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High cholesterol affects about 17% of Americans ages 20 and older, contributing to atherosclerotic heart disease, which is the single leading cause of death and disability in the developed world. This medical dictionary covers the terms used in the report, What to do about High Cholesterol, and includes details on how to lower and watch your cholesterol through tests and diets.

* antioxidant: A substance that inhibits oxidation.

* apolipoproteins: Proteins that combine with cholesterol and triglyceride to form lipoproteins.

* atherosclerosis: Development of cholesterol-rich plaque on the inner walls of arteries, which can eventually obstruct blood flow.

* atherosclerotic plaque: A cholesterol-rich deposit on an artery wall.

* biological variability: Fluctuations that occur naturally over time in the levels of a substance such as cholesterol in a person’s body.

* cholesterol: A fatlike substance that is produced by the liver and found in all food from animal sources; an essential component of body cells and a precursor of bile acids and certain hormones.

* chylomicron: A large, extremely low-density lipoprotein that transports triglyceride from the intestine to fat tissue in the body.

* combined hyperlipidemia: A condition in which LDL and triglyceride levels are very high.

* familial combined hyperlipidemia: An inherited disorder in which the liver overproduces VLDL, causing high levels of cholesterol or triglycerides, or both.

* familial hypercholesterolemia: An inherited disorder in which the liver cannot properly remove LDL particles from the blood, causing a very high cholesterol level.

* fasting lipid profile: A laboratory test to determine the relative levels of HDL, LDL, and total cholesterol in the blood. Also referred to as a lipoprotein analysis, full lipid profile, or cholesterol profile.

* fatty acids: The primary building blocks of lipids.

* foam cells: Lipid-laden cells, named for their foamy appearance under the microscope, which contribute to the formation of atherosclerotic plaque.

* high-density lipoprotein (HDL): A lipoprotein that protects the arteries by transporting cholesterol from body cells to the liver for elimination.

* hydrogenation: The addition of hydrogen to a compound, particularly to solidify unsaturated oils.

* lipids: Fats, oils, and waxes that serve as building blocks for cells or as energy sources for the body.

* lipoproteins: Protein-covered fat particles that enable cholesterol to move easily through the blood.

* low-density lipoprotein (LDL): A lipoprotein that transports cholesterol from the liver to the rest of the body, which can cause the buildup of plaque in the arteries.

* monounsaturated fats: Fatty acids; abundant in olive, peanut, sesame, and canola oils.

* oxidation: A process in which oxygen combines with a substance, altering its structure and changing or destroying its normal function.

* platelets: Minute, colorless disks in the blood that are instrumental in clotting.

* polyunsaturated fats: Fatty acids that are abundant in soybean, corn, cottonseed, safflower, and sunflower oils.

* saturated fats: Fatty acids that are abundant in red meat, lard, butter, cheese, and some vegetable oils, in which each molecule carries the maximum number of hydrogen atoms.

* trans fats: Fatty acids (such as those found in solid margarine) that have been reshaped by hydrogenation; also called trans fatty acids.

* triglyceride: The primary type of fat in the body and in the diet, formed from three fatty-acid molecules and one glycerol molecule.

* unsaturated fats: Fatty acids in which some of the hydrogen atoms in each molecule have been replaced by double bonds; includes monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

* very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL): A lipoprotein that transports triglyceride manufactured in the liver to fat tissue in the body; eventually becomes low-density lipoprotein (LDL) after the triglyceride has been removed.

In foods, cholesterol is found in eggs, dairy products, meat, and poultry. Egg yolks and organ meats (liver, kidney, sweetbread, and brain) are high in cholesterol. Fish generally contains less cholesterol than other meats, but some shellfish are high in cholesterol.

Foods of plant origin (vegetables, fruits, grains, cereals, nuts, and seeds) contain no cholesterol.

Fat content is not a good measure of cholesterol content. For example, liver and other organ meats are low in fat, but very high in cholesterol.

Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) is a set of things you can do to help lower your LDL cholesterol. The main parts of TLC are:

* The TLC Diet. This is a low-saturated-fat, low-cholesterol eating plan that calls for less than 7% of calories from saturated fat and less than 200 mg of dietary cholesterol per day. The TLC diet recommends only enough calories to maintain a desirable weight and avoid weight gain. If your LDL is not lowered enough by reducing your saturated fat and cholesterol intakes, the amount of soluble fiber in your diet can be increased. Certain food products that contain plant stanols or plant sterols (for example, cholesterol-lowering margarines) can also be added to the TLC diet to boost its LDL-lowering power.
* Weight Management. Losing weight if you are overweight can help lower LDL and is especially important for those with a cluster of risk factors that includes high triglyceride and/or low HDL levels and being overweight with a large waist measurement (more than 40 inches for men and more than 35 inches for women).
* Physical Activity. Regular physical activity (30 minutes on most, if not all, days) is recommended for everyone. It can help raise HDL and lower LDL and is especially important for those with high triglyceride and/or low HDL levels who are overweight with a large waist measurement.

Foods low in saturated fat include fat-free or 1percent dairy products, lean meats, fish, skinless poultry, whole grain foods, and fruits and vegetables. Look for soft margarines (liquid or tub varieties) that are low in saturated fat and contain little or no trans fat (another type of dietary fat that can raise your cholesterol level). Limit foods high in cholesterol such as liver and other organ meats, egg yolks, and full-fat dairy products.

Good sources of soluble fiber include oats, certain fruits (such as oranges and pears) and vegetables (such as brussels sprouts and carrots), and dried peas and beans.

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Cholesterol Background Information

High cholesterol, or hypercholesterolemia, occurs in individuals when the level of cholesterol in the blood stream exceeds normal levels.

High cholesterol, or hypercholesterolemia, occurs in individuals when the level of cholesterol in the blood stream exceeds normal levels. High cholesterol is technically a metabolic disorder, and can even be a secondary symptom of a larger, underlying health issue. There is no one cause for high cholesterol, as it can be the result of any of the following: Family History, Diabetes, Kidney Disease, Anorexia, Poor Diet, Hypothyroidism, Obesity, Lack of exercise. There are several ways to treat, or manage high cholesterol, but before we get into those, lets see what the different kinds of cholesterol are:

VLDL - Very Low Density Lipoproteins

Very Low Density Lipoproteins are a precursor to LDLs. They are produced in the liver by combining cholesterol and a protein molecule. VLDLs are associated with atherosclerosis. Their basic function is to carry triglycerides to fatty tissue.

LDL - Low Density Lipoproteins

As VLDLs lose some of their triglycerides, they transition into LDLs, or low density lipoproteins. LDLs are responsible for the transportation of cholesterol and triglycerides throughout the body. LDLs are a perfectly normal, natural state of the lipoproteins. They only cause problems when they bind to other particles and cause plaque build-up in the arteries.

HDL - High Density Lipoproteins

High Density Lipoproteins have a totally different job. Their function is to collect cholesterol and bring it back to the liver for salvage. HDLs are the “good cholesterol” we hear so much about. A higher concentration of HDLs is very important to cardiovascular health.

Total Cholesterol

A rating combining the blood cholesterol levels of both LDLs and HDLs. According to the American Heart Association, total cholesterol levels can be interpreted as follows:

Level mg/dL Interpretation 240 High risk.

While the above table provides some general guidelines for overall cholesterol, it should be noted that one can be within the desirable level, yet have too high a concentration of LDL to HDL. Separate levels of LDLs should be under 100.

Natural Treatment Options

The last few years have shown some interesting developments in health care. More and more people worldwide, are taking their health care into their own hands. This is largely a result of poor performance by doctors, poor performance by pharmaceuticals, or even just the rising cost of getting professional help.

Many of the available medications for treating high cholesterol have deleterious side effects. Some of these are so subtle that they were not picked up in initial testing, and now people are living with severe liver damage, and in some cases permanent muscle damage.

To this end, there are a number of natural ways to remedy high cholesterol. I have discussed these in some of my previous posts, and will add more in the future. For now, I’ll just review some of the natural treatments we’ve looked at:

Policosanol - a natural extract from the wax surrounding sugar cane. It has been proven effective in lowering cholesterol levels, and raising HDL levels.
Guggul - a natural tree resin from northern India that eliminates cholesterol by stimulating production of bile acids (which contain cholesterol).
Niacin - naturally occurring vitamin showing great promise in lowering LDLs and raising HDLs.
Garlic - overall support for the cardiovascular system. While not a panacea, very useful.

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