Cholesterol is both manufactured by the body, and comes from foods you eat. In order to understand cholesterol’s impact on your health, I’ve provided a chart of the different terms you have heard and what they really mean
| Term | Nickname | Description | Where it Comes from | Healthy Numbers |
| Dietary Cholesterol | - | Approximately 25 percent of your cholesterol comes from food. However, it is important to note that the biggest influence on blood cholesterol level is the mix of fats in your diet—not cholesterol from food. | Foods from animals contain dietary cholesterol:
|
The American Heart Association recommends limiting
daily cholesterol intake to:
|
| Low-Density Lipoproteins (LDLs) | “Bad Cholesterol” | May build up in your arteries along with other substances, forming plaque, which restricts blood flow to your heart, brain, and other vital organs. This directly results in an increased risk for heart disease, including heart attack and stroke. |
|
Best BELOW100*
(with combined LDL and HDL below 200) |
| High-Density Lipoproteins (HDLs) | “Good Cholesterol” | Carries cholesterol away from the arteries to the liver, where the body can eliminate it. |
|
Best ABOVE
(with combined LDL and HDL below 200) |
| Triglycerides (Trigs) | - | A type of fat in the blood. High levels can narrow and harden arteries, making it hard for blood to flow. High levels are often accompanied by high LDL (bad cholesterol) levels and low HDL (good cholesterol) levels. Again, this results in an increased risk for heart disease. |
|
Best BELOW 150 |
* Your ideal LDL number ALSO depends on other risk factors you have, such as your age, family history, cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, or low HDL. Always consult with your doctor about your risk factors and where your numbers should be.
How else can you impact your cholesterol levels?Most people’s “numbers” are affected by genetics, age and gender…which, for the most part, are out of our control. Further, medical conditions and medications may cause an elevation of cholesterol levels in the blood. Other than taking cholesterol medication, however, there ARE several ways you can keep your cholesterol and triglyceride numbers as healthy as possible.
- Diet: Different types of dietary fat have different impacts on your health. Saturated Fats and Trans Fats may increase LDL; and trans fats increase decrease HDLs. As a result, it is best to stick with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, while reducing the amount of saturated fat and trans fats and cholesterol in your diet helps lower your blood cholesterol level. Further, eating a diet high in soluble fiber can help to lower cholesterol levels as well (oats are high in soluble fiber).
- Physical Activity: Exercising and being active can raise your HDL cholesterol, while lowering your LDL. Inactivity, however, is a major risk factor for heart disease. Aim to get 30 minutes of activity on most days.
- Weight: Being overweight can negatively impact your cholesterol levels. Losing excess-weight can help raise healthy HDLs, lower unhealthy LDLs, total cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels.
- Smoking: Smoking lowers HDL and increases the tendency for your blood to clot…raising risk for heart disease.
- Alcohol: In certain studies, alcohol has shown to raise HDL. However, it doesn’t significantly enough to recommend drinking alcohol as a preventative measure. Always make sure you drink in moderation (1 to drinks per day for men and one per day for women).
Do you have high cholesterol? What measures are you taking to lower your numbers?
Tired of dieting? Learn how to shed excess pounds naturally
with the most simple way to eat healthy for life with "GET
REAL" and STOP Dieting! BUY IT
NOW!
