Cholesterol Expert Lisa Nelson, RD, LN shares Cholesterol management news and commentary at CholesterolNetwork.com. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. (www.HealthCentral.com) is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538 http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538 http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/76023/lipoprotein Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:36:00 -0400 Lisa Nelson, RD, LN Lipoprotein(a) is a type of cholesterol we all have; however, it's not a cholesterol routinely monitored by physicians.  Typically you receive a standard lipid panel which gives you the following labs:   Total Cholesterol LDL Cholesterol HDL Cholesterol Triglycerides (and maybe VLDL Cholesterol)   If the above labs are within normal, there is usually no reason a physician would order any further tests.  For those of... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/76023/lipoprotein http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/73934/calories Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:50:00 -0400 Lisa Nelson, RD, LN When it comes to being heart healthy and lowering cholesterol levels, you know losing weight would drastically improve your situation.  However, have you been frustrated by not losing weight even when you feel like you've done everything possible to cut down on calories?   So is less really best when it comes to how many calories we eat? One might think that reducing calories is the most direct way to manage weight. However, this can... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/73934/calories http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/70316/4-cholesterol Mon, 11 May 2009 12:01:00 -0400 Lisa Nelson, RD, LN LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol carries mostly cholesterol, some protein, and minimal triglycerides throughout your circulation, depositing cholesterol along blood vessel walls as it travels.    From our sponsor: On Insulin? Get a diabetes monitor at no charge!   LDL cholesterol is commonly referred to as the "bad" cholesterol because it's deposited along artery walls and if it becomes oxidized it will form a plaque... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/70316/4-cholesterol http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/59285/cholesterol Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:09:00 -0500 Lisa Nelson, RD, LN In honor heart month, let's review the basics and make sure you have a solid foundation in place to support a healthy heart.   Here are three top steps you can take now to lower cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease.   1.     Know and understand your cholesterol lab results.    A simple blood test will check your cholesterol levels.  This test is also known as a lipid profile.&nbsp... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/59285/cholesterol http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/58280/activity-year Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:35:00 -0500 Lisa Nelson, RD, LN By now you know being heart healthy and losing weight go hand-in-hand with physical activity. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you have to be regularly active. If you want to lower triglycerides you have to be active. If you want to raise HDL you have to be active.   The Health and Human Services Department sets physical activity guidelines after reviewing a good decades worth of research related to physical activity and... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/58280/activity-year http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/48701/cholesterol Mon, 17 Nov 2008 05:04:00 -0500 Lisa Nelson, RD, LN This seems to be an area of confusion for many people.  Some swear by butter only and others opt for margarine for heart health.  Who is right?  It's time to clear up the confusion!   First of all, both are fats.  Therefore, the number of calories in 1 Tbsp of butter is equal to the number of calories in 1 Tbsp of margarine.  The difference is the type of fat they each contain.    Butter consists of... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/48701/cholesterol http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/46937/difference-ldl Mon, 03 Nov 2008 06:57:00 -0500 Lisa Nelson, RD, LN If you are trying to sort out everything regarding cholesterol and make an informed treatment decision that's best for your health, you may be feeling overwhelmed.  I've already given steps to raise HDL and lower triglycerides, now I'd like to move into VLDL versus LDL.    Let's start at the beginning.  You eat a food and it provides more energy (calories) than you immediately need.  The liver breaks down some the... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/46937/difference-ldl http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/44146/olive-9-heart Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:42:00 -0400 Lisa Nelson, RD, LN Over the past few months, I've posted several times on omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids and why finding the right balance between the two is important for your heart health.   I haven't shared any information related to omega 9's, mainly to avoid confusion.  I read a recent article discussing olive oil's link to reduced brachial artery blood flow and decided it was time to discuss omega 9's.   Let's start with the molecular... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/44146/olive-9-heart http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/42593/save-flavor Sat, 27 Sep 2008 22:08:00 -0400 Lisa Nelson, RD, LN Let's say you are trying to lower high cholesterol, but resistant to giving up the treats you love.  I want to give you some simple tips for modifying recipes and baked goods to make them more heart healthy without sacrificing the taste.   Here is a short table with basic substitutions to reduce fat and calories in some of your favorite foods while maintaining the flavor you enjoy.   Instead of . ... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/42593/save-flavor http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/42319/cholesterol Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:28:00 -0400 Lisa Nelson, RD, LN Finally, you want more of something instead of less!  HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is also known as the "good" cholesterol.  HDL removes cholesterol from your bloodstream and carries it back to the liver.  I like to think of HDL as a vacuum cleaner, picking up cholesterol LDL leaves behind in your arteries.  HDL should be greater than 40 mg/dL, ideally greater than 60 mg/dL.   Physical... http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/42538/42319/cholesterol