All About Cholesterol

What is cholesterol? It is a waxy substance found in your blood. According to Mayo Clinic, “your body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells, but high levels of cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease.” High cholesterol can increase your risk for a heart
attack and stroke.

Genetics and Cholesterol

Just like genetics paint the color of your eyes, and assign your blood type, high cholesterol can be inherited. Most of the time high cholesterol is the result of an unhealthy lifestyle. Several factors of high cholesterol are related to genetics through having a close relative with high cholesterol, obesity and high BMI that are influenced by genes, familial hypercholesterolemia which is a genetic condition that affects cholesterol levels, and some people even inherit genes that lead to elevated levels of certain lipoproteins.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, 1 in 250 people are born with elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol. You want to start by collecting information on your family’s health history, especially if your biological parents have high cholesterol levels. You also want to learn about your family’s history for LDL and HDL (high-density lipoprotein). The most serious form of familial hypercholesterolemia is called homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. This condition can happen when both biological parents have the altered DNA that causes familial
hypercholesterolemia and pass it along to their children. The second type of familial hypercholesterolemia is called heterozygous familial
hypercholesterolemia, which is more common. This specific condition happens when one biological parent lacks the LDL receptor. Familial hypercholesterolemia is more common among specific populations in Lebanon, South Africa, and Lithuania.

When to See Your Provider

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children get their first cholesterol screening between the ages of 9 and 11. If there is a familial risk then testing can begin as early as age 2. There are early warning signs and symptoms of high cholesterol. Cholesterol is the waxy, fat-like substance in your blood. If there is too much cholesterol in your blood it can build up in your blood vessels. Eventually, the buildup can clog blood vessels and prevent blood from flowing to your organs (brain or heart). You may also be at a higher risk for developing high cholesterol if you:

• Are living with obesity
• Consume a lot of saturated and trans fats, like fast food
• Have limited physical activity
• Smoke tobacco products
• Have a family history of high cholesterol
• Have diabetes, kidney disease, or hypothyroidism

Some signs and symptoms of hypercholesterolemia include skin bumps from cholesterol building up on the Achilles tendon, elbow, knee, or hands. Some of other signs and symptoms include yellow cholesterol deposits around your eyelids, and a white ring around the cornea in your eyes. If your test results are not within recommended ranges, then your doctor may recommend more frequent cholesterol level checks. Normal levels of total cholesterol should be below 200 mg/dL. Normal LDL cholesterol should be below 70 mg/dL for people with coronary artery disease, below 100 mg/dL for people at risk for coronary artery disease, 100-129 mg/dL for no history of coronary artery disease. Normal HDL cholesterol is 60 mg/dL and above. Triglyceride levels should be below 150 mg/dL.

Treatment

High cholesterol is preventable and treatable. Lifestyle choice and medications can help keep your cholesterol in check. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “cholesterol-lowering medications and a healthy diet can lower your risk of heart disease by a whopping 80%.” Prescription medications, known as statins, can decrease high cholesterol levels.

• You could try cutting out red meat and shellfish, and switching to more plant-based foods. Increase your fiber intake by eating more whole grains, legumes like beans and lentils, vegetables, and fruit. These are good for gut health and beneficial for cholesterol.
• You can add flax seed to your diet as a soluble fiber that is high-quality protein and has potassium.
• By taking vitamins and supplements you can lower your heart disease risk and cholesterol level.
• The best thing to add to your daily routine is exercise. Exercise can have a dramatic effect on your cholesterol level by raising the good (high-density lipoprotein, HDL) and risk for heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends “getting at least two and a half hours of physical activity a week.”

Your diet should focus on fats and consuming healthy fats like avocados, nuts (walnuts and almonds), oily fish that is high in omega-3 fatty acids (tuna, salmon, and mackerel), olive oil, and seeds (flax seeds and chia seeds). You can also limit your saturated fats by just reading a food label. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “there should be no more than 2 grams of fat per serving, and it should account for less than 7% of your daily calorie intake.” Eliminating trans fats and prepackaged food, especially sweets, will decrease
your risk of markers of inflammation and help with lowering LDL cholesterol.

Conclusion

If you have high levels of cholesterol, then you need to follow-up with your provider. You are at risk for a heart attack, heart disease, and stroke. By not knowing how your cholesterol is doing you will not have a full picture of your health. Take control of your health today and have your cholesterol checked!

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Danielle Herndon, Practice Leader of Population Health and Wellness at dherndon@hilbgroup.com.