The Truth about Cholesterol

Are YOU at Risk?!

Your body produces all the cholesterol it needs. In healthy people, about 80 per cent of the cholesterol that?s in the body is produced by the body. The rest comes from what you eat.

If you eat a diet high in Saturated and/or Trans fats, chances are you will have elevated levels of bad cholesterol in your blood. Saturated & Trans fats raise levels of LDL cholesterol in your blood more than anything else in your diet. Anyone can have high cholesterol regardless of weight. Maintaining a healthy weight is a good foundation for a healthy lifestyle ? but if high cholesterol is common in the family or your body isn?t that efficient at disposing of bad cholesterol, you could be at risk.

Good vs. Bad

?LDL cholesterol? is referred to as ?bad? cholesterol because when there?s too much it promotes the build-up of plaque in artery walls. As the plaque builds up, your arteries lose their elasticity and get narrower. The flow of blood is reduced, leading to atherosclerosis. If this develops in the arteries that lead to and from your heart, you will develop coronary artery disease, greatly increasing your risk of heart attack.

?HDL cholesterol? is referred to as ?good? because it helps carry LDL-cholesterol away from the artery walls, lessening your chances of developing heart disease. A simple blood test can determine your cholesterol levels.

What to AVOID vs. What to CONSUME:

Health Canada also recommends you eat more vegetables, fruit and whole grains. You can reduce the total fat in your diet by:

• Choosing leaner meats, poultry and fish.
• Reducing meat portions to the size of a deck of cards.
• Choosing skim dairy products such as skim milk, cottage cheese with 1 % M.F. on the label and yogurt with less than 1 % M.F. on the label.
• Choosing cheeses with less than 15% M.F. on the label.
• Using vegetable oils such as olive, canola, corn, sunflower, safflower, and peanut oil in small quantities.
• Avoiding store-bought baked goods such as croissants, muffins and doughnuts.
• A diet high in Soluble Fibre may help lower LDL cholesterol levels significantly as the fibre absorbs cholesterol from the food you eat. You can find sources of Soluble Fibre in the following foods; oatmeal, oat bran, kidney beans, brussel sprouts, apples, pears, psyllium, barley and prunes.
• As well, walnuts and almonds also appear to help. Both are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids and help keep blood vessels healthy and elastic. Nuts are also high in calories, so don't over indulge! Too many nuts could lead to weight gain ? putting you back at risk for developing high cholesterol levels.

Fitness Recommendations

Health Canada advises that you maintain a healthy weight, get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day and stay away from cigarettes. Try Active Daily Living! This includes taking the stairs as often as you can, parking further away in the parking lot, riding your bike instead of commuting, and basically incorporating fitness throughout the day. Remember that every step counts!

This post was written by Prosserman JCC Personal Trainer Natalie Hallman.

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