Taking On Cholesterol Through Diet And Exercise

By Jan Howard

Small dietary changes will make a difference in lowering cholesterol. That was the message of the Lunch and Learn program sponsored by The Learning Center at Ashlar of Newtown last week.

Those attending received important information on the sources and measurement of blood cholesterol, dietary factors that impact on cholesterol, and practical steps for dietary change.

Molly Basak-Smith, MS, RD, presented the first program of the Lunch and Learn series, “Cholesterol Countdown,” on September 11 at Lockwood Lodge on Toddy Hill Road. She practices in Newtown and Monroe.

Ms Basak-Smith discussed the prevalence, progression, and risk factors of coronary heart disease and how to make changes in diet to reduce the risk.

“Males are more inclined to have heart disease,” Ms Basak-Smith said. This and hereditary factors cannot be changed. Exercise and what foods are eaten can be changed.”

 Also, “If you smoke, you’re more inclined to have heart disease,” she said.

Arteries pump blood and nutrients into the heart, she explained. “If the arteries are clogged through cholesterol buildup, they can’t get blood and nutrients to the heart. As the disease progresses, there is less blood flowing through the arteries. It can happen at any age.”

Cholesterol levels under 200 are desirable, she said. Numbers from 200-239 are borderline, and 240 and above are considered high risk for a heart attack, she said.

“Work with diet first before taking medicine if cholesterol is in the lower 200s,” she said. Risks versus benefits must be weighed in taking medication.

Changes in diet and increased exercise can help lower cholesterol levels, Ms Basak-Smith said. However, if cholesterol levels are in the 300 range, medicine is needed as well.

“Cholesterol doesn’t fluctuate within days,” she said. “When you eat better and exercise, it takes up to three months to see a change.”

There is good and bad cholesterol, Ms Basak-Smith said. “Your HDL should be high. H stands for happy. That’s good. LDL is bad. L stands for lousy. You want the ratio to be higher. There are things to do to manipulate the numbers.”

Our bodies make cholesterol, she noted, and it does have some function. However, since the body produces 70 percent of cholesterol, only 30 percent can be manipulated by diet and through exercise, she added. To lower cholesterol, less food from animal products should be eaten, keeping the level of cholesterol-producing foods to 300 mg a day or less.

One egg yolk has 275 mg, Ms Basak-Smith said. “If you have an egg, you need to compensate through a vegetarian meal or pasta.”

“You have to eat less fat,” she said. “You have to worry about the fat content of food. There is a lot of fat in snack foods.

“All animal products contain fat,” she said. When shopping for meat, such as beef or lamb, buy loin or round cuts that have less fat. Eat only 3½ ounces or a piece the size of a deck of cards. “If it’s larger, we have defeated our purpose.”

  People with high cholesterol need to substitute unsaturated fats for saturated fats, she said. Saturated fats help the body make cholesterol, and are found primarily in animal foods, including dairy products. Use polyunsaturated fats, such as safflower, sunflower, corn and soybean oils, that help lower blood cholesterol. Monounsaturated fats, such as canola oil, olives, avocados and most nuts, may lower total cholesterol without lowering HDL (good) cholesterol, recent research indicates.

 More soluble fibers, such as fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, beans and lentils, and cereals that have lower dietary cholesterol should be substituted for animal foods.

Fish should be eaten at least twice a week, she said. Fish is especially low in saturated fat.

Weight control is important, Ms Basak-Smith said. “If you’re eating too much food, you’re eating too much fatty food.”

Fruits and vegetables have no cholesterol in them, she said. Three to four fruits and two to three vegetables should be eaten daily.

 “Making small switches will make a difference,” Ms Basak-Smith said.

To lower cholesterol, substitute a bagel or blueberry muffin for a donut; ice milk for ice cream; two egg whites for an egg; sirloin steak for rib eye steak; one percent or skim milk for whole milk; and monounsaturated fats, such as olive, peanut, canola, and avocado oils, for saturated fats.

A person should have 70 percent of daily calories from protein and carbohydrates and 30 percent from fats, with 10 percent each from polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and saturated fats.

“Stick to real food as much as possible,” Ms Basak-Smith said. She noted that spray products used for cooking contain chemicals. “Closer to real food is best,” she noted.