Take the Cholesterol Challenge
What is cholesterol and who is at risk of getting high cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is found naturally in the body. It plays a key role in the working of every cell. The body also uses cholesterol to make vital chemicals such as vitamin D and some hormones.
The most common cause of high cholesterol is eating too much fat, and in particular, too much saturated fat. Saturated fats are often solid at room temperature and are mostly found in dairy products such as hard cheeses or butter; meat products like sausages or burgers; and the fat on meat. High intakes of saturated fats can raise LDL (bad) cholesterol. Other factors can cause your cholesterol levels to be high. They include family history of high total cholesterol, getting older, physical inactivity, excessive weight, an underactive thyroid and diabetes.
For many people the causes of heart problems are easily solved and easily prevented. Maintaining a healthy diet, becoming more physically active, and not smoking are all positive steps to a healthy heart. Regular check ups and having your cholesterol tested are also vital ways to ensure you look after your heart. Taking part in the Flora pro.activ challenge is also another way to reduce cholesterol. Furthermore, clinical trials have proven that Flora pro.activ, when used as part of a healthy diet, can lower cholesterol by an average of 10-15% in just three weeks.
How can we lower our cholesterol?
- Eating a healthy diet can help to lower cholesterol levels in our blood and also help to prevent us getting high cholesterol in the first place. Most people in Ireland eat too much saturated fat, so we should try to cut down on these foods. It's also important to reduce the total amount of fat we eat.
- Switch to low fat polyunsaturated or monounsaturated spreads instead of butter and hard margarines
- Choose low fat diary foods e.g. low fat milk, yoghurt and cheese
- Choose polyunsaturated or monounsaturated oils
- Eat lean meat about 3 times per week and chicken or turkey (no skin) about twice a week
- Try to eat more fish. Aim to include it in meals twice a week
- Choose oily fish (mackerel/salmon/sardines) at least once a week
- Eat lots of fruit and vegetables
- Take plenty of cereals, bread, pasta, rice and potatoes. Opt for wholegrain variety where possible
- Eating a diet that contains plenty of soluble fibre could also help to reduce the amount of cholesterol in our blood. Good sources of soluble fibre include oats, beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas, fruit and vegetables.
- Being more physically active can also help to improve cholesterol levels.
How do we know if we have high cholesterol?
You need to have a blood test to check your cholesterol levels. A blood sample can be taken from your finger or arm to determine your total blood cholesterol levels. When doctors request this blood test, they check the levels of your total cholesterol and often your HDL, LDL and triglycerides (another type of fat found in the blood).
The recommended healthy levels of cholesterol are:
Total cholesterol of no greater than 5.0 mmol/l
LDL cholesterol of no greater than 3.0 mmol/l
HDL cholesterol of greater than 1.0 mmol/l
Triglycerides (a type of fat that circulates in your bloodstream along with cholesterol) no greater than 2.0 mmol/l
What food types are high in cholesterol?
A small amount of cholesterol comes from food like eggs, liver or shellfish. This is called dietary cholesterol. The body naturally produces the other form of cholesterol (blood cholesterol) when we eat foods that contain a lot of saturated fats or trans fats.
There are two main types of blood cholesterol called high Density Lipoprotein (HDL) or the good cholesterol and Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) or the bad cholesterol.
Excess levels of LDL cholesterol can increase the risk of heart disease because this is the form of cholesterol, which builds up on the artery walls. The fat portion of the diet can play an important role in controlling the level of LDL. Foods high in saturated fats and trans-fats can increase the LDL cholesterol levels in the blood.
On the other hand, the HDL cholesterol in the blood gathers up excess cholesterol and carries it back to the liver to be excreted by the body.
The fat in our diet can play an important role in controlling blood cholesterol levels. There are four types of fats - polyunsaturates, monounsaturates, saturates and trans fats.
Saturates
Saturated fats can raise LDL cholesterol levels, which can have an adverse effect on heart health. Saturated fats are often solid at room temperature and are mostly found in dairy products such as hard cheeses or butter, meat products like sausages or burgers and the fat on meat.
Trans Fats
In terms of heart health, trans fats are considered to be worse than saturated fats, as they can raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol. Trans fats are found in many processed foods that contain shortening or partially hydrogenated fats such as biscuits, pastries, cakes, some fast food and take-aways. They are also found in smaller quantities in butter and fatty meat like lamb.
Polyunsaturates
These are found in oily fish, nuts, seeds and certain plant oils including sunflower oil and some spreads and soft margarines. Two important polyunsaturates to look out for are omega 3 and omega 6 oils. Omega 6 fats play an important role in maintaining our blood cholesterol levels, while omega 3 fats have been shown to keep our hearts healthy.
Monounsaturates
Monounsaturated fats are found in olive oil, rapeseed oil, some nuts and avocados. These fats also have a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels and are good for your heart.
Flora pro.activ
The Flora proactiv cholesterol lowering range is perfect if you want to lower your cholesterol and follow a healthy diet and lifestyle. The foods in this range contain plant sterols, an active ingredient that's clinically proven to dramatically lower bad (LDL) cholesterol as part of a healthy diet. This helps to maintain a healthy heart. Plant sterols can lower LDL by 10-15% in just three weeks, when moving to a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Choose from:
- Flora pro.activ light spread
- Flora pro.activ extra light spread
- Flora pro.activ olive oil spread
- Flora pro.activ skimmed milk
- Flora pro.activ low fat yogurts
- Flora pro.activ mini drinks
