Cholesterol

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a white waxy substance and an essential type of fat carried in the blood. All cells need cholesterol for internal and external membranes and to produce certain hormones. The body is very good at making it’s own cholesterol.

What are the types of cholesterol?

• Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is the ‘bad’ cholesterol as it goes into the blood stream and clogs up your arteries.
• High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is the ‘good’ cholesterol as it helps remove the bad cholesterol from the blood stream.

Cholesterol levels?

Health authorities recommend that cholesterol level’s should be no higher than 5.5 mmols per litre. Approximately 50% of Australian’s have a level above 5mmols per litre making this a big health issue. If your level is above 6.5mmols then the risk of heart disease is increased by 4 times over someone with 4mmols.

Why is cholesterol bad?

High cholesterol greatly increases the risk of coronary artery disease, meaning heart attacks and angina. As per the other fact sheets high cholesterol contributes to many other diseases.

Who is at risk? (factors you can’t change)

Family history- the risks increase if you have immediate family with high cholesterol
Age- levels tend to increase with age
Gender- As women age the bad levels (LDL) tend to increase

Who is at risk? (factors you can change)

Smokers
Fatty diet high in saturated fats, sugar, whole dairy products
Lack of exercise
Being overweight

Treatment?

The best way to treat high cholesterol is to make changes to your diet and lifestyle. If this has little or no effect then you will need to take medication.

Diet tips to reduce cholesterol

• Increase amount of fruit, vegetables and wholegrain foods
• Choose low or reduced fat dairy products
• Choose lean meat, trim fat off all meats including chicken
• Limit fatty processed foods such as sausages, salami, ham
• Eat fish at least twice per week
• Include foods high in soluble fibre such as nuts and legumes
• Reduce cheese intake

Lifestyle tips to reduce cholesterol

• Reduce alcohol and stop smoking
• Increase exercise
• Reduce weight, which the diet and exercise will help
• Control sugar levels

If you are over 20 you should check your cholesterol every 5 years or so and over 40 or fit into the high risk category you should be checking annually, starting tomorrow. In fact if you are over 40 you need to do the whole range of blood tests each year, as these results are often an early pointer to a problem.  Obviously the usual suspects cause cholesterol such as smoking, diet high in fat and lack of exercise, which also lead to obesity that makes it worse so maybe now is the time to make a few lifestyle decisions.

Please note this is a guide only, sourced from the www.csiro.au and www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au