not only older men and women who should be concerned; many develop high cholesterol way before age 45. Here are a few things you can do to control that level right.
Eat more “good” fats.
Monounsaturated fats, which are found in avocados and some nuts, as well as olive and canola oils, lower “bad” cholesterol - LDLs (low -density lipoproteins) - where they are substituted for saturated fats. What’s is more, they don’t bring down HDLs (high-density lipoproteins), the “good” cholesterol. Replace butter with olive oil; use skim milk instead of whole milk and try low-fat cuts of meat will help. Never use margarine or vegetable shortening and cut down in deep-fried fast food.
Enjoy eggs again.
Though eating cholesterol does raise blood cholesterol, eating saturated fat is what raises it the most. Therefore, eggs, which are higher in cholesterol than in saturated fat, are okay for most people. (The AHA’s recommendation allows people to eat up to four eggs a week). But at-risk groups should be more careful and should limit to two eggs per week.
Limit “Bad” fats
Reducing your intake of saturated fat is the most important step in lowering cholesterol. More than any other food component, saturated fat, found mainly in meat and dairy products, stimulated the liver to produce artery-clogging LDLs.
Another bad fat: trans-fatty acids (TFAs). They are produced when unsaturated fat is hydrogenated or chemically processed t turn into a solid. Not only do TFAs raise LDLs and total cholesterol, but in high amounts they may actually lower HDLs. Labels don’t list TFAs, which are found in a large number of solid-stick-margarine brands, shortenings, and deep-fried fast foods, as well as in many packaged pastries, crackers and cookies.
Check your thyroid.
Hypo-thyroidism (having an under active thyroid) is surprisingly common, especially in women. Left untreated, the condition can raise cholesterol levels significantly. Symptoms are subtle: tiredness, increased sensitivity to cold, hair loss, weight gain, joint stiff-ness and depression.
A blood test can diagnose the condition, which is easily corrected by taking daily medication.
Keep your weight down and get moving
Raising HDLs (the good cholesterol) by diet alone is tricky, but a combination of exercise and strategic eating gets them up. Exercise also lowers triglycerides, the other blood fat linked to heart disease.
Stop smoking.
Cigarette smoking depresses HDLs nearly 6% on average, with an even greater drop for heavy smokers. Second hand smoke may also lower HDLs and the AHA says it is a cause of heart and blood-vessel disease, killing as many as 40,000 people every year.
Manage Your Stress.
Many studies indicate that stress may increase the risk of heart disease. People who always expressed their anger toward others or consistently stifled it had elevated LDLs. Those who let out their feelings when appropriate but held in their anger at other times had as much as 10% lower LDLs levels.
Supplement with vitamins.
Taking 400 Ius of vitamin E a day to combine with LDLs in the blood-stream may help prevent artery-clogging plaque. Niacin is also useful when HDLs are low or triglycerides high. It has side effects, however, if you are taking the synthetic formulation of vitamin and medical supervision is important.
Eat more
- Soluble fiber. Abundant in oat bran, rice bran, beans, peas, barley, citrus fruits, strawberries, carrots and apples, this fiber brings down LDLs without lowering HDLs. Some cereals are fortified with psyllium, a concentrated source of soluble fiber also found in laxatives. People with high cholesterol who regularly consume 12 grams of psyllium a day can lower total cholesterol about 5%.
- Soybeans. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that eating three to four tablespoons of soy protein a day lower LDLs by nearly 13% and triglycerides by more than 10%.
- Omega-3 fatty acids. Found in salmon, mackerel and other fish. This fat can lower triglycerides. And since fish is low in saturated fat, it’s a great way to cut total cholesterol and LDLs too. Eat three to four ounces several times a week.
April 25 2008 07:59 pm | Health