Which Children Should Be Monitored?

While any child can have high cholesterol, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that only children with certain risk factors should be tested between the ages of two and ten and never before two years of age. Risk factors revolve around genetics at that age rather than eating patterns. For example, if there is a family history of having premature coronary artery disease or high cholesterol levels then those children are thought to be at risk. Premature coronary artery disease is under the age of 65 for women and under the age of 55 for men. These children should be tested again at three to five year intervals thereafter if their lipid profile is within the normal range.

Treating High Cholesterol in Children

In children under the age of eight it is usually recommended that high levels of cholesterol be treated through diet and exercise. After the age of eight, some children may be treated with pharmaceuticals, but usually not before that age. Of course parents should always be cognizant of the foods they feed their children and should try to opt for low fat foods whenever possible.

Healthy Dietary Cholesterol Levels

Also, saturated fats and trans fats should be avoided if at all possible. It is suggested that a child should eat less than 30% of his or her daily calories from fats but be aware of the fact that this only applies to children over the age of two. Less than 10% of daily caloric intake should be from saturated fats while parents should avoid giving their children trans fats altogether. For children in high risk groups or who test with high cholesterol, keep total fat intake to less than 7%.

FDA Approved Cholesterol Drugs for Children

As mentioned, children over the age of eight can be treated with cholesterol lowering statin pharmaceuticals. At the moment, the FDA has approved a drug called Pravachol for use with children at risk because they are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol. While there are a number of OTC supplements that adults use to lower cholesterol, these products should never be used in children. They most likely have not gone through clinical trials and are not recognized as being safe for children to use. Only your child’s pediatrician should prescribe cholesterol lowering drugs for your child.

It has been substantiated by medical science that children with high cholesterol are at risk for certain diseases and high cholesterol levels will be more difficult to treat as the child matures. Responsible parenting necessitates protecting your child against obesity, heart disease and even diabetes wherever possible. If you have a family history of known risk factors, act responsibly. Have your child’s cholesterol levels checked after he or she reaches two years of age. This will help to keep your child safe from unnecessary risks and will go a long way towards helping him or her maintain a healthy weight. Your child will thank you for it someday!

An Overview of Heart Disease in the United States

We should all know by now just how big a role cholesterol plays in heart disease. After all, there are enough commercials everywhere we look about heart healthy foods, foods that are low in saturated fats, foods that contain trans fats and a million other reminders that cholesterol kills. According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and the most recent figures show that these deaths are equally distributed between men and women. Of all types of heart disease, coronary heart disease is the most common and it kills more than half a million people each year. When seen in that perspective, cholesterol levels in men become extremely significant.

Total Cholesterol

In both men and women, it is vital to keep your total cholesterol levels below 200 milligrams per deciliter of blood. If your count comes back between 200 and 239 you are considered to be at borderline risk for heart disease and if it comes back over 240 it is time to do something right now, without a moment’s delay. However, there are other numbers in your cholesterol level which will have an impact on the total picture.

Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL Cholesterol)

This is the number you should really be watching. The table below gives an outline of what is considered to be a safe LDL level. Keep in mind that this is the bad guy – the villain. Once LDL starts to collect in your arteries it is really difficult to counteract and it will keep collecting until it clogs your arteries causing a heart attack or stroke. Ideally, your LDL level should be between 70 mg/dL and 100 mg/dL.

 High Density Lipoprotein (HDL Cholesterol)

HDL cholesterol actually serves a purpose and you should be trying to keep these levels above 60 mg/dL. Men naturally have lower levels of HDL than women have because there is a direct relationship between the female sex hormone estrogen and high density lipoprotein. If your level falls below 40 mg/dL it is time to talk to your doctor in earnest. HDL picks up the bad stuff (LDL) and carries it through your bloodstream to the liver where it is filtered, processed and removed from your blood.

