That's Fit

The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition has determined that when it comes to cholesterol screening in kids, more is better.

Previous recommendations called for kids who were at known risk for high cholesterol or whose familial medical histories were unknown to be tested for high cholesterol. The updated guidelines have added some additional criteria. Any child who has a risk factor for heart disease -- obesity, family history, diabetes, high blood pressure, and so forth -- should be tested. Cholesterol testing can begin as young as two-years-old, and should take place before the child's 10th birthday at latest.

The optimal LDL ("bad" cholesterol) level for most kids is 110 or lower.

A recent article in Men's Health, focusing on our national sugar addiction, truly gave me pause. It wasn't as though learning that we, as a nation, consume more calories today than we did 30 years ago that was all that shocking; rather, it was more the fact that the demonizing of fat is very much to blame.

Fat is not the enemy. It's very important to remember that. I know I've said it before, but I still feel that if fat had a different name, people would not have such an aversion to consuming foods that are high in it. While it is true that trans fat is not in any way good for you, there are several types of fat that are -- monounsaturated fat being one of them. Olive oil, flaxseed oil, almonds, avocados -- these foods are not bad for you, despite the fact that they are full of fat. Quite the contrary, actually; these foods are great energy sources, in addition to helping to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. Now back to the Men's Health article.

In the piece, as well as a corresponding diagram, a precipitous climb in the weight of an average American is shown to have occurred from 1971 to 2001. During this time, fat was unfairly deemed a no-no, leading to a decrease in its consumption and -- far worse -- the substitution of sugar and refined grains in its place. In doing so, we now take in an average of 168 more calories a day than we did before the no- and low-fat campaign began. This is not to say that an Atkins approach is the best way to lose weight, because recent history has demonstrated that this is not the case, either. Instead, many experts now say that a diet rich in healthy fats, lean protein sources, vegetables and fruits, and other complex carbohydrates is the key to keeping our waistlines small and our overall health in check.

After the "fat-free" frenzy of years past, it's no wonder that some people are scared off of eating any fats. But look around... did the fat-free trend solve the obesity problem? Nope... not at all. That's because food manufacturers raced to label their foods as "fat-free" in big, bold letters on the front of the packages, but they failed to mention other unhealthy ingredients such as high sugar or high sodium or unpronounceable chemicals that really have no place in our diet whatsoever.

The truth is we need fat in our diets. (Not as much as most people consume, of course, but we do need it.) Our bodies can generate a certain amount, but the rest must be consumed. The trick is eating foods prepared with the good fats. That's right... I said good fats. A recent survey revealed that more than half of Americans have no idea that there are some fats you should be including in your diet. To help people better differentiate between good and not-so-good fats, the American Heart Association has launched Face the Fats.

There are four types of fats: saturated fats, trans-fats, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats. While all four varieties have the same number of calories (9 calories per gram of fat), they have different effects on health. Saturated and trans-fats are the culprits to avoid -- they can raise your "bad" cholesterol (LDL). But monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are beneficial for health when consumed in small amounts; they help reduce cholesterol levels and provide essential fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6) that your body needs but can't generate on its own.

Having just recently written a piece on some alternative uses for olive oil (relieving constipation, cleaning household furniture, etc.), I figured it would be fitting to spend a little time talking about its more commonly known health benefits. In the process, I thought I'd also point out how many other oils measure up.

Flaxseed Oil: Good for salad dressing. Great source of ALA, a form of heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: How something can be EXTRA virgin is beyond me. Nevertheless, EVOO requires minimal processing and contains high levels of the antioxidants known as polyphenols. Very, very good for your heart.

Olive Oil: The more promiscuous cousin of EVOO is perfect for grilling, sauteing, and using in a pasta sauce. It's high in monounsaturated fats (good fats) and antioxidants, so it helps prevent the build-up of LDL (bad) cholesterol.

We frequently hear about making sure that our cholesterol is low, but rarely are we questioned about whether it is high enough. As you may already know, there are two types of cholesterol, LDL (which is considered "bad" cholesterol) and HDL (which is considered "good" cholesterol). Essentially, you want your LDL to be low, but you want to make sure that your HDL is high.

Fortunately, many foods that help lower "bad" cholesterol can also help boost your "good" cholesterol. RealAge.com highly suggests eating mixed berries to do just this. In a recent study, people with high blood pressure (a condition that can sometimes be attributed to cholesterol levels) who ate berries daily saw a seven point drop in their systolic blood pressure after only eight weeks. What's more, not only did their blood pressure go down, but their HDL went up, too.

A medication frequently prescribed for high cholesterol came under fire a few months ago when a trial showed the medication -- a combination of simvastin and ezetimibe -- worked no better than simvastin alone. Simvastin is a statin designed to lower LDL cholesterol; ezetimibe is another medication that should lower LDL in another way.

The results of the trials regarding the efficacy of Vytorin are being discussed at the American College of Cardiology's annual meeting this week. At this point, researchers aren't entirely sure if the results of the trial are indicative of how Vytorin would affect those with mildly high cholesterol or those who are newly diagnosed; all the participants in the study had very high cholesterol and had been under treatment for years.

Here's another installment of what I'm sort of making an ongoing feature here on That's Fit. It's not really one of our true features (those are listed on the right hand side of this page), it's just something I felt like putting together myself. It's called Vitamins and Minerals 101, and this time we're taking a look at the very popular Vitamin E.

Name: Vitamin E

What it Is: A fat-soluble vitamin that exists in eight different forms. It's also a powerful antioxidant.

What it Does: Protects your body against free radical damage. Also shown to reduce the risk of certain diseases, and also plays a role in immune function, DNA repair, and other metabolic processes.

