High Cholesterol
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| Addressing High Cholesterol Symptoms, High Cholesterol Causes & High Cholesterol Treatment through Nutrition & Diet. |
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| BASICS |
| When the doctor informs you that your cholesterol is high and you need to control it, he is usually referring to LDL cholesterol or the? bad cholesterol', which is often caused by poor diet and lifestyle factors. |
| Other terms that refer to cholesterol and are the different types of cholesterol levels– HDL (good cholesterol), Hypercholesterolemia, Hyperlipidemia and Hyperlipoproteinemia. |
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| WHAT IS CHOLESTEROL / HIGH CHOLESTEROL |
| Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that occurs naturally in all parts of the body. Your body needs some cholesterol to work properly. But if you have too much in your blood, it can stick to the walls of your arteries. This is called plaque. Plaque can narrow your arteries or even block them, causing a heart attack or stroke. |
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| At A Glance - High Cholesterol |
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| THREE TYPES OF CHOLESTEROL |
| Total cholesterol is made up of LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and VLDL cholesterol. A desirable level of total cholesterol is less than 200. An optimal level of LDL is less than 100. HDL cholesterol is the good cholesterol because a high HDL level decreases your risk of cardiovascular disease. For men, an HDL less than 40 is considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. For women, an HDL less than 50 is considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease |
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| WHAT ARE TRIGLYCERIDES? |
| Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in your body. When triglycerides are higher than normal (150 or more), your risk of heart disease or stroke may be increased. |
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| HIGH CHOLESTEROL SYMPTOMS |
| Everyone age 20 years or more should have cholesterol screening done at least once every 5 years. The best way to measure high cholesterol is with a simple blood test called a lipid panel or lipid profile. This test determines the amounts of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides in your blood. |
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| WHAT HAPPENS IF I HAVE HIGH CHOLESTEROL? |
| High cholesterol in the blood can increase your risk of heart disease. Your cholesterol levels tend to naturally rise as you get older. There are usually no high cholesterol symptoms but it can be detected with a simple blood test. If members of your family have high cholesterol, then chances are you do too, as its hereditary, or, if you are overweight or if you eat a lot of fatty, high calorie foods then your LDL- bad cholesterol levels can be high too. |
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| HIGH CHOLESTEROL TREATMENT |
| How can I treat my high cholesterol? |
| You can lower your LDL bad cholesterol levels by exercising more and eating more fruits and vegetables. You also may need to take medicine to lower your high cholesterol. |
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| Reference: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute |
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| NUTRITION FOR PATIENTS WITH HIGH CHOLESTEROL |
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Increase your intake of soluble fiber, the type found in oatmeal and helps reduce your lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in kidney beans, brussels sprouts, apples, pears, psyllium, barley and prunes. 5 - 10 g of soluble fiber daily may decrease LDL cholesterol by about 5 %. |
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Walnuts can also significantly reduce blood cholesterol as they are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, walnuts also help keep blood vessels healthy and elastic. Almonds appear to have a similar effect, resulting in a marked improvement within just four weeks. 2 walnut halves a day are plenty as these like all nuts walnuts are high in calories. |
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Doctors recommend eating at least two servings of fish such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon per week as these have the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are noted for their triglyceride-lowering effect, but they also help the heart in other ways such as reducing blood pressure and the risk of blood clots. |
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The first step for a heart-healthy diet is to reduce your intake of bad fats - especially saturated and trans fats, while simultaneously adding soluble fiber, nuts and fish to your diet. |
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| WHEN TO SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE |
| If your lipid profile is abnormally high, your doctor may recommend treatment based on the results and these may include therapeutic lifestyle changes (heart-healthy diet, exercise, weight management, smoking cessation) and medications. |
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| Adapted From: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cholesterol.html#cat1 |
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| For a cholesterol reducing diet please contact our dietitians who will customize a menu plan for you based on your health needs and personal likes and dislikes. |
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CLINICAL Nutrition Packages
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Health Risk Assessment & Prevention Program
One Month
Obesity | Cholesterol | Diabetes | CVD
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Cholesterol Reduction Program
Three Month
Weight Loss | Cholesterol | Pre-diabetes | CVD
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Glucose Stabilization | Obesity Reduction Program
Six Month
Pre-diabetes stabilization | Cholesterol reduction | Weight Loss | Cancer management
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Intensive - Disease Management Program
One Year
Diabetes | Obesity | Cholesterol | CVD | Cancer Management
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