{"id":2974,"date":"2022-09-07T12:19:23","date_gmt":"2022-09-07T06:49:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.myhealthvectors.com\/?p=2974"},"modified":"2025-04-11T16:58:31","modified_gmt":"2025-04-11T11:28:31","slug":"all-you-need-to-know-cholesterol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/all-you-need-to-know-cholesterol\/","title":{"rendered":"All you need to know- Cholesterol"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

What is Cholesterol? <\/strong>
*Cholesterol is a substance made in the liver that\u2019s vital to human life.
*Cholesterol is also in foods, such as meat and dairy, so if you eat a lot of these foods, your cholesterol levels may become too high.
*In our bodies, cholesterol serves three main purposes:
a) It aids in the production of hormones
b) It\u2019s a building block for human tissues.
c) It assists in bile production in the liver.
*These are important functions, all dependent on the presence of cholesterol.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Types of Cholesterol <\/strong>
There are different types of cholesterol\u00a0that can impact your health.\u00a0
When people talk about cholesterol, they\u00a0often use the terms \u201cLDL and HDL.\u201d\u00a0
Both are\u00a0lipoproteins, which are\u00a0compounds made of fat and protein that\u00a0are responsible for carrying cholesterol\u00a0throughout your body in the blood.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein)\u00a0 <\/strong>
LDL is often called the \"BAD\" cholesterol. It is called so,\u00a0because too much of it can lead to the hardening of the\u00a0arteries.\u00a0
According to the\u00a0American Heart Association (AHA), LDL\u00a0leads to plaque accumulation on the walls of your\u00a0arteries.
This plaque build up can cause two separate and equally\u00a0bad issues.
One, it can narrow your blood vessels, straining the flow\u00a0of oxygen-rich blood throughout your body.\u00a0
Two, it can lead to\u00a0blood clots, which can break loose\u00a0and block the flow of blood, causing a heart attack or\u00a0stroke.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

HDL (High Density Lipoprotein)\u200b <\/strong>
HDL is the \"GOOD\" cholesterol. It is called so\u00a0because it helps to keep your cardiovascular\u00a0system healthy.\u00a0
\u00a0It actually aids in the removal of LDL from the\u00a0arteries.
It carries the bad cholesterol back to your liver,\u00a0where it\u2019s broken down and eliminated from your\u00a0body.
High levels of HDL have also been shown to\u00a0protect against\u00a0stroke\u00a0and\u00a0heart attack, while low\u00a0HDL has been shown to increase those risks.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Triglycerides\u200b<\/strong>
Triglycerides are another type of fat in your blood. Like cholesterol, too much is a bad thing.
High triglycerides usually accompany high\u00a0cholesterol and are associated with an\u00a0increased risk of heart disease.\u00a0
Doctors generally weigh the importance of\u00a0your triglyceride count against other\u00a0measurements, like obesity, cholesterol\u00a0levels, and more.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"Two<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Screening <\/strong>
The screening for cholesterol involves a simple blood test\u00a0called a \"Lipid Profile\"\u00a0
Before the test, you should not eat or drink for up to 12\u00a0hours.\u00a0
The test will help doctors determine your levels of HDL,\u00a0LDL, and triglycerides.\u00a0
Measuring these types of cholesterol can help determine\u00a0if you need to make lifestyle changes to try to normalize\u00a0these levels.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Know your Numbers <\/strong>
According to the American Heart Association, the following are the age-wise recommended cholesterol levels<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"A<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Causes of High Cholesterol <\/strong>
Lifestyle factors can cause high cholesterol.\u00a0These factors can include;
*Obesity
*A diet high in red meat, full-fat dairy products, saturated fats, trans fats, and processed foods
*A large waist circumference (over 40 inches for men or over 35 inches for women)
*Lack of regular exercise<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Causes of High Cholesterol\u200b <\/strong>
Stress can contribute to high\u00a0cholesterol.\u00a0Unmanaged stress may lead to\u00a0behaviors that can increase LDL and total\u00a0cholesterol, such as:
*Overeating fatty foods
*Inactivity
*Increased smoking
A review showed that smokers typically have\u00a0low HDL (good cholesterol)levels compared to\u00a0nonsmokers. Research shows that quitting\u00a0smoking can increase HDL levels.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Causes of High Cholesterol <\/strong>
Another cause is inherited high LDL. This condition is called familial hypercholesterolemia (FH).
FH is caused by a genetic mutation that\u00a0affects the ability of a person\u2019s liver to\u00a0get rid of extra LDL cholesterol. This may\u00a0lead to high LDL levels and an increased\u00a0risk of heart attack and stroke at a young\u00a0age.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"An<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Treatment of High Cholesterol <\/strong>
Generally, a doctor recommends lifestyle\u00a0changes to treat high cholesterol. These\u00a0changes\u00a0include;
*Quit smoking, if you do
*Consume a nutritious balanced diet
*Regular physical activity
*Quit\/ reduce alcohol intake
*Reduce stress
*Maintain moderate weight<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Treatment of High Cholesterol <\/strong>
Sometimes lifestyle changes are not enough,\u00a0especially in cases of individuals\u00a0with FH.\u00a0
Such\u00a0individuals\u00a0are recommended\u00a0medicines called 'Statins' to\u00a0help the liver\u00a0get rid of cholesterol.\u00a0
Medications and supplements to reduce\u00a0triglyceride levels may also be used, such\u00a0as\u00a0omega-3 fatty acids and fibrates.\u00a0
Fibrates are medications to help lower\u00a0triglyceride levels and increase the levels of\u00a0high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"Neatly<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Foods to Eat<\/strong>
The American Heart Association recommends to eating these foods to help\u00a0lower total cholesterol and increase HDL.
Fresh fruits and vegetables
*Whole grains
*Lean protein like chicken, egg whites\u00a0
*Lean cuts of red meat
*Fatty fish like tuna, mackerel, sardines salmon etc.\u00a0
*Unsalted nuts and seeds
*Pulses and legumes
*Vegetable oil<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Foods to Avoid <\/strong>
Avoid consumption of these foods as they can\u00a0increase LDL.
Fatty red meat
Fried Foods
Full fat dairy\u00a0
Foods\u00a0made with trans fats like vanaspati and\u00a0margarine<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

\"A<\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Prevention <\/strong>
You\u2019re never too young to start thinking about preventing high\u00a0cholesterol. Eating a balanced, nutritious diet is an important\u00a0first step. Other changes you can do include;
*Opt for tomato-based gravy, instead of cream-based ones.
*Try and eat 2 servings of fish per week.
*Swap that soda for a glass of lime water or plain water
*Use healthier cooking methods like roasting, grilling, steaming etc.\u00a0
*Try to fit in at least 30 minutes of exercise daily. Walking, swimming, or riding a bike are great options.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Disclaimer:\u00a0<\/strong>The advice\u00a0provided is intended for informational purpose\u00a0only\u00a0and\u00a0does\u00a0not\u00a0substitute\u00a0for professional medical\u00a0advice.\u00a0\u00a0Consult\u00a0with\u00a0your\u00a0doctor\u00a0if\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0seeking\u00a0medical advice, diagnoses,\u00a0or\u00a0treatment.\u200b<\/p>\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What is Cholesterol? *Cholesterol is a substance made in the liver that\u2019s vital to human life. *Cholesterol is also in foods, such as meat and dairy, so if you eat a lot of these foods, your cholesterol levels may become too high. *In our bodies, cholesterol serves three main purposes: a) It aids in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":5228,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2974","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2974","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2974"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2974\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5228"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2974"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2974"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthvectors.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2974"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}