How Much You Should Be Consuming: Recommended Daily Allowance for adult men and women is 15mg (or 22.5 IU)

Where to Get It: Almonds, sunflower seeds, spinach, broccoli, kiwi fruit

Consuming an adequate amount of vitamin E is vital to maintaining a healthy, well-balanced diet. For more information on this powerful antioxidant and disease fighter, click here to visit the National Institute of Health's website.

Did you know your liver can produce all the cholesterol your body needs? But, a resourceful little organ, when we have cholesterol in our body from foods that we eat, the liver creates little bundles of fat and protein called "lipoproteins." There are two kinds of lipoproteins:

• High Density Lipoproteins (HDL). Think "H" for Healthy. HDL's are considered beneficial to the body because they carry excess cholesterol from the bloodstream back to the liver for removal. Your HDL should be greater than 40 mg/dl for men and greater than 0 mg/dl for women.
  
• Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL). Think "L" for Lousy. LDL's can clog up your arteries and inhibit blood flow. Keeping your LDL lower than 100 mg/dl is optimal.
  
• Triglycerides are another form of fat that circulates in your blood. Tri-Gs are deposited in muscles for energy or are stored in fat cells. Your triglycerides should be lower than 150 mg/dl.

Your total cholesterol should be less that 200 mg/dl. Eating healthy foods and staying active can help keep your cholesterol in control. To learn more check out the American Heart Association's common misconceptions about cholesterol.

It's no secret that I love cheese. I have many vices, but cheese is definitely one of the front-runners for worst food that I can hardly ever resist. And although I make a point of uncovering ghastly ghastly calorie-laden foods for the artery-damagers they are, when it comes to cheese, I am too chicken to hear the truth because, for the love of pete, please give me this one indulgence and don't make me feel bad about it.

Fitsugar recently addressed the cheese issue, namely how much you can eat without doing yourself (or your heart) harm. If your cholesterol levels are healthy, it's ok to consume 300 mg of cholesterol a day, which means you can have your cheese and eat it too. But if you're cholesterol levels aren't looking good, you'll have to cut back on dairy. The bottom line? Talk to your doctor, and get your cholesterol checked, even if you're in your 20s.

As we know, cholesterol levels play a significant role in our cardiovascular health. This is why a Dutch study involving plant sterols may have you reaching for some vegetable oil rich foods at the end of your next meal.

In this study, it was discovered that foods infused with plant sterols were 50 percent more effective at lowering cholesterol when eaten at the end of a meal than on an empty stomach. So, on the outside, you're eating a piece of wheat bread with Smart Balance Omega Plus -- a buttery spread that contains 450mg of plant sterols per tablespoon -- while on the inside, the plant sterols derived from the Smart Balance's vegetable oils are blocking the absorption of cholesterol from your intestines into your bloodstream.

How much can plant sterols help? According to the data, the daily consumption of 2 grams of plant sterols reduces LDL cholesterol by 10 percent. And, as stated, the effects of these plant sterols on cholesterol are far more effective when eaten on a full stomach.

Heart disease is the number one killer of women here in the U.S., and in many cases it's due to high cholesterol. Making matters worse, most times women don't realize that they even have high cholesterol, especially women who live healthy lifestyles.

There are certain things you must know about cholesterol, according to WebMD, to help protect yourself from complications. Clicking on any of the following links will take you to more in-depth descriptions of what is stated in the heading.

1. High Cholesterol is Surprisingly Common

2. Your Doctor May Miss the Problem

3. Your Numbers May Trick You

4. You May Need an "Inflammation" Test

5. These Foods are Your Best Friend

6. Good Cholesterol May Have a Bad Side

7. Your Heart Loves Long Walks

After reading through some of the descriptions, what's your takeaway from all this?

If I was Goldilocks (stay with me here), eating the 3 Bears' porridge wouldn't have been an issue. Why? Because: 1) I'm smart enough not to eat food that belongs to animals that can rip me to shreds, and 2) I really don't like the taste of porridge/oatmeal. The downside of that distaste is that I miss out on a great deal of health benefits offered by whole oats. The solution I came up with is to mix the oats with my morning protein shake, which helps me choke it down. But, it turns out that there is a tasty alternative to oatmeal, and it supposedly has similar heart-healthy properties.

But does it?

Classic Cheerios (not the Honey Nut kind) has more fiber (4 grams) than a packet of oatmeal (3 grams). And, just like oatmeal, whole-oat cold cereals chip away at your LDL cholesterol because they contain beta-glucans. This all sounds good so far, but there is some debate over whether or not the claims made on the Cheerios box (that a clinical study showed that eating two 1 and 1/2 cup servings daily of Cheerios cereal reduced cholesterol when eaten as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol) is legit. This woman researched these claims herself, only to find that the study was funded by General Mills. Does this automatically make it invalid? Not necessarily, but it does raise suspicions.

Since the 3 Bears declined to comment on this situation, I'd be very interested to hear what you guys have to say.

As a kid, I think the only time I ate almonds was when I bought the Hershey's with almonds from a local convenience store. Nowadays, I eat less Hershey's bars of any kind (except for the occasional dark chocolate variety) and often find myself picking up a package of almonds at the grocery store.

A handful of almonds can make for a great, healthy snack. Packed with good fats, vitamin E, and calcium, almonds can help protect against a myriad of physical maladies.

In fact, a recent study, conducted at the University of Toronto, led to the discovery that eating about an ounce of almonds per day can lead to a decrease in LDL cholesterol by as much as 20 percent over time. Incredibly, this decrease in LDL is comparable to the reduction caused by some medications.