DEAR DOCTOR K: I know lots of foods raise cholesterol levels. But are there any foods that lower cholesterol?
DEAR READER: Indeed there are. But before talking about them, it's worth saying a few words about foods that raise your cholesterol. Except for a very few people who inherit genes that cause them to have high cholesterol, most of us who have had a "cholesterol problem" (which includes me) do it to ourselves by the foods we eat.
DEAR DOCTOR K: For years my doctor has been telling me about the benefits of high levels of HDL cholesterol. Now I read that high HDL may not protect against heart disease after all. Is "good" cholesterol still good for you?
DEAR READER: The HDL cholesterol story is a cautionary tale. It demonstrates once again that even the most persuasive theories about what should make us healthy need to be put to the test. It has been solidly established that people who have high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol have a higher risk of developing heart disease. Moreover, it has been solidly established that treatments that lower LDL cholesterol reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
DEAR DOCTOR K: I recently had my cholesterol checked, and it turns out I have high triglyceride levels. Why are high triglycerides dangerous? What can I do about it?
DEAR READER: What's often called a "cholesterol test" really measures three different kinds of cholesterol and one other type of fat, triglycerides. Most people have heard of the three types of cholesterol: LDL ("bad") cholesterol, HDL ("good") cholesterol and total cholesterol. But not as many have heard of triglycerides.
DEAR DOCTOR K: A friend recently told me about a condition called metabolic syndrome. What is it? And what can I do if I have it?
DEAR READER: Metabolic syndrome may be the most common condition you've never heard of. Many of my patients have it; nearly 50 million Americans have it -- and many of them don't know it. Metabolic syndrome is dangerous. If you have it, you have a much higher risk of stroke or a heart attack, and of developing diabetes, kidney and liver disease.
Sign Up Now ForGet weekly health information and advice from the experts at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Anthony Komaroff is a practicing physician, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Editor in Chief of Harvard Health Publications. Learn more »
Harvard Health Publications is the publishing division of Harvard Medical School, providing the general public with authoritative, trustworthy, and accessible health information. Learn more »
To submit your own health question to Doctor K for consideration in a future column, click here.
The contents displayed within this public group(s), such as text, graphics, and other material ("Content") are intended for educational purposes only. The Content is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in a public group(s).
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your healthcare provider or 911 immediately. Any mention of products or services is not meant as a guarantee, endorsement, or recommendation of the products, services, or companies. Reliance on any information provided is solely at your own risk. Please discuss any options with your healthcare provider.
The information you share, including that which might otherwise be Protected Health Information, to this site is by design open to the public and is not a private, secure service. You should think carefully before disclosing any personal information in any public forum. What you have written may be seen, disclosed to, or collected by third parties and may be used by others in ways we are unable to control or predict, including to contact you or otherwise be used for unauthorized or unlawful purposes. As with any public forum on any site, this information may also appear in third-party search engines like Google, MSN, Yahoo, etc. Your use of this site is governed by Harvard University and its affiliates Terms of Use located at www.askdoctork.com/privacy-policy and may be amended from time to time.
View LessThe contents displayed within this public group(s), such as text, graphics, and other material ("Content") are intended for educational purposes only. The Content is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. . . .
View More
