Download Lowering Your Cholesterol Employee Wellbeing Guide March 2017

Lowering Your Cholesterol
Employee Wellbeing Guide
March 2017
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fatty substance produced in the body by the liver. It is made from the
saturated fat in food and plays an important role in maintaining the health of all the body’s
cells and making some of the chemicals that enable our bodies to function.
To reach all the body’s cells, cholesterol is transported in the blood stream by proteins.
The combined cholesterol and proteins are called Lipoproteins. There are two main forms
of lipoproteins:
• Low density lipoproteins (LDL) which carry cholesterol from the liver to the cells;
• High density lipoproteins (HDL) which return cholesterol that isn’t used by the cells
back to the liver.
Why is it a problem?
When you regularly eat a diet that is high in saturated fats, the level of LDL cholesterol in
your blood stream rises and the amount of HDL cholesterol falls. The result of which
means not all of the excess cholesterol therefore returns to the liver and the excess LDL
cholesterol is chemically changed and deposited as a fatty substance in the walls of the
blood vessels supplying the heart, causing heart disease.
This causes the arteries to become narrower and impedes the flow of the blood carrying
oxygen and nutrients to the heart cells. If the narrowing is sufficient, a blood clot may start
to form and eventually the blood flow to that part of the heart will stop altogether.
Some people may have a medical condition, eg. an under-active thyroid gland or an
inherited condition called familial hyperlipidaemia that causes a high blood cholesterol
level, but irrespective of the cause the result is the same.
How do I know if I have a high level of Cholesterol?
A blood sample can be tested in two ways; either as a finger prick test to obtain a drop of
blood that is examined using a desk top analyzer or a sample of blood can be taken using
a needle and syringe and sent to a laboratory for analysis.
Your cholesterol level does not stay the same throughout the day or from day to day, so
that if your cholesterol level is high you may need to have more than one test to validate
your result.
With thanks to Health Management Limited for the above information
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Your risk of coronary heart disease increases as your cholesterol level increases. To
reduce the risk your total cholesterol level (LDL & HDL cholesterol combined) should be no
higher than 5.5 mmols. A level above 7mmols carries a high risk of disease.
How can I reduce my Cholesterol level?
If you need to reduce your cholesterol level, it’s important that you eat foods that are low in
saturated fat:
• Cut down on saturated fats and replace them with small amounts of
monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats;
• Avoid fatty foods such as pastries, crisps, cakes and biscuits and replace them with
healthier options such as fruit or vegetables;
• Eat oily fish at least once a week. Oily fish such as herring, sardines, salmon, trout
and fresh tuna, are the richest source of Omega-3 fats;
• Foods high in soluble fibre such as porridge, beans, pulses, lentils, nuts, fruits and
vegetables can help lower cholesterol;
• Choose cooking methods that don’t add fat to the food you prepare such as boiling,
baking, grilling, steaming, poaching and microwaving. Avoid fried foods or foods
prepared with a lot of oil or butter.
Fat in food is made up of a combination of saturated fats, monounsaturated fats and
polyunsaturated fats.
Saturated fats can increase the level of bad cholesterol in the blood and increase the risk
of narrowed arteries. Foods that are high in saturated fat include: butter, hard cheese, fatty
meat, biscuits, cakes, cream, lard, suet, ghee, coconut oil and palm oil. Check food labels;
these will tell you how much saturated fat is in the produce.
Monounsaturated fats can lower bad cholesterol, while maintaining good cholesterol.
Polyunsaturated fats reduce total cholesterol. Foods high in unsaturated fats include:
olive oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, nuts and seeds (walnuts, pine nuts sesame seeds),
some margarines and spreads. Omega-3 fat is a particular type of polyunsaturated fat that
can help to reduce fatty deposits in the blood, prevent blood clots and regulate the
heartbeat.
Some of the things you can do to reduce the risk include:
• Eat healthily;
• Reduce the saturated fat in your diet;
• Get more active;
• Stop smoking;
• Reduce your alcohol Intake;
• Medication from your GP.
A healthy diet can significantly help reduce your cholesterol level. This means eating the
right balance and a suitable amount of food to provide your body with the nutrition it needs
to give you the energy to perform the activities you do and to function properly.
Be Active - Get Moving
An active lifestyle can help to improve healthy cholesterol levels this is because regular
physical activity can help to increase your HDL cholesterol (the 'protective' type of
With thanks to Health Management Limited for the above information
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cholesterol). Activities can range from low-impact brisk walks and cycling to more vigorous
exercise such as running and dancing.
Thirty minutes of physical activity at least five days a week can help to improve your
cholesterol levels; you don’t have to do thirty minutes all in one go, you can do it in shorter
bursts say of ten minutes at a time; you need to be active enough to feel warm and slightly
out of breath and still able to have a conversation. Cycling, swimming, dancing are some
of the other activities to choose.
Thirty minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity across the week is all it takes to feel
some health benefits, and whatever your activity it will not only help reduce your
cholesterol level, it will make you feel more energetic, it will help you to relax and it will
keep you in good shape.
With thanks to Health Management Limited for the above information
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