Simple Steps to Lower Your Cholesterol
Cholesterol lowering is important for young, middle-aged, and
older adults. One out of every 2 men and 1 out of every 3 women will develop
heart disease sometime in their life. Whether you have heart disease or want
to prevent it, you can reduce your risk for having a heart attack by lowering
your cholesterol level. In this article you will learn what cholesterol is and
how it can hurt you, ways to reduce your cholesterol and risk of heart disease,
and a list of additional resources to help you learn more.
What Is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy,
fat-like substance that occurs naturally and that your body needs to function
normally. It is present in cell walls or membranes everywhere in the body, including
the brain, nerves, muscle, skin, liver, intestines, and heart. Your body uses
cholesterol to produce many hormones, vitamin D, and the bile acids that help
to digest fat. It takes only a small amount of cholesterol in the blood to meet
these needs. If you have too much cholesterol in your bloodstream, the excess
is deposited in arteries, including the coronary arteries, where it contributes
to the narrowing and blockages that cause the signs and symptoms of heart disease.
Your blood cholesterol level is affected not only by what you
eat but also by how quickly your body makes LDL ("bad") cholesterol
and disposes of it. In fact, your body makes all the cholesterol it needs, and
it is not necessary to take in any additional cholesterol from the foods you
eat.
Many factors help determine
whether your LDL-cholesterol level is high or low. The following factors are
the most important:
- Heredity
- What you eat
- Weight
- Physical activity/exercise
- Age and sex
- Alcohol
- Stress
Reduce Your Cholesterol
– Reduce Your Risk
There are things you can
do to reduce your risk. While it may seem obvious, one of the first things you
should do is find out what your current risk levels are by having your blood
cholesterol checked by a healthcare provider. Here are some easy steps that
can make a big difference in your lifespan and quality of life.
- Get a fasting lipoprotein
profile to find out what your total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol,
and triglyceride numbers are.
- Calculate your risk
for heart disease using the ATP III assessment tool in the resources listed
below.
- Discuss your risk for
heart disease with your physician or other health care provider and take steps
to reduce the factors that put you at risk.
- Learn how to read a
food label - Choose foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.
Check out the worksheet
in the Nutrition area.
- Calculate your body
mass index (BMI) with the BMI
calculator in Health & Fitness and see how your weight measures up.
- Participate in physical
activity of moderate intensity—like brisk walking—for at least
30 minutes on most, and preferably all, days of the week. No time? Break the
30 minutes into three, 10-minute segments during the day. Take the Pathway
to Exercise to learn more.
- Don't smoke. If you
do smoke, contact your healthcare provider to discuss ways in which they can
help you quit and check out the Stay
Quit Learning Pathway to learn more.
Source: National Heart
Lung and Blood Institute
Additional Resources:
http://hin.nhlbi.nih.gov/atpiii/calculator.asp
ATP III assessment
tool that helps you calculate your 10 year risk of having a heart attack.
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/chd/
Live Healthier –
Live Longer Website from National Institutes of Health. Give you additional
information and resources for lowering your cholesterol.
This is for
general informational purposes only and it is not intended to provide anyone
with specific advice or recommendation. This is not a substitute for advice
from an appropriate professional. If you feel you need further help, we strongly
suggest you seek assistance from an appropriate professional.
© 2003
AlignMark, Inc. All rights reserved. Reviewed 2004, 2005
|