I know there was a previous E-Bulletin article on lowering cholesterol but I think it would be helpful to review what we can do to help prevent heart disease.  The body makes all the cholesterol that it needs.  Cholesterol circulates in the bloodstream in packages called lipoproteins, which have fat (lipid) inside and protein outside.  Two kinds of lipoproteins  carry cholesterol in the blood.  Low density lipoprotein (LDL "bad" cholesterol) that carries cholesterol to tissues like arteries.  We also have high density lipoprotein (HDL "good" cholesterol) that takes cholesterol from tissues to the liver, which removes it from the body.  The higher your LDL the greater your risk of heart disease and a low level of HDL also increases your risk for heart disease. If there is too much cholesterol in the blood, some of the excess can become trapped in artery walls and become plaque.  A build up of plaque can result in hardening of the arteries affecting blood flow to the heart and a major risk factor for heart disease.  

As discussed in a past health article, risk factors that you can't change are heredity, age and sex.  However, changes that are under your control are: diet (avoiding saturated fat (fat found in foods that come from animals), trans fat (found in foods with hydrogenated oils and fats), and cholesterol which comes only from animal products.   Losing extra pounds will help to lower your LDL and raise your HDL.  Regular physical activity can help to raise your HDL and ultimately lower your LDL by assisting you in getting to a healthy weight.
  I just recently had my annual physical wit Dr. T.   Over the past few years I have been focusing on lowering my LDL.  Dr. T wants me to have an LDL of less than 100 due to my family history of heart disease  (father had heart attack in his 60's).  Fortunately, I have been able to maintain a healthy weight for the past couple of years with a mainly plant based protein diet (some chicken and fish) and regular exercise (Curves Gym 3-4 x a week).  My LDL a year ago was 115 (goal less 100) and HDL 73 (range 35-80--the higher the better).  This past year I really worked at trying to stay on mostly plant based protein diet and added  in February, 2021 a Shaklee supplement to naturally lower your cholesterol: Heart-Cholesterol Reduction Complex).  I was pleasantly surprised with the 2021 lab results that showed that my LDL had dropped 8 points to 107 getting much closer to my goal of less than 100.   My plan for 2021-22 is to continue the plant based protein diet/regular exercise/LDL Lowering supplement and add in Shaklee CO Q Heart and Omega Guard to further assist with lowering my risk of heart disease.
  ~ Mary Ann

 Next week: Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis Pain.