Lipids are the building blocks of life and an essential part of every cell in the body. Lipids provide a source of energy and are part of cell membranes and neurotransmitters, or cells that transmit nerve impulses. Fatty deposits of lipids under the skin promote thermoregulation. Measuring the balance of lipids in the body is essential to distinguishing healthy organic functions from encroaching heart disease. As the American Heart Association notes, a high level of lipids, known as hyperlipidemia, plays a part in the development of heart disease. Treatments for elevated lipid levels are essential to cardiac health.
Dietary Modifications
Unless the hyperlipidemia is congenital or hereditary, the elevated lipids stem from a poorly balanced diet. Diets high in fats and animal products are saturated with lipids. Diet modification is not a simple task, but nutritionists and physicians can assist in creating a meal plan for each body, lifestyle and budget. A diet high in fibers, such as whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, is the ideal way to remove lipids from the body. Avoiding commercial and processed foods is also recommended, as their fat content is usually higher than that of raw and natural foods.
Exercise
Regular exercise is a longstanding treatment for lipids, especially for mildly elevated levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. Exercise must be regular to have any benefit. Walking daily, even for as little as 15 minutes, is proven to decrease triglyceride levels by about 10 points. In any form, exercise increases the metabolism and assists in the use and breakdown of fats, such as cholesterol, in the body.
Medications
If dietary and lifestyle changes are not enough, doctors can prescribe medications to treat high lipid levels, especially when blood lipid levels indicate impending heart disease. Blood lipids are measured in milligrams per deciliter, or mg/dl. Healthy levels are a cholesterol level of less than 200 mg/dl; triglycerides below 150 mg/dl; HDL, or good cholesterol, above 60 mg/dl; and LDL, or bad cholesterol, below 100 mg/dl. Drugs in the statin class quickly lower cholesterols, especially LDL, and include atorvastatin, rosuvastatin, simvastatin and pravastatin, sold under the brand names Lipitor, Crestor, Zocor and Pravachol, respectively. The B vitamin niacin is sometimes used to decrease overall lipids, but because of uncomfortable skin effects, such as itching, it's not used as frequently as the statins.
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