If Your Lipid Panel Lists Triglycerides

Some cholesterol tests (lipid panels) will list triglycerides and some won’t. It depends on the doctor who orders the lab work and/or the laboratory doing the panel. In any case, always look for a triglyceride number that is below 150 mg/dL. Anything above that is high and you should also be aware of the fact that high levels of triglycerides and LDL usually are found together. When one level is high you can probably bet the other level will be high as well.

No matter how you look at it, cholesterol levels for men is of vital importance to your health. Cholesterol is the number one cause of coronary heart disease which is the number one cause of death in the United States. There are no warning signs and symptoms involved in having dangerously high levels of cholesterol so the only way to know for sure is to have your blood tested once every five years until you are 45 and perhaps yearly after that. Obesity is a key indicator but even thin people are known to have unhealthy levels of cholesterol. The only way to know for sure is to have your serum cholesterol levels monitored. Your life could very well depend on it.

Mortality Rates and Low Cholesterol

There may even be a correlation between premature mortality and low cholesterol. Some of the healthiest people alive, who have lived well into their 90’s have maintained a much higher level of cholesterol, while there have been people dying in their 60’s with extremely low cholesterol as this was once considered a good thing! There is still much research on the topic but as of now, researchers are seriously looking into the theory that cholesterol may not be quite as bad as we have been made to believe.

LDL Cholesterol- The “Enemy”

The theory is that too much “bad” or LDL cholesterol can build up in the arteries, leading to heart attack, stroke, heart disease and a number of other related conditions. There is a lot of truth to this and nothing written here is meant to down play that theory; however, it is also important to focus on what may be fact and what may be fiction. Years ago a normal range for total cholesterol was considered anywhere from 250 mg to 300mg. Today, that number has been lowered significantly and no one is quite sure whether or not that is healthy.  The point is when someone speaks of harmful cholesterol levels, this is usually the type that person is referring to.

HDL Cholesterol- Our Friend

HDL levels too low for comfort does pose a problem. This type of cholesterol is considered friendly in that it actually works in the opposite way from its partner LDL cholesterol and protects against things like heart attacks, strokes and hypertension. So, what happens if you get diagnosed with good cholesterol levels too low? Well, for one thing you will not get the benefits of this type of cholesterol if there is not enough of it in your body. The most popular benefit is that the good cholesterol tends to transport the bad cholesterol through the blood and into the liver to be processed. This of course is a good thing. If your HDL levels are too low your doctor will offer you several options for getting the numbers back up.

Signs that Cholesterol Levels are Too Low

For some people there are no signs and symptoms when cholesterol has reached levels that are too low. However, some of the people who have had low cholesterol have reported problems with joint pain and stiffness. If you suspect that your cholesterol may be too low according to the numbers on the cholesterol chart, do not simply take your doctors word for it when asking if your levels are too low. As mentioned earlier, there are a couple of different schools of thought on the issue. Do some homework and get a second opinion, especially if you are experiencing any joint pain or fatigue.

Cholesterol levels can vary from day to day and even from hour to hour. Sometimes after a greasy meal your blood cholesterol levels could be very high, only to return to lower levels once your food has digested.  This is why consistent cholesterol monitoring is important.  Speak to your physician about checking your cholesterol levels and what the results of the test show.

Ideal Numbers On a Cholesterol Levels Chart For Men

For decades doctors have been working hard to keep cholesterol levels low in all people. However, studies performed in Hawaii recently have proven that there seems to be a higher rate of mortality in older individuals with low cholesterol. The study showed that lower cholesterol levels in men over 60 as well as women of the same age were actually not as good a thing as originally believed.  It seems that cholesterol levels tend to consistently decrease as people age. This means cholesterol levels for men over 70 could be as low as 100 mg/dl. While originally thought to be a good thing, we are finding that it may not be so after all. Ideally, people should aim to keep their cholesterol levels at an ideal rate of about 150 to 200 mg/dl. This is true when considering cholesterol levels in men over 50 or men under 30. Cholesterol levels should remain consistent at every age.

