Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that's found in all the cells in your body. Your body needs some cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help you digest foods. Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs. Cholesterol is also found in foods from animal sources, such as egg yolks, meat, and cheese. If you have too much cholesterol in your blood, it can combine with other substances in the blood to form plaque. Plaque sticks to the walls of your arteries. This buildup of plaque is known as atherosclerosis. It can lead to coronary artery disease, where your coronary arteries become narrow or even blocked. What are HDL, LDL, and VLDL? HDL, LDL, and VLDL are lipoproteins. They are a combination of fat (lipid) and protein. The lipids need to be attached to the proteins so they can move through the blood. Different types of lipoproteins have different purposes: 1/ HDL (high-density lipoprotein) or "good" cholesterol because it carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver for removal. 2/ LDL (low-density lipoprotein) or "bad" cholesterol leads to the buildup of plaque. 3/ VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein) also contributes to the buildup of plaque in your arteries. But VLDL mainly carries triglycerides and LDL mainly carries cholesterol.
What causes high cholesterol? The most common cause of high cholesterol is an unhealthy lifestyle, including: > Unhealthy eating habits such as [1] saturated fat - found in some meats, dairy products, chocolate, baked goods, and deep-fried and processed foods, and [2] trans fat - in some fried and processed foods. > Lack of physical activity lowers your HDL (good) cholesterol. > Smoking lowers HDL cholesterol, especially in women. It also raises your LDL cholesterol. > Genetics -eg familial hypercholesterolemia is an inherited form of high cholesterol.
> Other medical conditions and certain medicines may also cause high cholesterol. What can raise my risk of high cholesterol? > Age - cholesterol levels tend to rise as you get older. > Heredity - high blood cholesterol can run in families. > Weight - being overweight raises your cholesterol level. > Race - for example, African Americans typically have higher cholesterol levels than whites. When cholesterol levels are high, it increases the risk of stroke or heart attack. Tips to Reduce Cholesterol 1/ oatmeal, apples, prunes, and beans are high in soluble fibre, which keeps your body from absorbing cholesterol. 2/ fatty fish (2-4/week) - omega-3 fats in fish are anti-inflammatory - replacing red meat with fish will lower your cholesterol by reducing your exposure to saturated fats. 3/ using olive oil instead of butter may reduce LDL cholesterol by as much as 15% (similar to the effect of a low dose of medication). Choose extra-virgin olive oil which is less processed and contains more antioxidants, which help prevent disease. 4/ nuts contain sterols, which keep the body from absorbing cholesterol. 5/ spices like garlic, curcumin, ginger, black pepper, coriander, and cinnamon - eating 1 clove of garlic each day could lower cholesterol up to 9%. 6/ berries - rich in antioxidants and fibre - anthocyanins, a powerful antioxidant agent in berries, can help improve cholesterol levels. 7/ Green tea - contains catechins and other antioxidant compounds that lower cholesterol.
(Adapted from: www.medicineplus.gov; www.webmd.com; www.medicalnewstoday.com)
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