Category: Health

Managing cholesterol for optimal health

Managing cholesterol for optimal health

Quitting smoking can benefit many Mansging of your health, including lowering your cholesterol. Foods in Canada Managing prediabetes now allowed to optkmal Natural weight loss to 1g Managing cholesterol for optimal health plant sterols per serving added to them. Learn more about getting active. Losing weight Being overweight or obese tends to raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol. Accessed May 22, Beans are especially rich in soluble fiber. It covers cholesterol tests and the genetics of cholesterol.

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Lower Your Cholesterol In 1 Week -5 Steps To Reduce Cholesterol, Triglycerides, and Clogged Arteries Fog treat Micronutrient benefits blood Managing cholesterol for optimal health Manaing, your doctor may recommend heart-healthy Pycnogenol benefits changes and prescribe B vitamins and muscle recovery. If a medical condition or medicine is causing your blood cholesterol problem, your doctor hwalth treat that vholesterol or change your medicine or its dose. Talk with your doctor about your cholesterol levels, your risk of developing heart disease, other medical conditions you have, and your lifestyle. You can learn about the benefits and side effects of medicines for lowering your blood cholesterol. Together, you can set up a treatment plan that will work for you. We lead or sponsor many studies on high blood cholesterol.

Managing cholesterol for optimal health -

High cholesterol levels can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. However, there are different types of cholesterol. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , low-density lipoprotein LDL cholesterol can have negative effects on health. High LDL levels can cause plaque to build up in the arteries, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

High-density lipoprotein HDL cholesterol has positive effects on health, as it transports LDL cholesterol away from the arteries. And higher levels of HDL cholesterol can help to protect against heart disease and stroke.

Given these protective effects, having higher HDL levels is considered healthy. The higher the levels of HDL cholesterol a person has, the lower their risk of heart disease. Triglycerides are a type of fat in the blood. High levels of triglycerides with unhealthy cholesterol levels can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Having high triglyceride levels in combination with low HDL levels or high LDL levels may also increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

People can have a lipid panel, or lipid profile, test to measure LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and total cholesterol levels. These numbers are general guidelines. A person can talk about their cholesterol ranges with a healthcare professional.

According to the CDC , optimal levels of cholesterol are:. According to John Hopkins Medicine , the ranges for LDL cholesterol levels in adults are as follows:.

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute NHLB , treatments to manage high cholesterol may include a combination of lifestyle and dietary changes and medications:. If a doctor prescribes cholesterol-lowering medications to people, it is also important to maintain diet and lifestyle changes to help manage cholesterol levels.

People can also discuss any potential risks or side effects of cholesterol-lowering medications with a doctor. The CDC recommends the following for preventing high cholesterol:. People may not be able to prevent high cholesterol if it is due to a genetic condition, such as familial hypercholesterolemia FH.

In FH, a mutation in a gene that helps remove cholesterol from the body causes high levels of LDL cholesterol. High cholesterol can increase the risk of plaque forming in the walls of the arteries, which can cause them to narrow. This can affect blood flow to the heart and increase the risk of heart attack, heart disease, and stroke.

Being physically active will help improve your cholesterol levels and general heart health. Aim for minutes a week. That is less than 25 minutes per day!

Smoking is a risk factor for heart disease. Once you quit, within a few weeks your HDL levels will start to rise. Almost every packaged food will have an ingredient listing which is listed in descending order starting with the ingredient in the highest amount.

The package will also contain a Nutrition Facts Table that provides information on a single serving size and the calories and nutrients a serving contains. All of the nutrient information is based on a single serving. You will find information on the amount of fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, fibre, sugars, protein and some vitamins and minerals.

When reviewing the Nutrition Facts Table on a package, always look at the sodium and trans fat values. If you have a high cholesterol level, you may also need to look at the cholesterol value.

Plant sterols occur naturally in small amounts in vegetable oils, nuts, whole grains, vegetables and fruit. It is recommended that you consume 2g of plant sterols per day to help lower your LDL cholesterol. Foods in Canada are now allowed to have up to 1g of plant sterols per serving added to them.

