High Cholesterol Foods: Risks & Diet Guide | CVG Cares Cardiology

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WHAT FOODS ARE HIGH IN CHOLESTEROL?

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WHAT FOODS ARE HIGH IN CHOLESTEROL?

You may not think much about your cholesterol levels, but they are crucial to your health. That’s why visiting our Atlanta heart doctors for a cholesterol checkup is a smart move for your well-being. Let’s explore why this simple step can make a big difference in your life.

High cholesterol is when too much of a waxy substance called cholesterol is in your blood. While your body needs some cholesterol to build healthy cells, having too much can lead to serious health problems. Imagine it like too much traffic on a highway—it slows everything down and can cause accidents.

Fatty deposits build up in your blood vessels due to high cholesterol. Over time, these deposits make it difficult for blood to flow through your arteries, increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke. It’s like narrowing the pipes in your house – less water can flow through, and eventually, they might get blocked entirely.

But that’s not all. High cholesterol can contribute to other health issues you might not expect. It can affect your circulation, potentially leading to problems in your legs, feet, and brain. Some studies suggest it may play a role in developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

High cholesterol often has no symptoms. You could be walking around with elevated levels and not even know it. That’s where our Atlanta heart doctors come in. By getting a cholesterol checkup, you’re taking a proactive step to better understand your health and catch any potential issues early.

Our cardiologists can check your cholesterol levels during your visit and help you understand which foods might contribute to high cholesterol. They can guide you in making heart-healthy choices in your diet and lifestyle. It’s not just about avoiding certain foods—it’s about finding a balance that works for you.

By visiting our Atlanta heart doctors, you’re providing yourself with the information you need to make informed decisions about your diet, exercise, and overall lifestyle. It’s a simple step that could significantly impact your long-term health and quality of life.

Read on to learn about high cholesterol and how CVG provides comprehensive cardiac care.

High Cholesterol Facts, Tests, and Treatments

High-cholesterol foods contain large amounts of fatty lipids (high-fat content) and dietary cholesterol. It is important to remember that not all cholesterol is considered ‘bad’ – in fact, it is an essential part of the body’s production of hormones and other important compounds. However, diets high in saturated fats, Trans fats (hydrogenated oils), and refined carbohydrates can lead to an increase in unhealthy levels of LDL cholesterol, which has been linked to a range of health problems, including cardiovascular disease and even death.

High Cholesterol Foods

The types of food known to be high in both dietary cholesterol and unhealthy fats include dairy products – such as cream, cheese, and butter; processed/prepared snacks like crisps and salted nuts; processed meats like bacon, hot dogs, and sausages; some fish and shellfish particularly sardines and anchovies; egg yolks (not egg whites); red meat – chicken, beef or pork; plus, palm oil or coconut oil used for cooking. Other common sources of dietary cholesterol include bakery products such as cakes, pastries & biscuits; chocolate bars & muesli bars; deep-fried fast foods like chips/fries; margarine or spreadable butter substitutes made with hydrogenated oils; mayonnaise & salad dressings; peanut butter & other nut butter such as almond and cashew butter, etc.

Enjoy These Foods but in Moderation

It should also be noted that there are certain beneficial components within these items, especially the natural variants, i.e., full-fat dairy products over low-fat varieties, cold-pressed vegetable oils over hydrogenated versions, etc.- all of which contain monounsaturated fats instead of saturated ones which have been found to have positive effects on one’s overall health when consumed in moderation, i.e., less than 10% total fat intake per day according to UK Dietary Guidelines. So, while it is important to be aware that some foods are higher in both saturated fat & dietary cholesterol than others – moderating one’s consumption accordingly so as not to overdo things can help maintain healthy levels while still being able to enjoy regular treats every now & then without fear of triggering serious health risks associated with too much intake from these food groups.

Why Choose CVG?

At CVG, our cardiologists offer extensive experience caring for patients using state-of-the-art techniques. Their compassion adds so much to your care because our doctors understand how heart issues can affect you physically and take an emotional toll. Trust is the #1 factor in the doctor/patient relationship. You can trust your CVG cardiologist with every aspect of heart care.

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Board-certified Doctors

CVG’s twenty board-certified heart doctors will guide you through your healthcare journey with the utmost compassion and individual attention. We aim to provide you with state-of-the-art cardiac care that includes the full spectrum of services, from testing to diagnosis and treatment. The doctor/patient relationship is built on trust. Through our combined efforts, we can conquer any challenge that comes our way.

Invasive therapies may also treat an abnormal heart rhythm, such as electrical cardioversion, which sends electrical impulses through your chest wall and allows normal heart rhythm to restart, or catheter ablation that disconnects the abnormal rhythm’s pathway. Suppose your doctor determines that electrical devices are the best course of action. In that case, you may be given a permanent pacemaker, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), or biventricular (B-V) pacemakers and defibrillators.

How CVG Can Help

CVG offers multiple services that can discover an enlarged heart or conditions that will lead to it. At CVG, we perform stress tests that will observe blood flow and test for various forms of heart disease. There are three types of stress tests that we perform:

A treadmill test is a test in which you will walk on a treadmill that gets faster and steeper every 3 minutes. This will stress your heart so that our nurse or doctor can determine your heart rate and blood pressure.
An echo test is performed before and after your treadmill test to determine how well your heart pumps blood.
A nuclear stress test is a treadmill test that is prefaced by an injection of medicine that shows the flow of blood to your heart.

We also offer cardiac catheterization to diagnose and treat several heart issues. If any of these tests determine a problem, we offer treatment solutions such as atrial fibrillation testing and catheter ablation. Learn more about our services here, or schedule an appointment to talk to our doctors.

Schedule Your Appointment with a CVG Atlanta Area Cardiologist

Expertise, experience, and compassion are the pillars of CVG’s patient-centered cardiac care. Please schedule your appointment with CVG today. Call (770) 962-0399 or 678-582-8586. You may also request an appointment online. If you have an emergency, don’t contact us online; please call 911.