Australian Men’s Fitness – September 2019

you’dgeteithera heart

attackora stroke.That’s

theproblemwithLDL.

Themoreyouhave,then

thegreaterthechanceof

developingheartdisease.

HDLis knownasgood

becauseit kindofdoes

theoppositeofLDL.It

takescholesterolaway

fromthearteriesand

backtotheliver,where

it’sbrokendownand

thenwegetridofit.

Whatcauseshighlevels

ofLDL?

Anunhealthydiet.A lack

ofexerciseaswell.The

moreoverweightyouare,

themorelikelyyouareto

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have high levels of LDL

and lower levels of HDL.

Too much alcohol is

another factor. It’s really

diet and lifestyle. There

are also people who are

genetically predisposed

to high cholesterol, which

is an inherited condition.

That’s something they

can’t help.

How do you maintain a

healthy level of cholesterol?

A healthy diet, plenty

of wholegrains, fruits,

vegetables. More of a

plant-based diet, rather

than high in processed

foods and lots of animal

products. And also

exercise that can help

lower or maintain body

weight and body fat,

particularly around the

central stomach area.

So it’s more about lowering

LDL than raising HDL?

That’s right, although

there are some foods

that raise HDL. Things

like oily fish and

particular fats such

as monounsaturated

fats which are found

in things like olive oil.

Does saturated fat

raise LDL?

Yes. Too much saturated

fat is directly linked

to increasing your

cholesterol levels

and certainly the bad

cholesterol, the LDL.

Do young people need to

worry about cholesterol?

Cholesterol levels

increase over time, so

the earlier you’re able

to start healthy eating

the better, particularly

if you’ve got a family

history of heart disease

or high blood pressure.

Think about it before

middle age.

Can you be thin and

have dangerous levels

of cholesterol?

You can be. Overweight

people are more likely

to have high cholesterol,

but actually people who

are quite thin are often

less aware of the amount

of saturated fat they

eat. They think, “Oh, I’m

thin, I can eat whatever

I want.” Which is not true

• what’s inside could be
  completely different.

● Game Changers Health

38 MEN’S FITNESS SEPTEMBER 2018

Cholesterol – high and

low, good and bad – has

become a lynchpin of

health columns, with an

array of foods, medicines

and other measures

linked with maintaining

a healthy level of the stuff.

Yet, despite the constant

coverage, it remains an

enigmatic topic. To help

clear up the cholesterol

confusion, MF spoke

with dietitian Christina

Merryfield to find out

exactly what you

should – and shouldn’t

• be worrying about.

What is cholesterol and

why do we need it?

Cholesterol is found in

every cell of our body,

that’s how essential it is.

We need it to make vitamin

D and also probably the

biggest function is to make

all the steroid hormones

(like testosterone).

What’s the difference

between “good” HDL and

“bad” LDL cholesterol?

LDL and HDL are the

carriers of cholesterol,

they have two different

functions. LDL carries it

into the arteries, but the

problem is that it deposits

it there. Over time, this

hard deposit – often called

cholesterol plaque – can

potentially clog up the

arteries and make them

less flexible. Also, if a clot

forms and releases, it can

block the narrower parts of

the artery, and that’s when

Foods that help to improve cholesterol levels

Oats

Wholegrains and

other foods richin

soluble fibre doa

great deal to battle

LDL by lowering the

amount absorbed

into the bloodstream

via your intestine.

Olive oil

Mostplant oils are

sources of “healthy”

unsaturated fats.

Oliveand rapeseed

oils contain more

monounsaturated

fats, while corn,

sunflower and soya

oils are richer in

polyunsaturated fats.

Nuts

Snacking on a small

handful of nuts every

daydoes wonders

foryour heart health

because they contain

highamounts of

unsaturated fats.

Oily fish

These slippery

characters contain

omega-3 fats, which

are great for your

heart in a number

of ways. Go for

mackerel, sardines,

salmon and tuna

(fresh, not canned).

Make a ProActiv choice

n Flora ProActiv contains plant sterols,

which are proven to significantly reduce

cholesterol. Available in four delicious

variants, including Original, Light, Buttery

and Low Salt, it suits every taste and

dietary need. Start spreading the news!

RAYDELof sunshine

n RAYDEL Policosanol10 may assist

with reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol

and increasing HDL (good) cholesterol.

Always read the label. Follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist,

talk your health professional. *Ernesto Lopez et al. Effects of sugarcane

wax alcohols in subjects with normal or borderline serum cholesterol

levels. Revista CENIC Ciencias Biológicas, Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 31-37, 2010

“Cholesterol levels increase over

time, so the earlier you’re able to

start healthy eating the better.”