Buku Rujukan Kejurulatihan

CHOLESTEROL

Cholesterol is lipid, a naturally occurring, fat soluble molecules that are normally used in
the body for things like energy storage, cell building and signal transporting. Cholesterol
is required to build and maintain the outer membranes of every cell in your body.

It is also used to insulate nerve fibres (so it helps make the nerve signals travel properly)
and to make hormones that carry chemical signals around the body. Cholesterol is
important in the metabolism of fat-soluble vitamins, vitamins A,D,E and K.

Cholesterol

HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein)

GETTING YOUR CHOLESTEROL TESTED

If your age is over 20, it is recommended that you have your blood lipoprotein tested
every five years. Your doctor will remove a small amount of blood from your arm (after
you have avoided food for 9 – 12 hours), and have it tested by a laboratory.

The test will determine the HDL and LDL levels, as well as the levels of triglycerides
you have in your blood. (Triglycerides are the chemical form in which most fat exist in
food as well as in the body. Elevated triglycerides, in conjunction with elevated
cholesterol, can lead to health problems.

Low risk for heart disease – When your total blood cholesterol level is below 200
mg/dL ( milligrams per Deciliter)
Moderate risk – anywhere between 200 to 239 mg/dL puts you at moderate risk,
depending on the relative levels of HDL and LDL in your system.
Serious risk – When your total blood cholesterol level is over 240 mg/dL.

TAKE NOTE

Having higher levels of “good” HDL (60mg/dL or better)

will moderate the effects of having a high total cholesterol
level. Conversely, having high levels of “bad” LDL (around
100 to 129 mg/dL) will have the opposite effect.

TIP TO PROTECT FROM EFFECTS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL

Buku Rujukan Kejurulatihan

1. Make sure your diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole-grain, high fiber foods.
2. Include dairy products in your daily diet but make sire that they are either fat-free
or low-fat dairy.
3. Limit your daily fat intake to between 25and 35 percent of total calories. If you
can, make sure that most of the fats comes from sources of monounsaturated and
polyunsaturated fats such as fish, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils.
4. When it’s possible , use naturally occurring, unhydrogenated vegetable oils such
as canola, safflower, sunflower or olive oil. If you have to buy processed food,
make sure that it is made with unhydrogenated oil rather than “partially
hydrogenated” or “hydrogenated vegetable oils”.
5. Use soft margarine instead of butter, and use of soft margarines (either in liquid or
“spreadable” form) instead of harder forms. Look for statement “0 g trans fat” on
the label.
6. Limit use of commercially produced snack foods, friend foods and baked goods
make with shortening of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
7. If you can avoid foods containing partially hydrogenated oils, choose products
that list the partially hydrogenated oils near the end of the ingredients list (those
list arranged in order of most abundant to least abundant ingredients – the lower
an ingredient is on the list, the less there is of it).
8. Avoid commercial shortening and keep deep-frying fats (stuff that fast food
chains use to fry their French fries).