Tag: cholestrol

The good and bad of cholesterol – what you need to know

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

Healthy Heart Tip: The good and bad of cholesterol – what you need to know

Did you know that more than two in five people in England have high cholesterol? High cholesterol often goes untreated due to its lack of noticeable symptoms, which leads to it going undiagnosed.

Even if you feel fit and healthy, make sure that you get your cholesterol levels checked at least every five years. Cholesterol can be influenced by lifestyle factors, but genetics also play a role. Without getting it checked you won’t know your results.

Here we explain cholesterol and give you some ideas on how you can maintain healthy levels:

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a type of fat in the blood that is made in your liver. Additional cholesterol comes from the foods you eat, particularly those rich in fats.

Your body needs certain levels of cholesterol to be able to perform important jobs such as supporting the production of cell membranes, vitamin D and certain hormones. It is measured in millimole per litre or mmol/L. With total cholesterol levels of below 5 mmol/L being healthy.

Non-HDL cholesterol

Non-HDL cholesterol is often referred to as the bad cholesterol within your blood. Its role is to transport all fat molecules around your body. However, when there’s too much of it, it can build up in your arteries, causing them to harden and narrow.

This causes atherosclerosis and can lead to heart disease. High levels of non-HDL cholesterol are typically linked to diets rich in saturated fats (fatty foods) such as pastries, cakes and processed foods. Healthy levels of non-HDL cholesterol are below 4 mmol/L.

HDL cholesterol

HDL cholesterol or the good cholesterol in your blood picks up any excess cholesterol and takes it back to your liver to be broken down and removed from your body. Higher levels of HDL cholesterol reduce your risk of heart disease, while lower levels increase it.

To boost HDL levels, incorporate unsaturated fats into your diet such as olive oil, nuts and seeds, oily fish and avocados. Healthy levels of HDL cholesterol are more than or equal to 1 mmol/L.

How to keep your cholesterol levels healthy

Regular exercise and meeting the guidelines of 150 minutes of physical activity each week will help to keep your cholesterol levels healthy.

Her – Fri 3 February 2022 – Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh (© photographer Andy Catlin www.andycatlin.com)

Maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking and drinking limited amounts of alcohol also favourably impact your cholesterol levels. As well as eating a healthy balanced diet that includes oily fish, wholegrains, nuts and seeds, fruit and vegetables and limited amounts of processed foods.

Healthy Heart Tip: Do you know your numbers?

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

Healthy Heart Tip: Do you know your numbers?

This week is Know Your Numbers Week which encourages everyone to take ownership of their heart health numbers.

Cholesterol levels and blood pressure are two key markers to understanding your risk of heart disease. In this week’s healthy tip, we explain what these two markers are, give you the healthy ranges you should be aiming for and explain how you can get yours tested.

Cholesterol

There are two main types of cholesterol, LDL, sometimes called ‘bad’ cholesterol, and HDL, sometimes called ‘good cholesterol’. We need some of both types of cholesterol, but the incorrect balance can be harmful.

When LDL cholesterol builds up in the arteries, it can contribute to plaque formation, whilst HDL cholesterol removes harmful cholesterol from the bloodstream. Simply consuming more fibre can have a positive impact on your cholesterol reading.

See our previous healthytip for more ways to reduce bad cholesterol.

Blood pressure

Blood pressure is the measure of the force that your heart uses to pump blood around your body. It is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and is given as two figures: 1) Systolic pressure – the pressure when your heart pumps blood out, 2) Diastolic pressure – the pressure when your heart is at rest, between pumps.

Systolic pressure is always shown on top, and diastolic pressure is always shown on the bottom. A simple lifestyle step like reducing your salt intake can help reduce your blood pressure.

Get a test

The only way to know if your blood pressure or cholesterol is high is to have it checked. Checks are quick and easy, and it could be lifesaving. Adults aged 40 years or over should aim to have their blood pressure checked at least every five years.

You can ask your GP to check your blood pressure, or you may be able to have your blood pressure checked with your local pharmacy or gym.

You could also consider investing in a home blood pressure monitor to keep track of your numbers – check out our ‘How to take your Bp video’ for a guide on measuring your blood pressure at home.

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for weekly healthy tips at

www.heartresearch.org.uk/health-tips.

Healthy Tip: Cholesterol – Don’t Let it Scare you

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

Healthy Heart Tip: Cholesterol – Don’t Let it Scare you

Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in our blood. There are two main types, LDL, sometimes termed ‘bad cholesterol’, and HDL, sometimes termed ‘good cholesterol’. 

We need some of both types to be healthy, but an incorrect balance can be harmful. Being told we have high cholesterol can be scary and leave us worried.

This Halloween we encourage you to become informed and take positive action to restore a healthy cholesterol balance, and to reduce the fear that goes hand in hand with a diagnosis:

Increase fibre intake

Fibre is a type of carbohydrate that comes from plants, and research tells us that those people who have more fibre in their diet have lower cholesterol.

Aim to eat fibre from a variety of different sources such as fruits, vegetables, wholegrain, nuts, seeds and pulses (lentils and beans).

Pumpkins are a great source of fibre, when you are carving your pumpkins this week why not use the flesh to make a fibre-rich pumpkin soup.

Exercise more

We should be aiming for at least 150 minutes of exercise per week.

Aerobic exercise such as running or cycling can help increase the levels of ‘good cholesterol’ in our blood.

Aiming for 30 minutes moderate physical activity, five times per week will help restore a healthy cholesterol balance, among many other health benefits.

Limit alcohol consumption

Alcohol can raise the levels of cholesterol in our blood. Cutting back on how much we consume can improve the health of our liver, meaning we can better remove bad cholesterol from our blood.

The good news is there are many alcohol-free alternatives available in the supermarkets and in pubs nowadays.

It is recommended that we limit our alcohol consumption to 14 units per week (about six pints of average strength beer or about five 250ml glasses of wine).

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips.

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/.

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/.

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip: Improve your cholestrol

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion and Education at Heart Research UK


Improving Your Cholesterol Profile

There are two main types of cholesterol, LDL, sometimes termed ‘bad’ cholesterol, and HDL, sometimes termed as ‘good cholesterol’.

The reality is that we do need some of both types of cholesterol, but the incorrect balance can be harmful. When LDL cholesterol builds up in the arteries, it can contribute to plaque formation, whilst HDL cholesterol removes harmful cholesterol from the bloodstream.

With this in mind, here are some tips for creating a healthy cholesterol profile:

Increase Fibre Intake

Fibre, particularly the type found in porridge oats and wholegrains, known as beta-glucan, helps to reduce LDL cholesterol levels.

Go Plant-Based

Diets higher in vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, and pulses are healthier for the heart than animal-derived alternatives that are high in saturated fats such as meats, cheeses and processed snacks such as biscuits.

Eat Good Fats

Unsaturated fats, particularly when swapped for saturated fats, can help to increase your HDL cholesterol levels. Excellent sources of good fats include oily fish such as salmon and mackerel, extra virgin olive oil and avocados.

Exercise Regularly

Aerobic exercise such as running or cycling will help to increase levels of HDL in the blood, especially when performed for more than 150 minutes each week.

Avoid high Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol can increase the amount of fat in the blood and lower HDL cholesterol, therefore drinking less than 14 units per week is recommended.