Cholesterol comes not only from the foods that we eat but from our bodies as well. Even if you could eliminate all outside sources of cholesterol from your diet, you still would have about as much as ten eggs in your body, just by nature. Your body uses this cholesterol to make hormones just as it converts amino acids from foods for this same purpose. Genetics play a major role in how much cholesterol is found in your body as well as how the cholesterol in your diet affects you. There are some people who will need cholesterol lowering medication regardless of whether or not they change their diet.
If your blood cholesterol score is 200 or higher, you will fall into the frequent testing category. For all others, testing will be done less frequently. In most cases, treatment consists of multiple activities, including using medication, proper diet, exercising and using nutritional supplements. These changes are enough for some people, for some others, further tests need to be done to investigate the reason as to why the cholesterol is high.
High blood cholesterol is a bad thing; however it is not the only risk factor for heart disease and other problems,
Changing the diet can be difficult but should be done. Trying to reduce or eliminate red meat is one of the first steps that should be taken. Soy, and soy products should be added to the diet because studies have shown that two servings of soy per day can reduce the cholesterol numbers by as much as nine points. Some of the forms of soy include tempeh, miso and tofu. Soy milk is also a beneficial way to get soy into the diet as well.
Why it is Important to Talk to a Dietitian
A registered dietitian can be very beneficial especially if you are unsure of how to change your diet. If you do not know how to determine your calorie needs, for instance, a dietitian can help to get you on track. The doctor may refer you to a dietitian so that you can be given a set dietary plan to follow. You will get the education that can help you understand not only foods but how they work in your body. The dietitian can show you the different options that are available for your diet so that you can reduce your cholesterol as much as possible and get back to better health.
Who Needs Cholesterol Reducing Medications
For those who have high levels of LDL medication is recommended. The American Heart Association says that higher risk people should be medicated at 100. These people include:
- diabetics (Type I and Type II)
- family history of heart attacks before the age of 55
- chest pain regardless of the source
- those who have had a previous heart attack
- surgery for blocked arteries regardless of technique
- Those who have not been able to reduce their cholesterol through other methods including diet and exercise.
Heart Disease Risk Factors
There are several other risk factors that can make high cholesterol even more significant. You need to be aware of these:
- Being overweight even by only 20 pounds.
- Smoking or living with a smoker
- High blood pressure especially if it is serious enough to need medications.
- Untreated anxiety or depression
The more risk factors that you have, including the ones that cannot be changed, the more important it will become to have your cholesterol checked frequently. It is important to make sure that you are not only following up with the doctor but taking all medications as directed so that you can get your cholesterol back under control.
Diet Suggestions to Reduce Cholesterol
The American Heart Association suggests that the DASH diet (DASH= Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) be used not only to lower blood pressure but can be used to lower the cholesterol as well. The diet focuses on fresh fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy products and reduces the sodium that is in the diet as well. This is not a diet plan that has to be prescribed at all and can be adopted by anyone, regardless of their health status. Making sure that 50-60% of the diet is comprised of complex carbohydrates, especially whole grain foods is a solid foundations to a healthy diet. Protein should make up 15-30% of the diet with healthy fat sources making up the remainder.
Sally and High Cholesterol: A Case Study
The doctor has informed Sally that her cholesterol level is completely out of whack: she needs to change her diet dramatically and he would like to see her increase the amount of exercise that she gets as well. He gives her a medication but tells her that while the drug will help, it is more important for her to take good care of herself and that she cannot rely on the medication only.
One of the first changes that she makes is to reduce red meat from her diet, adding more turkey and chicken to take the place of the fattier cuts of beef that she has been eating. She tries tofu but does not like it very well so she finds other substitutes instead.
She had been worried about not being allowed to eat eggs any longer but the doctor assures her that she can. She makes egg white omelets with mushrooms and onions, reducing the amount of cholesterol but keeping the high protein that she gets from the dish. Another source of protein for her is a liquid protein supplement. She has a single shot after breakfast and one before her evening meal, giving her 25 grams of protein and 100 calories. This way she does not eat as much but still feels completely satisfied.
In addition to changing her diet, she has increased the amount of exercise that she gets, attaching a chart to her fridge so that she can track the time she is spending on exercise. Her goal is to have at least 30 minutes per day four days a week or more, however she knows that she can break this time up into little spurts of exercise- ten minutes at a time if she needs to. She also tries to get into some strength training so that she can offset some of her risk for osteoporosis.
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