Health Center provides free student cholesterol screening

Bad cholesterol, good cholesterol - what's a heart to do?The Student Health Center conducts cholesterol and blood glucose screening every year for students, faculty and staff. Faculty and staff pay only $10 but student screenings are free.

The American Heart Association recommends getting a cholesterol screening and along with knowing your cholesterol level to live a more healthy lifestyle. It also advises maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, eating foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol and to follow your healthcare professional's suggestions.

The American Heart Association explains that cholesterol doesn't dissolve in the blood and is transported through cells by lipoproteins. Bad cholesterol is called LDL, which stands for low density lipoproteins, and good cholesterol is known as HDL, which is high density lipoprotein.

Having bad cholesterol can build up a waxy substance in artery walls that restricts blood flow and can cause heart attacks or strokes. You are at a greater risk of heart disease if you have a high level of LDL or a bad cholesterol number.

To decrease your chances of getting a heart attack or stroke there are some preventative methods such as getting screening done for your cholesterol and blood glucose and eating healthier.

Diet tips for lower cholesterol are to eat more fish and shellfish, chicken and turkey without skin, ground turkey with only 15 percent fat, lean, well-trimmed beef, veal, lamb and pork with very little marbling, and small servings of meat, seafood and poultry (seven ounces or less per day). Limit large servings of shrimp, fried chicken or duck, fatty ground meats, liver and organ meats, bacon, sausage, and high-fat deli meats.

For dairy products, skim or 1 percent milk is recommended, frozen yogurt instead of ice cream, low-fat or nonfat yogurt and cheeses.

Always choose several servings of low-fat, highly nutritious fruits and vegetables. Eat your vegetables healthy such as serving them: raw, steamed, boiled, baked or stir-fried. Also seasoning vegetables with herbs or lemon juice instead of cream, cheese or butter can help reduce the fat and provide healthier dishes.

As for breads and cereals, eat plain breads, muffins and bagels, and anything that is low fat such as pretzels, rice cakes and so on. Try to limit your intake of high-fat baked goods such as donuts, pastries, croissants, fried rice, cakes, cookies, pies and chips.

By choosing healthier foods, you can help lower your cholesterol and maintain a healthier eating habit that will benefit you the rest of your life.

Other ways to decrease your chances of heart disease are by getting rid of risky behaviors such as cigarette smoking, having high blood pressure, being overweight, and having diabetes.

Those at a high risk for heart disease are men who are at least 45 years old, women who are more than 55 years old, and if there is a history of early heart disease in your family. Statistic studies by the American Heart Association show that one out of five people have high cholesterol and by getting checked you may be able to take steps in the right direction to prevent heart disease and strokes.

"If you have never had your cholesterol tested, it's good to know for preventative care and it can help reduce the risk for diabetes, heart disease and strokes" said Dr. Bruce Wilbur of the Student Health Center at California State University, Stanislaus.

Make sure to check out the dates and times for cholesterol and blood glucose screening at the Health Center and for further information go online to http://www.healthcenter.csustan.edu.