What does it mean to have abnormal cholesterol or triglycerides?
Having elevated cholesterol or triglyceride lab values means you are at risk for heart disease and stroke. HDL cholesterol is a beneficial type of cholesterol in your body. It helps carry the harmful cholesterol away from your blood and to your liver to be flushed out of your body. LDL cholesterol is the harmful type, and forms plaque in your arteries. High triglycerides mean there is more fat in your blood, which can be harmful for your heart and pancreas. While these laboratory values can be affected by things like gender, age, and genetics, you can also help normalize them with diet and exercise.
How do I bring my cholesterol and triglycerides back to normal?
Saturated fat intake is one of the largest contributors to poor heart health. Saturated fat is in high-fat dairy products (e.g. whole milk and cheese), fried foods, and meat with skin or a higher fat percentage. Aim to eat low-fat dairy products and lean meat without skin, as well as more healthy fats like avocados and olive oil. Foods with fiber are good for your heart; fruits, vegetables, and whole grains all have fiber in them. Women should get 25 grams of fiber per day and men should get 38 grams. Finally, drinking alcohol can cause interruptions in fat digestion, making it build up in your blood and on your organs; limit alcohol intake to 1 drink per day for women and 2 drinks per day for men. Implementing these diet changes as well as regularly exercising will improve your overall health; it is amazing how well our body responds to being treated with care.
How can we work together?
The latest nutrition program to be offered at the Houstonian is the "90 Day to Lower Cholesterol” program. You can work closely with the dietitian to lower your lipids through diet and lifestyle changes. For more information, contact Denise Hernandez at
dhernandez@houstonian.com or give her a call at
713-685-6895.