Knowledge is power when it comes to cholesterol

Fitness with Paudie O’Donovan, Neuromuscular Physical Therapist

KNOWING your cholesterol levels can be pivotal in warding off heart disease. Many people eat too much saturated fat and that’s when the issues start.

These saturated fats are found in animal meats, cakes, biscuits, pastries, some dairy products and nearly all processed foods. Saturated fats can also be found in palm oils.

Unfortunately, if you have a family history of high cholesterol levels then you are likely to have it yourself.

But if the cause of your cholesterol is not genetic then you need to improve your diet, your exercise plan and your lifestyle. A reduction in high fat dairy products and saturated fats will really help.

However, if it’s a genetic condition like mine, and you already have a healthy lifestyle, then you could be looking at going on medication such as a statin.

These statins work in stopping the liver producing too much LDL (bad) so your body needs to take more cholesterol out of the blood stream. Too much saturated fat in your diet means too much cholesterol. This can lead to two possible outcomes. A narrowing of the arteries and the risk of a blood clot. You don’t want either. So go ahead and get your bloods done and find out your cholesterol levels. Once you know you can get on with your life with or without the changes that you might have to make.

Foods to include:

Fruit and vegetables

Basically all veg and most fruit. Just be careful of the sugar content in some fruit.

Nuts and seeds

These can stop cholesterol from being absorbed into the bloodstream.

Oats and barley

These are high in fibre.

Sterols and statins

These plant extracts can also block cholesterol from being absorbed into the bloodstream.

Soya products

These are handy to replace dairy products.

Paudie O’Donovan is a  neuromuscular physical therapist specialising in pain relief and improvement of  mobility/flexibility.

He is a masseur to the Cork senior football team and runs a sports injury clinic in Skibbereen.

Fully registered with  Laya and Aviva

Contact: 086-2339618  or follow him on Facebook