HIGH CHOLESTEROL - DON’T WORRY! IT’S PREVENTABLE AND TREATABLE.

Cholesterol is found in every cell in your body. Cholesterol is used by your body to build healthy cells, as well as some vital hormones. Your body uses cholesterol to produce many hormones, vitamin D, and the bile acids that help to digest fat.

At normal levels, cholesterol is not a bad thing. On the contrary, it’s an essential raw material used by the body to build cell walls and produce hormones such as estrogen and testosterone. When you have high cholesterol, you may develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels. Eventually, these deposits make it difficult for enough blood to flow through your arteries.  High cholesterol is the best known of all the many threats to a healthy heart.

High cholesterol has no symptoms. A blood test is the only way to detect high cholesterol. A desirable total cholesterol level is 200 mg/dL or lower. A desirable LDL is 100 mg/dL (130-159 is borderline high; 160 is high; 190 is very high).

The Framingham Heart Study established that high blood cholesterol is a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). Coronary heart disease (CHD) is caused by cholesterol and fat being deposited in the walls of the arteries that supply nutrients and oxygen to your heart. Like any muscle, the heart needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients, which are carried to it by the blood in the coronary arteries. Several studies have confirmed a direct link between high blood cholesterol and CHD. Recent studies have shown that lowering cholesterol in people without heart disease greatly reduces their risk for developing heart disease in the first place.

If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by total blockage of a coronary artery, the result is a heart attack.

A diet high in saturated fat (a type of fat found mostly in foods that come from animals and certain oils) raises LDL levels more than anything else in your diet.

Throughout the world, cholesterol levels (measured in the blood) vary widely. Generally, people who live in countries where blood cholesterol levels are lower, such as Japan, have lower rates of heart disease.  The risk for high cholesterol increases with age.

You’re more likely to have high cholesterol that can lead to heart disease if you have any of these risk factors:

• Smoking. Cigarette smoking damages the walls of your blood vessels, making them likely to accumulate fatty deposits. Smoking may also lower your level of HDL, or “good,” cholesterol.
• Obesity. Having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater puts you at risk of high cholesterol.
• Poor diet. Foods that are high in cholesterol, such as red meat and full-fat dairy products, will increase your total cholesterol. Eating saturated fat, found in animal products, and Trans fats, found in some commercially baked cookies and crackers also can raise your numbers.
• Lack of exercise. Exercise helps boost your body’s HDL “good” cholesterol while lowering your LDL “bad”cholesterol. Not getting enough exercise puts you at risk of high cholesterol.
• High blood pressure. Increased pressure on your artery walls damages your arteries, which can speed the accumulation of fatty deposits.
• Diabetes. High blood sugar contributes to higher LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol. High blood sugar also damages the lining of your arteries.
• Family history of heart disease. If a parent or sibling developed heart disease before age 55, high cholesterol levels place you at a greater than average risk of developing heart disease.

How to lower your cholesterol level:

• Lifestyle changes are essential to improve your cholesterol level.
• Excess weight contributes to high cholesterol. Losing even 5 to 10 pounds of excess weight can help lower total cholesterol levels.
• What you eat has a direct impact on your cholesterol level. Saturated fat and trans fat raise your total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Get no more than 10 percent of your daily calories from saturated fat. Trans fats, which are often found in margarines and commercially baked cookies, crackers and snack cakes, are particularly bad for your cholesterol levels.
• You may have noticed more food labels now market their products as “trans fat-free.” But don’t rely only on this label. In the United States, if a food contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat a serving, it can be marked trans fat-free.
• Limit your dietary cholesterol. Aim for no more than 300 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol a day — or less than 200 mg if you have heart disease.
• Various nutrients found in whole grains promote heart health.
• Stock up on fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are rich in dietary fiber, which can help lower cholesterol.
• Choose fish for your daily diet: Some types of fish — such as cod, tuna and halibut — have less total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol than do meat and poultry.
• Drink alcohol only in moderation. In some studies, moderate use of alcohol has been linked with higher levels of HDL cholesterol — but the benefits aren’t strong enough to recommend alcohol for anyone who doesn’t drink already.
• Regular exercise can help improve your cholesterol levels. With your doctor’s OK, work up to 30 to 60 minutes of exercise a day. Take a brisk daily walk, ride your bike, swim laps…
• If you smoke, stop. Quitting can improve your HDL cholesterol level.

There are also other natural products which have been proved to reduce cholesterol. Some might be very helpful and effective in lowering your cholesterol, such as:

• Artichoke
• Barley
• Beta-sitosterol (found in oral supplements and some margarines, such as Promise Active)
• Blond psyllium (found in seed husk and products such as Metamucil)
• Garlic
• Oat bran (found in oatmeal and whole oats)
• Sitostanol (found in oral supplements and some margarines, such as Benecol)

Yet, remember to inform your doctors if you take any supplements along with medical treatments.

The most important factor will contribute great effects to lower cholesterol is a healthy lifestyle. As the title said, it’s preventable and treatable. To improve a healthy lifestyle with good and balanced diet, regular exercises combining with doctor prescription if necessary is the best way to reduce your cholesterol