Cholesterol our friend?

Saturated Fats, Unsaturated Fats, Monounsaturated Fats, Omega 3, 6, 9, LDL, HDL, VLDL & TC. I’m a pharmacist and thinking about this good fat/bad fat stuff is making my head spin. LDL, HDL and VLDL are all Lipoproteins (different types of cholesterol in our body), add them all together and you get your TC (total cholesterol). Historically, for patients with increased cardiovascular risk, we wanted to see the Total Cholesterol below 4mmol/L, LDL(Bad Cholesterol) below 2mmol/L and HDL(Good Cholesterol) above 1mmol/L[i].  However new evidence is now emerging to suggest that ‘cholesterol particle number’ is a stronger predictor of heart disease risk than measuring LDL, HDL or TC.  So what can you do to help yourself?

1. A Mediterranean diet - this includes high levels of olive oil, legumes, unrefined cereals, fruits, veg and fish and low consumption of meats. This diet is proven to decrease mortality associated with cardiovascular disease[ii]
2. Omega 3 Fatty Acids - best sourced from fish oil.  You need to take 4g a day in a combination of the two main active parts EPA & DHA. This helps decrease fatty plaques in the arteries and can decrease triglyceride levels by 50%. [iii]Make sure you use sustainably sourced, low toxin and high strength fish oil. If you are a vegetarian, Algal omega 3 is a good source.
3. Fiber/betaglucan - adding this into your daily diet reduces TC, LDL and Triglycerides. Fiber can be in the form of psyllium, oat bran, pectin, rye, glucomannan or betaglucan. Betaglucan forms a gel that binds to the bile acid in your small intestine. By having porridge for breakfast you are ingesting small amounts of betaglucan, but it can be found in higher concentrations in cereals such as Betaglucare.
4. Garlic - A well founded study of aged garlic (KYOLIC) supplementation showed significant decrease in the levels of TC and LDL and an increase in HDL over a 2 month period.[iv] Kyolic garlic has also shown effectiveness is lowering blood pressure and stabilizing blood sugar levels.

Need help with your medications, or seeking further information, advice and treatment for cholesterol? Speak to the qualified pharmacists and naturopaths at Community Care Chemist who will take the time to personally understand your health condition and provide the right health management solution for you.