Keeping your cholesterol levels in check is imperative to ensure good health. If your cholesterol levels are high, you could become a victim of heart disease.
Cholesterol is…
Picture a whitish yellow tinged waxy, fat-like substance. That’s what
cholesterol looks like. It can block blood flow to the heart by building up
along the walls of arteries. In worse cases, it actually becomes a part of
those walls, requiring surgery. Our bodies need a certain amount of cholesterol
to function properly. However, when cholesterol levels increase beyond normal
levels, we are in danger of heart disease, which is the number one killer of
Americans. Cholesterol is produced by the liver and used by the body to build
cell walls. It is found in certain foods like eggs, milk, and cheese. When
cholesterol levels are too high, it’s an indication that our bodies are
incapable of eliminating the excess cholesterol we’ve acquired.
How to find out if your cholesterol levels are normal…
Your physician will order a blood test to check your cholesterol levels.
This is a relatively simple test, consisting of the phlebotomist drawing a
small vial of blood for testing. On the day of the test, your physician will
instruct you to refrain from eating or drinking at least twelve hours prior to
testing. Also, in order to ensure an accurate test, you may want to abstain
from any alcoholic beverages several days prior to your appointment. And, as
with anytime you are having blood tests, if you’ve recently had an illness, be
sure to inform your doctor as this may have an effect on your test as well.
What to do?
Your physician should keep you up-to-date on your cholesterol levels and
what you should do in the event they are elevated. Staying aware of your
physical health is key. Your physician should be able to tell you what your
overall cholesterol level is. Most physicians urge their patients to keep it
under 200. See what your physician thinks you should do. Also, ask him what
your LDL and HDL levels are. And be sure to ask how often you should have your
cholesterol checked.
The Good, the Bad, the Cholesterol...
Each of us has both good and bad cholesterol in our bodies. The bad
cholesterol is known as LDL, or low-density lipoproteins. LDL can form on your
artery walls. The good cholesterol is known as HDL, or high-density proteins.
Good cholesterol helps to eliminate the excess cholesterol from your body, thus
keeping it from clogging your arteries. HDL picks up the fatty material and
takes them to the liver for removal. If you don’t have enough of the good
cholesterol, the bad may build up causing an artery wall to tear or it may
cause a blood clot. This can result in a heart attack.
How do you know if you’re at risk?
There are several key questions that will indicate if you are at risk for
developing high cholesterol:
Is your HDL (good)
cholesterol less than 40?
Do you have high blood
pressure?
Do you have diabetes?
Are you more than 30%
overweight?
Do you smoke cigarettes?
Is your lifestyle inactive?
Have any of your close
relatives been diagnosed with heart disease?
Are you a female experiencing
menopausal symptoms and not taking hormone replacement therapy?
Have you had a heart attack?
Keeping your cholesterol levels in check is imperative if you’ve already had
a heart attack. You are more at risk for having another one than the person who
hasn’t had one.
The Numbers
Once you find out the numbers of your HDL and LDL cholesterol, you may
wonder just what they mean. Cholesterol is measured in milligrams per deciliter
of blood. If your overall number is 200-239, your cholesterol is borderline. If
it is 240 or higher, it is considered high. However, if your HDL (good)
cholesterol is below 60, there should be cause for concern. And if your LDL
(bad) cholesterol is above 129, you’ll need to speak to your doctor about how
he would like to treat this.
Lowering cholesterol
One of the best things you can do for your health, including lowering
cholesterol, is to exercise regularly at least thirty minutes a day. This helps
to raise your HDL (good) cholesterol level and lowers your blood pressure.
If you’re smoking, stop now. While this can be difficult, the health rewards
are worth it. If you find you cannot do it on your own, don’t hesitate to ask
your physician for help. There are many stop smoking aids on the market, and if
one doesn’t work, you may want to try another. Your risk of heart disease is
lowered by 50% after the first year of quitting.
Lose a few pounds. Exercise, as mentioned above, will help with that.
However, you should maintain a healthy diet as well. Make sure you eat less
saturated and trans fats or none at all. Also, a diet of lean meats and healthy
fruits and vegetables. Try to avoid fast food whenever possible. A good way to
lose weight is to begin walking daily. Of course, you’ll want to consult your
physician before you begin any weight loss program.
Your physician will monitor your efforts at lowering your cholesterol. If he
finds that exercising and dieting are not lowering it enough, he may prescribe
a medication to help out.
Cholesterol-lowering medications
Cholesterol-lowering medications are called statins. These medications work
by inhibiting an enzyme called HMG CoA reductase, so that your cells will not
produce cholesterol as effectively. There are several statins on the market to
choose from. Your physician may prescribe one for a three month period to see
how it works. If it isn’t effective for you, he will try another one. Make sure
you don’t take statins if you have chronic liver disease or are a heavy
drinker. If you suffer any side effects while taking medication, contact your
physician immediately. Also, you may want to schedule periodic liver function
tests to make sure the medication is not having an adverse effect on your
liver.
Listed below are some of the more popular cholesterol-lowering statins:
Vytorin
Lipitor
Crestor
Pravachol
Zocor
Living Healthy
Changing your diet, adding exercise to your lifestyle, and
possibly taking a cholesterol-lowering medication will help you have a longer,
healthier life in reducing your risk of heart disease. While you may not live a
life free of heart problems, the risk will be significantly lowered and you can
rest easy knowing you have taken the steps necessary to reduce your developing
heart disease.