Cholesterol Control

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Meet Cholesterol Champion Marilu Henner

When it comes to cholesterol and preventing heart disease, actress Marilu Henner is committed to informing the public, especially women, about how to be proactive through healthy diet and lifestyle choices.

Although most people know Marilu Henner for her television, film, and theater career, she has a second, equally successful career as a nutrition and health advocate. The mother of two young sons, Henner is the author of Marilu Henner's Total Health Makeover (HarperCollins, 2000) and the new low-fat gourmet cookbook, Healthy Life Kitchen, (HarperCollins, 2000). Dedicated to sharing her heart-healthy, high fiber, active lifestyle with the world, Henner has her own Web site where she leads health makeover programs and dispenses nutritional information.

"About 500,000 women die every year of heart disease in the United States; that's almost ten times the amount of those who die from breast cancer," says Henner, who recently spoke before Congress advocating more awareness of female cardiovascular disease.

To lower individual risk of heart disease, Henner urges, "You must start by paying attention to your diet and lifestyle habits. Try to get a handle on one crucial health issue at a time, such as cholesterol, and take it from there," she says. "Learn your family health history and write it down so you can tell your physician."

Explaining that "more people, and especially women, need to get their cholesterol checked in midlife," Henner recommends all women do what she does: have regular echocardiogram tests as well as scans for arterial plaque build-up. They also need to exercise regularly, she adds, and should consult with their physician before switching from a sedentary lifestyle to one that includes regular workouts.

Last but not least, everyone needs at least eight hours of sleep a night. Fatigue can increase the adrenalin levels in your body, which causes cholesterol to become elevated. If you're not getting enough restful sleep, you may be increasing your cholesterol level.

Getting in control

When her mother died a painful death from rheumatoid arthritis at 58, Henner recalls, "I was devastated. Both of my parents died so young. I realized that I was at risk for heart disease and I decided I wanted to live a long and healthy life. I had to make sense of my parents' deaths," she says in a quiet voice. "I took a hard look at how my lifestyle was affecting my health and started learning about nutrition."

She started by swearing off high protein, low fiber diets. "These are terrible for your health, since they clog your colon," she says. "Your body needs soluble fiber from things like brown rice, oatmeal, vegetables, and fruit since fiber scrubs your arteries clean." Soon after taking some extension courses in nutrition and anatomy, Henner began giving up unhealthy foods one by one.

"First I gave up diet soda," she recalls, "then sugar. Then, when I discovered that the human digestive system isn't really designed to eat a meat-heavy diet, I gave up red meat and immediately my digestion improved." Since she wanted to lower her risk of heart disease, zeroing in on low-fat foods became a top priority.

"I started reading food labels and discovered that many products I'd been eating were loaded with fats like hydrogenated vegetable oils, plus food additives and chemicals. If the label lists any ingredients that could get you 30 points in Scrabble," she jokes, "don't buy the food!"

While she also renounced dairy products, except for egg whites, Henner's heart-healthy diet included numerous fruits and vegetables, whole grains such as brown rice, and lean protein from fish. She also started drinking eight to ten glasses of water each day and made the commitment to exercise regularly. "Exercise is play time, and everyone needs it."

Henner's new regimen helped her reduce her overall cholesterol level to a slim and trim 132. "Nothing from a cow but a belt or boots or a purse," she says. "If you have high cholesterol or a family history of heart disease, red meat is too dangerous to eat."

Acknowledging that many people with high cholesterol are frustrated by the lack of tasty, heart-healthy snack foods, Henner suggests going to the health food store and checking labels for fat-free treats. "Look for cookies or crackers that are non-fat and that DO NOT contain hydrogenated oils or butter," she advises. "There are lots of good products out there."

Some of her favorite snacks include: air-popped popcorn, steamed soybeans or soy nuts, and vegan cookies made without refined sugar or hydrogenated oils. "These will fool anybody," Henner promises. "They are rich and sweet and taste like sugar and butter."

Also high on her list are dried, fat-free vegetable snacks seasoned with soy sauce or other low-fat, natural seasonings. "Try a few brands until you find some that satisfy you."

Noting that "the human animal is brilliantly designed," Henner advocates eating as many natural, unprocessed foods as possible. "There is plenty of sugar in fruit and vegetables, so you won't feel deprived. And there is healthy fat in fish like salmon."

Besides protecting your long-term health, Henner says that "managing cholesterol makes you feel better about yourself because you're taking control of your diet and making intelligent choices about your quality of life, and for your family's quality of life. It's amazing," she continues, "how much you can upgrade your physical and mental health through following the low-fat, low-cholesterol lifestyle."

Related ThirdAge Resources:

Good Foods Glossary: guide to health-building foods

Healthy Heart Fitness Program