PRESENTED BY

RASGAS MEDICAL CENTRE

LOWERING YOUR
CHOLESTEROL.
 WHAT IS
CHOLESTEROL?
 Cholesterol is a
type of fat made in
the liver and found
in animal foods.
 CHOLESTEROL IS
NEEDED FOR
IMPORTANT BODY
FUNCTIONS. Such as...
• Building cell walls
• Protecting nerves
• Making hormones.
THERE ARE TWO TYPES
OF CHOLESTEROL.

• THE GOOD. (HDL or High

Density Lipid)
• THE BAD and the UGLY!!
(LDL or Low Density Lipid.)
A higher level of HDL
is needed to carry
LDL from the BLOOD
back to the LIVER to
be ELIMINATED from
the body.
If there is a higher level of
LDL cholesterol in the
BLOOD this may:
• Cause high blood pressure!
• Raise your risk of heart attack!
• Raise your risk of stroke!
• Cause the kidneys to fail!
HOW ??
 Cholesterol is broken
down into LDL which is
needed by the body cells.
Once the cells are satisfied
the unused LDL remains to
become what is known as
blood cholesterol.
The main danger of high blood
cholesterol is that fatty
plaques may form which will
decrease the diameter of
blood vessels. This leads to a
restriction of the flow of blood
and oxygen to the tissues of
the body.
• If an artery supplying blood to the
HEART becomes blocked you may have
a heart attack!

• If an artery supplying blood to the

BRAIN becomes blocked you may have a
Stroke!

• If an artery supplying blood to the

kidney becomes blocked you may suffer
kidney failure.
WHAT CAUSES
HIGH BLOOD
CHOLESTEROL?
 The main causes are:
• Eating too much high saturated
fat. i.e. fat found in butter and
dairy products, cakes biscuits
and take away foods.
• Being overweight.
• Not exercising.
WHAT CAN YOU
DO TO LOWER
YOUR
CHOLESTEROL?
 YOU CAN ……eat more:
• Fruits and vegetables.
• Fibre rich foods, e.g. oats
and wholemeal bread.
 YOU CAN…. eat less
• Fried take away fast foods.
• High fat dairy products and
eggs.
• Non- Veg….
• Saturated fats and oils.
• Biscuits, cakes and pastries.
 YOU CAN... USE

• Unsaturated oils (olive oil) instead

of lard.

• Low fat cooking methods:

steaming, grilling and
microwaving.
 YOU SHOULD…
•Make exercise a
part of your day.
(Walking is good).
•No smoking
•Drink more water.
 THE LINK
BETWEEN BLOOD
CHOLESTEROL
LEVELS AND
HEART DISEASE IS
CLEAR.
STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT
IF AN AVERAGE MAN CAN
REDUCE HIS BLOOD
CHOLESTEROL BY ONLY 10%
HE CAN REDUCE HIS RISK OF
HEART ATTACK BY UP TO
50%!!
Start NOW to make the
changes because…..

YOUR HEALTH AND

WELL BEING ARE
IMPORTANT
TO YOU AND TO US!!