Women and Cholesterol: An Amicable Relationship

We hear a lot about cholesterol -- or more specifically, the evils of it. Here's a little secret; not all cholesterol is evil or even bad for you. But to understand this concept, we must first wade through the cholesterol maze of LDL and HDL.

We must understand how other factors can affect the significance of our cholesterol counts. We need to know how certain types of cholesterol will increase our heart disease risk while other types will actually lower it. And then we need to discover how to gain control over this cholesterol puzzle to help our bodies achieve optimum health.

Whew! It appears that learning about cholesterol will require nearly as much energy as it takes to run a marathon. Too bad it won't burn the equivalent number of calories! The good news is cholesterol may seem complex on the surface, but with a few basics under your belt you will be able to meet this heart disease risk potential head on and use it to your healthy advantage.

Organizations like the American Heart Association have broken this complicated subject down into easy to understand components allowing you to take control of your own health and get those numbers to the best level you can.

What is Cholesterol?
So what is this important substance so imperative to a healthy cardiovascular system? According to Carol Ann Rinzler, author of "Controlling Cholesterol for Dummies" and "Nutrition for Dummies," cholesterol is actually something produced by your body -- your liver to be exact -- and it is essential in many physiological functions, including:
* Protecting the integrity of cell membranes
* Assisting in the transmission of messages between nerve cells
* Acting as a building block for vitamin D
* Enabling your gall bladder to make bile acids, which help you to absorb fats
* Acting as a base for steroid hormones like estrogen and testosterone

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If cholesterol performs so many important functions within your body, how can it possibly be bad for you? The problem happens when there is excess cholesterol in your blood, which has a tendency to stick to the walls of your blood vessels and produce a build-up, restricting the flow of blood. This process can greatly increase the risk of a heart attack, since the function of the cardiovascular system can be compromised. Heart disease is considered to be the number one killer for women in the United States, taking more lives than the next six causes of death combined.

And this is not the only thing you have to worry about if your cholesterol levels are too high. Cholesterol can also be a risk factor for a stroke. In fact, a study published earlier this year in "Neurology," a publication of the American Academy of Neurology, found that even when other risk factors are low, women with high cholesterol numbers were still at a much higher risk of having a stroke at some point in life.

Have these numbers got your attention yet? And if so, are you ready to find out what you can do to keep your cholesterol in check to keep you on the path of better health?

What's your Number?
Here's a personal question; what's your number? I'm talking about your cholesterol numbers, and if you don't know them, it's time to get savvy to one of the most important tidbits of information you need to know to stay healthy. Unfortunately, most women are not savvy when it comes to their HDL and LDL levels. A study done this year by the Society for Women's Health Research found that as many as three-fourths of women do not have any idea what their cholesterol numbers are. And what's more -- most who were surveyed had no idea what terms like HDL and LDL meant, including which cholesterol was "good" and which was considered "bad." This may indicate women are not taking the risk of cardiovascular disease as seriously as they should.

On a positive note, it's never too late to educate yourself about your own cholesterol information. It starts with a trip to the doctor and a quick blood test to find out if your cholesterol is in the healthy range or if it is something you should be concerned about. But to know how to read the result of your blood test, you will need to understand the difference between HDL, LDL and total cholesterol.

The Good, the Bad and the Total Cholesterol
Here's where cholesterol gets a little confusing. There are two different types of cholesterol in your body -- one should be high and the other needs to be low. It all has to do with whether the cholesterol will stick around in your blood stream or whether it is designed to be carried out of your body. Cholesterol that passes through your blood vessel walls is called low-density lipoproteins or LDL. This is the cholesterol you want to have in low levels to reduce the chances of it sticking to your vessel walls and forming deposits or plaques. Your goal is to keep this number at 100 or lower. Anything more than 130 is cause for concern.

The other type of cholesterol is too dense to enter the blood vessels, so it is carried out of the body. This is your high-level lipoproteins, or HDL. This is the type of cholesterol you can afford to have more of. The average woman should have a number in the 50-60 range. Then there is your total cholesterol. This is usually the number you will receive from the doctor's office. Your total cholesterol number should be below 200 to be considered a low risk factor. Anything above 250 is a high risk factor for heart disease, and needs to be addressed with your doctor for possible treatment options. Keep in mind cholesterol numbers alone do not necessarily give a complete picture of your risk, since other factors like age, obesity and smoking will also come into play. Still, high cholesterol is certainly not something to ignore in the overall picture of good health.

Bringin' It Down
So maybe you know your total cholesterol is on the high side, and you want to know what you can do to bring those numbers down. There are some options here, including diet, exercise and medication. To determine the best treatment options for you, talk to your doctor.

The American Heart Association also offers a checklist for lowering cholesterol:
* Eating a healthy, low-cholesterol diet
* Getting more physically active
* Taking medication
* Making other lifestyle changes

For additional information, you can click on americanheart.org/. Many like to try diet and exercise first, before moving to medications like statins. According to a report on Medical News Today earlier this year, most health care professionals agree people who are at high risk for cardiovascular disease are appropriate candidates for medication. However, the jury is still out on the need for medication for those in the lower risk categories. You and your doctor can make the best decision for you regarding medication.

Cholesterol is something to be taken seriously with women, so health risks associated with elevated cholesterol levels can be alleviated. What's your number? Now is the time to find out. Why not make an appointment with your doctor this week to get savvy to your cholesterol count? Health happens when you take the first step.