Getting to know Cholesterol

28 May

Posted by Business Twins as Health & Fitness

Are you victim of high cholesterol? Is lowing your cholesterol level a goal of yours? The first thing you need to know is: What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a substance made in the liver which is sort of waxy and fatty like. It is found in certain foods ranging from animals, dairy products (whole milk), eggs and meat. Your body needs some cholesterol to function properly. Your body’s cell walls/membranes, need cholesterol to produce hormones, vitamin D and bile acids to help digest fat. But, you only need small amounts of cholesterol to fulfill your body’s daily needs. If you intake to much, certain health problems may develop such as coronary heart disease.

When to much cholesterol is present in the body, you have plaque (a think hard deposit) which starts to line the walls of your arteries. This is a serious problem, because it narrows the space for blood to flow to your heart. Over time, the plaque build up causes atherosclerosis which is the hardening of the arteries. This can lead to heart disease.

With plaque limiting the blood flow to your heart, this limits the amount of oxygen-carrying blood that reaches your heart, which can cause chest pain (also known as angina). A heart attack occurs if the blood supply to a portion of your heart is completely cut off by total blockage of a coronary artery. This is usually from a closure from a blood clot forming on the top of previous clots.

Types of Cholesterol

Lipoprotein is a protein that cholesterol attaches when flowing through blood. Lipoproteins can be classified as high density, low density, or very low density, depending on how much protein there is in relation to fat.
Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL): this is also called the “bad” cholesterol, which can cause the plaque buildup on the walls of your arteries. The more LDL that is present in the blood, the greater the risk of heart disease.
High Density Lipoproteins (HDL): this is also called the “good” cholesterol. This helps your body get rid of your bad cholesterol present in the blood. Higher levels of HDL cholesterol the better. If you have low levels of HDL your chances of heart disease is increased.
Very Low Density Lipoproteins (VLDL): these are similar to LDL cholesterol, because they contain higher levels of fat and not much protein.
Triglycerides: This is another type of fat that is carried in the blood by very low density lipoproteins. Excess alcohol, sugar, or calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells throughout the body.

What Affect Cholesterol Levels?
Many things can affect your cholesterol levels. These include:

Diet: Try to decrease the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol you eat in meals, as these can increase your cholesterol levels
Weight: Not only does weight increase your chances for heart disease, but being overweight can increase your cholesterol. By losing weight you can help your low density lipoproteins (LDL) and total cholesterol levels, as well as increase your high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
Exercise: You should always try to exercise or be physically active for at least 30 minutes everyday. Daily exercise can lower your LDL cholesterol and raise your HDL cholesterol.
Age/Gender: Face it, when we get older our cholesterol levels will rise. Before menopause women often have lower total cholesterol levels than compared to men who are the same age. But, after menopause women’s LDL levels are usually hire.
Diabetes: If you have diabetes and it is poorly controlled you have a chance in increased cholesterol levels. By maintaining or controlling your diabetes, your cholesterol levels can decrease.
Heredity: High blood cholesterol can run in families. Genes can partially determine how much cholesterol your body produces.
Other Causes: Certain medications and medical conditions can cause high cholesterol.