Cholesterol Counts

What you should

know about your

cholesterol

Today We’ll Talk about…

• What cholesterol is• Why worry about it • Cholesterol tests• Terminology• Improving your

numbers

• A waxy, fat-like substance

• Found in all cell surfaces in our bodies

• Transported through our blood

What Does Cholesterol Do?

• Insulates nerves• Makes hormones that

send signals between cells

• Helps with the digestion of fats

Where Do We Get Cholesterol?

• Our bodies make all the cholesterol we need.

• We also get cholesterol from foods we eat.

Blood Cholesterol Levels Increase

By Eating These Products• Animal products

– Meat

• Beef

• poultry,

• fish, etc.

– Dairy

• milk,

• eggs,

• cheese,

• yogurt, etc.

• Vegetable products contain:

– Saturated and

– Trans Fat Foods

• Vegetable shortening or hydrogenated fat

• Vegetable margarines

• Snack foods

– Cookies

– Crackers

• Frozen or other prepared foods

Blood Cholesterol Levels Increase By Eating These Products

Why Worry about Cholesterol?• Blood cholesterol can stick to the sides of arteries.• Blockages can form.• It can lead to serious medical problems:– Heart attack and– Stroke.

Do I Have High Cholesterol?

• A blood test can tell you your blood cholesterol levels.

Who Should Be Tested?

• Anyone over the age of 20– At least every five

years– More often as

determined by your doctor

Words to Know• HDL – Good Cholesterol• Carries cholesterol away from your arteries

• LDL – Bad Cholesterol• Builds up in arteries

• Triglycerides – Fats• Builds up in arteries

What Does my Total Cholesterol Mean?

•200-239 mg/dL

HDL Cholesterol

LDL Cholesterol

Triglycerides

Improving Your Levels

• Exercise• Improved diet• Maintain a healthy weight• Quit smoking• Possibly cholesterol drugs

Diet• Reduce your intake of fats

and cholesterols.

• Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables.

• Add more fiber.

• Eat low-fat or fat-free dairy products.

• Avoid eating too many calories.

Exercise

• 30 minutes a day• 4+ times a week

Cholesterol Drugs

• Talk to your doctor, and follow his/her advice.

Questions?

Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating