Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is naturally created by the liver and which flows into the bloodstream to keep cell membranes healthy. It also plays an important role in the development of hormones and vitamins in the body. It is also taken with the meat that is eaten: a diet rich in saturated and trans fats causes the liver to produce excessive amounts of cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. If you want to know if your health is in danger, see your doctor to perform tests and determine the amount of good and bad cholesterol in your blood. High levels typically indicate clogged or blocked arteries due to cholesterol-related plaque build-up.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Get a Cholesterol Test
Step 1. Prepare for the test
Make sure you don't eat or drink anything in the 9-12 hours before the exam. You can usually drink water, but avoid coffee, tea, alcohol, and sodas.
Talk to your primary care physician about certain medications you are taking. Some medicines, such as birth control pills, can raise your cholesterol level. If so, you may be advised to skip a dose before getting tested
Step 2. Choose the place to take the exam
Generally it is advisable to contact your family doctor directly, because he is the doctor who knows more than anyone else your age, your family history and other aspects of your health; this is all important information when analyzing the results. Since he is the person who knows you best, the family doctor can also recommend the most complete therapy or treatment to cure hypercholesterolemia.
- There are many different types of tests that you can also perform at home to get cholesterol data, but they are not recognized by medical organizations or associations. Make sure you read the label and follow the instructions very carefully when you want to do one of these tests at home. The results are not always accurate.
- Some associations against heart disease or other diseases sometimes organize days in which it is possible to undergo screening tests. While these are an opportunity to take an almost free exam, they are not recommended for teenagers or children. Adults should also be quite skeptical and make sure they are performed by recognized and trustworthy bodies or associations. Staff should be educated, trained and recruited in a serious and fit for purpose manner; furthermore, for the awareness campaign to be considered effective, information material should be made available.
- Sometimes some workplaces offer these "days" of prevention for their staff. In this case, the tests are carried out on a smaller scale and are more effective, above all because they are accompanied by subsequent checks and new comparison tests.
Step 3. Calculate your cholesterol ratio
The test measures HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. To perform it, a small blood sample is taken from the arm which is then analyzed in the laboratory. The result shows the cholesterol level expressed in millimoles per liter of blood (or milligrams per deciliter of blood) and the result will also be interpreted taking into account age, family history and blood pressure.
- The report will show three values: total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol (the "good" one) and LDL cholesterol (the "bad" one). If your total cholesterol is high it doesn't necessarily mean there is a health problem, because there may be a prevalence of HDL.
- To find the cholesterol ratio, divide the good (HDL) value by the total cholesterol value. For example, you know your total level is 200 and your HDL level is 50. This means your cholesterol ratio is 4: 1.
- A value considered healthy and desirable should be less than 5.2 mmol / L (less than 200 mg / dL).
- A level close to optimal for LDL is between 2, 6 and 3, 3 mmol / l (100-129 mg / dl).
- The best level of HDL is 1.5 mmol / L (60 mg / dL) or higher.
- The hormone estrogen in women can cause HDL cholesterol levels to rise.
Part 2 of 3: Avoiding Hypercholesterolemia
Step 1. Manage your blood pressure
Hypertension is a major indicator of heart problems and stroke. If you have high blood pressure, it means that the heart, arteries and kidneys are under noxious stress probably caused by cholesterol.
- You can control your blood pressure by eating healthily, exercising regularly, avoiding tobacco products, and limiting your alcohol intake. You may have difficulty making lifestyle changes; for this reason, talk to your doctor to refer you to some therapist who can help you in this transition phase.
- The most important thing is to be aware that you have high blood pressure. Symptoms of hypertension are few, or sometimes none, so it is your responsibility to control it. You can measure it every time you visit your doctor, but if you tend to suffer from this problem, your doctor may recommend that you get a kit to check it at home.
Step 2. Lower your blood sugar level
If it is too high it can lead to complications associated with diabetes. Patients with this condition typically show high levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) and low levels of HDL (good cholesterol), thus running a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
- This disorder is known as diabetic dyslipidemia and a side effect of it is atherosclerosis, when the arteries begin to clog due to cholesterol.
- If you have a family history of diabetes or are potentially at risk, you need to lose weight, eat healthy, and increase physical activity. Doing so can greatly reduce the development of diabetes.
- You can also take medications if you have difficulty controlling and limiting blood glucose to prevent the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Step 3. Stay active
A dynamic lifestyle is not only rewarding, it is also helpful in preventing many of the conditions associated with high cholesterol. Make a commitment to get some physical activity every day to improve overall health and increase the length and quality of your life.