When Should a Person Begin to Worry?

Anytime your cholesterol goes up to a level above 200mg/dl, you should begin paying close attention to those levels. Cholesterol levels higher than 200 mg/dl could mean trouble is brewing. If your cholesterol spikes above 240 mg/dl, that is considered high cholesterol.  This is one reason people are urged to begin having their cholesterol levels checked at an early age. It is absolutely amazing the amount of young people today who have cholesterol levels that are through the roof. This is almost certainly due to the age of fast food and greasy pit stops, rather than home cooked, quality meals. It is also a fallacy that a thin person who appears to be in perfect physical condition will have low cholesterol. A middle aged or older man does not have to be overweight to have high cholesterol. There have even been athletes found to have cholesterol levels higher than desired.

The most important thing to remember is that each person is different. While some people may be prone to high cholesterol, others may be at risk for having cholesterol which is too low as they age. The best thing to do is speak with your physician about your target cholesterol levels. This will give you a better idea of where you should be on the cholesterol levels chart, no matter how old or young you are. There are two types of cholesterol as well, HDL and LDL. LDL cholesterol is the type that is considered “bad” while the HDL cholesterol is the kind that is considered “good.” However, you never want to have a higher level than desired of either type.

Why Cholesterol Levels Vary in Different People

There is a lot of scientific proof that high cholesterol levels could be attributed to genetics. Some theories hold that no matter how healthy a person is or what he/she eats, there is still a possibility for that individual to develop high cholesterol at any given age. Of course this does not mean that people should not use caution where their diet is concerned. Even in cases in which a person may be genetically predisposed to high cholesterol, preventative measures do not hurt. In addition, contrary to what people may believe, a person does not have to be obese or overweight in order to have high cholesterol. This means that testing and referring to cholesterol charts should be done routinely beginning at adolescence. Believe it or not high cholesterol is an issue in children as well as adults.

Are Men and Women Equally Vulnerable for High Cholesterol?

High cholesterol does not discriminate and there is no difference between a cholesterol levels chart for men or one for women. There is an ideal number that must be maintained in order for a person to be considered heart healthy, or at a safe level where cholesterol is concerned. Typically that number is 200 mg or below. However, it is important to consider that cholesterol levels which are too low may also be a bad thing. For example, some studies show that elderly people with lower cholesterol levels have a higher rate of mortality. This is because as people age their levels tend to drop quite a bit. People should be aware that high cholesterol and dangerously low cholesterol may both be equally harmful to a person’s health.

What Can Bo Done About High Cholesterol Levels?

Quite obviously, if you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol there are going to be a number of options. Depending on how high your levels are, you may be put on cholesterol lowering medications. However, some people will only be required to start a healthy diet and begin a fitness program in order to see their levels drop. Usually people who have cholesterol levels that are well above 240 mg will be asked to take a medication to help lower those numbers as quickly as possible. Keep in mind that the elderly may not be the best candidates for cholesterol lowering drugs, so be sure and do your homework before allowing a loved one who is advanced in age to be given this type of drug.

High cholesterol is not the worst thing in the world a person can have because it is treatable. If you are diagnosed with a higher level of cholesterol than what the chart suggests then you may have to work on it a bit but the prognosis is good for those who cooperate with doctors and follow health plans.

Cardio Is a Must

The one type of exercise that has proven helpful in regards to cholesterol is anything that raises your heart rate and keeps it raised for at least 30 minutes a day. With that being said, this can be walking, jogging, swimming, bicycling or any other activity that you enjoy. Remember that when working out in a fitness center or gym, you are not always doing cardio exercises. Moving from one fitness machine to the next allows your heart time to slow down. If you are in poor physical health or if your fitness level is rather low then you’d be best to begin with walking around your neighborhood in the early morning or evening, weather permitting. However, if you are a more active person who has just sort of been slacking a bit then you could begin a low to medium impact aerobics class. This is going to depend on you but be sure your exercise is keeping that heart rate up!

