BY SANDRA GUY
High cholesterol has far greater implications post-COVID for today’s college students than it did when they had only to worry about the “freshmen 15” — the extra 15 pounds that freshmen often gain when they’re newly freed from their parents’ constraints.
Indeed, high cholesterol was among the health problems for which Americans who had survived the coronavirus — of all ages — sought medical care. The COVID survivors had never been diagnosed with these problems prior to becoming infected with the coronavirus.
This level of awareness is particularly important during September — deemed National Cholesterol Education Month. Also, September 29 is World Heart Day. These observances raise awareness about the dangers of untreated high cholesterol, such as stroke and cardiovascular disease.
The study of long-haul COVID patients tracked the health insurance records of nearly 2 million people who contracted the coronavirus in 2020. It found that one month or more after their infection, almost one-quarter — 23 percent — of them sought medical treatment for these new conditions.
In fact, anyone can have high cholesterol – even those who are young, slim, eat well and exercise. That’s because high cholesterol can be caused by genetics, as well as an unhealthy lifestyle.
So what’s the danger? To understand, it’s important to know how the two types of cholesterol work.
Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are the “bad” cholesterol that causes a buildup of fats in the blood. The fatty deposits in your blood vessels can grow, making it difficult for enough blood to flow through your arteries. Sometimes, those deposits can break suddenly and form a clot that causes a heart attack or stroke.
High-density lipoproteins (HDL) can remove the bad cholesterol and other fats from the blood.
The study participants who had had COVID and afterward sought help for high cholesterol, among other ailments, were all ages, including children.
Besides high cholesterol, their most common new health problems were pain, including in nerves and muscles; breathing difficulties; malaise and fatigue; and high blood pressure, the study showed. Other issues included intestinal symptoms; migraines; skin problems; heart abnormalities; sleep disorders; and mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.
So besides getting a full COVID vaccination and adhering to COVID protocols such as mask-wearing and social-distancing, a key way to keep cholesterol at a healthy level is to eat cleanly.
The best diet – a plant-based diet – should be high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains and lower in pork, turkey, chicken and red meat, experts say.
That’s very do-able, even on a typical college student’s tight budget. The foods that doctors recommend can be found in many drugstores and most grocery stores.
For example, the best fish to eat — two to three times a week — include salmon, tuna or mackerel. They’re easy to find and usually cost no more than $10.
Some studies show that garlic may lower blood levels of total cholesterol by a few percentage points, but only in the short term. And garlic may prolong bleeding and blood clotting time, so you shouldn’t take garlic or garlic supplements before surgery or with blood-thinning drugs such as Coumadin.
The key is to stay away from saturated fat found in butter, coconut oil and the skin on chicken. Be sure to cut back on refined carbs such as flour, rice, pasta, white breads and cake, cookies and crackers.
Use the money you save from cutting out junk snacks to add in polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats found in foods such as avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, canola oil and safflower oil.
Other affordable healthy options: Beans, apples and frozen vegetables. Frozen chicken breasts and fish fillets are also lean protein sources.
If cholesterol levels continue to be high after dietary and lifestyle changes, then doctors may prescribe a LDL-lowering prescription.