Cholesterol is in fact essential to health. All vertebrates need a healthy dose of cholesterol to maintain healthy cells. Cholesterol actually turns into fatty lipids and alcohol, which are normally circulated through the body as it goes with the blood plasma and into the body tissues. But while this substance is important to maintaining health, it needs to be closely monitored.
With the advent of fast foods and food take-outs, people have become susceptible to high cholesterol problems. When these foods are conveniently available to satisfy hunger, it sneakily feeds people with loads of bad cholesterol. More recently, statistics have shown that regularly consuming these high cholesterol foods can have a serious impact to health.
Before you form assumptions on how bad or good cholesterol can get, you need to understand how cholesterol works inside the body. The substance is mainly involved in metabolic functions. Although there are good and bad cholesterol, as in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), doctor usually refer to bad cholesterol (LDL) when they use the term “cholesterol”. What makes LDL bad is its tendency to deposit through the arterial walls. This buildup eventually thickens, which causes restrictions to normal blood circulation. This condition increases the risk of developing atherosclerosis and coronary heart diseases.
On the other hand, the good cholesterol HDL is excellent for the body because it assists the production of bile and act as the body’s antioxidant. The bile produced from HDL actually plays crucial roles in digesting or processing fat soluble nutrients such as vitamins A, E, D and K. It also assists the normal functions of reproductive organs as it helps regulate hormone levels, particularly the estrogen levels among women.
Where does the Body Get Good Cholesterol?
- In truth, about three-fourths or 75 percent of the good cholesterol in the body is produced from the synthesis of packed membranes such as the liver, reproductive organs, atheroma, adrenal glands, and nervous system organs such as the brain and spinal cord. However, these sources of good cholesterol do not produce enough amount of HDL that will keep the level of bad cholesterol in check. When the body fails to compensate for it needed amount of HDL, atherosclerotic plaques may form through the arterial walls, which increases the risk of coronary heart diseases as well as life-threatening conditions such as stroke and heart attack.
- One-fourth of the body’s good cholesterol HDL comes from the food you eat. Hence, you need to keep close watch on your daily diet. To prevent cholesterol imbalance, limit your portions of high cholesterol foods such as the fat coming from dairy products, milk and meat.
Effective Ways of Lowering Your Intake Idle Cholesterol (25 percent excess in Food Cholesterol)
- Think about the type of oil you use in cooking your food. One effective cholesterol lowering type of oil is extra virgin olive oil. Highly saturated oils will only raise your bad cholesterol levels. Also, re-think your fat sources. Filling up your daily diet with high-fiber fruits and fresh vegetables is helpful in ruling out high cholesterol problems. Complex carbohydrates from soybeans, corn, wheat, nuts, cereals and legumes are equally helpful.
- A life-changing decision of giving up fast foods is not only good for your cholesterol levels as it will also add more years to your life. In addition, regulating your alcohol and sugar intake can improve cholesterol problems in that same degree.
- The omega-3 fatty acids sourced from mackerel, salmon, tuna and other deep sea fishes was also proven effective in helping the body eliminate idle cholesterol
In some cases, lowering idle cholesterol would require food supplements or medications such as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, lovastin and other statins, and atorvastatin. Consult your physician in this regard.
For more information about heart health and cholesterol related issues, visit Cholesterol Page.
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