MedSurfer.com » Lowering Cholesterol http://www.medsurfer.com/blog Guide to Your Health Assessment Sat, 21 Jun 2008 04:44:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en What are the health benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids? http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/09/08/what-are-the-health-benefits-of-omega-3-fatty-acids/ http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/09/08/what-are-the-health-benefits-of-omega-3-fatty-acids/#comments Sat, 09 Sep 2006 02:17:53 +0000 adarshgupta http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/09/08/what-are-the-health-benefits-of-omega-3-fatty-acids/ Over the past decade, Omega-3 fatty acids have gained widespread attention in both medical community as well as in lay press for their health benefits.

Omega-3 fatty acids are one of the two types of polyunsaturated fats. The other type is omega-6 fatty acids. The main dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids are soybean and canola oils, with flaxseed oil being an especially rich source. The dietary sources for omega-6 fatty acids are vegetable oils, such as corn, safflower, and soybean. A long chain omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are found in seafood, with oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines being particularly good soruces.

Health Benefits of Omege-3 fatty acids

  • Cardiovascular Diseases. Lowers risk of heart attacks [1]
  • Hypertrygleceridemia. EPA plus DHA can produce a 45% reduction in serum triglyceride level [2]
  • Obstetrics. There is limited evidence to suggest that omega-3 fatty acids and fish oil may lower pre-term birth. Women with increased intake of fish had birth weights about 200gm higher and a gestation 3-4 days longer than those with lower intake [3]

[Google: Omega-3 fatty acids, Fish Oil]

Reference

  1. He K, Song Y et al. Accumulated evidence on fish consumption and coronary heart disease mortality. Circulation 2004; 109:2705-2711.
  2. Harris Ws, Ginsberg HN, Arunakul N, et al. Safety and efficacy of Omacor in severe hypertryglyceridemia. J Cardiovascular Risk 1997; 4:385-391
  3. Olsen SF, Joensen HD. High liveborn birth weights in the Faroes: A comparison between birth weights in the Faroes and in Denmark. J Epidemiolog Community Health 1985; 39:27-

Books

The Healing Power of Flax: How Nature\'s Richest Source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Can Help to Heal, Prevent and Reverse Arthritis, Cancer, Diabetes and Heart The Omega Solution: Unleash the Amazing, Scientifically Based Healing Power of Omega-3 & -6 Fatty Acids

]]> http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/09/08/what-are-the-health-benefits-of-omega-3-fatty-acids/feed/ Lowering Cholesterol http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/05/03/lowering-cholesterol/ http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/05/03/lowering-cholesterol/#comments Wed, 03 May 2006 13:56:13 +0000 adarshgupta http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/05/03/lowering-cholesterol/ What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like, waxy substance found in the bloodstream and in all your body’s cells. It’s normal to have cholesterol. It’s an important part of a healthy body because it’s used for producing cell membranes and some hormones, and serves other needed bodily functions. But too high a level of cholesterol (called Hyperlipidemia) in the blood is a major risk for coronary heart disease, which leads to atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of the arteries) in which fatty deposits (plaque) build up in the arteries, restricting and disrupting bloodflow leading to heart attack and stroke.

Good and Bad Cholesterol

Cholesterol has many components but the three most important are: 

  • LDL-L Low-Density Lipoprotein. LDL is referred to as “bad” cholesterol; high levels may form fatty deposits in the arteries
  • HDL-J High-Density Lipoprotein. HDL is referred to as “good” cholesterol; it helps to remove excess LDL from the bloodstream.
  • Trliglycerides - Triglycerides–another form of fat in your blood

How to Diagnose High Cholesterol?

A laboratory blood test is necessary to give an accurate check of cholesterol levels. Generally, a blood sample is taken from the arm after the patient has fasted (gone without food) for at least 8-12 hours.

What is considered High Cholesterol?

