How do I reduce cholesterol? Can I reduce cholesterol? |
Question And Answer Category: Cholesterol |
Question: |
| Dear BlankHelp Team, I want to reduce my cholesterol levels. I donate blood over a week ago, and now they send me a courtesy cholesterol level test. It said "under 200 cholesterol - desirable, recheck regularly", "200 - 239 cholesterol - borderline, speak to your doctor", and "240 and over cholesterol - High, talk to your doctor about cholesterol testing and treatment". Well I was 209, I saw no cholesterol units, just a number. My cholesterol was only a few numbers higher than the "desirable cholesterol" levels they printed. What can I do to reduce high cholesterol? Well not too high cholesterol, just it concerns me. Just to give you what information I've found, it seems there are diets to reduce cholesterol, but I do current eat right. Very little saturated fats, and the fats I eat tend to be good fats. Fish, vegetable, and fruits. Thanks BlankHelp Team! John |
Our Advice and Answer: |
| Dear John, First let us share with you what we've learned about those cholesterol readings you receive after donating blood. They are courtesy checks. Something they do for free to give some return back to the life giving blood donors like yourself. It's a more a thank you, rather than a full cholesterol test. Second, let's address your concerns about your high cholesterol. Let us figure what your doctor will say when you tell him or her about your tests. Your doctor will explain how the test might be accurate to your total level of Cholesterol at that moment, but the test was administrated differently to how you would have had the test performed under doctors supervision. To prevent food's cholesterol interfering with your blood cholesterol readings, you are required to fast for a period of time prior to having your blood drawn and tested. In-fact, we are sure somewhere on your test results is a notice about how their courtesy cholesterol test, does not replace a real test performed by a doctor. Go see your doctor. Now let's chat about reducing cholesterol. Years ago the concern was reducing the total cholesterol of a person. Today, it is know that total cholesterol is a sum of High Density lipoprotein (so called "good cholesterol", or HDL ) and Low Density lipoprotein (so called "bad cholesterol", or LDL). Since HDL's, "good cholesterol" is a component of your total cholesterol, the process of reducing cholesterol tries to protect HDL's by reducing LDL's, or actually both reducing LDL's and increasing HDL's. So as you can see, trying to just reduce cholesterol is not the whole picture. By the way, some doctors have said, a borderline total cholesterol, might benefit better from immediately increasing HDL's. Which would mean, the total cholesterol would increase. As you can see, The BlankHelp Team wants to share information to better help you, but all we can do is educate you on the importance of seeing your doctor and working close with him or her. But some things we have found suggested to reduce cholesterol (Hoping this means the "bad cholesterol", LDL's): 1. Low fat diet. Follow the recommended levels of fat content in your daily eating. 2. Exercise. This might actually increase your HDL's, and therefore increase your total cholesterol, but HDL's will clean up LDL's with time, and your cholesterol should become 'normal' for your unique body, and HDL's help protect you from the effects of high cholesterol. 3. Rest. Meaning, get some sleep! Sorry to get loud, but most of us work on a sleep deficit. Figure when you need to wake up and work backwards 8 hours and that is when you should go to sleep. Don't go to sleep when you are tired, since being tired is effected by what you did already, not what time you plan on getting up. 4. Relax. Stressing over reducing cholesterol, can actually drive up cholesterol. Cholesterol is used by your body neural processes, and stress will stimulate the production of cholesterol. 5. Work with your Doctor/Health Care Provider. Too often people get great advice to reduce their Cholesterol, but don't listen to their doctors. You are going to pay money for the advice, so listen to it! We hope this helps, and remember, we are not your doctor or health care provider, so you need to get the straight information from him or her. Good luck, The BlankHelp Team. |
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