Cholestrol and Heart Disease
Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like substance that's found in your body's cells. Your body makes some cholesterol (the HDL or good cholesterol). Other cholesterol is found in certain animal-based foods.
Having too much total cholesterol - LDL - in the blood increases your risk for heart disease. When you have your cholesterol checked, often you'll get a number called a "cholesterol ratio" or triglycerides level. This number is your total cholesterol (or LDL) level divided by your HDL level. The idea is that this single number gives you an overall view of your risk for heart disease. Over half of all American adults have triglyceride levels that are too high (200 mg/dl or higher) and one fifth have levels that are in the high-risk zone (240 mg/dl or higher).
While knowing the triglycerides level is useful, it is not clear whether high triglycerides alone increase your risk of heart disease. It is very important that you know the value each cholesterol level separately because LDL- and HDL-cholesterol both predict your risk of heart disease.
Many studies show that reducing cholesterol levels can reduce the risk of heart disease. If you have heart disease, lowering your cholesterol level will probably help you to live longer. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to help control your cholesterol level.
· Eat low-fat, low cholesterol, high-fiber foods.
· Cut down on high-fat foods.
· Lose weight if you need to.
· Ask your doctor about medicine that can reduce cholesterol.
· Develop a routine exercise program.
Typically, cholesterol levels will drop within a few weeks of starting a heart-healthy nutrition and exercise program. How much it drops depends on how much saturated fat you had been eating, how high your cholesterol was when you started, how much weight you lose, and how your body generally responds to your lifestyle changes. Over time, you may reduce your cholesterol level by as much as 35 mg/dL or more.