Newspaper Page Text
MIND
♦ SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2007
8A
Controlling cholesterol important for heart health
Special to the Journal
According to the
American Heart
Association, approxi
mately 107 million Americans
have borderline high or
higher cholesterol levels. For
most, ignoring even slightly
elevated cholesterol levels
can be harmful to the heart
resulting in clogged arter
ies and an increased risk
of heart attack and stroke.
Fortunately, cholesterol lev
els can be controlled with
favorable results.
“A person reduces their risk
of heart disease by 20 per
cent every time they reduce
their high cholesterol level
by 10 percent,” states Lynn
Cochran, RN, CDE, Houston
Healthcare Community
Education Nurse. “People
assume their blood choles
terol level is determined by
the food they eat, but it’s
actually the FAT in the food
they eat - trans fat and satu
rated fats in particular - by
causing the liver to produce
too much cholesterol. The
best way to lower your blood
cholesterol is to reduce the
amount of fat in your diet.”
Cholesterol is a soft, fat
like substance produced in
the liver. How much choles
terol the liver produces is
affected by a person’s genes
Prostrate cancer - early detection saves lives
Special to the Journal
Prostate cancer is the sec
ond most common cancer in
men after skin cancer and
accounts for 30 percent of all
male cancers. Most cases of
prostate cancer occur in men
older than 50, and more than
75 percent of these cases are
in men over age 65. African-
American men are more like
ly to develop prostate cancer
and are twice as likely to die
from the disease. Having two
or more first-degree relatives
such as a father or brother
diagnosed with prostate can
cer also increases a man’s
risk of developing the dis
ease.
“Even though prostate can
cer is one of the most diag
nosed cancers in America,
on average men have only
a three percent risk of actu
ally dying from the dis
ease,” explains Dr. Daniel
A. Deighton, a urologist and
member of the medical staffs
of Houston Medical Center
and Perry Hospital. “Tumors
are often slow-growing and
highly treatable. However,
patients sometimes experi
ence no symptoms until the
cancer has spread; That’s
why early detection by a
physician is important.”
No bigger than a walnut
and weighing only an ounce,
the prostate gland is located
under a man’s bladder and
plays an important role in a
man’s urinary and reproduc
tive health.
Because the urethra passes
through the prostate gland,
problems such as benign
enlargement of the prostate
and prostate cancer cause
urinary symptoms includ
ing decreased strength of
the urine stream, difficulty
starting to urinate and pain
ful urination.
The good news is that
prostate cancer can usually
be found in the early stages
by having a prostate can
cer screening. The American
Cancer Society recommends
that men begin prostate
eancer screening at age 50
with an annual digital rectal
exam of the prostate and
a prostate-specific antigen
blood test.
Men at high risk, such as
African-American men or
those with a family history
and their diet. “Typically, ou?
liver produces more choles
terol than our body actually
needs,” explains Cochran,
“so the cholesterol we get
straight from food is pure
excess. This excess is what
builds up on artery walls,
reducing blood flow, which
can lead to heart attack and
stroke.”
There are two types of cho
lesterol: low density lipopro
tein the “bad” cholesterol
that can build up in artery
walls, causing inflammation
and clot formation; and high
density lipoprotein the
“good” cholesterol that helps
remove LDL and carries it
to the liver where it is pro
cessed and eliminated.
When LDL rises too high,
it collects and sticks inside
artery walls contributing to
clot formation and increasing
the risk of heart attack and
stroke. It can also cause blood
vessels to stiffen and harden,
which, in turn increases the
risk of high blood pressure.
Triglycerides are another
blood fat also linked to heart
disease and stroke. Ideally,
a person should have a high
level of HDL and low levels
of triglycerides and LDL.
“These days, heart disease
risk is assessed by looking
not only at a person’s total
cholesterol, but at their
of the disease, should begin
screening at age 45. Used
together, these two tests can
detect most prostate can
cers at a curable stage. In
a digital rectal exam, the
physician feels the prostate
through the wall of the rec
tum to check for abnormali
ties. The PSA blood test can
detect prostate cancer at a
very early stage by measur
ing the amount of a protein
made only by the prostate in
the blood.
“Unfortunately, the PSA
test has a fairly high false-
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amounts of HDL, LDL, and
triglycerides as well,” adds
Cochran. “That’s because
people with the same total
cholesterol number can have
different amounts of these
cholesterol components.
“For example, if two people
have a total cholesterol count
of 200, but one has an HDL
count of 36 while the other
has an HDL count of 65,
the person with the HDL of
65 has a much lower risk of
heart disease.”
A total cholesterol count
of less than 200 mg is desir
able for heart health while
a count higher than 240 mg
is considered dangerous. For
LDL cholesterol, an optimal
count would be under 100
mg and anything higher than
160 mg would be in the dan
ger zone.
