Bringing down high cholesterol

High cholesterol is a common problem as around 50% of all heart attacks are associated with high cholesterol and over 5.5 million South Africans are at risk of developing a disease due to their high cholesterol levels.

High cholesterol can be genetic but is often the result of unhealthy lifestyle choices that you can change. Healthy eating and exercising can help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels so you can lead a healthier, longer life.

Cholesterol – the good, the bad and the ugly

Your body needs cholesterol to continue building healthy cells. The problem comes when you have too much of it. High cholesterol may cause you to develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels, which will make it difficult for enough blood to flow through your arteries. This means that your heart may not get as much oxygen-rich blood as it needs which increases the risk of a heart attack, while decreased blood flow to your brain can cause a stroke.

There are four types of lipoproteins, with the two main types being low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL).

• LDL cholesterol, the so-called “bad” cholesterol, moves through the body where it’s used to repair cell membranes or make hormones
• HDL, the so-called “good” cholesterol, moves through the liver, where it removes excess cholesterol from the tissues and disposes of it before it can do any damage.

The test for cholesterol

You can check your cholesterol levels using a finger-prick blood test. Ask your healthcare provider if you should avoid eating or drinking for up to 12 hours before the test.

Managing high cholesterol

Sometimes eating healthy and exercise is enough to manage high cholesterol. Exercise changes your level of cholesterol by increasing the breakdown of cholesterol in the liver and gallbladder and decreasing how much cholesterol from food your intestine absorbs. If you have high cholesterol, your doctor will usually first ask you to change your lifestyle and only prescribe cholesterol-lowering medicine if your cholesterol hasn’t gone down after a few months.

Some medical conditions and medicine can increase your cholesterol. Your doctor could recommend changing your medicine if it causes high cholesterol. Smoking can also contribute to high cholesterol.

Top tips to lower bad cholesterol levels

• Be active
• Replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats
• If you drink alcohol, do it in moderation
• Choose healthier cooking methods
• Add fish to your diet
• Add fibre and plant sterols to your diet

References

• www.heartfoundation.co.za
• www.hearthealthyonline.com
• www.webmd.com
• www.nhs.uk

This article contains opinions and facts and references to other information sources. You must always consult a registered healthcare professional for any personal advice.