Building Muscle Burns Calories

Now that we have gone over the importance of adding a good cardio routine to your exercise plan in order to lose weight and lowering your cholesterol, let us talk about muscle and the importance of building it to realize a slimmer you. This is where a good routine on different muscle building machines at the gym will come in handy. Of course if you do not have a membership at a fitness center, no worries! All sorts of exercises can be done at home, using your furniture as your equipment. You will want to work all of your muscle groups and weights are an awesome addition in low amounts. If you do not have dumbbells or money to buy them then just use a couple of milk jugs full of water to do some curls. Sit ups, squats, leg lifts and a number of other exercises that focus on specific muscle groups will help you to build muscle, burn fat and lower cholesterol.

Combine Exercise with a Good Diet

As mentioned earlier, there are some foods that do help lower cholesterol, such as eating oatmeal each and every morning. However, making healthier food choices all the way around is never a bad idea. For example, substitute frying foods with olive oil instead of other fattier oils like your run of the mill vegetables oils. You can also choose much leaner cuts of meats; eat plenty of fresh, green leafy veggies and a lot of fruits. Stay away from butter and saturated fats and choose mustard instead of mayonnaise. These are just a few helpful hints but you get the idea. Always remember, the old saying “You are what you eat!” is not that far from the truth.

Having high cholesterol is very dangerous and could lead to other more serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke and even some forms of cancer. For this reason keep an eye on the way you take care of yourself, what you put into your mouth and how much physical exercise you get each day.

Statins

Statins are the most prescribed medications of all the various types because they work by inhibiting the body’s production of cholesterol in the liver. While most of the time high cholesterol is the result of eating too much of the wrong foods, i.e. those high in saturated fats, sometimes high cholesterol is the result of the liver producing too much. Statins block the production of cholesterol which in turn causes the liver to draw it out of the bloodstream for use by the body. The best know prescription medications in this class are Altoprev, Crestor, Lescol,Lipitor, Mevacor, Pravachol and Zocor. As with all medications, there is the potential for side effects so when taking any of these medications, read the warnings and enclosed information thoroughly.

Bile Acid Binding Resins

A fact which is unknown to most of us is the fact that bile actually holds the richest concentration of cholesterol in the body, but for a very good reason. Bile is produced to help us digest the fats that we eat. The digested fats are then carried through the bloodstream to the liver for processing. If the liver cannot handle the sheer amount of cholesterol in the blood, it simply sits in the bloodstream building up. Bile acid binding resins bind to the cholesterol in our digestive tract before it gets into the bloodstream. Much of it is eliminated through the digestive tract, out into our stools, before it can be transported to the liver. This class of drugs includes Colestid, Questran and Welchol.

Cholesterol Absorption Inhibitors

This class of medications was really only approved by the FDA within the past decade and they attempt to do much the same thing as bile acid binding resins, but from a different approach. The goal is to keep cholesterol from reaching the liver in both types of medicine. Whereas bile binding acids actually bind with cholesterol to carry it through for elimination, cholesterol absorption inhibitors seek to inhibit cholesterol from passing through the small intestine into the bloodstream. The end result is the same in both cases; smaller amounts of cholesterol end up reaching the liver. The most common drug in this class is Zetia.

Keep in mind that medications react differently on different people so your doctor may try an assortment of cholesterol medications before finding one that works for you with few side effects. In fact, your doctor may prescribe one of the newer combination drugs such as Vytorin which is a combination Statin and cholesterol absorption inhibitor. In any case, never take any medications without speaking with your doctor as some medications are known to have serious side effects and adverse reactions with other substances. In any event, you will want to monitor your cholesterol as you take your medication so you would need to see your doctor regularly anyway. Along with a healthy lifestyle, cholesterol medications can lower your count by 39 to 60%.

Why Lipitor?

