09/01/2025
Now here are some important medical topics to consider for you or your loved ones. Depending on where you search, the month of September may be promoted as Cholesterol Awareness, or Awareness for Blood Cancer, Vascular Disease or Atrial Fibrillation. My resources are The American Heart Association, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, and Johns Hopkins.
Cholesterol: Cholesterol is a waxy substance throughout the body. It’s not “bad” unless you have too much of it. Your body uses the cholesterol to build cells and make vitamins and other hormones. But too much cholesterol can pose a problem. When you have your labs done, and if the amount of your LDL (= Bad Cholesterol) is greater than 100, you need to make changes. From my perspective of treating stroke and heart disease patients, I would want a person’s LDL below 70. HDL is the good cholesterol.
Cholesterol comes from two sources. Your liver makes all the cholesterol you need. The rest of the cholesterol in your body comes from foods, for example, meat, poultry and dairy products all contain dietary cholesterol.
Foods that are high in saturated and trans fats can increase the cholesterol in your body. For some people, this added cholesterol means they go from a normal cholesterol level to one that’s unhealthy.
Some tropical oils, such as palm oil, palm kernel oil and coconut oil, contain saturated fat that can increase bad cholesterol. These oils are often found in baked goods.
High BAD cholesterol (LDL) contributes to a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease and stroke. It's important to have your cholesterol tested, so you can know your levels.
Cholesterol can join with other substances to form a thick, hard deposit (plaque) on the inside of the arteries. This narrows the arteries and makes them less flexible – a condition known as atherosclerosis. This can lead to a blood clot forming, which can block one of these narrowed arteries, causing a heart attack or stroke.
So, Change your diet (Mediterranean) and lifestyle (exercise) to help improve your levels. Please reach out for my help.
