Cholesterol And Your Health

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What is cholesterol?

• Cholesterol (koh-LES-ter-ol) is a wax-like substance that is found in your body. It is a lipid, which means that it is a type of fat. Your body needs some cholesterol to stay healthy. It is used by your body to do important work, like building cell walls and making hormones. However, too much cholesterol in your body may be bad for your health.
  
  
• Cholesterol cannot travel in the blood by itself. There are special proteins in the body that act like taxicabs, "driving" the cholesterol to different parts of the body. When these proteins are carrying cholesterol (lipids), they are called lipoproteins (lip-oh-PROH-teens). When caregivers check the cholesterol level in your blood, they may also check for two types of these lipoproteins. One type causes too much cholesterol to stay in your body. The other type helps your body get rid of extra cholesterol.
  
  
  • Low-density lipoprotein (LDL): This type of lipoprotein is often called "bad cholesterol" because it causes fatty deposits in your arteries.
    
    
  • High-density lipoprotein (HDL): This type of lipoprotein is often called "good" cholesterol or " h elper" cholesterol. HDL takes cholesterol back to the liver, so that it can leave the body as a waste product.

Where does cholesterol come from? Cholesterol is made in your body by your liver. You also get cholesterol by eating foods that come from animals. Examples of foods that come from animals include meats, eggs, and whole-fat dairy (milk) products. Plant foods, such as vegetables, fruits, and nuts, do not have cholesterol.

What are the health risks of having high cholesterol? Too much cholesterol in your body may cause fatty deposits on the walls of your arteries (blood vessels). This causes hardening of the arteries, which is called atherosclerosis (ath-er-oh-skle-ROH-sis). Atherosclerosis can cause poor blood flow in certain areas of your body, which puts you at higher risk for health problems. For example, blood flow problems that affect your heart muscle may cause a heart attack. Blood flow problems that affect your brain may cause a stroke (brain attack). If left untreated, problems caused by atherosclerosis may be serious, even life threatening.

How does my diet affect my cholesterol level? A diet with too much cholesterol and the wrong kinds of fat may increase your cholesterol level. There are several different kinds of fat that are found in foods. Some kinds of fat are bad for you. However, some kinds are good for you and actually help lower your cholesterol. It is important to know how much of each of these fats you should have in your diet. The following are types of fats, and the amounts of each that you should have in your diet.

• Monounsaturated fats: Monounsaturated (mon-oh-un-SACH-er-ay-ted) fats are found in olives, peanuts, seeds, and other nuts. These fats do not raise your cholesterol if you eat them in moderation (not too much). Include some foods each day that contain monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats should make up 10 to 20 percent of the total number of calories eaten in one day.
  
  
• Polyunsaturated fats: Polyunsaturated (pol-ee-un-SACH-er-ay-ted) fats are found in oils such as canola, sunflower, sesame, safflower, and other plant oils. Polyunsaturated fats should make up about 10 percent of your calorie intake.
  
  
• Omega-3 fats: Omega-3 (oh-MEG-ah 3) fats are found in certain types of high fat fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and albacore tuna. These fats help protect against heart disease. Eat at least two servings a week of these foods. If you cannot eat fish, talk to your caregiver about using a fish oil supplement (pill).
  
  
• Saturated, hydrogenated, and trans-fats: Saturated (SACH-er-ay-ted) fats are solid at room temperature. They include butter, lard, coconut or palm oil, shortening, and some types of margarine. Hydrogenated (heye-DRO-jen-ayt-ed) and trans-fats are types of fats that are similar to saturated fats. Eating foods that have these types of fats can increase blood cholesterol levels. Saturated fat should make up less than 10 percent of daily calories.
  
  
• Cholesterol: Dietary cholesterol is a type of fat that is found in animal foods including dairy products, meat, fish and poultry. Egg yolks and organ meats (such as liver) are also high in cholesterol. High amounts of dietary cholesterol may increase blood cholesterol in some people. Eat less than 300 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per day.

What are some other things that cause high cholesterol? Scientists are still learning why some people have high cholesterol while others do not. Besides diet, other things that may affect your cholesterol include the following.

• Being overweight: You have a higher risk of having high cholesterol if you weigh too much. Your caregiver can tell you how much you should weigh, depending on your age, sex, height, and body type. If you need to lose weight, ask your caregiver about a weight loss plan that is right for you.
  
  
• Age: Fatty deposits in the arteries (atherosclerosis) may start in childhood. As you age, your risk of atherosclerosis and high cholesterol increases.
  
  
• Family history: High cholesterol may run in your family. For example, if one of your parents has high cholesterol, you are more likely to have it also.
  
  
• Lack of exercise: Exercise increases the levels of HDL (good cholesterol) in your body. HDL helps to lower the amount of total cholesterol in your body, decreasing the risk of atherosclerosis.
  
  
• Other factors: Other medical conditions, such as diabetes or thyroid problems, may increase your chance of having high cholesterol. Women may have higher cholesterol when they are pregnant or if they have had their ovaries removed. Ask your caregiver about other medical conditions that may be affecting your cholesterol.

How can I tell if I have high cholesterol?

• Your caregiver may take a blood sample from you to see if you have too much cholesterol in your blood. You may need to fast for 9 to 12 hours before your blood is drawn. Fasting (going without eating) helps to make sure that the test shows your actual cholesterol level. When fasting, you may drink water. Food and other drinks (such as coffee or tea) taken during this time period may affect your cholesterol reading. Certain vitamins and medicines may also cause a false cholesterol reading. Tell your caregiver about all medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements that you are taking.
  
  
• Your blood test may measure levels of total cholesterol, HDL (good cholesterol), LDL (bad cholesterol), and triglycerides. Triglycerides are another type of fat that can be found in your body. High triglycerides can increase your risk of heart disease or cause pancreatitis (payn-kree-ah-TEYE-tis), an inflammation of your pancreas that can be serious. Because blood test results may mean different things for different people, ask your caregiver to explain your test results to you. Your caregiver can tell you what your target (goal) levels are and how to reach them. Your target levels may depend on other heart disease risk factors you have.

How can I lower my cholesterol? Some things that raise your cholesterol cannot be helped, such as your age or family history. However, there are some things that you can change to decrease your cholesterol. Learn about the different types of fats that are found in foods, and how to read food labels. Increasing the amount of fiber in your diet may also help to lower your cholesterol. Alcohol can increase triglyceride levels, so your levels may improve if you stop drinking alcohol. Ask your caregiver what your ideal weight should be, and lose weight if you are overweight. Your caregiver, a dietitian (deye-e-TISH-an), or a nutritionist (noo-TRI-shun-ist) can work with you to find the right diet plan for you. Your caregiver can also help you plan an exercise program that is right for you. If lifestyle changes alone do not help to lower your cholesterol, you may also need to take cholesterol-lowering medicines.

For more information: For more information about cholesterol and your health, contact:

• American Heart Association National Center
  7272 Greenville Avenue
  Dallas, TX 75231-4596
  Phone: 1-800-242-8721
  Web Address: http://www.americanheart.org
  

• National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
  Health Information Center
  P.O. Box 30105
  Bethesda, MD 20824-0105
  Phone: 1-301-592-8573
  Web Address: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/infoctr/index.htm
  

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your diet. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

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