Statistically, high levels of serum cholesterol are proven risk factors for such things as heart attacks and strokes. Since heart disease is rated as the #1 health risk and strokes come in at #3, it is imperative to get levels of cholesterol in check. Doctors will be the first to tell you that many times these problems could have been avoided if you had monitored your cholesterol levels and made an effort to keep them within healthy limits. It is said that heart disease is also the #1 preventable illness in the world if more focus would be paid on a heart healthy lifestyle and diet.

How Lipitor Works

When taking a medication for the first time, most people want to know how it works. In basic terms, Lipitor works in the liver by blocking an enzyme that is used by the body to make cholesterol. This is where most people are confused. Not only do you eat cholesterol every time you eat foods with any kind of fat in them but your body manufactures cholesterol in the liver as well. By blocking the production of cholesterol in the liver, it is forced to draw cholesterol floating around in the bloodstream. The end result is a reduction in serum levels of cholesterol by as much as 60% in some patients. Percentage vary depending on lifestyle, diet, exercise and dosage, but the results have been proven.

Lipitor Side Effects and Adverse Reactions

As with any other pharmaceutical, Lipitor can have side effects or adverse reactions on some people, especially those who take certain other medications. The first thing you should always do is advise your doctor and pharmacist what other medications you are taking whether they are prescription or not. Lipitor is known to have adverse reactions with certain medications such as antifungal medications, Tagamet, Sustiva, oral contraceptives, and certain HIV medications. There is a whole host of other medications which are contraindicated so it is of vital importance to tell your doctor and pharmacist exactly what medications you are currently taking.

Special Precautions

The thing which strikes many people oddly is that pharmaceutical companies will tell you to advise your doctor if you are allergic to this medication. How would you know this if you are taking Lipitor for the first time? However, this is good advise because many times people forget to mention food or medicine allergies and this can have devastating effects if the doctor isn’t aware of your allergies. For the most part, anyone with liver disease would probably not be prescribed Lipitor and you should tell your doctor if you have kidney disease, muscular weakness or aches, thyroid disease and you should certainly advise your doctor if you drink more than two alcoholic beverages daily. You are advised not to breast feed while taking Lipitor.

Since this is a prescription medication, never take Lipitor that has been prescribed to anyone else. Only your doctor knows what is safe for you personally to take or do to lower high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood. Even though this is the number one brand name cholesterol lowering medication, it is not for everyone and only a qualified physician can determine if it is safe for you personally.

Salmon

Let’s start with the one which is least interesting and one which some people just don’t have a ‘taste’ for. Salmon, among other cholesterol fighting fish (cold water fish) helps to lower the bad stuff (LDL), raise the good stuff (HDL) and reduce levels of triglycerides as well. Keep in mind that it should be baked or broiled and not fried.

Avocados

While there are a number of people who have an allergy to avocados, if you are able to eat them, this is a remarkable plant that contains a substance called beta-sitosterol which is a vegetable fat that reduces the amount of cholesterol the body can absorb from other foods.

Nuts

Although we know that nuts are high in fats (take peanut butter for example), nuts high in monounsaturated fats are actually good for you. They help raise levels of HDL and lower levels of LDL.

Garlic

Garlic isn’t actually what we would consider a food since you wouldn’t normally sit down and eat a serving of garlic, but it does work to lower cholesterol, can help to lower blood pressure, helps to prevent blood clots, and believe it or not, garlic is a natural antibiotic that helps to fight infections.

Beans

Very few of the best cholesterol fighting foods can compare with beans – beans of just about any kind. Beans are extremely high in fiber and help to ‘pick up’ cholesterol to be carried out of the body before it can collect in the bloodstream. The best cholesterol fighting beans are pinto, navy, kidney and believe it or not, butter beans.

Spinach

Anyone who remembers Popeye will know that spinach makes you strong and healthy. But spinach does more than promote strong muscles. Spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables are quite high in antioxidants that are known to reduce cholesterol in the bloodstream.

