Thursday , March 28 2024

What You Can Do To Lower Your High Cholesterol and Decrease Your Cardiovascular Risks

What You Can Do To Lower Your High Cholesterol and Decrease Your Cardiovascular RisksCholesterol is a natural substance that the body produces through the liver. It’s waxy and circulates through the bloodstream, feeding the heart and brain. But when cholesterol is derived from foods like saturated fats and trans fats, the body overproduces LDL, which is the “bad” cholesterol.
HDL is the “good” cholesterol our bodies crave. Without HDL, our brains would not function properly, and we would suffer from other bodily disorders, like heart attacks and strokes. HDL helps to remove the bad cholesterol (LDL) from the body. High levels of LDL may also adversely affect overall health by causing atherosclerosis (plaque in the arteries), cardiovascular disease and other disorders.
Cholesterol Numbers:
Your total cholesterol is made up of both LDL and HDL numbers. Your family doctor may order tests in order to check your numbers. The healthiest combination of both types of cholesterol measures HDL, good cholesterol,) around 40, and LDL, bad cholesterol,) around 100.
Risk Factors:
Cholesterol, along with triglycerides in the blood, can form atherosclerosis, which as previously mentioned is the plaque that builds up in the arteries. Excessive plaque can increase the chances of a coronary heart attack, heart disease, stroke and other related issues. Triglycerides are the fat that is stored in the bloodstream from the excess fat in our diets. Triglycerides combine with the high LDL level and create harmful plaque build up.
Diet & Exercise:
Because high levels of LDL and triglycerides are both associated with food intake and the body’s inability to burn fat, adopting healthier habits can help lower cholesterol naturally.
• Eat a healthy diet
• Quit smoking (contributes to atherosclerosis)
• Start a regular exercise program
• Cut back on alcohol and processed foods
Schedule an annual exam with your physician to check your cholesterol levels on a regular basis. If you have high cholesterol, your doctor may prescribe medication to help lower the overall cholesterol levels. In addition to medication, a change in diet can help to decrease LDL and Triglycerides, as well as raise your HDL to optimum levels.
Incorporate Healthy Foods and Nutrients in Your Diet
A significant contributor to successfully lowering LDL is the addition of soluble fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, mono-saturated fatty acids (MUFAs), powerful antioxidants and lutein, to your diet. However, in order to see the benefit of ultimately lowering bad cholesterol, an overall healthy diet must be maintained. This includes decreasing, and in some cases, completely eliminating processed foods from your diet. Cholesterol lowering foods can drop your bad cholesterol levels by 5-10% within a few weeks; your cardiologist can speak with you about a personalized dietary plan.
Medications:
The most common cholesterol lowering drugs are statins. In recent years there have been other medication developments that may help to lower your total cholesterol levels.
It’s best to speak with your physician before changing your diet or exercise program. Your doctor will develop a strategy to suit your specific needs, along with a coordinated medication and lifestyle strategy.
One Health Center, OHC
One Health Center features all the specialists you will need for your complete health, making it truly a one-stop for better health. From cardiology to endocrinology and from vision to dentistry, your entire healthcare needs will be met by their state of the art urgent care facility in Ocala.
OHC Cardiology Clinic Services:
• Board Certifies Internal Medicine
• Non-invasive Cardiologist
• Cardiology Fellowship
Consultation:
Patients with cardiac conditions requiring consultation and investigation can be referred. Echocardiography, exercise tolerance testing and stress echocardiography, medication reconciliation, will be facilitated on the day of their consultation.
Consultative Cardiology:
In an effort to provide the optimum level of care to their patients, OHC Cardiac Clinic partners with other community-based health care providers including patient’s Primary Care Physician to assess and jointly manage complex cardiac conditions. This team base approach will allow their patients to access an expanded base of services at one location.
OHC CARDIOLOGY CLINIC
1714 SW 17th St, Ocala, FL 34471
352.274.9455 | www.gotomhc.com

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