Total Cholesterol Level

  • Less than 200 is best.
  • Between 200 to 239 is borderline high.
  • 240 or more means you’re at increased risk for heart disease

LDL Cholesterol Level

  • Less than 130 is best.
  • Between 130 to 159 is borderline high.
  • 160 or more means you’re at increased risk for heart disease

HDL Cholesterol Level

  • Less than 40 means you’re at increased risk for heart disease
  • 60 or higher reduces your risk of heart disease

Lower LDL and higher HDL are recommended if patient also other risk factor of heart diseases, like, diabetes, hypertension, smoking history, excessive alcohol, family history of heart disease, increased age, obesity and lack of exercise

What Affects Cholesterol Level?
A variety of things can affect cholesterol levels. These are things you can do something about:
  • DIET
    Saturated fat     and cholesterol in the food you eat make your blood cholesterol level go up. When you think of “bad” fats, think saturated. Most saturated fats can increase your blood cholesterol levels and risk of coronary artery disease. Usually solid or waxy at room temperature, saturated fat is most often found in animal products — such as red meat, poultry, butter, egg yolks and whole milk. Other foods high in saturated fat include coconut, palm and other tropical oils.
    Trans fat Along with saturated fat, trans fat may raise your blood cholesterol levels and increase your risk of heart disease. Trans fat — also referred to as trans-fatty acids — comes from adding hydrogen to vegetable oil through a process called hydrogenation. This makes the fat more solid and less likely to turn rancid. Hydrogenated fat is a common ingredient in commercial baked goods — such as crackers, cookies and cakes — and in fried foods such as doughnuts and french fries. Shortenings and some margarines are high in trans fat. Look for the words hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated in the list of ingredients to see if trans fat is included. Some margarine labels state if the product has no trans-fatty acids.
    Polyunsaturated fat.     Usually liquid at room temperature and in the refrigerator, polyunsaturated fats — when used instead of saturated fats — help lower blood cholesterol levels. In addition, they may help reduce the amount of cholesterol deposits on your arteries. Foods high in polyunsaturated fats include vegetable oils such as safflower, corn, sunflower, soy and cottonseed oils.    

    One type of polyunsaturated fat — omega-3 fatty acids — may be especially beneficial to your health. Omega-3 fat appears to decrease your risk of heart attack, protect against irregular heartbeats and lower blood pressure levels. It may even protect against some cancers. You’ll find omega-3s mainly in fish — particularly in fatty, cold-water fish, such as salmon, mackerel and herring. Lesser amounts are in flaxseeds, soybeans and canola oil.You can get sufficient omega-3 fatty acids by consuming two to three servings of fish per week. Pregnant women and women who plan to become pregnant during the next few years should limit their weekly intake of cold-water fish because of possible mercury contamination.
     

  • OBESITY
    Being overweight is a risk factor for heart disease. Excess body weight can contribute to high cholesterol and most importantly to high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol. Losing weight can help lower your LDL and total cholesterol levels, as well as raise your HDL and lower your triglyceride levels.
         

    Being overweight can create a more serious risk factor for health problems depending on how you carry the extra weight. If you carry most of your fat around your waist or upper body, you may be referred to as apple-shaped. If you carry most of your fat around your hips and thighs or lower body, you may be referred to as pear-shaped. Generally, when it comes to your health, it’s better to have the shape of a pear than the shape of an apple. If you have an apple shape — a potbelly or spare tire — you carry more fat in and around your abdominal organs. Fat in your abdomen increases your risk of many of the serious conditions associated with obesity. A woman’s waist should measure less than 35 inches. A man’s waist should be less than 40 inches.
     
  • PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
    Not being physically active is a risk factor for heart disease. Regular physical activity can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels. It also helps you lose weight. You should try to be physically active for 30 minutes on most, if not all, days.
     
  • AGE AND GENDER
    As women and men get older, their cholesterol levels rise. Before the age of menopause, women have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age. After the age of menopause, women’s LDL levels tend to rise.
     
  • HEREDITY
    Your genes partly determine how much cholesterol your body makes. High blood cholesterol can run in families. If a close family member (parent or sibling) has developed atherosclerosis before age 45, high cholesterol levels place you at a greater-than-average risk of developing atherosclerosis.
     
