Cholesterol Levels

We have heard many times from dieticians and doctors that lowering cholesterol is extremely important. Cholesterol is a substance that is waxy and fatty like. This is produced by the liver. The interesting fact is that cholesterol has a purpose and is central to your overall body function and health. Every cell in the body has cholesterol forming in it; at appropriate levels it plays a life support role in many functions of the body.

You may not know you have a high level of cholesterol in your blood. The only way to be sure is to have a blood test.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a fatty substance produced by the liver. This substance has many important roles inside the body and in small amounts it is very important in helping the activity of the organism. In the presence of cholesterol, the body is able to synthesize vitamin D and hormones (testosterone and estrogen). The liver also uses cholesterol in producing bile, a substance used for the digestion of fat. Cholesterol covers the exterior membrane of blood cells and protects them from damage.

It is not unusual to have high cholesterol level in your blood. It happens even to the best of us. But if you suddenly find out that you have high cholesterol you must immediately take action. This is called ‘Cholesterol Management’. It may seem a pretentious notion, but it keeps you away from heart problems. Cholesterol management involves few simple rules for lowering your cholesterol level: eat low fat (it doesn’t matter if it is saturated fat or total fat, they are wrong nonetheless) foods; lose weight; eat fruits and vegetables; grill your food instead of frying it; and start being more physically active.

We are very busy persons: we have things to do, problems to solve, people to talk to and it seems that we stopped having enough time to eat. More and more often full course meals get replaced for quicker snacks. Snacking does not necessarily represent a bad thing. Snacks are normal for a body that consumes its inner energy for its daily activities and needs to accumulate more strength. Eating wrong foods for snacks is causing you trouble like increasing cholesterol level. It is the snacks high in carbohydrates and fats that are causing you an elevated cholesterol and weight gain. This situation will eventually lead to heart disease, heart attacks, and diabetes.

Seriously high levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL) represent a menacing cause of heart disease. By lowering the LDL level in your blood, you will automatically lower the total level of the cholesterol in your body (the HDL also known as the ‘good’ cholesterol and the LDL - the ‘bad’ cholesterol) and it will prevent the occurrence of heart disease. You can use a drug treatment to lower the cholesterol level, but you can also use a more healthy method - the dietary agents and food supplements that will lower your cholesterol in a natural way. In other words, a diet low in saturated fats and rich in fibres may help you lower cholesterol levels downwards to a normal limit.

Question: What kind of foods should you eat if you are trying to avoid high cholesterol levels?

Answer:

To understand what foods are good and bad for you, it can be good to have an advanced knowledge of exactly what cholesterol is. Cholesterol and triglycerides are the two types of fat that are found in the human bloodstream. These ‘blood fats’ are also known as lipids. Your body makes cholesterol in your liver, and it gets it from the foods you eat.