An optimal triglyceride
count should be under 150 mg
while anything higher than
200 mg is very unhealthy. A
good HDL cholesterol count
should be 60 mg or higher.
“High cholesterol is only
one of many risk factors that
may eventually lead to a
heart attack or stroke,” says
Cochran. “It’s important that
a person’s total cholesterol
level, including their LDL,
HDL and triglyceride levels,
be considered along with
their weight, body shape,
Awareness luncheon
Houston Healthcare will host its annual prostate cancer
awareness luncheon Sept. 26 from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.
at the Houston Health Pavilion EduCare Center located in
the Houston Mall in Warner Robins. Lunch will be served
beginning at 11:30 a.m., followed by the program at noon.
All men attending will receive a complimentary gift. Pre
registration is required by calling 478-923-9771.
positive rate because con
ditions other than cancer,
such as an enlarged pros
tate or a prostate infection
can cause the prostate to
♦ Pavilion
Med-Stop
N. Houston Road at Houston Mall
923-2843
Open Daily
8 am - 7:30 pm
TOUR CHOLESTEROL COUHTS!
10 ways to control it:
1. Get screened. Total cholesterol should measure less than 200 mg/dL. A score ranging from 200 to
239 is considered borderline high meaning a person may be at increased risk for heart disease and
stroke. A total cholesterol score of 240 or above is considered too high. HDL, or “good” cholesterol,
should measure at least 40 for men and 50 for women. A score of 60 or above is considered protective
against heart disease. LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, should be under 100 and triglycerides under 150.
2. Shed excess pounds. Obesity increases LDLs and triglycerides, and lowers HDL. Just a few extra
pounds can play havoc on a person’s healthy cholesterol levels.
3. Get moving. Regular exercise can improve the ratio of good to bad cholesterol. Aim for 30 minutes
or more of moderate physical activity most days of the week; 60 to 90 minutes most days of the week
is required to lose weight or maintain weight loss.
4. Stop smoking. Smoking lowers HDL cholesterol and raises LDL levels.
5. Read food labels and know what to look for. Foods labeled “cholesterol free” may still raise
cholesterol levels. Avoid foods high in trans and saturated fats, and limit intake of dietary cholesterol,
which is found in all animal products. Emphasize healthful fats such as seeds, nuts, olive oil, avocados
and salmon - all of which help raise HDL levels.
6. Fill up on fiber. Soluble fiber, found in foods such as dried peas and beans, apples, oat products
and citrus fruits, helps eliminate cholesterol from the bloodstream.
7. Practice portion control. A single serving of meat is only three ounces —about the size of a deck of
cards! >
8. Keep track of daily cholesterol intake. Adults should limit dietary cholesterol to 300 milligrams per
day - 200 milligrams per day if they have heart disease or have risk factors for heart disease.
9. Cook healthfully. Steam, poach, grill or bake nutritious foods instead of breading, battering and fry
ing. Avoid cream sauces. Use reduced-fat dressings. Try nonstick cookware and sprays, and remem
ber to trim visible fat from meat before cooking.
10. Practice stress management. Stress can increase the body’s cholesterol production. Find time
for relaxing activities. If stress is so high that it’s disruptive to everyday life, enroll in a stress-reduction
program or talk to a therapist.
blood pressure and fitness level to get a true picture of heart health.”
secrete increased amounts
of the PSA protein,” states
Deighton. “This means that
the PSA test can sometimes
suggest cancer, but with
additional testing, it is deter
mined to be a false alarm.”
According to Deighton,
finding prostate cancer in
the early stages offers the
patient more effective treat
ment options from which to
choose. “Once prostate can
cer has been diagnosed, treat
ment depends on a number
of factors - not only whether
the cancer has spread, but
also the man’s age, health,
expected life span and level
of concern about possible
side effects,” he says.
Treatment options such
Hilary Kate Ellwood, MD
Board Certified, American
Academy of Family Medicine
Kimberley R. Ham, MD
Board Certified, American
Academy of Family Medicine
•
Cynthia M. Jones, MD
Board Certified, American
Board of Family Medicine
Gayatri Katnat, MD
Board Certified, American
Board of Internal Medicine
HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
as hormonal therapy, radia
tion therapy and/or surgical
removal of the prostate gland,
and if the cancer has spread,
the testicles, may be recom
mended. Brachytherapy, a
relatively new treatment,
involves placing radioac
tive “seeds” into or near
the cancer to shrink tumors
while minimizing exposure
to surrounding healthy tis
sues. Older men with small,
slow-growing cancers may be
monitored to determine if
treatment might be needed
later.
Barbara A. Matthews, MD
Board Certified, American
Board of Family Medicine
Jodie Velie, MD
Board Eligible, American
Board of Family Practice
Ferial Walid, MD
Board Certified, American
Board of Family Medicine
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