Cholesterol is a general problem in the elderly and is shared by young people or even children. It is common knowledge that cholesterol and heart problems are intertwined, and everyone suffering is probably on some medication. But not everyone has the right plan to control cholesterol and reduce their risk of heart diseases. In this article, we will learn about what is cholesterol and the precautions and control of it.
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fat resembling matter that is present in every cell of our body.
It helps in digestion and producing immunity.
Cholesterol needed by our body is naturally produced by the liver.
The extensive cholesterol is extracted by our diet.
We get cholesterol through eggs, fish, meat, dairy, or poultry.
Cholesterol is responsible for producing vitamin D.
After we intake cholesterol-rich food, it travels to the small intestine and, the intestinal walls absorb the metabolism and store it in the liver to convert it into cholesterol and supply it to different parts of our body.
How is cholesterol distributed in the body?
Cholesterol mixes up with fat named LIPID and proteins and forms a substance called a lipoprotein.
There are two forms of lipoprotein:
- Low-Density Lipoprotein(LDL) – This is the harmful form of lipoprotein. It accumulates along the walls of the arteries and forms a plaque. LDL results in stroke or heart attack.
- High-density Lipoprotein(HDL) – This is a beneficial type of lipoprotein. HDL breaks down the excess growth of cholesterol in your arteries and carries it back to the liver, where it breaks down further and passes through.
How is it harmful?
Cholesterol is essential and fruitful for our body. It provides immunity and helps our body to prevent stroke and heart attack.
But like the age-old saying,” Too much of a good thing always turns bad. ” Too much cholesterol can end up being the reason for stroke or even a heart attack.
Too much LDL can harm your body in such ways that you might end up with multiple organ failures.
How can you reduce it?
It totally depends on a person’s lifestyle and the seriousness of their cholesterol level.
If you are on the initial levels of cholesterol buildup – then just a mere change in diet can bring about drastic and healthy changes in your cholesterol level.
Further, cholesterol can be controlled by medications and insulin shots.
Regular exercises to boost up your HDL will also be very helpful in controlling cholesterol levels.
Create a Cholesterol plan
Creating a proper cholesterol plan undertaking your health and body composition and following it with full potential is a great way to reduce cholesterol and maintain a healthy body.
Your individual cholesterol plan should be customized by you and suit your body type.
The best diet plans for cholesterol control are:
● The Mediterranean diet
● Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC)
● Mayo clinic diet
● DASH diet
● Vegan diet
● The Engine 2 diet
● Biggest Loser diet
● Weight Watchers
● Dean Ornish diet
You can look up any of these diets and follow them for the best results against cholesterol.
For medications:
There are multiple prescriptions to follow for common cholesterol control. Although, it is said to not follow any prescriptions without a doctor’s consent. Some of the common prescriptions are:
● Statins
● Nicotinic acid
● Bile acid sequestrants
● Cholesterol absorption inhibitors
● Fibric acid derivatives
● Injectable medications
For self-care:
● Exercise regularly according to your body type
● Eat a low-fat diet
● Lose excess weight
For nutrition:
Foods to eat:
- Low carbohydrate and fiber rich foods
- Foods rich in unsaturated fats
- Phytosterols and stanols
- Fatty fish
- Nuts and other edibles containing natural oils
Foods to avoid:
- Milk products and eggs
- Organ meat
- Processed vegetable oils
- Processed and packaged food
- Processed meat
There are a lot of ways to lower cholesterol levels; drugs and dietary tips.
For people with a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, it is recommended to take statins as a main medicinal help.
In the end, it is always up to you to take up the diet and drugs based on your physical condition.
Regular exercising and a balanced diet will help control cholesterol levels at an early stage.
Remember that prevention is always better than cure.
I understand maintaining a healthy lifestyle is sometimes difficult. But, if you make psychological changes and believe these choices to be better than long medical bills and unbearable pain and suffering, then you will surely be able to sustain this lifestyle modification. If you have any heart-health-related questions, then feel free to contact me. Visit Contact Us for contact details
