1987_10 The Daily Collegian October 1987

              -News
=Friday, October 9,1 W7-
-Page 3-
Cholesterol facts observed
High build-uf^ads
to heart disease
BODY
LANGUAGE
By Clarissa Davies-Stilwell
Special to the Collegian
Q. Cholesterol has been publicized
so much lately. Does it have any
purpose? How does it relate to heart
dii
A. Despite the fact that many
authorities have been stressing the bad
aspects of cholesterol, it is very
important to your body because it is
needed for all of your cells, sex
hormones and brain and nerve tissue. In
fact, your body makes one to two grams
of cholesterol every day.
The problem with cholesterol is that
too much can build up in your blood.
High cholesterol levels are usually
symptomless and undetected. For this
reason, you should have your blood
cholesterol level checked by your doctor.
It is important to know what your
blood cholesterol level is. It should not be
more than 20G mg/dl. Some experts say
that your cholesterol level should be 100
plus your age. For example, if you are 25
years old, your cholesterol level should
be 125 mg/dl.
If your cholesterol level is less than
200 mg/dl, you should have it checked
every five years. If it is above 200 mg/dl,
you should have it checked once a yeai.
A cholesterol level above 200 mg/dl
sharply increases your risk of collecting
fatty deposits which clog coronary
arteries and lead to heart disease.
It has been shown in a recent study
that 25 percent of Americans 20 to 74
years old have high cholesterol levels.
This is about one out of every four
adults or at least 40 million people.
Dietary treatment is the "cornerstone''
of therapy to lower blood cholesterol
levels. Drugs should be used to lower
cholesterol levels only if there is a very
high risk of heart disease or if diet does
not work. Dru£s used to control
cholesterol levels are very potent and
have side effects.
Cholesterol is found only in foods of
animal origin. The current
recommendation is less than 300 mg of
dietary cholesterol per day. Some fats in
your diet can increase your blood
cholesterol level even if they are not of
animal origin. It is strongly
recommended that not more than 30
percent of your calories come from fat.
Of this 30 percent, 10 percent should be
saturated, 10 percent should be
monounsaturated and 10 percent should
be polyunsaturated.
Saturated fats can increase your
blood cholesterol level and therefore
increase your risk of a he,art attack.
Animal fats, dairy products (except •
nonfat dairy products), eggs, coconut
oil, palm and palm kernel oil, and
margarines contain saturated fats.
Monounsaturated fate may help
lower your blood cholesterol level and
result in a decreased risk of a heart
attack. Olives, olive oil, peanuts, peanut
butterand avocados have
monounsaturated fats.
Polyunsaturated fats can decrease
your risk of a heart attack because they
may lower your blood cholesterol level.
Vegetable oils, except those already
mentioned, ar^ polyunsaturated.
Cholesterol content of food
FOOD         -x
UNIT
CHOLESTEROL
BreacF .
1 slice
0
Margarine
1Tbsp
0
Vegetable oil
1 Tbsp
0
Milk, Skim (less
1 cup
4
than 1% fat)
Cream, sour
1tbsp
6
Cheese, cottage
1/4 cup
8
Milk, low fat (1 to 2 %)
1 cup
10
Butter
1 tsp
12
Yogurt, low fat
1 cup.
14
Cheese, Cheddar
1 0Z. \
30
Milk, whole
1 cup
33
Fish
3oz.
42
Bologna
1 oz.
52
Ice Cream (10% fat)
1 cup
59
Chicken, no skin
3oz.
66
Pork
3oz,
75
Beef
3oz.
78
Lamb    K      ),s
3oz.
84
Veal
3oz.
87
Shrimp
3 02..
131
Egg Yolk
1
272
You must remember that the total fat
in your diet should be only 30 percent of
your total calories. Most Americans get
much more dietary fat than this.
There are other ways you car. keep
your blood cholesterol level down while
you decrease your fat intake. High fiber
diets decrease your cholesterol levels as
does regular and vigorous aerobic
exercise. Keeping your bodylaf tiown
can also help keep your blooa
cholesterol level down.
As you can see, cholestrol is needed by
your body, but at the same time, too
much in your blood is unhealthy
because i t leads to heart and artery
disease. Remember that you can keep
your blood cholesterol level down by
lowering your dietary cholesterol and
fat intake and by exercising.
Clarissa Davies-Stilwell is a senior
Dietetic and Food Administration major.
Questions to Body Language can be sent
to Body Language, c/o The Daily
Collegian, California State University,
Keats Campus Building, Fresno,
California 93740-0042. Body Language
will appear every Friday in the
Collegian.
Personals appear
every Friday in the
Collegian and cost only $1
WISE GUY
Continued from page 2   •
43 movie theaters not counting pornos,
and three major malls within the city.
You want another useless fact? Despite
those car-won't-start, chilly November
mornings, the sun shines 82 percent of
the time.
So why all the small-town stink?
Well, Fresno also has the world's
richest agricultural valley, exporting
nearly $2 billion worth of crops a year.
Consequently, people outside the San
Joaquin Valley think this is Cowtown
USA, with more than its share of hicks
and sticks.
What do you think? Or, more
important, why are you here? I'm here
because I want to finish school, I like the
Iron Horse's biscuits and gravy, I have
agoodon-campusjob, and I pay $182.50
to split a two-bedroom apartment. And I
like the people, too. To me, it's a big city
with a small-town flavor.
Some places they're narrow-minded,
but mostly, they're just people. Some
care more about the Bulldogs than the
Bork hearings; others watch PBS
instead of Wheel of Fortune. For every
well-heeled business executive breaking
in a new home out by Woodward Park,
there's a person just making ends meet
in a roach-infested tenement just south
of downtown.
That is Fresno.
I mean, why is it so many people
come from LA and the Bay Area and
stay? Why did 10,000 people wearing
red travel four hours south down an
ugly highway to see a football game
they knew their team would most likely
lose?
There's something about this place
and I can't quite put monger on it.
Now, if you've read me before, you
know Tm sentimental and maybe even a
little idealistic, but I swear, every lady I
run into over the age of 50 in this town
wants to be my grandma.
And the ones who don't, we'll...
they're visiting from Malibu.
Mike Wise's column will appear
every Friday in The Daily Collegian.
BULLDOG SUNGLASSES
Assorted Styles
$3.99 - $7.49
Available at
294-4267
DO YOU ENJOY VARIETY
AND RESPONSIBILITY?
If yes then you would en)oy working with
us We are lookingfor mature, congenial
persons for our restaurants/deli. Several
po&bons ranging from catering to
delivery .and the hours are very flexible
We're growing,
perhaps you can grow with us.
Manukian's/Popolos
226-7911
Ask for Sandra or Sydney 2-6pm
kinko's
Great copies. Great people.
225-0513
2371 E. Shaw