As you begin to lower your cholesterol over the next thirty days, you’ll likely encounter new words and terms.
As you
get used to these
new concepts,
feel free to turn
to this glossary
to help you
recall what is
what
...
Atherosclerosis
If you
have too much
cholesterol in
your blood, it
will create a
yellow thick
substance on the
lining of the
blood
vessels. This
is known as
atherosclerosis.
If it
continues to
grow, it can
block blood
vessels, leading
to a stroke or
heart attack.
This is a key
risk of having
high bad
cholesterol
levels.
Blood
Cholesterol
Blood
cholesterol is a
wax-like material
that is made by
the
body. Blood
cholesterol is
needed to keep
cells healthy, to
create hormones,
and to keep the
body
functioning. Too
much, though,
increases your
risk of
atherosclerosis.
Dietary
Cholesterol
Dietary
cholesterol is
the cholesterol
found in some of
your
food. Since
all animals
produce
cholesterol,
dietary
cholesterol is
found in the
foods that are
made from
animals, such as
meat, dairy
products, fish,
and
eggs.
To stay
heart-healthy,
you will want to
avoid eating too
much dietary
cholesterol.
Cholesterol
Profile
Your
cholesterol
profile is a
listing of your
cholesterol
levels. This
includes your
LDL, HDL, your
total
cholesterol, and
triglycerides.
Your
doctor finds this
information
through a blood
test. Your
cholesterol
profile helps
medical
professionals
determine what
your risk is for
developing
certain
complications
associated with
high bad
cholesterol
levels.
Essential
Fatty
Acids
Your
body needs fat to
survive, and also
to build
cells. The
fat your body
needs to get from
the food you eat
are called
essential fatty
acids.
Fiber
Fiber is
the part of
plants that
cannot be
digested by
us. There
are two types of
fiber - insoluble
and
soluble.
Both are
important to keep
your
health. Insoluble
fiber in grains
and fruits and
vegetables is
what keeps you
“regular” and
keeps your bowels
in good
shape.
The
soluble fiber
found in oats,
barley, and other
plants has been
found to lower
cholesterol
levels. If
you are trying to
lower your
cholesterol and
stay healthy,
eating a diet
with adequate
fiber can
help.
High
Density
Lipoproteins
(HDL)
This is
known as the
"good"
cholesterol, and
is generated by
your
liver. HDL
transports
cholesterol and
fats to your
liver from your
arteries.
In the
liver, the fat
can be broken
down or recycled
for your body to
use. If you
have high levels
of HDL, chances
are your heart is
healthy, since
the cholesterol
is being
effectively
transported
rather than being
left in your
blood, where it
can cause a
hardening of the
arteries.
If you
have too low
levels of HDL,
you may be
putting your
heart at
risk.
Hydrogenated
Fats
These
are fats you’ll
want to avoid in
your diet if you
want to lower bad
cholesterol
levels. Hydrogenated
fats are fats,
either
polyunsaturated
or
monounsaturated,
that have been
treated with
hydrogen atoms to
guarantee a
longer shelf
life.
The
process of
hydrogenation
causes fats to
become saturated
fats.
Lipid
Specialists
These
doctors
specialize in the
treatment of
treating high
blood cholesterol
and related
health
issues.
If you
have very high
cholesterol and
traditional
methods of
lowering your
cholesterol and
risk for heart
disease do not
work, you may be
referred to a
lipid specialist
for specialized
treatment.
Low
Density
Lipoproteins
(LDL)
Also
called "bad
cholesterol",
LDLs are
manufactured by
the liver. Its
job it to
transport fats,
including
cholesterol, from
the liver to the
areas of your
body that need
the fat, such as
your organs,
muscles, and your
tissues.
If your
LDL level is
high, it means
that there is
plenty of
cholesterol in
your blood, which
then increases
the chances of
clogged arteries,
which in turn is
very dangerous
for your
heart.
Monounsaturated
Fats
These
fats are liquids
at room
temperature. These
fats are also
good for you
because they do
not change your
HDL (good
cholesterol)
levels but do
lower your LDL
(bad cholesterol
levels). Look
for products that
have these fats
if you want to
stay
heart-healthy.
Monosaturated
fats are found in
olive and canola
oil.
Omega_6
This is
actually a
"family" of fatty
acids which
increase your
good cholesterol
level while
lowering your bad
cholesterol. This
makes Omega-6 a
great food source
for staying
healthy.
You can
find these fatty
acids in nuts,
grains,
vegetables, and
vegetable
oils. They
are part of the
reason why you
are likely
encouraged to eat
these foods in
your
low-cholesterol
diet.
Polyunsaturated
Fats
These
fats are liquid
at room
temperature. They
are a better
choice than
saturated fats,
but they tend to
lower both good
and bad
cholesterol
levels, so they
aren’t the best
choice for good
health. In small
amounts, these
fats may lower
bad
cholesterol.
Processed
Foods
Processed
foods are foods
which have been
treated before
being
sold. In
some cases,
processed foods
are treated to
eliminate
bacteria or make
food
healthier.
For
example, the
process of
pasteurization
eliminates some
of the harmful
elements in milk
that can make us
sick.
Most of
our foods are
processed in some
way. However,
some foods are
processed in
order to change
their taste or in
order to give
them a longer
shelf-life.
The
processing that
it takes to do
this sometimes
involves adding
fat, salt and
other unhealthy
ingredients or
involves heating
the foods until
some or much of
the nutrient
value is
lost.
When
choosing
processed foods,
it’s important to
choose foods that
have as few
detrimental
ingredients as
possible. Generally,
foods that have
had more done to
them, such as
deli meats,
potato chips,
cookies, and
others, and food
which is
considered “fast
food” or
convenience food
(for example
hamburgers,
prepared hors
d’oeuvres, and
cocktail snacks,
etc.) are higher
in fats and
salt.
Read the
labels of all
processed foods
to understand
exactly what you
are eating and
how these foods
can affect your
health.
Saturated
Fats
These
fats are solid at
room temperature.
They are also the
most likely to
raise your bad
cholesterol.
Actually, they
are a bigger
culprit than
dietary
cholesterol.
If you
want to lower
your cholesterol,
avoid these fats
in your
food. In
many cases,
saturated fats
come from animal
proteins and
products, i.e.
meats, and milk
products. They
are also found in
hydrogenated
vegetable oil and
in coconut and
palm
oil.
Trans-Fatty
Acids
These
are another fat
group you will
want to
avoid. They
are hydrogenated
and increase bad
cholesterol while
lowering good
cholesterol.
Triglycerides
Triglycerides
are a fat –
similar to
cholesterol -
which is
transported into
the blood
stream. This
fat is the
culprit behind
most of the fat
in the
body. Like
LDL-cholesterol,
it can form a
thick gooey
substance which
can block the
arteries if there
is too much of it
in the
blood.
As you
lower your bad
cholesterol,
you’ll also want
to keep your
triglycerides
low. Often, high
triglycerides are
caused by too
much alcohol use,
overeating or
being overweight,
and not getting
enough physical
exercise.
Very Low
Density
Lipoproteins
(VLDL)
These
lipoproteins
transport
cholesterol from
the liver to the
body organs and
tissues that need
it.
Studies
have shown that
high levels of
these
lipoproteins may
be a risk factor
for heart
disease. Not all
cholesterol
profiles include
a number for
VLDLs, but if
yours does, work
to keep the
levels
low.
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