However, patient education concerning cholesterol is of the utmost importance and learning how to improve your cholesterol can be done with a few healthful changes.
The Silent Killer
Making up the outer coating of all cells in the human body, cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance. Cholesterol is made in the liver, ingested in the foods we eat, and is important for hormone production and fat digestion. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) are two of the cholesterols produced in the body, with HDL known as the “good” cholesterol.
However, everything in moderation; and that includes those good cholesterols. Excess production of cholesterol can lead to serious medical problems.
“When we say ‘high cholesterol,’ we’re generally referring to the total cholesterol, or the non-HDL cholesterol,” says Dr. Elisabeth Nogan, a family medicine physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “Higher cholesterol increases plaque formation, which increases risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.”
Smoking and a lack of physical activity are other factors correlated with high cholesterol, as smoking leads to increased plaque formation and a lack of exercise affects cholesterol levels.
“Lack of exercise can give people a low HDL and a higher LDL,” says Nogan. “If you’re a diabetic, smoker or lead a very sedentary lifestyle, your risk automatically goes up.”
Luckily, in a community like New Albany that values health and fitness, these factors may not be of major concern. However, it’s still important to know the risk of high cholesterol.
Eating to Please
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 102 million adults have cholesterol levels above the healthy level.
“There are a couple factors that lead to high cholesterol such as age, genetic makeup and poor diet,” says Nogan.
Therefore, it’s important to know if one has a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol because, of these three causes, poor diet is the only risk factor one can control.
“I always tell my patients that if you have healthy options around, then you are more likely to prepare a healthy meal.” Dr. Elisabeth Nogan
When specifying poor diet choices, certain types of fats should be limited and avoided, as they are thought to be the main culprits for poor cholesterol health when considering diet as the risk factor.
“Trans fats, or partially hydrogenated oils, should definitely be avoided while saturated fats should be limited in the everyday diet,” says Nogan. “Some saturated fats can raise LDL levels in a bad way, but without raising the risk of cardiovascular disease.”
Trans fats are found in processed and packaged foods as well as in fast food. Although banned by the FDA, there is still a possibility that this fat can make its way into a product.
“I tell patients to look at the product label and ingredients because even though a label may claim there is zero grams of trans fat, there could be a miniscule amount in the product,” says Nogan. “Instead, look at the ingredients and look for partially hydrogenated oil rather than just looking at the trans fat number.”
Saturated fats include food items like butter, fatty cuts of red meat, cheese, cream and whole milk. It bears repeating: everything in moderation. These fats need not be eliminated from the diet, but there are more healthful alternatives.
These more healthful alternatives come in the form of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are known for lowering overall LDL cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol. Canola and olive oil, avocados, salmon and other healthful fats are great alternatives that won’t negatively affect cholesterol health.
Another substance that helps lower cholesterol is fiber, which can be found in vegetables and whole grains. The addition of fiber in the diet, along with healthful fats, should be a main focus in our diet every day, says Nogan.
Preparation is Key
With a healthier diet comes preparation and planning, as this is the key for a more balanced diet and lifestyle.
“I always tell my patients that if you have healthy options around, then you are more likely to prepare a healthy meal,” says Nogan. “I often tell people to take time on the weekend to prep meals that might last them through the week or that they can place in the freezer to defrost quickly at a later time.”
In all, the aim isn’t perfect cholesterol; just a greater awareness of what we choose to eat. The best way to stay healthy as we age? The answer is simple.
“The key is making healthy choices at a young age,” says Nogan.
Laura Baird is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
