Your cholesterol result
A letter from the practice about your recent blood test, with a guide to help you lower your cholesterol.
Dear patient,
Your recent blood test showed that your cholesterol is raised. Cholesterol is a type of fat carried in your blood. When levels are too high, it can increase your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
To work out your overall risk, we use a tool called the ASSIGN score. It estimates how likely you are to have a heart attack or stroke over the next 10 years.
Changes to your lifestyle can make a real difference. These include:
- losing weight, if you're overweight
- eating less saturated fat (there's a food guide below)
- stopping smoking
- being more active
- cutting down on alcohol
If you'd like support with any of these, such as losing weight or stopping smoking, please call us on 0141 487 8787 and ask to speak to the practice nurse.
NHS inform also has more information: high cholesterol on NHS inform.
While you're in the lower risk category, your cholesterol won't need to be rechecked routinely. If you'd like it checked again in a year's time, please contact us to arrange this.
Kind regards,Braehead Medical Practice
Lowering your cholesterol: first steps
The first and most useful step is usually to cut down on saturated fat. This guide explains why, and which foods to choose.
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fatty substance carried around your body in your blood by proteins. In the right amounts it's useful: your body uses it to build cells, make hormones and digest fats.
There are two main types. HDL is often called "good" cholesterol. LDL is often called "bad" cholesterol, because too much of it can cause fatty material to build up in the walls of your arteries. Over time this can narrow or block them, raising your risk of a heart attack or stroke. The risk is highest when LDL is high and HDL is low.
Why might my cholesterol be high?
Common reasons include:
- a diet high in saturated fat
- smoking
- not being very active
- drinking a lot of alcohol
- kidney or liver disease
- an inherited condition called familial hypercholesterolaemia
Why does fat matter?
Eating a lot of saturated fat or trans fat can raise your cholesterol.
Saturated fat is found mainly in animal products such as butter, cream, full-fat dairy and the fat on meat. There's also a lot in processed foods like cakes, biscuits and ready meals. Trans fats can be found in some processed foods.
Fats from plants, vegetable oils and oily fish (unsaturated fats) are much better for you and can help lower "bad" cholesterol. They're still high in calories, though, so it's best to have them in moderate amounts.
Choosing foods
This guide sorts foods by how much saturated fat they contain. It also takes into account salt, sugar and calories, to help you make the healthiest choice.
- Best choice
- In moderation
- Only now and then
Cereals, bread and potatoes
Best choice
- Bread and flour
- Porridge oats
- Cereals
- Pasta
- Rice
- Baked or boiled potatoes
Go for wholegrain where you can. The extra fibre can help lower cholesterol too.
In moderation
- Plain biscuits, e.g. rich tea
- Plain or fruit scones
- Oven chips
- Naan bread, chapatis and rotis
- Sugar-coated cereals
Only now and then
- Fried bread
- Cakes and pastries
- Biscuits other than plain
- Puddings
- Chips, fried or roast potatoes
- Crisps
Fruit, vegetables and pulses
Best choice
- All fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables
- Beans and lentils
- Dried fruit
- Canned fruit in juice
In moderation
- Reduced-fat coleslaw
- Prepared salad with reduced-fat dressing
- Canned fruit in syrup (more sugar than fruit in juice)
Only now and then
- Fruit and vegetables cooked with butter, cream or cheese
- Deep-fried or battered fruit and vegetables, e.g. fritters or tempura
Fish
Best choice
- All fish and seafood, ideally baked, steamed or grilled
In moderation
- Oven-cooked fish fingers or fishcakes
- Canned fish in brine (high in salt)
Only now and then
- Battered or breaded fish
- Fish in creamy, cheesy or buttery sauces
Meat
Best choice
- Lean white meat, such as chicken or turkey breast with the skin removed
In moderation
- Lean ham, beef, pork and lamb
- Lean mince
- Liver and kidney
Only now and then
- Visible fat on meat, and crackling
- Sausages and pâté
- Duck and goose
- Meat pies and pasties
- Processed meats, which are high in salt and saturated fat
Questions or want support? Call the practice on 0141 487 8787 and ask for the practice nurse.
If you have chest pain or signs of a stroke, call 999 straight away.