How diet affects your HDL (3 min)
Jen Caudle, DO, breaks down the basics about cholesterol and helps you understand what's going on in your body.
Transcript
JENNIFER CAUDLE: Cholesterol is a waxy substance made from your liver that circulates in the blood. It helps build cells and make vitamins and hormones.
I'm Dr. Jen Caudle. I'm a board-certified family medicine physician, an associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine at Rowan University, and I'm also
a member of Sharecare's editorial advisory board. The truth is, everyone has cholesterol in their body. And it comes in two forms.
Low density lipoprotein, or LDL, is considered bad cholesterol. It carries cholesterol to the cells that need it.
But if the levels are too high, it may contribute to fatty buildup in your arteries, which can cause them to narrow. This can increase the risk for coronary artery disease,
causing heart attacks, strokes, or peripheral artery disease. The good kind of cholesterol is called high density
lipoprotein, or HDL. Unlike LDL, it removes excess cholesterol in the blood, carrying it back to the liver, where
it can be broken down and removed from the body. Now, the total cholesterol in your body is made up of LDL levels, HDL levels,
and something called triglycerides. Triglycerides are a type of fat stored in your blood. This is where the body stores extra calories
from sugar or alcohol. Think of it this way. When you eat, your body converts unneeded calories into triglycerides.
A combination of high triglyceride levels and high LDL or low HDL can also lead to the fatty buildup
in the arteries. In short, too much of the bad, or not enough of the good, can lead to serious health problems.
If you have too much LDL, then you may have a buildup of cholesterol in the arteries, causing blockages. Now, you've probably heard of high cholesterol
and know it's something to be aware of. Typically, high cholesterol has no symptoms. But if you experience chest pains, extreme fatigue,
numbness in your arms, shortness of breath, or pain in the neck, jaw, the upper abdomen, or back,
it may be a heart attack. And you should seek emergency care as soon as possible. High cholesterol increases your risk for heart attacks.
And for certain groups, such as women and individuals with diabetes, these typical signs and symptoms may be fewer, less intense, or not at all existence.
This is what's called a silent heart attack. If you fall into any of these categories, please seek emergency treatment immediately to be evaluated.
Now, luckily, there are plenty of ways to avoid high cholesterol and bad LDL levels, including paying attention to your food.
For starters, a Mediterranean diet is shown to help lower LDL levels and raise HDL levels, which is the right balance for healthy total cholesterol rates.
Now, this includes things like olive oils and beans, legumes, fibrous fruits, whole grains, and even fatty fish.
I personally love a Mediterranean diet. I love pretty much all the foods in the Mediterranean diet. And the best thing is that it's also very healthy.
You know, high cholesterol is associated with diabetes, high blood pressure, not enough exercise, being obese or overweight, or having a family
history of the disease. And as a family medicine physician, I've seen countless patients deal with high cholesterol. Luckily, as we've talked about, this
is something that can be managed and lowered with time and intention. Of course, understanding HDL is more than just diet.
Studies show that ensuring healthy levels of the good cholesterol also includes lifestyle changes, like regular exercise and movement,
as well as quitting smoking and avoiding alcohol. So tomorrow morning, maybe I'll start with a long walk
and a bowl of fruit. What will you add to your day to help your HDL levels for the future? [MUSIC PLAYING]
high cholesterol
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