Counter unhealthy cholesterol ..from the Hindu

Counter unhealthy cholesterol

You may have heard that high cholesterol levels are bad for health. But do you know why? And, more important, how does one bring it down? Read on...

Photo: AFP

Stay active:Regular exercise helps regulate cholesterol levels.
One of the often encountered culprits in the rising incidence of heart disease is cholesterol. High levels of cholesterol are common. You can have high cholesterol levels and not realise it because there are no symptoms. Frequently, clinicians advise us to reduce our blood cholesterol levels.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy lipid, a fatty substance present in the blood stream. Moderate amounts are essential to your health as it is required for the synthesis of some hormones, vitamin D and other important compounds. But too much cholesterol is bad. It collects in the artery walls and, over time, causes hardening and narrowing of the artery. This will slow down and restrict the blood flow to your heart. Such changes can eventually cause heart attacks.
That's not all. More recently, research identifies an association between abnormal lipid levels (dyslipidemia) during midlife and increased cognitive decline in later life. Therefore, maintaining optimal cholesterol levels is a must for everyone; young and old, men and women.

Cholesterol travels in the blood along with LDL (low density lipoproteins or bad cholesterol) and HDL (high density lipoproteins or good cholesterol). LDL causes a build-up of plaque in the blood vessels and increases risk of heart attacks. HDL protects you from heart attacks. So, when doctors advise you to lower cholesterol numbers, they want you to reduce the total and LDL values and not HDL. In fact, the higher the HDL value, the greater the protection to the heart.

Why do some people have elevated and unhealthy cholesterol levels??

The reasons are multiple. Among the causes you cannot change are your genes, age and sex. Some people have high total cholesterol levels because of heredity. Cholesterol levels also increase from age 20 till about 60-65 years. With menopause, LDL levels increase in women and thereby total cholesterol as well. Unhealthy cholesterol levels are also a consequence of being overweight or obese. Lose those extra kilos and you will decrease both total and LDL cholesterol levels. HDL-C levels tend to increase with sustained weight loss.
Among the factors you can control are diet and lifestyle changes, though there is no doubt that pharmacological interventions are important. So, what is the recipe for a healthy cholesterol profile?

Different kinds of fats

High fat intake can increase cholesterol levels beyond normal. Ensure that fats contribute to less than 30 per cent of your energy intake. This translates to an intake of about 50g of both visible fat (added during food preparation) and invisible fat (found in foods) in a 1500kcal diet. Limit cholesterol intakes to less than 300mg a day. If your cholesterol levels are high, then lower to less than 200mg. Minimising your cholesterol intake makes sense but it is unwise to completely eliminate nutrient dense foods such as eggs.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) present in sunflower and safflower oils and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) present abundantly in olive and rice bran oils will establish a desirable cholesterol level. The effects of MUFA are less pronounced than PUFA. Omega 3 fatty acids in fatty fish, walnuts and flax seeds can lower the LDL cholesterol.

Many other compounds in foods can help lower cholesterol levels.

Dietary fibre, especially soluble or gel forming fibres found in oats, whole grains, pulses like Bengal gram, Black gram (urad), Rajma, kidney beans, black beans and fruits like figs, papaya, pomegranate and guava induce beneficial effects on blood total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. The effectiveness of oats in reducing plasma LDL cholesterol levels has been clearly demonstrated, but it may not alter HDL profile favourably.

Ensure a total fibre intake of at least 30 gm a day from a variety of foods. This is simple with a well balanced diet.

Regular physical activity helps lower LDL cholesterol and raises HDL cholesterol levels, lowers your blood pressure and helps you lose weight. The greatest impact of regular aerobic physical activity like walking, jogging, swimming and cycling is on elevating HDL cholesterol levels. Monitor your weight regularly.