- Any type of exercise that allows you to warm your body to the point of sweating and straining your breath is suitable for lowering cholesterol. Some ideas are: walking, cycling, running, skiing and climbing.
- Choose some activities that you feel comfortable with and enjoy. This could be a structured training plan, an individual daily program, or a routine that you commit to doing with a few friends. Keep in mind that if you find physical activity really enjoyable, you will be more likely to stick to it over time.
Step 4. Eat healthier
This is the behavior that most affects your effort to improve health and reduce the risks of many types of ailments, including high cholesterol. Strive to eat healthier diets in general.
- Learn how calories work and how many you need to consume each day. Keep in mind that most food nutrition labels are based on a 2000 calorie diet; therefore you need to know if you need to take more or less depending on your age, gender and level of physical activity. Check with your doctor to find a healthy meal plan for you.
- Getting regular physical activity is a great way to maintain your weight and lower your cholesterol.
- The best solution is to vary the foods and follow a balanced diet. Make sure you are getting adequate amounts of nutrients from each food group. Foods rich in minerals, proteins and whole grains are low in calories and help keep weight under control.
- Limit the amount of saturated and trans fats, salt, red meat, and sugary products, as they can raise your cholesterol level.
- Avoid adding salt, sauces or creams to your dishes.
- Eat fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids twice a week; drink non-fat (skim) milk or low-fat dairy products (no more than 1%); eat plenty of fiber-rich whole grains and 2-3 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
- Drink alcohol in moderation. This means one drink per night for women and two for men.
Step 5. Get slim
Maintaining a normal weight allows you to reduce the pressure on internal organs, especially on the heart. If you follow an active lifestyle, you can achieve and maintain a healthy weight while keeping blood pressure and high cholesterol at bay.
- The calculation is very simple: you have to make sure that the amount of calories entering the body is less than those burned by the body. If you take in more than you consume, the body stores an excessive amount of energy in the form of fat and consequently the weight increases.
- Half a kilo equals approximately 3500 calories. If you want to lose 0.5 kg per week, you need to eliminate around 500 calories per day through a combination of nutrition and physical activity.
- Learn how many calories you normally consume with food and take appropriate steps to eliminate unhealthy foods from your diet or at least reduce them to an acceptable amount.
- It can be difficult to calculate calories while you are in the supermarket. For this reason, make a quick list of the energy values shown on food labels and try to determine their contribution in a typical meal. This way you can better evaluate the products you buy and what you eat.
Part 3 of 3: Knowing the Risks of Cholesterol
Step 1. Assess your risk factors
High cholesterol can also lead to death because symptoms rarely occur. To decide whether or not to get tested, you should consider other factors, such as the risk of heart attack or stroke, which can result from hypercholesterolemia.
- Work with your doctor to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle. You should also work out a program with him to reduce cholesterol levels and improve overall health. Since the doctor knows your specific medical history and your risk factors, he can give you the best guidance for keeping your cholesterol under control.
- High cholesterol is usually a direct consequence of poor diet, obesity, lack of physical activity, and the use of tobacco products. Make a commitment to eat the right diet to lower cholesterol. Try to eat less meat and more fresh vegetables and fruits.
Step 2. Know what age is suitable for testing
Many health organizations recommend that all people between 20 and 79 years of age get tested every 4 to 6 years. However, other organizations recommend testing based on age and risk categories for heart problems.
- Men should take the exam if they are over 35 years old. However, individuals at risk for heart disease should get tested even when they are between the ages of 20 and 35.
- Women should start having the exam from the age of 20, but even earlier if they fall into a heart disease risk category.
- Children should only be tested if family history suggests they are at risk.
- All adults who have previously had high cholesterol, coronary heart disease or diabetes should have the test at least once a year.
Step 3. Learn about good and bad cholesterol
Remember that cholesterol does not dissolve in the blood, but travels through the blood system via lipoproteins. There are two types of lipoprotein carriers: low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The total cholesterol count is the sum of both and a fifth of the levels of triglycerides (a type of fat).
- Bad cholesterol (LDL) contributes to the buildup of thick, hard plaque that clogs arteries, leading to a condition called atherosclerosis. If a clot forms that tries to pass through a blocked artery, this prevents blood from reaching the heart or brain, causing a heart attack or stroke.
- The good (HDL) cholesterol helps remove the bad (LDL) cholesterol from the arteries back to the liver so that it is broken down. HDL cholesterol accounts for approximately 25-35% of the total cholesterol present in the blood.
