A healthy heart is a happy heart with Nestlé Omega Plus
SOME 17.5 million lives are lost every year to heart disease and stroke, with heart disease being the leading cause of death in Malaysia over the past three years.
One of the main factors of heart disease is high cholesterol. According to the National Heart Institute CEO Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Azhari Yakub, 38.6% of Malaysians are not even aware that they have cholesterol problems.
A possible symptom of cholesterol problems, according to the American Heart Association, is pain or a squeezing sensation in the chest which happens when plaque forms and blocks the flow of blood and, in turn, oxygen, to the heart.
Plaque is an accumulation of fatty materials in our body, that builds up inside the walls of arteries.
These deposits can reduce blood flow through the arteries which can cause complications such as chest pain, heart attack or stroke.
A more obvious way of spotting high cholesterol is by examining the eyes, to check if there are yellowish lumps or growths at the side corners of the eyelids.
This is a skin condition called xanthelasma, made up of fat deposits that have built up under the skin.
Based on an individual’s body conditions, these patches can either be harmless or a sign of an underlying problem.
Of course, early prevention is always better than scrambling to find a cure. There are daily steps and lifestyle adjustments we can make to reduce its risks, such as moving away from a sedentary way of life.
Taking the stairs instead of the lift, doing stretches at the office every hour, and picking up a sport are just some of the ways of alleviating the risks of cholesterol.
Equally important is maintaining a balanced diet with food low in saturated fat and trans-fat, as these increase the levels of bad cholesterol.
Plant sterols are effective at lowering cholesterol levels as they block the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream.
Foods rich in plant sterols include wheat germ and wheat bran, nuts, and legumes. When consumed in large amounts, these foods are able to lower cholesterol levels.
Another alternative is to regularly drink milk formulations containing plant sterols, like Nestlé Omega Plus milk.
Nestlé Omega Plus has Acticol, plant sterols that help lowe r cholesterol by blocking the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. In fact, just two servings of Nestlé Omega Plus each day has been scientifically proven to lower cholesterol levels. Cher Siew Wai, corporate wellness marketing manager for Nestlé Malaysia, advises everyone above the age of 20 to check his or her cholesterol levels at least once every five years. She adds that the frequency of the checks should be more than that for i ndividuals with a family history of heart problems. People should also be keeping active and maintaining a healthy diet. These are just some of the positive steps Malaysians can take towards better heart health together.