Your blood cholesterol level can be determined through a simple blood test. Some cholesterol tests give you an overall cholesterol level, and the best tests break down your total cholesterol into LDL and HDL categories. (Those free or low-cost cholesterol screenings you sometimes see at shop ping malls tend to give you only overall cholesterol level, while tests performed through your physician are usually more accurate and may give more specific information, making it worth the extra bucks if cholesterol concerns you.)
In general, according to levels set by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, your total cholesterol level should be under 200 mg/dl, although some researchers, such as Dr. Dean Ornish, feel that a level of 150 mg/dl is more de sirable to effectively prevent heart disease. A cholesterol level in the 200 to 239 mg/dl range could be a red flag alert ing you to be careful and take steps to lower your blood cholesterol, although a cholesterol level in this range might be better than it seems if good cholesterol levels are high and bad cholesterol levels are low. A blood cholesterol level of 240 mg/dl and above puts you at a high risk for heart dis ease, but again, keep in mind the HDL/LDL numbers separately.
Generally, strive to keep your “good” or HDL cholesterol level above 35 mg/dl and your “bad” or LDL cholesterol level below 130 mg/dl. If you haven’t had a blood cholesterol test, or if you haven’t had one recently, you should be able to schedule a physical exam with your primary care doctor and request a test to determine your blood cholesterol level. Or, if you see one of those free or low-cost tests at your local mall, why not check your blood cholesterol level while it’s convenient? If your reading is high, give your physician a call to schedule a more complete test. Blood cholesterol should be screened every five years.
What do the results of a more complete test really mean, and why is “good” cholesterol good and “bad” cholesterol bad? HDL (high-density-lipoprotein) cholesterol is called the “good” cholesterol because this type of cholesterol moves through the body, picks up excess cholesterol, and delivers it to the liver, where it can be eliminated. High lev els of HDL cholesterol have been linked to a decreased risk of coronary heart disease. Monounsaturated fats like olive oil have been shown to be promoters of HDL cholesterol.
Consuming a diet rich in monounsaturated fats has also been shown to make LDL cholesterol less prone to oxidation—a process that leads to atherosclerosis, or hardening of the ar teries, that can lead to heart attack or stroke. For this reason, monounsaturated fats are recommended to make up the greatest proportion of fats in the diet (as they do in the tradi tional Mediterranean diet).
LDL (low-density-lipoprotein) cholesterol, the so-called bad cholesterol, has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease. LDL cholesterol takes cholesterol from the liver to be deposited throughout the body. (The body needs choles terol for a variety of purposes, such as making hormones.) Unfortunately, LDL is highly prone to oxidation (more on oxidation later). Oxidized LDL (or o-LDL) is believed to cause damage to the walls of the arteries. Once damaged, fatty deposits (or plaque) can accumulate, which causes the artery walls to harden. Once plaque begins to form, blood is unable to flow as freely. Sometimes so much plaque accu mulates that there is a complete occlusion of blood flow. The result is either a heart attack or a stroke.
There has been some recent research that shows oxidized LDL particles arise primarily from the ingestion of a certain type of polyunsaturated fat found mostly in corn oil, saf flower oil, and other oils used widely in processed foods. LDL particles arising from monounsaturated fat metabo lism, however, appear to be resistant to oxidation and, therefore, less available for incorporation into atherosclerotic plaques, which slows or halts the progression of atheroscle - rosis.
Once again, saturated fat in the diet has been shown to in- crease LDL cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated fats have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol levels, but can also lower HDL cholesterol levels. Best of all, monounsaturated fats like olive oil have been shown not only to lower LDL cholesterol levels, but also to make any LDL cholesterol present less prone to the damaging oxidation process.
Keeping LDL blood cholesterol levels low will help to keep our arteries clear, flexible, and healthy, and dietary al terations are among the most effective ways to keep LDL levels in a healthy range.
EmoticonEmoticon