Cholesterol Control Is Vital


High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease (heart attack) that can be controlled. Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in this country

Introduction To Controlling Your Cholesterol

Your body needs cholesterol for digesting dietary fats, making hormones, building cell walls, and other important processes. The bloodstream carries cholesterol in particles called lipoproteins that are like blood-borne cargo trucks delivering cholesterol to various body tissues to be used, stored or excreted. But too much of this circulating cholesterol can injure arteries, especially the coronary ones that supply the heart. When blood flow to the heart is impeded, the heart muscle becomes starved for oxygen, causing chest pain (angina). If a blood clot completely obstructs a coronary artery affected by atherosclerosis, a heart attack (myocardial infarction) or death can occur.
LDL Levels To Control Cholesterol
Your LDL level is a good indicator of your risk for heart disease. Lowering LDL is the main aim of treatment if you have high cholesterol. In general, the higher your LDL level, the greater your chance of developing heart disease.
Your goal to lower your bad (LDL) and raise your good (HDL) cholesterol levels can be achieved by changing your lifestyle, taking medication or by a combination of the two. Your doctor may recommend changing your lifestyle as a preventative to cholesterol problems or if you cholesterol levels are considered borderline.
To Control Your Cholesterol
Eat a diet that is well-balanced and low in saturated fats.
Exercise regularly. Walking is a good exercise and it can help reduce stress.
If you smoke try to quit.
If you have diabetes monitor your blood sugar and keep it under control by following your diet and taking you medications as prescribed.
Try to take time to relax. It is hard to do but it will help you later in life.
Control your weight.
Do not drink excessive amounts of alcohol. One or two glasses of wine, or one beer a day has shown to lower bad and raise good cholesterol levels.

A key factor in controlling your cholesterol is that the public, patients and doctors today are better informed about the risks associated with elevated cholesterol and the benefits of lifestyle changes and medical measures aimed at lowering blood cholesterol.
There are steps that everyone can take to improve their cholesterol levels, and help prevent heart disease and heart attack. Here are the most important ones:
Choose foods low in saturated fat.
Exercise regularly.
Lose weight if you are overweight.
Have your blood check regularly.

To keep you control of your cholesterol, have it checked regularly, change your diet, find time to exercise, and take preventive steps to avoid the complications of high cholesterol. If you are diagnosed with high cholesterol, you will probably need to continue lifestyle changes and drug treatment throughout your life. Periodic monitoring of your cholesterol blood levels is necessary. Reducing high cholesterol levels will slow the progression of atherosclerosis