Word: hdl
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...obesity. Even the idea that cholesterol is "bad" is seriously flawed, since the chemical is produced naturally in the body and is vital to the functioning of human cells. It is carried in the bloodstream by two types of molecules: low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Too much LDL is harmful because it contributes to the accumulation of fatty deposits that block arteries, but large amounts of HDL are thought to be beneficial because they seem to help clean the blood vessels. Moore correctly points out that many routine cholesterol checks may be misleading, since the tests...
Those dramatic results were not achieved by increasing HDL alone, although Blankenhorn says there is strong evidence that "high HDL is good for you." His study showed that obstructed arteries benefited most from decreased LDL. Lower levels of triglycerides, he found, may also play an important role, a possibility that has emerged from other studies as well. At Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Dr. Antonio Gotto Jr. discovered that his heart-bypass patients "almost without exception" have lower levels of HDL and slightly higher levels of triglycerides than people without heart disease. One theory is that excess triglycerides somehow...
...remains to be seen whether HDL is a life-prolonging elixir or merely a bit player in a metabolic process whose intricate workings are not yet fully understood. The signs so far are encouraging, but the public does not have to wait for all the answers about HDL in order to do something about preventing heart disease. The LDL story, after all, is already clear: the lower the LDL, the lower the risk of heart disease. For most people in the Western world, basic changes in eating habits and life-style can drastically reduce or eliminate the threat of heart...
Although the overall objective is to decrease the amount of total cholesterol in the bloodstream, best results are achieved by lowering levels of LDL, the "bad" cholesterol, while maintaining or increasing levels of HDL, the "good" cholesterol. The basic approach: cut down on cholesterol and saturated fats in the diet, both of which raise LDL levels, and get regular aerobic exercise, which tends to raise HDL counts. Here...
COVER: The encouraging news is that HDL, the "good" cholesterol, may be your best ally in fighting heart disease...