Watch what you eat for your heart’s sake. Photo by Cpl Belinda Mepham, Army Newspaper

Hearty eating for cholesterol

By Sqn-Ldr Kathleen Pyne
High cholesterol is one of the three main risks for heart disease. The other two are smoking and high blood pressure.

High cholesterol is mainly caused by eating food high in saturated fats and a lack of exercise.

Saturated fats are found in meats and dairy products. Cholesterol is also found in shellfish such as octopus, oysters, crab and lobster.

Your cholesterol level should be less than 4 milimoles per litre.

Manage life, manage cholesterol campaign
The Heart Foundation is stepping up its efforts to encourage anyone with high blood cholesterol to make healthy eating and moderate physical activity part of their everyday lives in its new campaign ‘Manage Life Manage Cholesterol’.

‘Manage Life Manage Cholesterol’ provides people with an easy way to eat their way to a healthy heart.

Central to the campaign are a new brochure Enjoy healthy eating – a guide to keeping your blood cholesterol in check and a fridge magnet that lists 13 ways to make healthier food choices.

A free brochure and fridge magnet can be obtained by contacting the Heart Foundation’s Heartline on 1300 36 27 87, for the cost of a local call. Or visit the Heart Foundation’s website www.heartfoundation.com.au

Some of the main suggestions are:

• Select lean meat and low fat dairy products.
• Try to limit take-away foods to once a week.
• Try to limit cakes, pastries and chocolate or creamy biscuits to once a week.
• Have fish at least twice a week.

By changing eating patterns to limit saturated fats and participating in moderate-intensity physical activity each day, most people with high blood cholesterol will be able to improve their blood cholesterol levels and reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke.

Dr Lyn Roberts, Principal Executive Officer for the Heart Foundation, said the 13 messages had been tested with consumers who indicated that, although they may not necessarily adopt all 13 changes, they felt they would be able to introduce three or four into their lifestyle.

Dr Roberts also said, “If people with high blood cholesterol can make just a few of the changes suggested, we are well on our way to achieving our goal to reduce the number of Australians who suffer from high blood cholesterol.

“This should have the flow-on effect of reducing their risk of heart disease and stroke.”

References:

• Manage life manage cholesterol
• Campaign tackles high blood cholesterol
• GP review, p.18 Volume 6 Number 5, December 2002
• Heart Foundation Website www.heartfoundation.com.au

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