Cholesterol
: the Good, the Bad and
the Misunderstood
The
"good" and "bad" often associated to cholesterol
actually refer to the lipoprotein that carries cholesterol through the
bloodstream. Two types of lipoproteins affect your risk of heart
disease. Low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) are commonly referred to as
"bad cholesterol" because they carry most of the cholesterol
in the blood, and they are the primary source of the plaque buildup
that can cause blockage in the arteries. The higher your LDL count,
the greater your risk of disease.
High-density
lipoproteins (HDLs) are known as "good cholesterol" because
they work as the clean-up crew - carrying excess cholesterol from the
arterial walls to the liver, where it can begin its journey out of the
body. A higher HDL count usually translates to a lower risk of heart
disease because HDLs help remove some excess cholesterol before it can
do serious damage. Several factors influence these lipoproteins, which
in turn help determine your overall blood (or total) cholesterol.
Diet
can play a large role in your cholesterol level. Two nutrients can
cause cholesterol to increase. The biggest effect comes from saturated
fats found in animal sources such as beef, whole dairy products and
baked goods like cookies, cakes and other "junk food." Since
cholesterol is also manufactured by animals, eating foods that come
from animals - meats, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy - can also affect
your cholesterol levels. If you have high cholesterol, experts suggest
that you attempt to reduce both types of these foods. Meanwhile,
soluble fiber in oatmeal and other grains has been found to help
modestly reduce cholesterol levels. It's believed that this type of
fiber is beneficial because it forms a gel and helps absorb some fats
in the intestines before they can be absorbed into the bloodstream.
Heredity
Like other conditions, high cholesterol can run in families, since
genetics can influence the amount of cholesterol your body
manufactures and uses.
Being
overweight is a risk factor because it stresses your heart and
puts you at risk for heart disease. Of course, those who are obese
usually don't eat as healthfully as they could and are more likely to
have high cholesterol.
Gender
Before menopause, women usually have lower cholesterol than men
(although pregnancy raises blood cholesterol levels in many women).
Once women reach menopause, however, there is often an increase in LDL
levels. Some women benefit from taking estrogen after menopause
because estrogen lowers LDLs and raises HDLs. Moderate alcohol
consumption can increase HDL levels. Still, most experts are hesitant
to advocate that people "start drinking" to lower
cholesterol. Since alcohol has a lot of empty calories - those with no
nutritional value - it can contribute to obesity. Alcohol also
increases risk of accidents and other diseases. But research shows
that those who consume one drink a day typically have a lower risk of
heart disease than those who do not.
Exercise
helps boost HDL levels, lower LDL levels and control weight. Daily
aerobic exercise - that which increases heart rate for a sustained
period - is usually advocated. |
