Cholesterol and You
Do you know everything required to monitor your heart's health? Many people assume that cholesterol itself is bad, but in reality the body produces some good cholesterol that is necessary for producing cell membranes, hormones and regulating other natural processes. The key to a healthy life is to strike a balance when it comes to fats and cholesterol levels.
The bad cholesterol you've probably heard so much about is called Low Density Lipoprotein. The good type goes bad when it stops transporting and oxidizes from exposure to free radicals, leading to conditions like atherosclerosis. If you have 160mg or more of LDL per day, then you have a high level of harmful cholesterol. By contrast, high density Lipoprotein (or HDL) is known as "good cholesterol." It helps one-fourth to one-third of blood cholesterol to be carried from the arteries to the liver by HDL. Doctors recommend that you have more than 40mg of HDL to lower your risk of heart disease.
There is one more thing you should be monitoring as you age, aside from cholesterol, and that is high triglycerides, which is the chemical form of fat calories that is converted into energy or gets stored in the body for later. High triglyceride levels contribute to heart disease, strokes and diabetes, but the bad news is that there are no early symptoms. Therefore, doctors recommend that you get regular check ups to detect abnormalities in your metabolism before it's too late.
You may have heard that eggs are bad news for people with skyrocketing cholesterol and sadly, it's true, because one egg contains 213mg and the daily recommendation is less than 300. Some dieticians say that eggs don't have the highest impact on your blood cholesterol level. In fact, sausages and bacon, which are both high in saturated fats, are far more dangerous. Anything that is deep fried is also a bad choice. Deep fried shrimp is definitely a time bomb to avoid! Meats, whole milk dairy products and potato chips should be avoided. Instead, find substitute foods that you enjoy that are good for the heart; maybe a piece of chocolate or a handful of nuts. Just realize that it's not too late to turn your life around.
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Today's Tip On Cholesterol
In addition to smoking, hypertension and high cholesterol, inactivity is one of the four major contributors to coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis and poor cardiovascular health. Sedentary people have a 35% greater risk of developing high blood pressure and 55% greater risk of developing heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least 4 days per week. A 2002 study of overweight individuals found that strenuous activity, for example, jogging 20 miles/week, was needed to increase HDL (good cholesterol) but even walking or jogging 12 miles/week was enough to lower LDL (bad cholesterol). The best exercises for heart health include: walking, jogging, jumping rope, biking, cross-country skiing, skating, rowing, low-impact aerobics and water aerobics.
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