NON-HORMONAL MANAGEMENT OF THE MENOPAUSE: CHOLESTEROL IN NUTRITION
Recent concern over the association of cholesterol with heart disease has been well publicised. Some cholesterol is essential and the body independently manufactures over 1000 mg each day; so lack of dietary cholesterol should not be a problem.
It is generally accepted that in the United Kingdom most adults have too high a level of blood cholesterol, resulting from the typical Western diet which is rich in saturated fats. This can cause the liver to make more cholesterol of the harmful low-density type (LDL), which is easily deposited on the walls of the arteries, clogging them and leading to disease. Unsaturated fat, particularly polyunsaturates, can actually reduce low-density cholesterol (LDL) in the blood, and promote the production of the helpful high-density cholesterol (HDL). It is now thought that no more than 300 mg of cholesterol should be consumed daily in the diet. Most people average about 400 mg a day and should be able to reduce their blood cholesterol by changing their diet; others, however, have an inherited tendency to high blood cholesterol, and in this case medical help is required. The ideal for women in the peri-menopause is a cholesterol level approaching 5.2 mmol/L (200 mg/dl) or less. A blood cholesterol test can be requested from your doctor, who may well follow it up with advice on sensible nutrition, smoking, exercise and stress management.
Reducing cholesterol
The recommendations are to:
reduce animal fat intake by cutting down on rich dairy products and meat
use a polyunsaturated spread instead of butter. Choose a sunflower margarine which is high in the healthy Omega-6 fatty acids
reduce intake of egg yolks to no more than 3 per week if you have a satisfactory cholesterol level; if it is moderate to high, 2 eggs or fewer
avoid foods rich in cholesterol, such as liver, kidney, shrimps and prawns
increase soluble fibre intake by eating more fruit, oat cereals, peas and green beans
consume at least 3 oily fish meals each week instead of meat
make sure there is plenty of vitamin C and vitamin E in the diet: these are thought to lower the harmful effect of blood cholesterol through their natural anti-oxidant effect on chemicals called 'free radicals'
have your blood cholesterol checked to produce a baseline to use for comparison purposes in the future.
Scientists are becoming more aware of the beneficial effects of both groups of fatty acids, Omega-3 and Omega-6. Each group is essential for good health, and evidence is now emerging that when combined in a balanced ratio they protect against the harmful LDL cholesterol and the risk of blood clots.
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