Cholesterol and Heart Health Part III

Cholesterol, particularly LDL cholesterol, forms a fatty substance called plaque, which builds up on the arterial walls of the heart. Smaller plaques remain soft, but older, larger plaques tend to harden.

The long-term result is atherosclerosis, commonly called hardening of the arteries.

Eventually these hardened arteries become narrower (a condition known as stenosis). As this process continues, blood flow slows and prevents sufficient oxygen-rich blood from reaching the heart. This condition leads to angina (chest pain) and, in severe cases, to heart attack.

Smaller unstable plaques may rupture, triggering the formation blood clots on the surface. The blood clots block the arteries and are important causes of heart attack.

This process is accelerated and enhanced by other risk factors, including high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, diabetes, and a sedentary lifestyle. When more than one of these risk factors is present, the risk is compounded.

Coronary Artery Disease is the end result of atherosclerosis, hardening of arteries. Coronary artery disease, commonly known as heart disease, is the leading cause of death in the U.S.

 Study has shown a higher blood cholesterol level associates with a higher risk of heart disease. Therefore, lower cholesterol level reduces risk of developing heart disease.       

What can I do to lower my cholesterol level?

There are a few factors that affect your cholesterol level, which include dietary choices, physical activities, weight, age, gender, and heredity. We can’t control the last three factors, but we are in control of the first three factors. The goal is to lower LDL and raise HDL.

Dietary Choices:

Study recommended that lower saturated fat (less than 7% of total kcal intake) intake for heart health.  

Trans fat intake raises LDL and cholesterol levels in your blood and lowers HDL.

On the flip side, studies have shown that monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat helps lower LDL level.  Diets high in soluble fiber helps reduce LDL in your blood.

Also, weight loss, exercise, and stopping smoking helps reduce the risk of heart disease.

Let’s talk more about what to eat to reduce risk of heart disease starting with choosing healthy fat!

Based on the Therapeutic Lifestyle Change Diet Recommendations:

Breads and cereals: have more than 6 servings of bread and cereals each day, especially whole grain; pasta, rice, dry beans and peas.

Vegetables: have 3 to 5 servings of vegetables each day without added fat, sauce or salt.

Fruit: have 2 to 4 servings of fruits each day.

Dairy products: 2 to 3 servings per each day. Choose fat free, 1% milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, fat free and low fat cheese.

Egg: less than 2 egg yolks per week. Choose egg white or egg substitute.

Meat, poultry, and fish: consume less than 5 oz per day. Choose lean cuts: loin, leg, round, extra-lean (93%) hamburger, cold cuts made lean meat or soy protein, skinless poultry, and fish.

Fats and oil: minimize saturated fat and Trans fat. Consume a moderate amount of polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat (refer back to the good and bad fats table).

Fiber: 20 to 30 grams each day from varied sources, such as barley, oats, psyllium, apples, bananas, berries, peaches, pears, nectarines, broccolis, dry beans, peas,  and soy products (miso, tofu).

Also, studies have shown that plant sterols help lower LDL level. Plant sterols can be obtained from stanol/sterol containing margarines.

References:

What is cholesterol? National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute Web Site. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hbc/ Published September 19, 2012. Accessed October 9, 2014.

About cholesterol. American Heart Association Web Site. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/AboutCholesterol/About-Cholesterol_UCM_001220_Article.jsp Published April 21, 2014. Updated July 31, 2014. Accessed October 9, 2014.

Cholesterol- Blessing or Curse? Developing Health Habits Web Site. http://developinghealthyhabits.com/cholesterol-blessing-or-curse/ Published Feburary 1, 2011. Accessed October 9, 2014.

Cholesterol. Center for Disease Control and Prevention Web Site. http://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/faqs.htm Published Janurary 30, 2012. Accessed October 9, 2014.

Choosing Healthy Fat. HelpGuide.org Web Site. http://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/choosing-healthy-fats.htm Updated October, 2014. Accessed October 12, 2014.

Heart Pack Patient Education. Mended Heart Web site. http://mendedhearts.org/education Updated 2014. Accessed October 9, 2014.