Increased Blood Lipids - Prevention

2023 Author: Wallace Forman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-24 12:25

Elevated blood lipids: prevention

Simple measures are already helpful to prevent lipid metabolism disorders and their sequelae. The risk of increased blood lipid levels can be reduced by paying attention to body weight and the composition of the diet. The quality of the fat is particularly important here. Exercise, not smoking and drinking as little alcohol as possible also have a regulating effect on blood lipids. You have abandoned strict dietary recommendations to avoid cholesterol.

navigation

• Continue reading
• more on the subject
• Advice, downloads & tools
• ">Pay attention to your body weight

">

• Outdated food recommendations
• ">">Pay attention to the quality of the fats

">

• ">">Drink little or no alcohol

">

• ">">To keep moving

">

">

Note The recommendations given here for the prevention of certain diseases or for nutrition in certain diseases are to be understood as the basis for individually tailored measures. They cannot replace a personal consultation or diagnosis by a doctor or a diaetologist.

Pay attention to your body weight

Normal weight has a positive effect on all blood lipid levels. You should therefore try to keep the body mass index below 25 kg / m². For more information, see Healthy Weight Loss.

Outdated food recommendations

Contrary to previous recommendations regarding the reduction of cholesterol up to and including the prohibition of foods high in cholesterol, the recommendations have been adapted to more recent findings. Today it is assumed that the cholesterol ingested through food only partially affects the cholesterol level in the blood (especially in people who are sensitive to cholesterol). Rather, the amount of total fats consumed and their quality, i.e. which fatty acids are contained, are more decisive.

Nevertheless, the guideline is still not to consume more than 300 mg of cholesterol per day. A limited consumption of foods with high cholesterol such as eggs, offal, crustaceans and shellfish is helpful (“The dose makes the poison”).

300 mg of cholesterol are contained in each (approx.):

• 1 egg yolk
• 120 g butter
• 300 g cheese
• 120 g liver
• 200 g of crabs

Note There are people who react to the intake of cholesterol with an increased rise in the cholesterol level ("hyperresponders").

Pay attention to the quality of the fats

The fats contained in food can influence blood lipids through their composition and the total amount consumed. Fats differ mainly in terms of the fatty acids they contain. Food of animal origin such as butter, whipped cream and other high-fat dairy products, eggs, meat and sausage products contain many saturated fatty acids that are unfavorable for blood lipids. These products should therefore only be consumed in moderation. The Austrian food pyramid serves as a good guide. She recommends a mixed diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in fat.

For more information, see Elevated Blood Lipids: Diet Tips.

Drink little or no alcohol

Alcohol, if consumed in excess or in people with an underlying lipid metabolism disorder, can lead to an increase in blood lipid levels, especially triglycerides. Only consume alcoholic beverages in moderate amounts. As a rule of thumb, women have a maximum of an eighth of wine or a beer a day and men a maximum of a quarter of wine or a mug of beer.

To keep moving

Exercise has a number of health benefits. If you exercise regularly and often integrate physical activity into everyday life (climbing stairs), it is easier for you to control your body weight and, if necessary, to lose excess kilos. Exercise also has a positive influence on blood pressure and blood lipids and thus prevents cardiovascular diseases in many ways. Sports in which endurance predominates, such as cycling, running, hiking or Nordic walking have the greatest effect in this regard.

For more information, see The Health Benefits of Exercise and Exercise Recommendations for Adults.

Note In principle, it is advantageous to know your own cholesterol level, as this allows the intake recommendations to be individually adjusted. For example, if your total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol values are low, you do not need to be very restrictive of your cholesterol intake.