MANAGING YOUR CHOLESTEROL

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.A high blood cholesterol level is one of the three major risk factors for heart disease.The other two are high blood pressure and cigarette smoking.A risk factor is a habit, trait, or condition that raises your chance of getting a disease.For heart disease, the major risk factors are: high blood pressure (140/90 mm Hg or greater), elevated blood cholesterol (200 mg/dL or greater), cigarette smoking, family history of heart disease before age 55, diabetes, vascular disease, obesity (30% or more overweight), and being male.

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that your body needs to function properly.However, your body produces all of the cholesterol that it needs.The saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet serve only to raise your blood cholesterol level.Over time, too much cholesterol can build up in the walls of your arteries.This makes the opening that the blood flows through smaller and smaller.Blood carries a constant supply of oxygen to the heart.When the arteries that carry blood to your heart muscle get clogged, your heart does not get the oxygen that it needs.This is known as heart disease.When an artery is completely blocked, heart muscle downstream from the blockage dies.This is a heart attack.

KNOW YOUR NUMBER

Knowing your cholesterol level is the first step. A total blood cholesterol of under 200 mg/dL is desirable and usually puts you at a lower risk for heart disease.A blood cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL is high and increases your risk of heart disease.If your cholesterol level is high, your doctor will want to check your level of LDL-cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol).A HIGH level of LDL-cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease, as does a LOW level of HDL-cholesterol ("good" cholesterol).An HDL-cholesterol level below 35 mg/dL is considered a risk factor for heart disease.A total cholesterol of 200-239 mg/dL is considered borderline-high and usually increases your risk for heart disease.All adults 20 years of age or older should have their blood cholesterol level checked at least once every 5 years.

Tips For Cholesterol Control

The good news is that you can do something about heart disease.Most people can lower their high blood cholesterol by changing the way that they eat:

Eat less saturated fat

Eat less fat

Eat less cholesterol

Lose weight (if you are overweight) 

Fats are present in foods of both animal and vegetable origin while cholesterol is found only in foods of animal origin.To get the best protein and the least amount of fat and cholesterol eat more fish, legumes (dried peas and beans), and skinless poultry.When you do eat meat, trim all visible fat before cooking.

Low fat milk, yogurt, and cheeses are your best dairy choices.Select skim or 2% low fat milk and yogurt.When buying cheese (which is traditionally high in saturated fat), look for low butterfat varieties such as farmer's cheese, pot cheese, uncreamed cottage cheese, or part skim ricotta.

Whole grain breads, cereals, and pastas are your best choices. When buying commercial baked products, read labels carefully.Many receive up to half of their calories from saturated fats such as palm and coconut oil.

Most fresh fruits and vegetables are naturally low in saturated fat.There are, however, a few exceptions.Avoid avocado and coconut which contain high levels of saturated fat.Palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, and hydrogenated vegetable oils are also highly saturated.

In addition to selecting low fat, low cholesterol foods, you can further reduce fats in your diet by preparing your foods the low fat way.Bake, broil, steam, poach, or microwave foods without added fats.Use vegetable cooking sprays when baking instead of "greasing" pans.Substitute one egg white plus one tablespoon vegetable oil for the whole eggs called for in recipes.And, when you must use fats, select polyunsaturated vegetable oils over butter or lard.

You can get more information on cholesterol from The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Also, take our cholesterol quiz "How Cholesterol Smart Are You?"