Control cholesterol to avoid a heart attack
Most people with high cholesterol feel perfectly healthy and usually don’t have symptoms or warning signs of high cholesterol levels.
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance your body uses to digest fat, produce hormones, build cell walls and manufacture vitamin D.
A high amount of cholesterol circulating in the blood stream leads to fatty deposits containing cholesterol being deposited on the inside of the artery walls.
This causes a narrowing of the arteries and obstruction of blood flow to the heart muscle, resulting in a heart attack.
Most people with high cholesterol feel perfectly healthy and usually don’t have symptoms or warning signs of high cholesterol levels. The best way to tell if you have high cholesterol is to have it tested.
The amount of cholesterol in your blood depends on many things including what you eat, how much you weigh, whether you exercise, your age and your genes.
Eating correctly and exercising regularly can help lower your cholesterol levels however these measures can’t always lower them enough.
Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol are the main carriers of cholesterol in the blood. Higher levels of HDL cholesterol are heart protective, while excessive amounts of LDL cholesterol are harmful.
You can lower your cholesterol by:
r Eating less fat. Achieving or maintaining a healthy body weight is a good step towards a healthier heart. All fats are high in calories. If you are trying to lose weight, you need to reduce your overall fat intake. Remember that the type of fats you choose also has an important impact on your health.
r Eating less cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol raises the body’s cholesterol levels and foods such as egg yolk, organ meats, fatty meats and some seafood, should be limited.
r Include plant sterol enriched spreads. Plant sterols block the intestinal absorption of cholesterol and have been clinically proven to lower LDL cholesterol levels. These can be found in vegetable oils, fruits, vegetables and grains.
r Eat more soluble fibre. Soluble fibre binds with cholesterol in the digestive tract, preventing its absorption into the bloodstream. Good sources are oats, barley, dried legumes, fruits and vegetables.
r Eat more healthy carbohydrates. Include foods that are low in fat and high in insoluble fibre such as whole-grain breads, cereals, pasta and rice as well as fruits and vegetables.
r Eat a variety of foods. Choose a variety of foods each day to ensure your diet provides enough nutrients that are necessary for good health.Cholesterol-lowering medications, called statins, have been shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. A number of studies have shown that statins reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes in many different kinds of patients.
Depending on your risk and how much you reduce your cholesterol, you can cut your risk of heart attacks in half. Some statins also work to halt the process of atherosclerosis in your blood vessels that leads to heart attacks and strokes.
Information obtained from Pfizer and Pharmacia. @BedfordEdenvale
