Charleston Primary Care 2018

62 | PC 30 w ww.CharlestonPrimar yPhysicians.com | www.HealthLinksCharleston.com aving high cholesterol is not a death sentence, but it is an issue that shouldn’t be ignored. Experts agree that a comprehensive plan including diet, ex- ercise, prescription drugs and even natural medica- tions is the optimal path to avoid coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral arterial disease, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and other problems. “The best way to lower cholesterol is through a collaborative approach,” said Nurse Practitioner Kellie McLain, a board-cer- tified lipid specialist. “If there is a history of heart disease, the best way to treat high-risk patients is with statin therapy, along with diet and exercise. For patients looking at prevention, diet and exercise are the cornerstone of lowering cholesterol.” “You can’t change genetics, age and race,” she added. “But we can change blood pressure, smoking and a sedentary lifestyle.” All it takes to leave your quiescent habits behind is to exercise for at least 30 minutes, a minimum of five times a week, ac- cording to Cardiologist Dr. William Edwards. He said your goal should be to get your heart rate into the 120 to 130-beats-per- minute range, depending on your age. McLain and Dr. Edwards agreed that diet is also an important weapon in the war to keep cholesterol at reasonable levels. They both recommend eating lots of fruit and green, leafy vegetables and avoiding meats that are high in fat, as well as fried foods. “Making your plate as colorful as possible by adding spinach or other vegetables is always ideal,” McLain commented. The taboo against eggs, once considered to be a no-no for people concerned about cholesterol levels, has softened – but not by much. McLain pointed out that a single egg has about 85 percent of what should be your cholesterol intake for an entire day, but she added that the whites offer lots of protein and little fat. She said eggs “have gotten a bad rap.” A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THERE’S MORE THAN ONE WAY TO CUT CHOLESTEROL By Brian Sherman H