September is cholesterol awareness month. Do you know your numbers? Our body needs cholesterol to work properly but too much can increase your risk of heart disease. Too much cholesterol can build up in your blood vessels and cause them to narrow and block blood flow. When blood flow is blocked to your heart, you have a heart attack. High cholesterol does not cause symptoms so many people are not aware their level is too high. It is very important to have a medical checkup including blood tests to check your cholesterol numbers.
Your healthcare provider will check your total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol and HDL (good) cholesterol numbers. Adult healthy cholesterol levels include total cholesterol less than 200mg/dl, LDL less than 100mg/dl and HDL greater than 40-50mg/dl. Some risk factors for high cholesterol cannot be changed. Age, gender, heredity and race cannot be changed. There are things you can do!
If your cholesterol numbers are too high, there are things you can do to lower your numbers. The National Institute of Health recommends Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) to reduce your cholesterol levels. TLC includes a heart-healthy life style with a diet low in saturated and trans fat, weight loss, exercise and stress management. Saturated fat is found in meats, dairy, baked goods, chocolate, and deep-fried foods. Read food labels to check fat content, eat fresh as much as possible and balance your diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables to give yourself some TLC!
Check out the TLC diet at https://medlineplus.gov/ldlthebadcholesterol.html.
For more information, call Visiting Nurses of the Lower Valley 860-767-0186.