  • SMOKING
    Cigarette smoking damages the walls of your blood vessels, making them likely to have cholesterol rich plaques rupture and have heart attacks. Smoking may also lower your level of HDL cholesterol by as much as 15 percent.
Tips on Lowering Your Cholesterol

Lifestyle changes - Diet

  • Reduce the intake of saturated fat (e.g., hamburgers, hot dogs, and other animal fats) and the total amount of fat in your diet to 25%-35% of total calories - with no more than 7% of fat calories coming from saturated fats.
  • Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
  • Eat fish, poultry without skin and leaner cuts of meat instead of fatty ones.
  • Eat fat-free or 1% milk dairy products rather than whole-milk dairy products.
  • Eat food with soluble fiber which include oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, citrus fruits, strawberries and apple pulp
  • Bake, steam, roast, broil, stew, or boil instead of frying. This helps remove fat.
  • Use a nonstick pan with vegetable cooking oil spray or a small amount of liquid vegetable oil instead of lard, butter, shortening, or other fats that are solid at room temperature

Lifestyle changes - Exercise

  • Get involved in activities such as brisk walking, jogging, bicycling or cross-country skiing.
  • Gradually work up to exercising for 30 minutes to 45 minutes at least 3-4 times a week
  • Stick with your exercise program.

Medical Therapy

Depending on your risk factors, if healthy eating and exercise don’t work after about 6 months to 1 year, your doctor may suggest medicine to lower your cholesterol level.

Several types of medications are used to lower your cholesterol: Bile Acid Sequestrants, Fibrates, HMG-CoA Reductase inhibitors (Statins), Nicotinic Acid derivatives and Cholesterol absorption inhibitors. Your doctor will decide which type of medicine is right for you.

Common Misconceptions
  • Vegetables have cholesterol in them. False. Cholesterol is produced in liver and is only found in animal. Plants do not have cholesterol because they do not have liver.
  • People should eat as much unsaturated fat as possible. False. There should not be no more than 30% of calories in an adult diet from fats.
  • Using margarine instead of butter will help lower my cholesterol. Most soft or liquid margarines have less saturated fat and so are preferable to the stick forms for a heart-healthy diet. However, both margarine and butter are high in fat, so use both in moderation.
  • Since I started taking medication for my high cholesterol, I don’t have to worry about what I eat. Unless your cholesterol is dangerously high, it’s best to try to reduce it by changing your diet. Modern medications have come a long way in helping to control blood cholesterol levels, but making lifestyle changes along with taking medication is the best way to help prevent heart disease. Reducing the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet and getting 30–60 minutes of exercise on most or all days of the week is recommended, even if you’re taking cholesterol-lowering medication.
  • You don’t need to have your cholesterol checked until you reach middle age. It’s a good idea to start having your cholesterol checked at an early age. Even children, especially those in families with a history of heart disease, can have high cholesterol levels. And evidence exists that these children are at greater risk for developing heart disease as adults. Lack of exercise, poor dietary habits and genetics can all affect a child’s cholesterol levels. You’re never too young to develop a heart-healthy lifestyle by eating foods low in fats, getting 30–60 minutes of physical activity on most or all days, and avoiding tobacco products
References:
  1. Cholesterol Counts for Everyone (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  2. Cholesterol (American Heart Association)
  3. Managing Cholesterol (Patient Education Institute) An interactive cholesterol learning tutorial - requires Flash plug-in
    Also available in: Spanish - *** excellent source
  4. What Are Healthy Levels of Cholesterol? (American Heart Association)
  5. Nutrition.gov. An excellent resource, provides easy access to all online federal government information on nutrition, healthy eating, physical activity, and food safety, easily accessible in one place. *** excellent source
  6. 10 Year Risk Calculator - online calculator
  7. Interactive Menu Planner - NIH - online calculator
  8. Body Mass Index Calculator - online calculator
  10. Create a Diet - Interactive tool to create online diet for health.

