High Blood Pressure (hypertension) Chronic Condition Risk Factors Series, Part 2
High cholesterol
High cholesterol is just one chronic condition risk factor associated with high blood pressure.
High blood pressure and cholesterol seem to go hand-in-hand because people who have these two conditions are generally overweight. This is a volatile culmination for heart disease.
It’s recommended that adults take regular cholesterol tests once they enter the 20’s (1). When a doctor appointment is made for this test, it’s important for the patient to go prepared. The doctor will ask questions that relate to your family’s medical history and your lifestyle practices. Accurate answers are needed for a proper diagnosis. The doctor will safely assume if you have high blood pressure, you will probably have high cholesterol levels.
The science behind high cholesterol and high blood pressure
Heart disease is the number one killer for Americans. Two of the biggest health risks that contribute to heart disease are high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The sad part is, these are preventable conditions (3)!
Too much cholesterol is directly linked to blocked blood flow. This results in thickening of the arteries, otherwise known as arteriosclerosis. When the arteries narrow, the blood flow is slowed and blocked. The heart receives less oxygen as a result. Lowering high cholesterol levels is one of the best ways to avoid future heart attacks.
What’s the desired cholesterol level?
A desirable cholesterol level is 200mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter of blood) (3).
Cholesterol-lowering foods
You may be pleasantly surprised to find that that the best foods to eat when lowering cholesterol are convenient and tasty. The best choices to lower cholesterol include apples, beans, beef, bouillons, bread, brown rice, cereal, cinnamon, consommés, cottage cheese, egg whites, fat-free beverages, fatty fish, garlic, grapes, lamb, low-fat milk, oat bran, oatmeal, oats, poultry, soups, soy, veal, vegetables, walnuts, and water. Make sure you drink plenty of water. Water actually thins the blood naturally. And it also keeps the blood clean.
You also want to include foods that contain plant sterols or stanols properties because they block cholesterol absorption. For example, orange juice or margarine that contain these properties can reduce cholesterol levels by a whopping 10% (2). Doctors specifically recommended these fortified foods for people who have high LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
A diet that includes foods that are lower in cholesterol should be joined with low-fat foods, as well, for desired results. To magnify these results for your new menu choices, you should eliminate hydrogenated oils, or trans fats, as well. This one simple act will greatly affect the lowering of your cholesterol levels.
(1) http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/8315/23999/366614.html?d=dmt
Content#cholesterol
(2) http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cholesterol/CL00002
(3) http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water-education/medical-water-cholesterol.htm
