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Cholesterol: how to lower cholesterol Why bother? Heart disease is the number one killer in Australia. It is mainly caused by clogging up of the arteries by a fatty substance known as atheroma, which comes from having too much 'fat' in the blood. This serious process is called atherosclerosis-the condition that can lead to heart attack or stroke. There are two types of fat that cause damage if their levels are too high-cholesterol and triglyceride. A special blood test taken after fasting for at least 12 hours can tell if one or both of these fats are too high. Triglyceride If your triglyceride level is too high, fixing the problem is usually quite straightforward because it is mainly due to being overweight. It is caused by having too many calories in the diet, especially from sugar and other carbohydrates and high-calorie drinks (e.g. soft drinks and alcohol, in particular beer). The aim is to get your weight down to an ideal level. Cholesterol High cholesterol is a bigger problem, and if your level is too high it is important to reduce it. Cholesterol is a white fatty substance made mainly in the liver by animals, including humans. We get high levels mainly through our diet, by eating animal foods. (Therefore it is a rare problem in vegetarians.) Most people can lower the level through changing their diet. Our Western-style diet of fast food and junk food is bad news! Occasionally the level is so high in some people that in addition to the diet special medicine is necessary to reduce it to the right level. Note: Although cholesterol is present in animal food, it has been shown that it is necessary to reduce the amount of all the saturated fats (plant and animal) from our diet and to lose excess weight in order to get our cholesterol down. Foods rich in starch (such as bread, rice and pasta) and fibre also help. Golden rules
Copyright 1995: John Murtagh, Professor of
General Practice
North
East Valley Division General Practice, Victoria,
Australia, Disclaimer |
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