Medical text sample_Eng
HOW YOU CAN LOWER YOUR CHOLESTEROL LEVEL
Why is lowering my cholesterol important?
Cholesterol is a waxy type of fat found in cells and in the bloodstream. Cholesterol is both made by the body and eaten in food. There are different types of cholesterol including HDL cholesterol (“good” cholesterol because it protects against heart disease) and LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol). High levels of LDL cholesterol cause deposits of cholesterol to build up in the arteries. These deposits can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Lowering your levels of LDL cholesterol can help lower your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Are there other risk factors for heart disease?
Yes. Some are things you can’t control such as:
• Age – The risk of heart disease increases with age. Men older than 45 years and women over the age of 55 have an increased chance of developing heart disease.
• Heredity – High cholesterol and heart disease can run in families.
• Race – Some ethnic groups have a greater risk of developing heart disease.
• Gender – Heart disease is more common in men than in women.
Are there risk factors for heart disease that I can control?
Yes! Your actions can help decrease your risk. Things you can control include:
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• High LDL (low-density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol)
• Low HDL (high-density lipoprotein, or “good” cholesterol)
How do I get started?
• If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, take your medications as directed and see your health care provider regularly to monitor your progress.
• Smoking increases your risk of heart and lung disease and it lowers your HDL (“good”) cholesterol. Now is the time to quit!
• Make Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC).
What are the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC)?
Things you can do to improve your lifestyle include:
• Increase exercise
• Lose weight and maintain your ideal body weight
• Eat less saturated fat and cholesterol
Why is exercise important?
Regular exercise can:
• Lower your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
• Increase your HDL (“good”) cholesterol
• Help you manage your weight
• Strengthen your heart and lungs
• Lower your blood pressure
• Reduce your risk of diabetes
What type of exercise is best?
You should choose any moderate-intensity activity that you enjoy! These can include:
? Walking ? Dancing
? Jogging ? Golf
? Bowling ? Bicycling
? Swimming ? Basketball
? Soccer ? Football
? Aerobics ? Tennis
? Racquetball ? House cleaning
? Gardening
How much exercise do I need?
• Start slowly and gradually increase your effort. For example, start walking every day for a few minutes at your lunch break and gradually increase the length of the walk and how fast you walk.
• Aim for 30 minutes or more of exercise on most days – or every day – of the week.
Why is my weight important?
Being overweight increases your chances of having:
• High LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
• Low HDL (“good”) cholesterol
Being overweight also increases your risk of developing:
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Some cancers
How can I begin to lose weight?
• Follow the TLC diet (see below)
• Eat smaller portions
• Avoid second helpings
• Make smart choices when eating out
• Increase your physical activity
How do I eat less saturated fat and cholesterol?
Avoid the following types of food:
• Cheese (and other sources of dairy fat including whole milk, 2% milk, cream, ice cream, whole fat yogurt). Instead choose:
o Cheese that is fat free, reduced fat, low fat, or part skim
o Cottage cheese that is fat free or low fat (1%)
o Ice milk, low-fat frozen yogurt, low-fat frozen dairy desserts, fruit ices, sorbets, and popsicles
• Animal fats (hamburger, ground meat, hot dogs, bologna, salami, sausage, fried foods, fatty cuts of meat). Instead choose:
o Chicken and turkey without skin, or remove the skin before eating
o Fish
o Beans or tofu instead of meat in some meals
• “Got it away from home” meals (fast food and meals in restaurants). Instead:
o At restaurants, order salads (with low-fat dressing or dressing on the side), grilled (not fried or breaded) skinless chicken sandwiches, regular-sized hamburgers, or roast beef sandwiches. Avoid jumbo or deluxe burgers and sandwiches as well as french fries.
o On menus, look for terms like steamed, broiled, baked, roasted, poached and lightly sautéed or lightly stir-fried.
• Extra high-fat commercial products: candy, pastries, pies, doughnuts, cookies. Instead, snack on:
o Angel food cake topped with fruit puree or fresh fruit slices
o Fat-free or low-fat cakes, cupcakes, and pastries
o Fat-free or low-fat cookies like animal crackers, fig and other fruit bars, ginger snaps, and vanilla or lemon wafers
o Frozen low-fat or nonfat yogurt, fruit ices, ice milk, sherbet, and sorbet
o Gelatin desserts
o Graham crackers
o Puddings made with 1% or fat free milk
What is the TLC diet?
FOOD GROUP NUMBER
OF
SERVINGS SERVING SIZE
Lean Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Dry Beans
1 per day • 5 ounces or less of lean meat, poultry, or fish
• ½ cup cooked dry peas or beans
• ½ cup tofu
Eggs
2 per week • 1 whole egg or 1 yolk
• Use of egg whites or egg substitute is unlimited
Low-fat Milk, Yogurt and Cheese
2–3 per day • 1 cup fat free milk or 1% milk
• 1 cup nonfat or low-fat yogurt
• 1 ounce of low-fat or fat-free cheese that has 3 grams of fat or less in a serving
Fats and Oils
< 6–8 per day • 1 teaspoon soft margarine or vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon salad dressing
• 1 ounce nuts
Fruits
2–4 per day • 1 piece fruit
• ½ cup diced fruit
• ¾ cup juice
Vegetables
3–5 per day • 1 cup leafy or raw
• ½ cup cooked
• ¾ cup juice
Breads, Cereals, Pasta, Rice and Other Grains – Choose whole-grain
products whenever possible. 6–11 per day • 1 slice bread
• ½ bun, bagel, muffin
• 1 ounce dry cereal
• ½ cup cooked cereal, potatoes, pasta, rice, or other grains
Sweets and Snacks
Occasionally
Do I need medication to lower my cholesterol?
Many people will be able to lower their cholesterol using just the TLC measures above. Sometimes, though, these measures aren’t enough to lower cholesterol to the desired level, and medication will need to be added. Some individuals with heart disease or a very high risk of having heart disease will need to start medication right away along with making lifestyle changes.