What Is Cholesterol?
By: Robert NamTotal Views: 60, Word Count: 718,
Cholesterol is a waxy fatty substance been made in the body by the liver. It is made up of a molecule called acetyl co, which is derived from the breakdown of sugars, fats, and proteins. It is a very essential body fat which is carried around your body in the blood stream.
A small amount of the cholesterol in the body comes from your diet, which you eat, i.e. vegetable, fruits, food, etc. Cholesterol is needed by your body to keep itself healthy but the excessive of cholesterol circulating in the blood increases a health risk.
Types of Cholesterol
As cholesterol is not water soluble, it should be bind to special protein before it carries in the blood stream, which is known as apoproteins. When they are coated and packaged, it is called as lipoproteins. There are two main types of lipo proteins.
High-Density Lipoproteins (HDL)
It is commonly known as good cholesterol. Actually, high-density lipoprotein is good for maintaining a healthy heart and preventing the narrowing of the arteries, since it carries cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver for the disposal.
Low-Density Lipoproteins (LDL)
It is commonly known as bad cholesterol. It is the major cholesterol carrier in the blood. Excess of LDL level leads to cholesterol accumulation in the artery walls. A high level of LDL cholesterol level may also result in the increased risk of coronary heart disease.
Therefore, it is very important to maintain the ratio between the LDL and HDL cholesterol level. Usually, your body tries to maintain a balance of cholesterol level, makes more when need and rid out of it when excess. Sometimes, this balance can go wrong. LDL level can be lowered by eating a low fat diet whereas HDL level can be raised by exercising.
Causes of High Cholesterol Level
Some of the factors, which lead to high cholesterol level, are:
- Over weight – Excess of weight is linked with a high cholesterol level
- Heredity- if cholesterol penetrates in your family, you are at a higher risk of having a heart problems
- Diet- Avoid the foods which are high in cholesterol level since it increases the cholesterol levels and results in developing a heart disease
- Physical activity- Exercise helps in increasing your HDL level, which leads to decrease the risk of heart disease.
- Age- The increasing age of person also tends to increase the cholesterol level
Best way to lower cholesterol level
Making gradual but permanent changes in your life style and diet will help you to lower your cholesterol levels. These changes will result in decreasing many of your factors, which results in developing heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, stroke, and diabetes.
Following are the changes, which should be made in the current life style in order to lower the cholesterol level.
· Reduce the level of fat and cholesterol level in your diet or take a healthy heart diet
· Eat foods rich in carbohydrates and fiber, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains
· Increase your physical activity level
· Maintain a healthy weight
· Avoid smoking
Medications to Lower Blood Cholesterol Level :-
If your blood cholesterol level is higher than the normal rate, your doctor may probably advise to control it with a diet, exercise, and healthy heart food. In the cases, of many people changes in the lifestyle leads to control or lower their cholesterol level. However, in the case if the cholesterol does not come under control than your doctor may prescribe you following medications.
- Niacin
- Bile-acid sequestrants
- Statins (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors). – The common statins are Atorvastatin(lipitor), Fluvastatin(lescol), Lovastatin(mevacor), simvastatin(zocor) and pravastatin(pravachol)
The above given information about cholesterol will ensure to maintain your cholesterol level. Since, it is very important to control the level of cholesterol to live a healthy life, which is disease free!
About the Author
Dr. Robert Nam is a well known heart specialist and has done postgraduate training in cardiology at the national heart hospital, the London chest hospital and UCL hospital, London. He was also engaged in research at the national heart and lung institute. Nowadays he is working as a consultant cardiologist at UCL hospital, London.
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