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Question & Answer

We are discussing Nutrition for a happy, healthy life
With Jacinta Dugbaza, Sarah Flanagan and Vinni Dang

Question:
I have recently been diagnosed with high cholesterol. What should I do now?

Answer:
Vinni - Blood cholesterol contributes to the fatty deposits building up in the artery walls that can cause disease. To help reduce blood cholesterol levels and limit further clogging of the arteries, you can:

1. Stop smoking, if you smoke. Stopping smoking is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease.

2. Enjoy healthy eating. To lower blood cholesterol levels, it is important to limit saturated fats as much as possible. Examples of how you can lower saturated fats is by:

*Using margarine spreads instead of butter or dairy blends.
*Select low or reduced fat dairy.
*Include fish (any type of fresh or canned) at least twice a week.
*Select lean meat varieties instead of fatty meats such as sausages and delicatessen meats such as salami. Lean meat includes meat trimmed of fat and chicken without the skin.
*Snack on plain, unsalted nuts and fresh fruit.
*Include vegetables and grain-based foods such as breakfast cereals, bread, pasta, noodles and rice as the major part of each meal.
*Try to limit cakes, pastries and chocolate or creamy biscuits to once a week.

3. Be active everyday. Try to include at least 30 minutes of more of moderate intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking on most days of the week. You can also accumulate this amount of activity in shorter bouts, such as three 10 minute walks per day.

For more information, visit: The Heart Foundation website.

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