Health Read

Cholesterol

What is it ?

               If you want to know about your risk of heart disease, the first thing you need to do is get a blood test to check your cholesterol level. The test will measure the amount of cholesterol in your blood, which in an extremely important indicator of your risk for heart disease.

High: – 240 or more,    Borderline-high: – 200-239,     Desirable: – Below 200

Nutrition Strategies

  • Maintain your ideal body weight.
  • A normal protein intake is suggested. Excess amount of proteins should be avoided, as these foods are usually high in animal fat as well as sodium.
  • Reduce saturated fat intake like cream, butter, cheese, chicken skin etc in your diet.
  • Use polyunsaturated fats. (Polyunsaturated fats are the major fat source in vegetable oil such as safflower oil & corn oil. They generally lower total cholesterol levels.
  • Eat less cholesterol-rich foods. Organ meats & certain sea foods like shrimp, lobster & calamari, have high level of cholesterol.
  • Increase the soluble fibre like fruits & vegetables in your diet, if you want to lower your cholesterol level. A high daily intake of soluble fibre, through generous servings of oat and bean-based foods, helps to eliminate cholesterol-laden bile acids & fats from your body.
  • As obesity is also one of the causes of heart disease, exercise is recommended to reduce weight and to keep the body healthy.