Clearing Up Cholesterol Confusion

Do you know your cholesterol numbers? Understanding what they are, and what they mean for health, can be difficult. We’re here to answer your questions about cholesterol (Hint: it’s not all bad!).

Contributed by: Alisa Loo, MD | Family Medicine

Alisa Loo, MD, a family medicine provider with MetroHealth, spends a lot of time talking to her patients about cholesterol.

What is cholesterol and how is it related to heart disease?

Cholesterol is an essential part of how our cells and cell membrane function; it’s used to make certain hormones and vitamin D, for example. But when we have too much of it circulating in the blood, it can build up, creating plaque in arteries. Over time, plaque makes arteries narrower and stiffer, leading to the risk of clots that may block arteries and cause a heart attack or stroke.

My cholesterol numbers list LDL, HDL, and triglycerides. What’s the difference?

LDL is the main way cholesterol is carried around in your blood. High LDL levels can lead to heart attack and stroke
HDL is how cholesterol is carried back to your liver to be recycled. Without enough HDL, cholesterol can build up in your blood vessels.
Triglycerides are a type of fat; high levels of it contribute to cholesterol build up in your body.

How does cholesterol get too high?

You can end up with too-high cholesterol numbers either because of diet, or family history (or both). Foods like red meat, butter and fried foods are high in cholesterol. Some people also have a genetic form of high cholesterol.

When should I start getting my cholesterol screened?

The American Heart Association recommends all adults 35 or older get checked every 4 to 6 years if low risk. It only requires a simple blood test to check.

But it’s important to pay attention to your cholesterol at all ages, even in your 20s. High cholesterol and high blood pressure can be silent. If you pay attention to your health when you’re young, you have a better chance of having a good quality of life when you’re older.

When should I start getting my cholesterol screened?

The American Heart Association recommends all adults 35 or older get checked every 4 to 6 years if low risk. It only requires a simple blood test to check.

What are some simple diet changes I can make to reduce my cholesterol?

The key is thinking about long-lasting changes. What can you keep up with for 10 years or more? Some things to consider:

Trading butter for olive oil in cooking
Trading red meat for pork or chicken (but not bacon or sausage)
Eating more soluble fiber (things like flax seed, oatmeal, fruit)
Reducing the amount of sugar (sugar you don’t immediately use gets stored as fat)

What should I eat to help get more of the good cholesterol?

Get more omega-3 fatty acids! These are naturally occurring in some foods and are full of “good” HDL cholesterol. You can get them in:

Beans
Fish like sardines and mackerel
Walnuts
Chia seeds or flax seeds

When would I need medicine to help with cholesterol?

When lifestyle changes don’t help bring your numbers down, it’s time for medication. Statins are the gold standard and are effective and safe for most people. These are medicines like Lipitor and Crestor.

They work to reduce the amount of cholesterol your body produces. Most people don’t have any side effects from statins.

Bonus Recipe: Cherry-Almond Energy Bites

Contributed by: Jennifer Bier, MS, RD, LD Manager | Ambulatory Nutrition

Need to schedule a well visit that includes a cholesterol check? To schedule an appointment with a Primary Care provider, Call 216-My-Metro (216-696-3876) or schedule online Primary Care Scheduling.