High Cholesterol
What causes high cholesterol, and how is it treated?
Cholesterol is important to your body—it is made primarily in the liver and intestines, and plays a prominent role in the regulation of key hormones such as cortisol, testosterone and progesterone, as well as the production of stomach bile. However, there are two types of cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein (HDL or “good cholesterol”) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad cholesterol”). A person who has “high cholesterol” actually has elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
If you have high cholesterol levels, you are at elevated risk for several serious medical conditions, including heart disease and, in particular, heart attacks. High cholesterol levels cause plaque to build up in your arteries, which can clog blood flow to your heart and cause cardiac disease or arrest.
What Causes High Cholesterol?
Primarily, a poor diet causes elevated levels of bad cholesterol. If you eat a lot of foods with high cholesterol or that contain a lot of saturated fats or hydrogenated oils, your liver will produce more low-density lipoprotein cholesterol than you need. The problem will worsen if you don’t get enough soluble fiber, polyunsaturated fat or phytosterols in your diet, or if you are overweight, don’t exercise or smoke.
How to Lower Your Levels of Bad Cholesterol
Whether you want to decrease your risk of heart disease or lower your cholesterol as part of a heart attack recovery program, dietary and lifestyle modifications are the key. Healthy diets greatly reduce your chances of generating high levels of bad cholesterol.
A good diet to reduce cholesterol contains foods like these:
- Skinless chicken, fish, lean beef
- Skim milk
- Baked potatoes
- Low-sodium soups with clear broth
- Steamed or fresh vegetables
- Fresh fruits
- Corn, soybean, canola, sesame, sunflower, olive or safflower oils
- Egg whites
- Whole milk
- Egg yolks
- Sausage
- Organ meat
- Saturated fat
- Creamy soups
- Sugar
- Processed or refined carbohydrates
- Fried foods
Also, you should avoid foods such as:
Dietary modifications will assist you in weight management, but you should aim to lose weight if you have a higher-than-normal body mass index (BMI). In particular, men with waists in excess of 40 inches and women whose waists exceed 35 inches in circumference should aim to lose weight.
Finally, get at least half an hour of aerobic exercise every day. Exercise raises levels of good cholesterol and lowers levels of bad cholesterol. If necessary, you can also supplement your efforts with prescription medications, but the vast majority of doctors feel strongly that lifestyle modifications are the key to better long-term health.
