Cholesterol :

           Cholesterol is both good and bad. At normal levels, it is an essential substance for the body. However, if concentrations in the blood get too high, it becomes a silent danger that puts people at risk of heart attack.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is present in every cell of the body and has important natural functions when it comes to digesting foods, producing hormones, and generating Vitamin-D. The body produces it, but people also consume it in food. It is waxy and fat-like in appearance.

🤔 Types of Cholesterol :

Types of Cholesterol

There are two types of cholesterol:

• low-density lipoproteins (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol

• high-density lipoproteins (HDL), or “good” cholesterol

In this article, we will explain the role of cholesterol. We will also discuss the causes of high cholesterol, and its symptoms, treatment, and prevention.

🤔 Fast facts on cholesterol:

        Fast facts on cholesterol

Cholesterol is an essential substance that the body produces but which people also consume in foods.

Risk factors for high cholesterol include family history and the modifiable lifestyle choices of diet and exercise.

Having high cholesterol does not usually produce any symptoms.

If lifestyle changes are unsuccessful or cholesterol levels are very high, a doctor may prescribe a lipid-lowering drug, such as a statin.

🤔 What is Cholesterol?

               Cholesterol is an oil-based substance. It does not mix with the blood, which is water-based. It travels around the body in lipoproteins. Two types of lipoprotein carry the parcels of cholesterol:

👉 Low-density lipoprotein (LDL):

      Cholesterol that travels in this way is unhealthful or “bad” cholesterol.

👉 High-density lipoprotein (HDL):

    

      Cholesterol that is present in HDL is known as “good” cholesterol.

Cholesterol has four primary functions, without which we could not survive.

These are:

• contributing to the structure of cell walls
• making up digestive bile acids in the intestine
• allowing the body to produce vitamin-D. 
• enabling the body to make certain hormones

🤔 Causes of high Cholesterol :

               High cholesterol is a significant risk factor for coronary heart disease and a cause of heart attacks.

A build-up of cholesterol is part of the process that narrows arteries, called atherosclerosis. In atherosclerosis, plaques form and cause restriction of blood flow.

Reducing the intake of fat in the diet helps to manage cholesterol levels. In particular, it is helpful to limit foods that contain:

👉 Cholesterol :

          This is present in animal foods, meat,            and cheese.

👉 Saturated fat :

          This occurs in some meats, dairy                      products, chocolate, baked goods,                    deep-fried, and processed foods.

👉 Trans fats : 

          This occurs in some fried and                          processed foods.

Excess weight or obesity can also lead to higher blood LDL levels. Genetic factors can contribute to high cholesterol. People with the inherited condition familial hypercholesterolemia have very high LDL levels.

Other conditions that can lead to high cholesterol levels, include:

👉 Diabetes, 

👉 liver or kidney disease, 

👉 polycystic ovary syndrome, 

👉 Pregnancy and other conditions that increase levels of female hormones, 

👉 underactive thyroid gland,

👉 Drugs that increase LDL cholesterol and decrease HDL cholesterol, such as progestins, anabolic steroids, and corticosteroids. 

🤔 High Cholesterol Symptoms :

      A person with high cholesterol levels often has no signs or symptoms, but routine screening and regular blood tests can help detect high levels.

A person who does not undergo testing may have a heart attack without warning, because they did not know that they had high cholesterol levels. Regular tests can help to reduce this risk.

🤔 Cholesterol in foods :

       A report from Harvard Health has identified 11 cholesterol-lowering foods that actively decrease cholesterol levels:

👉 Oats, 

👉 barley and whole grains, 

👉 beans, 

👉 eggplant and okra, 

👉 nuts, 

👉 vegetable oil (canola, sunflower)

👉 fruits (mainly apples, grapes, strawberries, and citrus), 

👉 soy and soy-based foods, 

👉 fatty fish (particularly salmon, tuna, and sardines), 

👉 foods rich in fiber

👉 Foods rich in fiber. 

Adding these to a balanced diet can help keep cholesterol in check.

The same report also lists foods that are bad for cholesterol levels. These include:

👉 red meat, 

👉 full fat duary, 

👉 margarine, 

👉 hydrogeneted oil, 

👉 baked goods. 

Various low cholesterol recipe books are available to purchase online.

🤔 Levels and Ranges :

                In adults, total cholesterol levels less than 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) are considered healthy.

👉 A reading between 200 and 239 mg/dL is borderline high.

👉 A reading of 240 mg/dL and above is considered high.

LDL cholesterol levels should be less than 100 mg/dL.

👉 100–129 mg/dL is acceptable for people with no health problems but may be a concern for anyone with heart disease or heart disease risk factors.

👉 130—159 mg/dL is borderline high.

👉 160–189 mg/dL is high.

👉 190 mg/dL or higher is considered very high.

HDL levels should be kept higher. The optimal reading for HDL levels is of 60 mg/dL or higher.

👉 A reading of less than 40 mg/dL can be a major risk factor for heart disease.

👉 A reading from 41 mg/dL to 59 mg/dL is borderline low.