There are many factors that contribute to high cholesterol in individuals, with diet being an important one. The foods we eat have a significant effect on how our body functions. Foods that cause inflammatory responses in the body are often associated with high cholesterol. Because of this, maintaining an anti-inflammatory diet can be extremely beneficial in avoiding heart disease. At Integrative Cardiology Center of Long Island, we can provide you with a functional cardiologist on Long Island who can help you today.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance which can be found in each of the cells within your body. Your body uses cholesterol to make vitamin D, hormones, and other important substances. All of the cholesterol your body needs, it makes.

In what foods can cholesterol be found?

Cholesterol is found in foods from animal sources such as:

  • Egg yolks
  • Meat
  • Cheese

What happens if you have too much cholesterol?

If there is too much cholesterol in your blood, it can combine with other substances which will create a buildup of plaque. This plaque sticks to the walls of your arteries eventually causing blockages.

Causes of high cholesterol

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) – “Bad” cholesterol transports cholesterol particles throughout your body. LDL cholesterol builds up in the walls of your arteries, making them hard and narrow. Causes of this include:

  • Poor diet
    • Eating saturated fat found in animal products, and trans fats, found in processed foods, can raise your cholesterol level.
    • Foods that are high in cholesterol (red meat and full-fat dairy products) will also increase your total cholesterol.
  • Obesity
  • Large waist circumference
  • Lack of exercise
  • Smoking
    • Smoking damages the walls of your blood vessels and may also lower your level of HDL, or “good,” cholesterol.
  • Diabetes
    • High blood sugar contributes to higher LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol, which damages the lining of your arteries.
  • Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH)
    • Genetic predisposition can lead to high cholesterol.

Negative side effects of high cholesterol

  • Chest pain
  • If the arteries that supply your heart with blood are affected, you will experience chest pain.
  • Heart attack
  • If plaque tears or ruptures, a blood clot may form blocking the flow of blood. With no blood flow to your heart, a heart attack is imminent.
  • Stroke
  • When blood flow to part of your brain is blocked by a blood clot, a stroke can occur.

Foods that can help combat inflammation and cholesterol

Diet plays a critical role in maintaining cardiac health. Eating anti-inflammatory foods can make a huge difference in preventing coronary heart disease. Important anti-inflammatory foods to include in your diet are:

  • Tomatoes
  • Olive oil
  • Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and collards
  • Nuts like almonds and walnuts
  • Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines
  • Oats
  • Barley and other whole grains
  • Beans
  • Eggplant and okra
  • Soy
  • Fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges

The less processed the food, the better for you.

Try to avoid or limit these foods as much as possible:

Below are foods that can increase bodily inflammation increasing your risk for coronary heart disease.

  • Refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and pastries
  • French fries and other fried foods
  • Soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages
  • Red meat (burgers, steaks) and processed meat (hot dogs, sausage)
  • Margarine, shortening, and lard

How can I lower my cholesterol?

If you have high blood cholesterol, making lifestyle modifications is important to help lower your risk of heart disease. At Integrative Cardiology Center Of Long Island, Dr. Druz has devised a wide variety of programs designed to help you holistically heal your body. These include:

  • FIT In Your GENES™ Weight Loss Program
    • This program is structured by our team who will coordinate holistic nutritional visits and help you create daily personalized meals as well as supplement plan. With an 80% effective rate among those who have participated, the goal of the program is to help restore metabolism and wellness.
  • FIT In Your GENES™ Holistic Heart Health
    • To keep your heart healthy and decrease the amount of build up on plaque, this program also aims to achieve stabilization of heart disease, reducing the risk of a cardiac event, normalize blood pressure, hormone levels, glucose and cholesterol, all while driving to decrease inflammation.  

If you are dealing with high cholesterol and looking for a functional cardiologist on Long Island to help you keep your heart healthy, the Integrative Cardiology Center of Long Island is ready to give you the treatment you need! Click here to make your appointment today.