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Show tMWItttff 4 r ' I IfMI'W.HA w Wg. WJWW Wl W i I Sun Advocate Price, Utah Thursday December 5, 2002 IB THE CASE FOR CHOLESTEROL, CONTROL By RICHARD SHAW Staff reporter There are a lot of unknowns and disputed facts when it comes to why certain people can eat anything they want and keep their Cholesterol low, while others work on exercise programs and closely watch their diets, yet have extremely high levels ofbad cholesterol in their bodies. But one thing is for sure: high . cholesterol is a quiet killer, with few or no symptoms before its diabolic affects on the heart and arteries can destroy a human life. Most people know something about cholesterol, but few know a lot, even when they have die problem. Cholesterol b a soft and waxy substance that occurs in all parts of the body including the organs, nervous system, skin and muscles. It is made by the liver and isvital to human life because it is needed to produce hormones and bile add. But as with most things in life, too much ofit can be bad for anyone. That is because the risk of developing heart disease or atherosclerosis increases dramatically with the increase in cholesterol levels. Heart disease, is the leading cause of death in the United States. Nearly 530,000 people died of the malady in 1999, and that numberwill only increase as the large baby boomer population goes up and the average Americans intake of fats continues to rise. The fact is that, while other factors often affect the heart and cause heart problems, in the average population, cholesterol seems to be the biggest problem. But myths about cholesterol . abound and one doctor has even written a book called about the myths but not everyone agrees about what they are. That is one of the problems with understanding cholesterol. Its somewhat like losing weight: there are many ideas and plans, enough to confuse many people, First of all, one myth that exists is that all cholesterol is bad. Not true, lb much of what - called LDL cholesterol is what is bad. LDLcholesterolhasahigh ratio of cholesterol to protein, as compared with HDL cholesterol that hasahigh ratio of protein to cholesterol. If that sounds like mumbo jumbo, then the better way to look at it is this. LDL cholesterol is like the kids messing up the house. They go through and leave dirty dishes here and there, soiled clothes in the laundry room and on their bedroom floor, track mud all over the place and just generally deposit stuff all over the place. In the case of LDL cholesterol it drops all kinds of cholesterol along arteries, and the stuff builds up and builds up finally restricting and then blocking blood flow. Studies have shown that those amongst those with low LDL, the ride of heart attack is also the lowest. HDL cholesterol is just the opposite. It cleans up the mess by collecting the cholesterol off the artery walls and depositing it in the liver where it is finally put into a package and eliminated from the body. Another is that diet will eliminate the problem. First of all, almost all experts agree that problems are to a certain, maybe a large degree, based on heredity. That is the reason the heavy set gentleman who sits down and eats fast food everyday can keep a low cholesterol count while a skinny fellow who eats little fat has a hard time controlling his LDL. However, its not just as simple as that, just as most things in this complicated world are not The amount of exercise a person gets, cho-lester- ol their weight (and it seems to some experts that the spare tire weight an individual has even more affect on it), their age and high triglyceride levels are all factors too. Triglycerides are another type of fat in the blood that seems to affect the build up on the walls This view of a normal artery shows the red blood cells and cholesterol that floats amongst the serum. Cholesterol comes in good and bad forms, with the amounts (knee hints that high triglycerides are a ride factor for heart attacks on their own, but studies have definitely linked high triglyceride levels with a decline in HDL It may also be a big factor in weight gain as well as the onset of type 2 diabetes. While there are home testing kits for cholesterol levels, the fact "dfpeaples arteries.' Sotne'evl-- " in a bloodstream affected by many factors including heredity, diet exercise and other chemical and fat substances in an individuals body. is that it is best to go to a doctor to find out the problems that may exist The tests that physicians have done are reported in numbers. Most physicians will want a total cholesterol level to be under the 200 level, although some even like it much lower than that level is a borderThe 200-23- 9 line reading and anything over 240 is considered high. In the case of LDL cholesterol less than 100 is the optimal level. A person is borderline if their level is 130-15High levels are regarded as anything that tests 1M and above with some people exceeding 200. 9. However, as is common people do not go to the doctor unless they are sick, but in the case of cholesterol, without these tests no one can tell if damage is being done. Tliat damage comes in the form of angina (chest pains) and or heart attacks. The buildup on the arteries is called plaque. Plaque is formed when white blood cells are attracted to inflamed areas caused by the choThe kinds of foods eaten by a person often has a direct affect on their cholesterol levels, particularly if they are prone to high cholesterol because of heredity. A breakfast like this one, once thoughtto be very healthy is today considered a health riskfbr most people. Most doctors recommend a L.. Km Tal m6aH lesterol buildup. In a process know as oxidation LDL is modified and the bodies immune system reacts towhat it sees as on page 2B) haim-(Continu- ed . Brent W Olson works out on a treadmill at the fitness center at the BDAC. Exercise plays a role in the levels of cholesterol an individual may have. T -- i-- . ;r " 1 : ' t Qi - iWVh Gasoline Diesel Oil TECHRON Additives ' CHEVRON SHINGLE OIL We Now Sell Interstete Batteries Owner Tony, Terry Marasco- - Mike, Matt & Mark Marasco AH Credit Cards Accepted CASTLE COUNTRY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC i Qtsvron Chevron CHEVRON JOBBER FOR BUUC FUEL 352 W. Main, Price 637-009- 4 t COPY r A ' A-- ' For your free credit card, call: 1 800 FREE APP |