Andrew and Melinda Gaze talks Dairy Farmers HeartActive

About Andrew and Melinda Gaze

A household name, Andrew is the most decorated basketball player in the country.

Visit heartactive.com.au

What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a type of fat that can be found only in animal based foods, not plant foods. It is essential in the body but when we have more than we need, it can become a problem. Cholesterol in the body comes from two sources. The majority comes from the body's natural production of cholesterol from the liver, with about a third coming from the diet and the food we eat. About half of the cholesterol we eat is absorbed by the body¹.

There are two main types of cholesterol in our blood, low density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol and high density lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol (the ‘good' type). If you have too much of the LDL cholesterol it can impact on your heart health. In contrast having more of the ‘good' or HDL cholesterol is beneficial to heart health.

Ideal levels
Ideal cholesterol levels are less than 5.5mmo/L². However, people really concerned about their heart health should aim for total cholesterol levels of less than 4mmol/L, as well as LDL cholesterol levels under 2.5mmol/L and HDL cholesterol level above 1.0mmol/L¹.

The main dietary emphasis for heart health is on lowering lipid levels, namely LDL cholesterol, and raising the HDL or ‘good' cholesterol. Saturated fat is the main culprit in the diet for increasing LDL cholesterol. Cholesterol in food can also raise blood cholesterol levels but to a much lower level than saturated fat². Cholesterol in your body comes not only from your diet but is also produced by your liver. So your total cholesterol level also depends on your genetics and some people may have concerns about their cholesterol because of their family history.

What is Dairy Farmers HeartActive™?
Approximately, one in two Australians over the age of 25 need to better manage their cholesterol, this equates to nearly six and a half million Australians¹.
Dairy Farmers HeartActive™ is a milk specifically designed to help manage cholesterol levels. It's a delicious, low fat milk, enriched with plant sterols, which can help lower your cholesterol. Research shows that consuming plant sterols everyday in milk can lower LDL cholesterol by up to 15% in just 3 weeks⁴.

For best results, consume 2 - 3 serves of Dairy Farmers HeartActive™ a day. Try it on your on cereal, your morning coffee or in a delicious fruit smoothie, it easily fits into your lifestyle. It is also low GI (Glycaemic Index) and rich in calcium, so drink up and enjoy!

Plant sterols – what are they?
Plant sterols occur naturally in small amounts in foods such as nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits and vegetables. They work by blocking cholesterol absorption, and reduce the amount of cholesterol, and in particular LDL cholesterol, the body absorbs.
The Heart Foundation of Australia recommends people concerned about their heart health have a daily intake of 2-3 grams of plant sterols from fortified foods including low fat milk, because of their ability to effectively lower LDL cholesterol⁵.
Each 250mL serve of Dairy Farmers HeartActive™ contains 0.8g of plant sterols so for best results consume 2-3 serves a day. You can enjoy Dairy Farmers HeartActive™ on cereal, in a delicious fruit smoothie, in cooking, in your tea or coffee or as a refreshing drink any time of the day.
Include Dairy Farmers HeartActive™, as part of a healthy, balanced diet, low in saturated fat and packed full of fruit and vegetables.
For children under the age of five, pregnant or lactating women, doctor's advice should be sought before using Dairy Farmers HeartActive™ due to their special dietary needs.

Managing your cholesterol.
You should always follow your GP's advice, particularly when looking after your heart health and cholesterol levels.
Whether you need to use cholesterol lowering medication or not, maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle is still important. Plant sterols work in addition to most cholesterol-lowering medication1. Making simple changes to your diet and lifestyle like including plant sterol enriched Dairy Farmers HeartActive™ can be very beneficial to your overall cholesterol management and heart health.
Make sure you discuss all your heart health and cholesterol management plans with your Doctor or healthcare professional.

For more information visit heartactive.com.au

¹ Heart Foundation (2005).
² AIHW (2004), Australia's Health 2004.
³ Heart Foundation (2005). Position statement on lipid management.
⁴ Clifton (2004) EJCN 58, 503-509.
⁵ Heart Foundation (2009) Position statement dietary fats and dietary sterols for cardiovascular health.
* Research shows that consuming plant sterol enriched milk everyday can lower LDL cholesterol by up to 15% in three weeks. Clifton P et al (2004) EJCN 58, 503-509.

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