Why Cholesterol Matters for Women

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Ah, cholesterol and triglycerides. We hear nearly them all the fourth dimension. Even foods that might seem good for y'all on the surface, like fruit-filled yogurt or bran muffins, can contribute to abnormal levels if they contain too much saturated fat or refined sugar, says Erin Michos, G.D., associate director of preventive cardiology at the Ciccarone Centre for the Prevention of Centre Disease.

cholesterol, HDL and LDL in block letters

What's more, many women are at risk for loftier cholesterol and don't realize it. "Approximately 45 percentage of women over the age of 20 accept a full cholesterol of 200 mg/dl and above, which is considered elevated — but a survey by the American Heart Clan found that 76 percent of women say they don't even know what their cholesterol values are," Michos says.

Scarier still: Triglycerides, a type of blood fat typically measured aslope cholesterol, are even more risky in women compared with men. This is a problem because women's cholesterol levels can fluctuate quite a bit afterwards menopause and tend to increase with historic period, putting united states at greater risk of heart disease and stroke. Knowing your cholesterol numbers and how to control them is a big step toward staying healthy.

Agreement the Highs and Lows of Cholesterol

You know that likewise much is dangerous. Only what is cholesterol, anyway? Where does information technology come up from? And is it all bad?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is found in every cell in the body. It'southward either made past the body or absorbed from food. Your body needs cholesterol to brand important steroid hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and vitamin D. It's also used to make bile acids in the liver; these absorb fat during digestion.

So some cholesterol is necessary — but bad cholesterol is something you tin can practice without. Excess bad cholesterol in the bloodstream tin can deposit into the torso's arteries. These deposits are chosen plaques and upshot in atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. This is the major crusade of eye attacks, strokes and other vascular problems.

Your total cholesterol level is a measure of the total amount of cholesterol circulating in your bloodstream, which includes several components:

  • LDL cholesterol: LDL stands for "low-density lipoprotein." This is known as the "bad" cholesterol, which straight contributes to plaque buildup in the arteries. Very low density lipoprotein, or VLDL cholesterol, is another type, which is a forerunner to LDL.
  • Total cholesterol is VLDL cholesterol plus LDL cholesterol plus HDL cholesterol.
  • HDL cholesterol: HDL stands for "high-density lipoprotein." Experts call up at optimal levels (effectually 50 mg/dl) it might assist the body become rid of LDL cholesterol.

Then bits of this stuff circulate through your system, and here'south what happens: The bad parts – the LDL particles – similar to stick to the lining of your arteries, like soap scum in pipes. As information technology sticks there, information technology generates an inflammatory response and your body starts converting it into plaque. Plaque in your blood vessels makes them stiffer and narrower, restricting blood period to vital organs such as your encephalon and centre musculus, leading to high blood pressure. Additionally, chunks can break off and crusade a center attack or a stroke.

And guess what? This buildup tin can start as early as your 20s.

What to Know Almost Triglycerides

In improver to cholesterol, you might hear about your triglycerides, another kind of fat found in the bloodstream. Women should pay particular attention to this. "A high level of triglycerides seems to predict an fifty-fifty greater risk for heart illness in women compared with men," says Michos.

When you take in more calories than you demand, your trunk converts the extra calories into triglycerides, which are then stored in fat cells. Triglycerides are used past the body for free energy, merely people with excess triglycerides take college hazard of medical problems, including cardiovascular disease. Drinking a lot of alcohol and eating foods containing uncomplicated carbohydrates (sugary and starchy foods), saturated fats and trans fats contributes to high triglycerides. Loftier levels may likewise be caused by health conditions such equally diabetes, an underactive thyroid, obesity, polycystic ovary syndrome or kidney illness.

Triglycerides as well broadcast in the bloodstream on particles that may contribute to plaque germination. Many people with high triglycerides have other risk factors for atherosclerosis, including high LDL levels or depression HDL levels, or abnormal blood sugar (glucose) levels. Genetic studies have also shown some association between triglycerides and cardiovascular illness.

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High Cholesterol: Prevention, Treatment and Research

Cholesterol is a natural component in everyone's blood. However, when you have too much of this fatty substance, information technology'south considered hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia or loftier blood cholesterol—a major take a chance factor for center set on, centre disease and stroke. About 71 one thousand thousand Americans have high cholesterol.

What'southward your cholesterol level, anyhow?

A standard lipid claret test usually measures the concentration of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides levels. The LDL-cholesterol level is typically estimated from these numbers using a well-established formula that has been more recently revised and improved by researchers at Johns Hopkins.

So what are your target numbers? Co-ordinate to Michos, an ideal LDL cholesterol level should be less than lxx mg/dl, and a woman'due south HDL cholesterol level ideally should be close to 50 mg/dl. Triglycerides should be less than 150 mg/dl. Every bit Michos notes, full cholesterol levels well beneath 200 mg/dl are best.

Why Cholesterol Affects Women Differently

In full general, women have higher levels of HDL cholesterol than men considering the female sex hormone estrogen seems to heave this good cholesterol. Just, like so much else, everything changes at menopause. At this point, many women experience a modify in their cholesterol levels — full and LDL cholesterol rise and HDL cholesterol falls. This is why women who had favorable cholesterol values during their childbearing years might end up with elevated cholesterol after in life. Of course, genetics and lifestyle factors can play big roles, too.

How to Lower Your Cholesterol

If you've been told that yous accept high cholesterol — or yous just want to preclude it — what tin can you exercise?

There are several ways to manage it, including:

Medication: Depending on your overall cardiovascular disease risk, you might be treated with a cholesterol-lowering medication, such as a statin. The decision to use a statin is based on a woman'south overall risk for eye attack and stroke including all these factors and the LDL cholesterol value.

If yous already accept vascular illness or testify of atherosclerosis, or if you are at high run a risk for cardiovascular disease, a statin for prevention is strongly recommended considering this treats the plaque in the arteries, and lowers LDL cholesterol, Michos says.

Diet and lifestyle: "Diet and lifestyle are very of import to assistance maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Even for women who are recommended to have cholesterol-lowering medications, a healthy lifestyle helps these drugs work better," says Michos.

Here'due south how to maintain a lifestyle that promotes healthy cholesterol levels:

  • Maintain a healthy trunk weight
  • Don't smoke.
  • Do for at least 30 minutes 5 or more days per week.
  • Consume a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean protein and loftier amounts of soluble fiber such every bit beans and oats, which can reduce LDL.
  • Avoid sugar-sweetened drinks and fruit juices — opt for water and unsweetened tea instead — and minimize your intake of other uncomplicated carbohydrates similar broiled goods and candy.
  • Beverage alcohol in moderation, especially if you take elevated triglycerides.
  • Consider the Mediterranean nutrition, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, grainy breads and fish. Use olive oil (instead of butter) and spices (instead of salt).
  • Consume monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats — such as those found in olive oil, basics and fatty fish similar salmon. They can actually have a positive effect on cholesterol, Michos says, by reducing the amount of LDL in the blood and reducing inflammation in the arteries, especially when they supervene upon saturated fats in the diet.

Add these to your shopping list:

  • Fatty fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines and albacore tuna
  • Basics, including walnuts, pecans, almonds and hazelnuts
  • Olive oil to drizzle lightly over your salads and vegetables

While nobody wants to take high cholesterol, there are plenty of ways to proceed it in check. "With regular checkups and attention to what you eat, it's possible to manage your cholesterol and blood fats to keep your heart healthy," says Michos.

A group of smiling adults stretch before exercising.

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