High-density cholesterol

December, 2014

Murguía-Romero, M & JR Jiménez-Flores

High-density lipoprotein (HDL), commonly known as "good cholesterol," is a fatty acid that prevents low-density cholesterol (LDL, or "bad" cholesterol) from accumulating in the arteries, preventing or mitigating the formation of atherosclerosis and, consequently, atherosclerosis, which can lead to a heart attack. You can find more information about this process on the American Heart Association website by selecting the topic "Cholesterol and Coronary Artery Disease":

https://watchlearnlive.heart.org/index.php?moduleSelect=chlcad

As you can see in the graph, 45% of the participants in the Iztacala FES project had abnormal HDL cholesterol levels (women less than 50 mg/dL and men less than 40 mg/dL), so it's very likely that if you participated in this sample, your Physical Health report will indicate this abnormality.

It's important to keep your HDL cholesterol levels high (above 50 mg/dL if you're a woman, or above 40 mg/dL if you're a man): exercise and a good diet will help. Eat green vegetables, such as lettuce, chayote, squash, nopales, spinach, among others. Avoid or reduce your consumption of high-fat foods such as tamales or fried snacks. It will also help if you reduce or eliminate your consumption of soft drinks or sweetened industrial beverages, as well as increase your consumption of grilled or fried fish with little fat (not breaded), and reduce your consumption of red meat.

You're young, maintain your health or recover it. You still have many years to live, and what better way to do so than in good health, free from diseases you can prevent today. Today you feel healthy and vital, but if you don't take care of your eating and exercise habits, you could lose them tomorrow.