Recommended Books

]]> http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/05/03/lowering-cholesterol/feed/ How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/05/03/how-to-understand-and-use-the-nutrition-facts-label/ http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/05/03/how-to-understand-and-use-the-nutrition-facts-label/#comments Wed, 03 May 2006 12:39:24 +0000 adarshgupta http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/archives/28 People look at food labels for different reasons. But whatever the reason, many consumers would like to know how to use this information more effectively and easily. The following label-building skills are intended to make it easier for you to use nutrition labels to make quick, informed food choices that contribute to a healthy diet.

An Overview

Sample Nutrition Label

  1. Serving Size: Serving sizes are standardized to make it easier to compare similar foods; they are provided in familiar units, such as cups or pieces, followed by the metric amount, e.g., the number of grams. The size of the serving on the food package influences the number of calories and all the nutrient amounts listed on the top part of the label. Pay attention to the serving size, especially how many servings there are in the food package. Then ask yourself, “How many servings am I consuming”? (e.g., 1/2 serving, 1 serving, or more).
  2. Calories: Calories provide a measure of how much energy you get from a serving of this food. Many Americans consume more calories than they need without meeting recommended intakes for a number of nutrients. The calorie section of the label can help you manage your weight (i.e., gain, lose, or maintain.) Remember: the number of servings you consume determines the number of calories you actually eat (your portion amount).
    As a General Rule, 40 calories is considered low, 100 calories is considered moderate and 400 calories or more is considered high. This general rule is based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Eating too many calories per day is linked to overweight and obesity.
  3. Nutrients to Limit: Health experts recommend that you keep your intake of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol as low as possible as part of a nutritionally balanced diet. Eating too much fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, or sodium may increase your risk of certain chronic diseases, like heart disease, some cancers, or high blood pressure.
  4. Get enough of these Nutrients: Eating enough of these nutrients can improve your health and help reduce the risk of some diseases and conditions. For example, getting enough calcium may reduce the risk of osteoporosis, a condition that results in brittle bones as one ages. Eating a diet high in dietary fiber promotes healthy bowel function. Additionally, a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and grain products that contain dietary fiber, particularly soluble fiber, and low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.
  5. Footnote: Note the * used after the heading “%Daily Value” on the Nutrition Facts label. It refers to the Footnote in the lower part of the nutrition label, which tells you “%DVs are based on a 2,000 calorie diet“. This statement must be on all food labels. But the remaining information in the full footnote may not be on the package if the size of the label is too small. When the full footnote does appear, it will always be the same. It doesn’t change from product to product, because it shows recommended dietary advice for all Americans–it is not about a specific food product.
    The amounts listed under 2000 and 2500 - are the Daily Values (DV) for each nutrient listed and are based on public health experts’ advice. DVs are recommended levels of intakes. DVs in the footnote are based on a 2,000 or 2,500 calorie diet. Note how the DVs for some nutrients change, while others (for cholesterol and sodium) remain the same for both calorie amounts.
  6. Percent Daily Value (%DV): The % Daily Values (%DVs) are based on the Daily Value recommendations for key nutrients but only for a 2,000 calorie daily diet–not 2,500 calories. You, like most people, may not know how many calories you consume in a day. But you can still use the %DV as a frame of reference whether or not you consume more or less than 2,000 calories.
    The %DV helps you determine if a serving of food is high or low in a nutrient. Note: a few nutrients, like trans fat, do not have a %DV–they will be discussed later.
    Do you need to know how to calculate percentages to use the %DV? No, the label (the %DV) does the math for you. It helps you interpret the numbers (grams and milligrams) by putting them all on the same scale for the day (0-100%DV). The %DV column doesn’t add up vertically to 100%. Instead each nutrient is based on 100% of the daily requirements for that nutrient (for a 2,000 calorie diet). This way you can tell high from low and know which nutrients contribute a lot, or a little, to your daily recommended allowance (upper or lower).

Online References:

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