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by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.
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Cholesterol Checking -- To What Extent Do You Need to Do It?

Thursday August 7, 2003

How important is it to be aware of your cholesterol levels? It depends. It depends on whether you are a worrier, whether you have a lot of health risks, on the kind of shape you're in and on your medical history. That's just for starters. If you want the latest information on this sort of thing, have a look at the kit offered at no charge by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP.) The format is easy to follow and quite useful -- if you discover you need to focus on cholesterol levels. Not everyone does. It's better, it seems to me, to focus on an overall self-managing lifestyle and all the positive aspects of seeking more positive returns than on the quality of your blood cholesterol.

Still, it's good to know the basics here. For instance, be aware of what cholesterol is and what it is not. It is basically a waxy, fat-like substance that occurs naturally in all parts of the body. All bodies need it to function. It is found in cell walls or membranes throughout the body, including the brain, nerves, muscle, skin, liver, intestines and heart. Cholesterol is used by the body in the production of many hormones, vitamin D and the bile acids needed to digest fat. It takes only a small amount of cholesterol in the blood to meet these needs. If you have too much cholesterol in your bloodstream, the excess is deposited in arteries, including the coronary arteries, where it contributes to the narrowing and blockages that cause the signs and symptoms of heart disease.

The most recent guidelines on this topic, about which I have expressed much skepticism, take a pill-popping approach to treating high levels of cholesterol. Lifestyle changes are downplayed, based on the much-publicized report of an NCEP Expert Panel. The experts on this panel advised lowering the eligibility standards for drug taking as the first resort for treating elevated cholesterol levels.

A kit is now being promoted by the NCEP that describes and markets the key changes in treatment protocols. It also contains materials that are distributed to encourage people to follow the new guidelines.

If cholesterol levels are a concern of yours, check out the NCEP's interactive Web site at Live Healthier, Live Longer. One of the better features of the site, much better in fact than the constant promotions of drug use over diet and exercise, are occasional suggestions of a lifestyle nature, such as:

Heart-healthy recipes, including suggestions targeted to varied population sub-cultures, such as ethnic groups and seniors.
A summary of ten great ideas to help in the dissemination of cholesterol education.
A strategy kit that people with cholesterol concerns can use to track their progress over time.

These are just a few of the materials in the kit. You may find other items of interest but please don't let any of it distract you from living a wellness lifestyle, the better to avoid ever-developing cholesterol problems and the drugs advocated for those with such problems.

Be well. Look on the bright side. Domain: physical
Subdomain: adaptations and challenges

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