According to the American Heart Association. cholesterol is “a soft, fat-like, waxy substance found in the bloodstream and in all of your body’s cells.” The body needs some cholesterol to make cell membranes, hormones, and for other functions. However, too much of the wrong kind of cholesterol can put you at risk heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Morris likens the arteries to roadways, and cholesterol to snow that can make them difficult to navigate.
“If your cholesterol is like good packing snow, it can clog your arteries,” Morris explains. “One of the preventive things we can do is make it so that the ‘snow’ doesn’t stick.”
He says doctors perform tests to get a lipid profile, which tells them exactly how much cholesterol and which kinds are in your bloodstream.
The components of cholesterol
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is known as “good cholesterol.” Medical experts say HDL carries cholesterol away from the arteries to the liver, where it exits the body, according to the American Heart Association. High levels of HDL have been shown to actually prevent heart attack.
“We want HDL to be over 40,” Morris says. “There are studies that show that low HDL alone can be a risk factor.”
Low-density lipoprotein is the “bad cholesterol” that can build up in the arteries, preventing blood flow to the heart and brain. The American Heart Association says that if arteries become too clogged with LDL, a clot can form, leading to stroke or heart attack.
Morris says as a general gauge, LDL should be under 100.
The third component of cholesterol is triglycerides, which are a form of fat. Triglycerides are increased by smoking, obesity, lack of physical activity, excessive alcohol consumption, and diets high in carbohydrates, according to the American Heart Association.
Doctors determine your overall cholesterol level by measuring HDL, LDL, and triglycerides. Once you know the makeup of your cholesterol, you can develop a plan to lower it with your physician.
Prevention still the best medicine
“Exercise is the single best thing you can do,” Morris says. He estimates that diet and exercise combined can lower your cholesterol by 20%.
If your cholesterol can’t be effectively lowered with diet and exercise, there are a number of medications that can control cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease. However, the side effects of cholesterol-lowering medications, such as muscle aches and elevated liver enzymes, can make treatment difficult for many people.
“Prevention is still where it’s at,” Morris says. “The more we can prevent, the better off we are.”