High cholesterol level is closely related to heart disease. Do you want to know how? Let’s dig in to learn about cholesterol and what keeps it in check and helps us live a healthy life.
Our body needs cholesterol to work efficiently, but if the amount in the blood increases, it can stick to the walls of the arteries and narrow down the passages or even block them. Consequently, the risk of coronary artery disease and other heart diseases increases.
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fatty substance required for the production of hormones, bile, and vitamin D. It is produced by the liver and carried in the blood by lipoproteins.
The human body needs a trace amount of blood cholesterol, which has various roles to play. For instance, building the structure of cell membranes, being involved in the production of hormones such as estrogen, testosterone, and adrenal hormones, and helping to produce bile acid, which digests fat and absorbs important nutrients
What is good and bad cholesterol?
There are two bifurcations of lipoprotein: good and evil. On a broader spectrum, LDL (low-density lipoproteins) are considered bad cholesterol’ as they can stick to arteries and block blood flow, and the pumping of the heart can be troubled. The high levels of LDL and triglycerides in the blood are most likely to be associated with coronary heart disease.
On the other hand, high-density lipoproteins (HDL) are ‘good cholesterol, which carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to the liver, where it is then removed from the body.
What is the standard reference interval range for cholesterol, LDL, and HDL?
The total cholesterol should be 125 to 200mg/deciliter, non-HDL should be <130 mg/deciliter, LDL should be <100 mg/deciliter and HDL should be 40mg/deciliter.
What are the signs of high cholesterol in the body?
When one has high cholesterol in the blood, he or she might suffer from a heart attack, High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Chest pain or angina, or Stroke.
How can one lower a high cholesterol level?
The high cholesterol level can be lowered by changing lifestyles, eating or limiting certain or typical food habits, and through medication. The lifestyle changes include healthy eating, weight management, and regular physical activity.
- Consume foods with a lower cholesterol level
One can even check the calories produced from consuming saturated and polyunsaturated fats. Saturated fats are not good for health as they increase the LDL level and are found in meat, dairy products, chocolates, bakery items, deep-fried foods, and processed stored food. Even Trans fat is not good for health because it also increases LDL and decreases HDL. Trans fat is obtained from hydrogenated oils and fats such as French fries and oily fritters. Hence, consume unsaturated oils like canola, olive, and sunflower oil.
- Consume soluble fibre
Eat foods with high soluble fibre content, which can prevent the digestive tract from absorbing cholesterol, such as whole grains, cereals, oatmeal, oat bran, legumes like kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, and black-eyed peas, and fruits such as apples, bananas, oranges, pears, and prunes. Even plant stanols and sterols work like soluble fibre.
- Consume omega-3-rich fatty acids
The omega-3-rich fatty acid may not lower LDL levels but may raise HDL levels, which protect the heart from blood clots and inflammation and reduce the risk of heart attack. The best source of omega-3 fatty acids is fish like salmon, tuna (canned or fresh), and mackerel.
- Limit salt intake
One can limit the intake of sodium (salt) to no more than 2,300mg per day. It may not be directly connected to a lower risk of heart disease, but it can help lower blood pressure.
- Limit alcohol and Nicotine consumption
Generally, alcohol consumption leads to weight gain, which can raise LDL levels and lower HDL levels. Excess alcohol consumption is even thought to raise blood pressure and triglyceride levels and indirectly increase the risk of heart disease. It has also been extensively studied that smoking facilitates the ability of LDL cholesterol to enter artery cells and cause damage.
- Usage of Statins
Sometimes the genetic makeup of the body fails to give optimum results through changes in lifestyle and dietary plans. Thus, medications recommended by doctors may help reduce LSL levels in the blood. Statins are most commonly used to lower blood cholesterol. It slows down the amount of cholesterol produced in the liver, which compels the liver to use already-produced cholesterol in the blood. This reduces the LDL level in the blood.
Muscle aches are the most common statin side effect. Hence, it is advisable to consult a heart specialist for cardiovascular disease before taking or switching to any medicine.
As a takeaway from the blog, we advise keeping your LDL levels in check to keep your heart healthy, and if not through diet or lifestyle, please take the advice of expert medical practitioners.
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