Conquering Cholesterol

Kirk Hoaglund calls himself a genetic problem child. At 47, he has had total cholesterol readings as high as 320. (Under 200 is the goal. Readings over 240 are considered high.) A lifelong athlete, his problem is mostly a genetic one—his body produces too much cholesterol. His father and two brothers also have high cholesterol.

However, his habits may have played a role in Hoaglund’s cholesterol numbers, too. As managing partner and CEO of Clientek, a Minneapolis-based information-technology management company, his life gets a little hectic from time to time. “Ten years ago, it was common for me to eat a fast-food lunch two or three times a week,” Hoaglund recalls. “Oftentimes, I would visit a drive-through, pick up a burger and fries, and eat while driving from one client location to another.” At the same time, his exercise routine was slowly deteriorating.

Hoaglund’s wife, Anita, a nurse, suggested when he was 30 that he get his cholesterol checked for the first time. Back then, he was ahead of the curve by checking into his risk and learning of his tendency toward high numbers.

“I think people are now smarter and more aware of what’s going on,” says Dr. Robert Ketroser, a cardiologist and director of the Preventive Cardiology Clinic at the Minnesota Heart Clinic in Edina. “The problem is, they don’t know how they can reduce their risk.”

By the time he was 40, Hoaglund, at 5 feet, 11 inches, had reached his heaviest weight. “At 260 pounds, I felt uncomfortable in my body all the time,” he says. “I remember standing in the back of a pickup truck, looking at the ground below. I was afraid to jump down to the ground, two-and-a-half feet below.”

That may have been just the wake-up call he needed to start making changes. Hoaglund decided to train for the 2001 Twin Cities Marathon; although he says he lost very little weight at first, he enjoyed running again. He kept up his fitness routine and eventually lost 60 pounds in the 18 months after that first marathon.

Less Fat, More Fatty Acids

He did it in part by changing his eating habits, in line with some of the advice that Janelle Melgeorge Lawler typically gives to patients. Lawler is a registered and licensed dietician at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, and works with patients who need guidance in lowering their cholesterol numbers.

“I really try to not use the word ‘diet,’ because if you say ‘diet’ it conjures up deprivation. I try to think in terms of a healthy eating plan,” Lawler says. “The focus is on limiting fat intake while focusing on foods that may be beneficial to your heart.” That includes Omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon, walnuts, and flax seed. “And remember your fruit and vegetables,” she says.