Controlling Your Blood Cholesterol and Triglycerides

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Controlling Your Blood Cholesterol and
Triglycerides
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
Service
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What is Blood Cholesterol?

• A fat-like substance in the blood.
• Made in the liver and comes from some foods we
  eat.
• Too much cholesterol can build up in arteries
  over time.
• Can cause heart attacks and strokes.

Normal Artery
Cholesterol
Clogged Artery
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Do You Know Your Cholesterol Number?

• High cholesterol rarely has symptoms.
• Know your cholesterol number!
• Have a blood test done called the
• Lipoprotein Profile

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Lipoprotein Profile

• Includes
• Total Cholesterol
• LDL Cholesterol
• HDL Cholesterol
• Triglycerides

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What is the Recommended Level?

• The National Cholesterol Education Program
  recommends

• Total Cholesterol
• LDL Cholesterol
• HDL Cholesterol
• Triglycerides

Less than 200 mg/dl Less than 100 mg/dl Women
over 50 Men over 40 Under 150
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What Are Some Ways To Control Blood Cholesterol
and Triglycerides?

• Healthy Eating
• Physical Activity
• Weight Loss
• Medication

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Eating Healthy

• Choose more fruits, vegetables, and whole grain
  breads, cereals and pastas.
• Choose baked, skinless chicken and fish, and
  low-fat dairy products.
• Eat less fat
• Saturated fat
• Trans fatty acids

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Improving Fats

• Eat fewer solid fats
• Shortening
• Stick butter/margarine
• Excess fat on meats

• Substitute liquid or soft fats Heart-Healthy
  Fats
• Monounsaturated oils
• Olive, Canola, Peanut oil

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Trans Fatty Acids

• Limit Trans fats
• Fried foods, cookies, cakes, crackers, snack
  foods

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Dietary Cholesterol

• Can raise blood cholesterol levels
• Limit foods high in cholesterol
• Liver, organ meats, egg yolks, full-fat dairy
  products
• The American Heart Association recommendations?

• Less than 300 mg/day
• Less than 200 mg/day (with diabetes or heart
  disease)

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Triglycerides

• Limit sugar and refined carbohydrates
• Eat Fiber (Soluble)
• Dried beans, peas, oats, fruits and vegetables

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Physical Activity

• Important even as we get older!
• HDL Cholesterol
• LDL Cholesterol
• Lower triglycerides
• 30 minutes or more on most days.
• Moderate activity

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Weight Management

• Weight loss can
• LDL
• Triglycerides
• HDL
• Just 5 to 10 pounds will help show
  improvements!!!
• Be sure to talk with your doctor.

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Medication

• Medication needed by some people.
• Continue with healthy eating and physical
  activity.
• Your doctor will help decide the best type of
  drug.

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Points to Remember

• Know your cholesterol and triglyceride numbers!
• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole
  grains, low-fat dairy products, and less fat and
  cholesterol.
• Exercise regularly
• Lose weight if overweight.
• Talk with your doctor about medicine if lifestyle
  changes arent enough