THE WAY I SEE IT 'E' MAGAZINE

March & April, 2010

HEALTH

Cholesterol and the Effects on Men and Women

by Joan Friess

There are some people who may deny that there are differences between the sexes when it comes to cholesterol, but you should know that whether or not you are being affected from high cholesterol. You know that men and women have different hormones. You will find that cholesterol also works in a different ways. If you do the proper research, you can learn about the differences in steroids in your body.

You will notice that men are less likely to care about what they eat, but they are less likely to exercise for the benefit of being healthier. It’s more to look better for the other sex. They are also a lot less likely to go to the doctor for a problem that could be something serious. For these reasons men run a higher risk of having high cholesterol at an earlier age.

It may be obvious that women are more likely to be healthier with their lifestyles. However, this doesn’t mean that they are not at risk for having high cholesterol or avoiding heart disease. Did you know that women are less likely to respond quickly to a heart attack than men? Even though many women think that breast cancer is the top health risk for their gender, this is actually not true—its actually heart disease. Women really should think about their chances of having a heart attack, but they don't. This is why drastically higher numbers of women die of their first heart attack when compared to the number of male fatalities for the same reason.

Even though men and women are very different, you will find that there is one thing that both of the sexes have in common and that is being able to change the future. Yes, it’s true you can change your future by maintaining a healthy cholesterol level. You will find that if you start yourself on a diet that will limit your fat intake, you may be able to save yourself from a heart attack.

You will find that there are saturated fats, sugars, and alcohol that you are going to have to avoid in order to decrease your cholesterol, however, remember that the body does need some fats and sugars for it to perform. You will want to do everything in order to stay active and also maintain a healthy life.

You will find that if you control your weight, you will be able to increase your good cholesterol, but you will also be able to decrease the cholesterol. You may also want to take some fiber supplements so that you can keep your cholesterol levels just right and you’ll be able to dispose of the bad cholesterol before it enters your blood stream. There are many things that you can do to keep your cholesterol stay under control, but you will want to consult your doctor about what is best for you.

HEALTH TIP:

Cut Fat
Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise. Thought for the day: Lean, mean, fat-burning machine…. Then be one!