My second exciting article in the world famous Winchester Sun!!!

Monday August 25, 2008
Cholesterol Limbo: How low can you go?
By Julie Peterson Clark County Health Department

In 1962 Chubby Checker blared from the radio with “Limbo Rock.” Party-goers everywhere jammed to, “Limbo lower now! How low can you go?”

When dancing to the limbo, the dancer sways to the rhythm, leans backward and dances under a horizontal stick or pole without touching it. If the dancer touches the pole or falls backward, they’re “out!”

Just as the dancer must move under the pole in a smooth motion, so must cholesterol be able to move smoothly through the circulatory system of the body. If there is too much cholesterol trying to move through the blood, it will start to stick to arterial walls and cause build-up, making it more difficult for blood to maneuver through the body.

Just as the pole gets closer to the ground; making it more likely that the dancer will fall and be “out,” this build-up of cholesterol makes it more likely that you may end up “out” too, (out of commission that is).

Although cholesterol is not the only factor leading to heart disease and atherosclerosis (the hardening of artery walls), it is a major component, one that you can control.

Limbo comes from the word “limber.” Limber means to bend or flex readily; being pliable. Limber, or flexible, is a desirable characteristic for your arteries, or in other words, free from arterial build-up that comes from too much cholesterol.

What is cholesterol? Where does it come from? How can cholesterol be bad, and good? My doctor gave me all these numbers, what am I suppose to do with them?
Do you feel like there’s too much information, or as your kids might say, TMI? It can be overwhelming, but well worth your while to research and make sure you understand exactly what high cholesterol can mean to your health.

Knowing your numbers is the first step to controlling them. Once you get your cholesterol tested, use the following as a guideline for determining where your levels fall:

LDL cholesterol: less than 100, optimal; 100-129, near optimal; 130-159, borderline high; 160-189 high; greater than 190 high
Total cholesterol: less than 200, desirable; 200-239, borderline high; greater than 240, high
HDL cholesterol: less than 40, low; greater than 60, optimal
Triglycerides: less than 150, normal; 150-199, borderline high; 200-499, high; greater than 500, very high

Cholesterol is found naturally in your body and your blood. Your liver is the main producer of cholesterol, but you also get cholesterol through your diet, primarily through animal products. There is no cholesterol in natural plant foods.

When your doctor tells you your total cholesterol, your doctor is not referring to just your LDL (bad cholesterol) and your HDL (good cholesterol) added together. There is one more component that you must consider; your VLDL, very-low-density lipoprotein, which carries triglycerides throughout your blood. Just as high LDL levels are associated with coronary heart disease high VLDL levels are as well. VLDL levels are important, however, HDL and LDL levels have a greater impact on heart health. Keep in mind that you not only need to keep LDL low, but HDL needs to be high; this ratio is important.

September is “National Lower your Cholesterol Month.” Make it a goal this month to get your levels checked, and to discuss the results with your doctor.

Cholesterol has a partner in crime, saturated fats. You may find a product label that states it is cholesterol free. Make sure you take a second look. Look at the saturated fat, and total fat as well.

Cholesterol does not cause heart disease alone. Genetics, lifestyle and diet all play important roles in the “limber” state of your arteries. Common misconceptions about cholesterol are: Women don’t have to worry about high cholesterol; thin people don’t have high cholesterol; children can’t have high cholesterol; using margarine instead of butter will lower my cholesterol; my doctor never said I have high cholesterol, so I don’t have to worry about it.
The answer to all these statements is false. Anyone can have high cholesterol, regardless of gender, weight or age.

According to the American Heart Association, “high blood cholesterol signals a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. That’s why it’s important to have your cholesterol levels checked regularly.”

If you’ve found out you have high cholesterol, you’re in luck, that means you’ve got time to bring it down before you’re “out” of the dance. Exercise! Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, drink plenty of water, and reduce the amount of cholesterol and saturated fats you consume. Keep on dancing! Turn on a little Chubby Checker and stay in the game, it’s worth it!

Some great resources to find out more:
The Johns Hopkins Complete Guide for Avoiding Heart Disease: Beyond Cholesterol. By Peter Kwiterovich, M.D. (Available at the Clark County Library)
Visit http://americanheart.org to learn more about heart disease.Copyright:The Winchester Sun 2008 "