CHOLESTEROL FACTS: WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT
There’s so much information available nowadays on cholesterol – some of it helpful, some of it confusing, some of it actually misleading. To make things easier, just concentrate on these most important cholesterol facts:- Your total blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol are the most telling measures of your risk for heart disease. The best way to lower both levels is to reduce the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol you eat every day and to increase your consumption of foods rich in soluble fiber.- A small minority of people are unable to achieve a safe cholesterol level without the use of drugs. Though effective, all cholesterol-lowering drugs have side effects and should be used only after giving a low-fat, low-cholesterol, high-fiber diet a fair trial. And remember, if you are taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, the better your diet, the lower the dosage – and the lower the risk of side effects.- For maximum protection from heart and blood-vessel disease, your total cholesterol should not exceed 100 plus your age, and should never be higher than 160 mg/dl (unless your HDL is so high it pushes your total up).- Just because your HDL figure is high, this doesn’t mean you’re safe if your LDL cholesterol is also high. A high HDL cholesterol level will reduce but will not neutralize the risk of heart disease associated with a simultaneously elevated LDL cholesterol level.- While your best defense is to lower your total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, it is known that you can safely raise your HDL cholesterol somewhat by reducing body fat, giving up smoking, and doing regular aerobic exercise.- While they are lower in saturated fat, lean poultry and fish do not contain much less cholesterol than do lean meats, so it’s best to eat no more than 3 1/2 ounces of any of these foods a day. In the high-protein category, fish is recommended over poultry since studies show a reduced risk of coronary heart disease in individuals consuming a modest amount of fish per week instead of meat, compared to those consuming meat only, and no fish at all, as their high-protein food.- Include more soluble fiber in your meals – especially oats, barley, legumes, yams, sweet potatoes, fruits and vegetables – to help lower your serum cholesterol.*15/345/5*
