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A Note About Cholesterol
Your blood level has a lot to do with your chances of getting heart disease. The higher your blood cholesterol the greater your risk of developing heart disease or having a heart attack. Each year more
than a million Americans have heart attacks and about a half million people die from heart disease. It is the number one killer of women and men in the United States.
High blood cholesterol alone does not cause symptoms and many people are not aware that their cholesterol is too high. It is important to find out what your cholesterol numbers are because lowering high levels could reduce your chance of having a heart attack or developing heart disease.
Talk to your doctor about having a "lipoprotein profile." This blood test, done after a 9-12 hour fast, gives information about your:
- Total Cholesterol
- LDL (bad) Cholesterol: the main source of cholesterol buildup and blockage in the arteries
- HDL (good) Cholesterol: helps keep cholesterol from building up in the arteries
- Triglycerides: another form of fat in your blood
| What do your cholesterol numbers mean? |
| Total Cholesterol Level* |
Category
|
| Less than 200 mg/dL |
Desirable |
| 200-239 mg/dL |
Borderline high |
| 240 mg/dL and above |
High |
|
| LDL Cholesterol Level |
| Less than 100 mg/dL |
Optimal |
| 100-129 mg/dL |
Near optimal/above optimal |
| 130-159 mg/dL |
Borderline high |
| 160-189 mg/dL |
High |
| 190 mg/dL and above |
Very high |
| *Cholesterol levels are measured in m milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dL) of blood. |
A variety of things affect your cholesterol levels. Following are some things that you can do to keep your levels in check:
Diet: certain foods have saturated fat in them and that can make your blood cholesterol go up. Reducing the amount of saturated fat in your diet helps to lower your blood cholesterol level.
Weight: being overweight is another risk factor for heart disease and tends to increase your cholesterol. Losing weight can help lower your LDL, triglyceride and total cholesterol levels and raise your HDL cho-lesterol!
Physical Activity: Inactivity is another risk factor for heart disease. Regular physical activity or exercise can help to reduce your LDL cholesterol and raise your HDL cholesterol. It can also help you to lose weight. The recom-mendation is to try to be physically active for 30 minutes on most days of the week. You don't need to exercise for 30 minutes straight, you can be active 3 times per day for 10 minutes each time and still benefit.
Source: National Institutes of Health National Cholesterol Education Program
All information contained in this newsletter is for general information purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. For specific information or advice relating to your medical needs, please consult your primary care physician
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