If you exercise regularly, chances are you feel like you\u2019re doing a pretty good job of looking after your health – and so you should! Maybe you strength train a couple of times a week, get your steps in, try to eat well and generally keep yourself moving. When you\u2019re doing all of that, it\u2019s easy to assume that your heart health will naturally reflect your healthy lifestyle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When was the last time you thought about your cholesterol? Cholesterol isn\u2019t something we always associate with being fit and active. We often think of high cholesterol as something that only affects people who don\u2019t exercise or who have an unhealthy diet. It\u2019s not quite that simple. Being fit and active is great for your heart, but it doesn\u2019t automatically mean your cholesterol levels are where they should be. Diet and exercise matter, but other factors – including our genetics – can play a part too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
October is National Cholesterol Month<\/strong> and HEART UK has launched their campaign \u201c<\/strong>Swap the Scroll for a Stroll!\u201d<\/strong><\/a> The idea is simple: swap some of the time we spend sitting and scrolling for walking and movement. HEART UK is encouraging people to take on a walking challenge during October, with the option to walk 50, 100 or 150 miles over the month. It\u2019s also a great reminder for a heart-health check in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, let’s have a look at cholesterol, why it matters and some of the simple swaps we can make to look after our hearts and our health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty substance that our bodies use to build cells and make certain hormones and vitamin D. According to Harvard Health Publishing<\/a>, the liver generates approximately 80% of the cholesterol your body needs to function and the remaining 20% comes from the foods we eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An interesting fact that many of us don\u2019t know is that while cholesterol is typically thought of negatively, our bodies actually need a healthy amount of it too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your body uses cholesterol to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The problem is not cholesterol itself. It\u2019s having too much of certain types of cholesterol in the blood, which can contribute to fatty deposits building up inside the arteries. Over time, this can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ve probably heard cholesterol described as \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cbad\u201d. Cholesterol needs to travel around the body in the blood, so it\u2019s carried by particles called lipoproteins. Two you\u2019ll often hear about are LDL and HDL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might also come across the term non-HDL cholesterol. This includes the cholesterol carried by LDL and other particles that can contribute to fatty build-up in the arteries, so it can be useful when looking at cardiovascular risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We can sometimes assume that because we exercise, eat reasonably well and feel healthy, our cholesterol must be fine. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work quite like that. There are lots of factors that influence cholesterol. Diet and physical activity are certainly part of the picture, but genetics can play a significant role too. Some of us inherit conditions such as familial hypercholesterolaemia<\/a>, which can cause very high cholesterol from a young age. Your genes can play a part in your cholesterol levels. But here\u2019s something you might not realise – you can have high cholesterol and feel absolutely fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fit? \u2713 You might run, cycle, walk, hit the gym and generally feel great – but that doesn\u2019t necessarily mean your cholesterol is in a healthy range. High cholesterol usually doesn\u2019t come with obvious symptoms. That\u2019s why it\u2019s often called a \u201csilent\u201d risk factor. You can\u2019t see it or feel it and you can\u2019t tell what your cholesterol level is just by looking in the mirror. The only way to really know? Get it checked<\/strong><\/a>!<\/strong> You can read more about cholesterol levels here<\/a> via the NHS too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rather than thinking about cholesterol as another long list of things you can’t eat or things you should be doing, think about the positive changes you can make. The NHS<\/a> recommends reducing foods high in saturated fat and replacing some saturated fats with unsaturated fats. Foods such as oily fish, nuts, seeds, wholegrains, fruit and vegetables can all form part of a healthy diet. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, when it comes to food, you could consider swaps such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The aim isn’t to remove every food you enjoy from your diet. It’s about looking at your overall eating pattern and finding realistic ways to reduce saturated fat while including more foods that support a heart-healthy diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, you can. Eating a plant-based diet can be great for your heart, particularly when it\u2019s rich in vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds. But being plant-based doesn\u2019t automatically mean your cholesterol will be in a healthy range. While plant foods themselves don\u2019t contain cholesterol, some can be high in saturated fat, which can raise \u201cbad\u201d cholesterol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Coconut and palm oils are particularly high in saturated fat and can crop up in foods such as vegan cheese, plant-based butter, coconut milk, coconut yoghurt, desserts and some meat alternatives. So something being labelled \u201cvegan\u201d or \u201cplant-based\u201d doesn\u2019t necessarily mean it\u2019s heart-healthy. A well-planned plant-based diet can be very heart-friendly. Focus on plenty of whole plant foods and fibre and choose sources of unsaturated fats such as nuts, seeds, avocado and olive or rapeseed oil more often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is where the HEART UK campaign caught my attention. We know that being physically active is important for cardiovascular health, and regular activity can also help with some of the factors that influence your cholesterol and overall cardiovascular risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Strength training is an important part of maintaining muscle and physical function as we get older, and the NHS recommends muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days a week. NHS \u2013 Physical activity guidelines for adults<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Could you walk during a phone call? Could you get outside at lunchtime? Could you take the stairs? Could you walk to the shops rather than drive? Could you go for a walk after dinner instead of immediately sitting down with your phone? These things might seem insignificant compared with a workout, but they are all ways of making your day more active.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, what could you actually change this month? Have a look at your normal routine and see where you could make a few simple swaps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your cholesterol levels are just one part of the bigger picture when it comes to your heart health, alongside factors such as your age, blood pressure, lifestyle, family history and other health conditions. It\u2019s about doing the things that make a difference consistently – moving your body, eating well most of the time, getting enough sleep and paying attention to the things you can\u2019t necessarily see or feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re already active, keep going! Every walk, workout and bit of movement counts. But don\u2019t let feeling fit and healthy give you a false sense of reassurance about your cholesterol. High cholesterol can affect active people too and factors such as genetics and family history aren\u2019t something you can out-train. So perhaps National Cholesterol Month is a good opportunity to do two things: move a little more and learn about your cholesterol. Swap the scroll for a stroll. Make a few heart-healthy swaps where you can. And, if you don\u2019t know your cholesterol levels, consider getting them checked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As always, any questions please do get in touch<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Caroline x<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What is cholesterol?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Good & Bad Cholesterol <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Did you know\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Strong? \u2713
Active? \u2713
High cholesterol? Possibly.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat should I be eating?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I eat a plant-based diet – can I still have high cholesterol?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Your movement matters!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Small swaps to think about:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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A Final Thought<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n