According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States; one out of three women die from the disease. By understanding the factors that contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease, you can take preventive measures. The risk of developing heart disease increases with age and overall cholesterol count. But low levels of HDL, or good cholesterol, also increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.
LDL Cholesterol
Your body produces cholesterol, and you also take it in from animal-based food sources. If you have too much of a kind of cholesterol called low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, it can adhere to the arterial walls that lead to your brain and heart. Over time, this can lead to atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup on the cardiac arteries. This buildup makes you more susceptible to blood clots, which can lead to strokes and heart attacks.
HDL Cholesterol
High density lipoprotein, also known as HDL, is good for you because it carries LDL cholesterol into your liver for excretion. According to the Mayo Clinic website, men and women should have an HDL level of at least 60 mg/dl. Men who have less than 40mg/dl and women who have less than 50mg/dl of HDL are considered at risk for a heart attack.
FIber
Fiber helps to lower cholesterol by binding it with the bile in your gut and passing it through your body for elimination. Whole wheat, rolled or steel-cut oats, and bran are some examples of fibe- rich foods. You can also find fiber in pears, apples, broccoli and most other fruit and vegetables.
Unhealthy Fat
Some fat is essential to a healthy diet and should comprise between 25 percent and 30 percent of your total daily calories. However, the source of your dietary fat can impact your cholesterol levels both positively and negatively. Saturated fatty acids are in animal products and some plant sources such as palm and coconut oils. Hydrogenated fats are in cookies, cakes and other desserts. These types of fats increase LDL, which raises your total cholesterol and increases your risk of atherosclerosis. A heart-healthy diet derives less than 7 percent of total calories from saturated fat.
Healthy Fats
it might seem counter-intuitive to eat fat at all when trying to lower your cholesterol, but consuming more essential omega-3 fatty acids can help. Omega 3 fatty acids reduce cholesterol by reducing inflammation and scavenging LDL. Foods such as olives, nuts, seeds, avocado and dark chocolate are rich in monounsaturated omega-3 fatty acids. Fatty cold-water fish like mackerel and salmon are also high in omega-3 fatty acids.