Shitake Mushrooms

While there have been few human studies, animal studies show that the substance eritadenine in shitake mushrooms can lower levels of cholesterol. According to studies conducted, levels of cholesterol were lowered proportionate to the amount of shitake mushrooms fed to the animal subjects. The more they were fed, the lower their levels of cholesterol went.

Cayenne Pepper

Here again we have something that is edible but isn’t quite classified as a food. Some people love hot, spicy foods so they will really enjoy piling on the cayenne pepper if they are looking for the best cholesterol lowering foods. The substance in cayenne that helps to reduce serum cholesterol is capsicum which has a whole host of other health benefits as well.

Chocolate

And, for the most unbelievable cholesterol lowering food of all is chocolate. However, not that rich creamy milk chocolate but dark chocolate does the trick. The first thing bittersweet dark chocolate is known to do is keep platelets from clumping together and the second thing that is known about it is it can help move cholesterol through the arteries and keep it from forming plaque.

There are other foods which can help naturally control levels of cholesterol as well, but these are the most unbelievable in that you would never consider them to be able to fight fat. While spinach is commonly seen as a nutritious vegetable, few of us realize its cholesterol fighting capacity. A cholesterol fighting diet does not have to be boring and these foods prove the point.

Too Much and Too Many of the Wrong Foods

Most often, high cholesterol is the result of eating too many of the wrong foods. This includes portion size as well as the types of foods you eat. For example, if you eat three or four french fries with broiled salmon and steamed broccoli, those few french fries shouldn’t matter very much in terms of total fat intake. However, if you eat a super-size portion of french fries with that broiled salmon and steamed vegetable, the fat content in the french fries will counteract the good you have done eating broiled and steamed foods.

The Magic of Oatmeal

It is also important to know that there are foods out there that can naturally help to break up cholesterol in the body for elimination before it turns to plaque in the arteries. Oatmeal is one very good example. It is touted as being the heart-healthy food by the American Heart Association and even those oat cereal manufacturers are placing that information prominently on their boxes.

Amazing Antioxidants

Any dark leafy vegetables are high in substances called antioxidants that have been proven to counteract cholesterol. The antioxidants bond with free-floating lipids in the blood and carry them through for elimination. Also, dark and bright fresh fruits are high in these cholesterol fighting antioxidants as well. Therefore, any fruits and veggies that are bright orange, red and purple are good choices as are leafy veggies such as spinach, kale, Swiss chard and collard greens are great for reducing cholesterol. Just keep in mind that you should steam these veggies or eat them raw because once you put pork fat or butter in them you have just undone the good nutrients.

Fight Cholesterol with Cardio Workouts

Then there is lifestyle to consider. We have all heard about cardiovascular exercising in recent decades and this particular type of workout does more than strengthen the heart muscles. A good cardio workout also helps to flush cholesterol out of the body, perhaps by increasing blood flow, but it is proven that a healthy cardio workout three times a week helps to lower levels of serum cholesterol. Being sedentary is the absolute worse way to live if you are trying to lower cholesterol in your bloodstream.

Cholesterol Lowering Pharmaceuticals in Conjunction with Healthy Living

Some people are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol levels, which is why they should make even more of an effort to reduce cholesterol naturally. This group of people is usually on prescription cholesterol lowering medications like Lipitor, Lescol, Mevacor, Altoprev, Pravachol, Crestor or Zocor but it is important that they also make dietary and lifestyle changes as well. One thing to be aware of when taking cholesterol lowering statins is that grapefruit can have an adverse reaction with this class of drugs. If you are eating grapefruit to lower cholesterol, tell your doctor before taking any of those or other cholesterol lowering pharmaceuticals.

Always talk to your physician before embarking on any kind of lifestyle or dietary changes as some things may not be healthy for you in your current state of health. It is always good to eat foods low in fats and to get sufficient exercise, but only your physician can determine what is healthy for you.