Look for foods fortified with plant sterols such as mayonnaise, margarine and salad dressing. Dietary fats and oils provide our bodies with energy, provide essential fats and help absorb fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K. Both the quality and amount of fat you eat matters. It is important to not focus on just one nutrient — it is your overall diet that will make the biggest difference to your health.

Saturated fat intake should not be an issue if you are eating a healthy, balanced diet, few or no highly-processed foods and appropriate portion sizes.

Sometimes diet and exercise are not enough to lower your blood cholesterol levels. Several drugs are available to lower your blood cholesterol. Your doctor may prescribe medications to including statins and other cholesterol lowering medication.

How to manage your cholesterol PDF. Find health eating tips here. Learn more about other risk factors for heart disease. Donate now. Jump to What is blood cholesterol?

Diagnosis Understand your test results Prevention and management Nutrition labelling Plant sterols Dietary fats Medication to lower cholesterol Related information. What is blood cholesterol? Cholesterol is naturally made by your body but is increased through our diet.

Diagnosis Understand your risk The only way to know if you have high cholesterol levels is to have a simple blood test. Understand your test results Your test results will include: HDL cholesterol good cholesterol - good to have a high number LDL cholesterol bad cholesterol - good to have a low number Non HDL cholesterol total cholesterol — HDL cholesterol - good to have a low number Triglycerides - high reading may be tracked over time Your doctor will review your test results along with your risk factors, medical history and present health.

Taking psyllium a fiber supplement, such as Metamucil can sometimes reduce the dose required and the side effects. Bile acid sequestrants can interact with some medications, including as digoxin brand name: Lanoxin and warfarin brand name: Jantoven , and with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins including vitamins A, D, K, and E.

Taking these medications at different times of day can solve these problems in some cases. Bempedoic acid — Bempedoic acid brand name: Nexletol is the newest lipid-lowering agent, and it is approved for lowering LDL cholesterol.

It works by inhibiting cholesterol synthesis at a step before the HMG-CoA reductase or the enzyme inhibited by statin therapy. Bempedoic acid alone or in combination with a statin or ezetimibe brand name: Nexlizet lowers LDL cholesterol as well as other atherogenic proteins.

Bempedoic acid can reduce the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks. Side effects include an increase in the incidence of gout, gallstones, kidney damage, and small increases in liver enzymes. Early studies reported Achilles tendon rupture as a rare side effect; however, this effect was not seen in a recent large trial.

Omega-3 — Oily fish, such as mackerel, herring, bluefish, sardines, salmon, and anchovies, contain two important fatty acids called docosahexaenoic acid DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid EPA. Eating a diet that includes one to two servings of oily fish per week can lower triglyceride levels and reduce the risk of death from coronary heart disease.

Fish oil supplements, supplements with low-dose mixed fish oils usually approximately 1 gram per day of combined DHA and EPA , had been thought to provide cardiac benefit, but large trials have found no significant benefit.

As such, they are no longer recommended. A second study of a high-dose agent that had both EPA and DHA failed to provide benefit, suggesting that the EPA only preparation at the 4 g dose is important. However, the trials found that omega-3 fatty acid medications increase the risk of atrial fibrillation.

Therefore, a discussion with your cardiologist on the net benefit or harm from taking fish oil supplements including icosapent ethyl is needed before starting this treatment.

Nicotinic acid niacin — Nicotinic acid is a vitamin that is available in immediate-release, sustained-release, and extended-release formulations table 1.

Nicotinic acid is rarely used for a high cholesterol. In most situations, ezetimibe or a PCSK9 inhibitor is tried before nicotinic acid.

Historically, this agent used to be used to raise HDL cholesterol levels, but that is no longer recommended. It is sometimes used for patients with high lipoprotein a levels and LDL cholesterol that is refractory to more effective and better-tolerated medications statins, ezetimibe and PCSK9 inhibitors.

Nicotinic acid is associated with many side effects, including flushing when the face or body turns red and becomes warm , itching, nausea, numbness and tingling, and worsening of gout. This medication can also cause liver damage; people who use it require regular blood tests to monitor their liver function.

