The ® Female Patient

What You Should Know About andout

Cholesterol and Heart Health H

hat is cholesterol? mainly fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, and dried beans (legumes). Cholesterol is a waxy atient • Eat several servings of fruits and vegetables substance found in every day. A good rule of thumb is to eat a P the human body that fruit and/or a vegetable at each meal. Wis necessary for all cells to function. • Include whole grain foods such as cereals, whole wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice, and barley. However, several types of cholesterol, • Eat dried beans and peas regularly, such as lentils, as well as too much cholesterol in the split peas, red beans, pinto beans, lima beans, blood, can lead to heart disease. black-eyed peas, garbanzo beans, and navy beans. • Eat fish and seafood at least a few times • Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol each week. (known as “bad cholesterol”) is responsible for • Choose poultry (chicken and turkey) instead of the build up of cholesterol in blood vessels. red meat; eat white meat more often than dark The higher the LDL level, the greater the risk meat and avoid eating the skin. for heart disease. • Eat smaller portions overall of meat, • High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol poultry, fish, and cheese. Fill up (known as “good cholesterol”) removes cho- your plate with more vegetables. A good rule of lesterol from the blood and blood vessels. The • If using margarine, avoid “stick” thumb is to eat higher the HDL level, the lower the risk for margarines, which contain trans fats. a fruit and/or heart disease. Choose low-fat or fat-free milk •  a vegetable at • Triglycerides, a form of fat, are also related products. Examples include to heart disease. The higher the level of skim or 1% milk, low-fat cottage each meal. triglycerides in the blood, the greater the risk cheese, buttermilk, low-fat or fat- for heart disease. free yogurt.

Desirable Cholesterol Levels* What Should I Limit? • Total cholesterol - less than 200 mg/dL Limiting foods does not mean never eating them. • HDL cholesterol - more than 40 mg/dL Instead, try to create meals based on the healthy • LDL cholesterol - less than 100 mg/dL • Triglycerides - less than 150 mg/dL. Every time you have a cholesterol test, make sure you ask the doctor for the results.

What Helps Decrease the Chances for Heart Disease? Changes in diet and lifestyle can help improve heart health. The most important things to work on are eating right, exercising, controlling weight, and not smoking.

What Should I Eat? • Eating foods high in fiber can help lower cho- lesterol. Fiber is found only in plant foods— *For patients at low risk for heart disease.

2/07 The Female Patient grants permission to reproduce this handout for the purposes of patient education. A downloadable version of this patient handout is also available at: www.femalepatient.com. Cholesterol and Heart Health

foods previously listed, and eat the following • Chill and skim fat from soups, stews, and veg- foods sparingly: etable dishes. • High-fat meats—ribs, corned beef, canned • Season foods with alternatives to butter or mar- meats, untrimmed cuts garine. Examples include lemon juice, vinegar, • Egg yolks garlic, low-sodium broth or stock, onion, mus- • Organ meats (liver, kidneys) tard, ketchup, premixed seasonings, or herbs. • Cheese • Processed meats—cold cuts, sausage, hot Dining Out dogs, bacon, bologna, salami • Choose foods that are baked, broiled, grilled, • Fried foods—french fries, onion rings, potato or roasted instead of fried. chips, corn chips, fried chicken • Eat fewer salads made with mayonnaise or • Butter, margarine, mayonnaise, cream, cream sour cream. cheese, vegetable shortening, meat drippings, lard • Limit high-fat toppings such as butter, marga- • Coconut and palm oils (and non-dairy cream- rine, cream, gravy, mayonnaise, cheese, and ers containing them), half-and-half, sour cream; salad dressing. choose reduced-fat alternatives if possible • Order smaller portion sizes or share dishes. • High-fat desserts and baked products—ice cream, pie, cake, cookies, doughnuts, croissants, biscuits. Physical Activity Regular physical activity of any kind helps prevent Shopping and Cooking Tips heart disease. Exercise can help lower LDL choles- • Read food labels and pay attention to total fat, terol and increase HDL cholesterol levels. saturated fat, and trans fat. Choose products • Try to be active for 30 minutes every day. To with the smallest amounts. get started, try walking, walking the dog, • When eating meat, choose lean cuts and trim- taking the stairs instead of the elevator, gar- off all visible fat. dening, mowing the lawn, dancing, or doing • Leaner cuts of beef are round, flank, sirloin, simple exercises at home. and lean (90%) ground meat. • Other good ways to exercise are bicycling, • Leaner cuts of pork are center loin, chop, skating, tennis, swimming, water aerobics, and tenderloin. and yoga. • Cook dishes that include beans. Some examples are lentil, navy bean, split pea, or minestrone Weight Control soups; baked beans; hummus; refried beans; If you are overweight, losing weight can help and chili. lower LDL cholesterol levels and reduce the risk • Use non-stick pans or sprays for cooking. for heart disease. • Choose healthier cooking methods: bake, roast, • Using the guidelines above for eating and exercise broil, steam, grill, or microwave foods instead will often be enough for moderate weight loss. of frying. • Losing just a few pounds can make a difference • Use vegetable oils for cooking. Choose from in overall health. olive, canola, safflower, sesame, sunflower, or • Set small, specific goals and stick with them. corn oil. Avoid cooking with lard, bacon grease, or shortening. Smoking Cessation Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease, Resources and it is never too late to stop. A number of medications and other aids are available to help. • National Heart Lung and Blood Institute Many communities also have smoking cessation http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov groups sponsored by local hospitals, the American • American Heart Association Heart Association, or the American Lung Associa- http://www.americanheart.org tion (see Resources box). Talk to your doctor or (1-800-AHA-USA-1) health care provider for more information. • American Lung Association http://www.lungusa.org This Patient Handout was prepared by Lynn Danford, MS, (1-800-LUNG-USA) CDE, LD, using materials from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute and the American Heart Association.

The Female Patient grants permission to reproduce this handout for the purposes of patient education. 2/07 A downloadable version of this patient handout is also available at: www.femalepatient.com.