These general guidelines provide basic information to help
you start lowering your cholesterol until your appointment with a
registered dietitian, the nutrition expert. Eating healthy often
means making changes in your current eating habits. A registered
dietitian can provide in-depth personalized nutrition education to
help you develop a personal action plan.
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy substance
and a fat. Too much cholesterol leads to a build-up of fatty
materials and debris (called plaque) on the walls of the arteries
supplying blood to the heart and other organs. Some cholesterol is
needed by the body. In fact, cholesterol plays a role in normal
body functions, including the formation of cell walls, production
of hormones, and manufacture of bile acids, which are needed for
digestion. Because the liver has the ability to make all the
cholesterol our bodies need, there is no need for extra cholesterol
in the diet.
High blood cholesterol = increased risk for heart
disease
Plaque can narrow the passageway inside the artery
and block the flow of blood to the heart muscle, causing a heart
attack. You can reduce your risk by eating foods low in total fat,
saturated fat, and cholesterol. Including foods that contain
unsaturated fats, exercising regularly, and losing weight, if
needed, can also reduce your heart risks.
What do the numbers mean?
Blood cholesterol levels
are measured by a blood test called a lipid profile. The lipid
profile measures total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density
lipoproteins (HDL - the "good" cholesterol*) and low density
lipoprotein (LDL- the "bad" cholesterol**.)
| Desirable | Borderline | High |
| Total cholesterol | Less than 200 | 200-239 | Greater than 240 |
| Triglycerides | Less than 150 | 150-199 | 200-400 |
| HDL | Greater than 60 (Less than 40 is considered a risk
for heart disease.) | | |
| LDL | Less than 100 (or less than 70 if you have 2 or
more risk factors***) | 130-159 | 160-189 |
* HDL is known as the "good" cholesterol because it helps
carry cholesterol away from the walls of the arteries and transport
it to the liver to excrete it. The higher your HDL number is, the
better.
**LDL is known as the bad cholesterol because it carries
a large amount of cholesterol in the blood and is responsible for
depositing cholesterol in the walls of the blood vessels. The lower
your LDL number is, the better.
*** Risk factors include: high blood pressure, obesity,
diabetes, smoking, low HDL, high LDL, family history of heart
disease, age, male gender, and a sedentary lifestyle.