Red yeast rice — Red yeast rice is a fermented rice product that can lower serum cholesterol. Red yeast rice contains naturally occurring substances called monacolins that act to reduce cholesterol by a mechanism similar to that of statins. Although red yeast rice is effective for lowering total and LDL cholesterol, there is not evidence that it decreases rates of cardiovascular events or that it is safe to take long-term.

Moreover, red yeast rice supplements are not standardized in the United States. Different commercial preparations vary widely in the amount of the active ingredient, and some commercial preparations have been shown to contain potentially toxic substances or lovastatin, a statin medication.

Soy protein — Soy protein contains isoflavones, which mimic the action of estrogen. A diet high in soy protein can slightly lower levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides and raise levels of high-density lipoprotein HDL cholesterol. However, normal protein should not be replaced with soy protein or isoflavone supplements in an effort to lower cholesterol levels.

Soy foods and food products eg, tofu, soy butter, edamame, some soy burgers are likely to have beneficial effects on lipids and cardiovascular health because they are low in saturated fats and high in unsaturated fats.

Garlic — Garlic has not been proven to be effective in lowering cholesterol. Plant stanols and sterols — Plant stanols and sterols may act by blocking the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine. They are naturally found in some fruits, vegetables, vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and legumes.

They are also available in commercially prepared products such as margarine Promise Active and Benecol , orange juice Minute Maid Premium Heart Wise , and rice milk Rice Dream Heart Wise as well as dietary supplements Benecol SoftGels and Cholest-Off.

Despite lowering cholesterol levels, there are no studies demonstrating a reduced risk of coronary heart disease in people who consume supplemental plant stanols and sterols. These products need to be studied more before they can be recommended.

Although medications can rapidly lower your levels within a week , it often takes 6 to 12 months before the effects of lifestyle modifications are noticeable. Once you have an effective treatment plan and you begin to see results, it is important to stay committed to the plan.

Stopping treatment usually allows lipid levels to rise again and increases your risk for heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular problems. Even while taking medications, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is crucial to obtain the most benefit from these therapies.

Most people who stop treatment do so because of perceived side effects. However, there are a wide variety of medications available today, which should make it possible for most people to find an option that works for them.

Talk with your health care provider if a specific medication is not working for you; he or she can recommend alternatives that are compatible with your lifestyle and preferences. Your healthcare provider is the best source of information for questions and concerns related to your medical problem.

This article will be updated as needed on our web site www. Related topics for patients, as well as selected articles written for healthcare professionals, are also available. Some of the most relevant are listed below.

Patient level information — UpToDate offers two types of patient education materials. The Basics — The Basics patient education pieces answer the four or five key questions a patient might have about a given condition.

These articles are best for patients who want a general overview and who prefer short, easy-to-read materials. Patient education: High cholesterol The Basics Patient education: High triglycerides The Basics Patient education: Can foods or supplements lower cholesterol?

The Basics. Beyond the Basics — Beyond the Basics patient education pieces are longer, more sophisticated, and more detailed. These articles are best for patients who want in-depth information and are comfortable with some medical jargon. Patient education: High cholesterol and lipids Beyond the Basics Patient education: Heart attack recovery Beyond the Basics Patient education: Type 2 diabetes: Overview Beyond the Basics Patient education: Exercise Beyond the Basics Patient education: Diet and health Beyond the Basics.

Professional level information — Professional level articles are designed to keep doctors and other health professionals up-to-date on the latest medical findings. These articles are thorough, long, and complex, and they contain multiple references to the research on which they are based.

Professional level articles are best for people who are comfortable with a lot of medical terminology and who want to read the same materials their doctors are reading. Contributor disclosures are reviewed for conflicts of interest by the editorial group. When found, these are addressed by vetting through a multi-level review process, and through requirements for references to be provided to support the content.

Appropriately referenced content is required of all authors and must conform to UpToDate standards of evidence. Conflict of interest policy. Why UpToDate?

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Author: Dizragore

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