Include vegetarian options as often as possible in your weekly meal plan. Choose more vegetarian options such as beans, lentils, tofu and nuts. Look for whole grain breads, barley, oats (including oatmeal), quinoa, brown rice, bulgur, farro, etc. You want them to be plain, without sauce, sugar or salt added. Select fresh, frozen or canned vegetables and fruit. Fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit at every meal.This means foods that are either not packaged or have few ingredients. Eat a healthy balanced diet.Ĭhoose a variety of whole and minimally processed foods at every meal. The Heart and Stroke Foundation recommends that you: 1. Saturated fat increases LDL or bad cholesterol levels in the blood. Highly processed foods are a major source of saturated fat and are usually high in calories, salt (sodium) and sugar. What you eat has a huge impact on your health. Making some lifestyle changes is a positive way to control your blood cholesterol levels. If you or any of your family members have familial hypercholesterolemia, it is very important to be treated early. If you have a personal or family history of premature heart disease and/or a very high cholesterol level at a young age, you should speak to your physician to see if you are a candidate for genetic testing. People with familial or inherited high cholesterol levels have a much higher risk of heart disease early in life. Your doctor will review your test results along with your risk factors, medical history and present health Familial hypercholesterolemia or inherited high cholesterol Triglycerides - high reading may be tracked over time.Non HDL cholesterol (total cholesterol – HDL cholesterol) - good to have a low number.LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) - good to have a low number.HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) - good to have a high number.Have a family history of heart disease or stroke.Smoke or have smoked within the last year.Have a waist circumference greater than 94 cm (37 inches) for men and 80 cm (31.5 inches) for women.Have heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure.Are female over 50 years of age and/or post-menopausal.The only way to know if you have high cholesterol levels is to have a simple blood test.Ĭanadian guidelines recommend having your cholesterol tested if you: Foods containing trans fat include partially hydrogenated margarines, deep-fried foods and many packaged crackers, cookies and commercially baked products. HDL cholesterol is referred to as ‘good’ cholesterol because it helps to remove excess cholesterol from the body.Ĭholesterol is naturally made by your body but is increased through our diet.ĭietary cholesterol - found in meat, poultry, eggs and regular dairy products - have less impact on blood cholesterol than foods with saturated and trans fat.įoods containing saturated fat include processed foods, fatty meats, full-fat milk products, butter and lard. LDL cholesterol is referred to as ‘bad’ cholesterol that can form plaque or fatty deposits on your artery walls and block blood flow to the heart and brain, if your LDL level is high. There are two main types of blood cholesterol: high density or HDL cholesterol and low density or LDL cholesterol. What is blood cholesterol?Ĭholesterol is a fat found in the blood. High blood cholesterol is one of the major controllable risk factors for coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke.Īs your blood cholesterol rises, so does your risk of coronary heart disease.
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