Good vs bad
there are different types of
cholesterol – ldl (low-density lipoprotein)
and hdl (high-density lipoprotein). “ldl
is sometimes called ‘bad’ cholesterol, as
it sticks to the walls of the blood vessels,
making them narrow and stiff, in the same
way water pipes can become clogged
with limescale,” says senior consultant
cardiologist dr michael macdonald. hdl
on the other hand is “good” because a
raised hdl is associated with a lower
risk of heart disease and stroke.
Know your
numbers
“As a rough guide, ideally, total
cholesterol should be less than 5mmol/l
(millimoles per litre); ldl should be less
than 3mmol/l; hdl should be more than
1mmol/l,” says dr macdonald. “however,
your doctor may set different targets
based on your own medical history.”
when to
Get tested
testing is essential if you’re over 40, if
you’re overweight, have a family history of
high cholesterol or if you have a condition
related to high cholesterol. testing typically
involves your doctor or nurse taking a
blood sample, which can usually give
results within 24 hours. it’s best to book
tests in the morning as you may be asked
to fast for 10 to 12 hours prior, to ensure
that any food ingested won’t impact the
result. “don’t be scared of getting tested,”
says dr holmes. “you’re giving yourself
the opportunity to make changes and
you might be reassured by your result.”(^3) naturalsolutions
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extractcanreduceldlcholesterolby
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sort it
take regular exercise Brisk
walking, swimming or cycling will help
to increase levels of hdl cholesterol,
while helping your body move the
ldl cholesterol to the liver, where
it’s disposed of. the British heart
Foundation recommends to exercise
for at least 30 minutes each day.
Keep your weight within the ideal
range People who are overweight
are more likely to have high cholesterol
levels. it can also help to avoid too
many saturated fats (these should make
up 20g or less of your diet, according to
the nhs). reduce your consumption of
fatty meat products, such as sausages
or pies, butter, cream or ice cream,
hard cheeses, cakes and chocolate.
Quit smoking smoking reduces levels
of hdl cholesterol, as a compound
found in cigarettes called acrolein
inhibits hdl from taking fatty deposits
to the liver, leading to higher cholesterol
levels. it also increases blood pressure
and makes the blood more likely to clot.
the riGht diet
“reduce your cholesterol by
adopting a more balanced diet,” says dr
Vishal shah, medical director at thriva
(thriva.co). “eat healthy fats found in nuts
and olive oil, and eat less processed
and fried foods, which contain harmful
trans fats. choose wholegrain varieties of
starch and eat oily fish, such as salmon,
tuna or mackerel – all a great source of
omega-3, which can protect your heart.”
try a bowl of oats for breakfast, which,
thanks to their high fibre content, help
to lower your cholesterol. A cholesterol-
balancing lunch could be a baked potato
with baked beans, while dinner can be
a serving of oily fish with wholegrain rice
and avocado. in-between meals, snack
on fruits, vegetables and nuts, all of which
help to keep your cholesterol healthy.
what about
medication?
“your gP will decide whether or not
to give you statins to reduce your
cholesterol after calculating your overall
risk of cardiovascular disease,” says dr
macdonald. “this is based on factors such
as blood pressure, diabetes and smoking
- in addition to your cholesterol level.”
Statinstheseworkbyblockingthe
enzymescreatedin yourliverthathelp
makecholesterol.however,statinsare
onlyprescribedtopeoplewhoareat a
highriskofheartdiseasebecausethey
needtobetakenconsistentlytowork.
aspirinA lowdosageof aspirinmaybe
prescribedin thosewho’vehada heart
attack,havea vasculardiseaseorhave
a highriskof developingcardiovascular
disease,asit helpsto preventbloodclots.
Ezetimibethisworksbyblockingthe
absorptionof cholesterolfromfoodso
thatit doesn’treachyourbloodstream.
Bileacidsequestrantsif statinsor
ezetimibefailtowork,youmaybe
prescribedthis.theyworkbybinding
tobileacidsinsidetheintestinesand
preventthemfrombeingabsorbed.
thisthenpromptsthebodytocreate
morebileacid,whichthenlowers
cholesterollevels.health report
woman&homeit’sAllABoUtyoU! 125
77%
is the number of people
who say they don’tunderstand the different
types of cholesterol,
according to a survey
by healthspan1 in
500
people have high
cholesterol levels because
of an inherited condition
called familial
hypercholesterolemia