Lower Cholesterol to Reduce Heart Disease Risk

September is Cholesterol Education Month, and it is a good time to recognize the importance of reducing cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood cholesterol. Even with careful attention to diet you are not going to get rid of all cholesterol from the body. It is made daily in the liver, and this waxy fatty substance is important to the body because it is needed to build cells, produce bile acids and make hormones. The liver makes all that you need, but in some people it will make an excess amount of cholesterol, and therein lays the health problem. Excess cholesterol in the form of LDL-cholesterol can be deposited in artery walls, narrowing the space for blood flow, causing the arteries to be inflexible, and eventually leading to plaque build-up. Plaque build-up means restricted blood flow, and eventually a possible heart attack. Elevated LDL-cholesterol and elevated triglyceride levels can lead to a risk for strokes and heart disease.

Cholesterol should start to be checked by age 20 and then every four to six years after that until age 40, and then more regular checks will probably be suggested by your doctor. You cannot feel cholesterol when it is elevated so be sure to keep up with your lab work.

Recommended blood cholesterol levels:

• Total cholesterol: less than 200 mg/dL
• LDL-cholesterol: less than 100 mg/dL
• HDL-cholesterol:
  • for men: 40 mg/dL or more; for women: 50 mg/dL or more
  • note: HDL-cholesterol picks up LDL-cholesterol to take it to the liver where it is broken down and excreted from the body.
• Triglycerides: less than 150 mg/dL

If cholesterol is elevated, lifestyle changes are the first course of action. Medications such as statins may be suggested to lower LDL-cholesterol to 70 mg/dL or less if there are other risk factors such as diabetes or if you have a history of cardiovascular disease.

Lifestyle changes that can lower blood cholesterol levels:

• Heart healthy dietFruits, vegetables and whole grains
  • Lean protein such as fish, poultry, egg whites, lean red meats
  • Vegetarian protein such as nuts and nut butters, soy, and legumes
  • Low-fat or fat-free dairy products
  • Healthy fats: oils, oil-based spreads, avocado
• Regular moderate exercise: at least 150 minutes per week of walking, biking or swimming. This will lower LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides, and increase beneficial HDL-cholesterol. Exercise will also have other heart benefits such as lowering high blood pressure and managing diabetes.
• Reach and maintain a healthy weight- this will lower the LDL-cholesterol.

Additional information at the website for the American Heart Association: www.heart.org.

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About the Author

Rita Smith is a registered dietitian and has been working in the field of nutrition and disease prevention for more than 35 years and where she worked at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville, Va. Each week, Rita provided nutrition counseling to clients who have a variety of disorders or diseases, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, gastroparesis and weight management. For these clients, food choices can help them manage their health problems.