Healthy Life Means Healthy Cholesterol

For an average person, all Cholesterol is commonly thought to be very bad; however, it is an extremely vital molecule for the body and serves many other purposes other than causing heart diseases. Cholesterol is a thick, waxy substance that is found wedged between the phospholipid bilayer in cells and helps to stabilize the cell membrane. It is also found in the bloodstream and is carried by lipoproteins, which are lined on the inside with fat and the outside with proteins. There are two types of lipoproteins that carry cholesterol, low density lipoproteins (LDL) and high density lipoproteins (HDL). High density lipoproteins are said to be good for a person because it transports cholesterol to the liver, that then disposes of it properly. Low density lipoproteins are said to be bad for the body because they clog up arteries which leads to other artery issues. Although one type of cholesterol is said to be bad for a person and one is said to be good, both are needed in appropriate amounts for the proper function of the body.

Even though two types of cholesterol exist, the focus of this article will be on Low density lipoproteins, also known as bad cholesterol. There are many things that can cause the increase of bad cholesterol, some of which are listed below.

• Obesity- being overweight increases fats in the body (triglycerides) which intern reduces the amount of HDL (good) cholesterol.

• Physical Exercise- the amount of exercise you get significantly impacts how much cholesterol you have. The less you exercise, the more build of LDL cholesterol in your body.

• Age- age is also a factor because after the age of 20, the boy naturally increases in cholesterol.

• Gender- men generally have a higher cholesterol than women.

• Habits- your daily habits can significantly affect your cholesterol. What types of foods you eat, whether you smoke or not, if you drink alcohol, can all have an impact on your HDL cholesterol.

There are many effects of LDL cholesterol that can pose a potential threat to a person’s health. Again, some of these effects are listed below.

• Stroke- when cholesterol builds up in the arteries, blood and oxygen going to the brain becomes scarce. With limited oxygen going to the brain, cells don’t receive the adequate amount of oxygen they need to survive. When brain cells die, strokes are caused.

• Intestinal ischemic syndrome- when the arteries that transport blood to the stomach and kidneys are clogged up. This can lead to abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea and other painful symptoms.

• Heart Attack- When blood flow to a particular section of the heart is low, which can lead to a heart attack. When the heart muscle begins to die, permanent damage or death can occur.

These effects are common with people who have high LDL cholesterol. Even though these symptoms are life threatening, there are a few ways to reduce the risk of them happening. Start by making adjustments to your diet. Saturated fats raise LDL cholesterol, so you want to minimize the amount of saturated fats you eat. SF include red meats and dairy products. Less than 7% of your total daily calories should come from saturated fats. A few other diet adjustments you could make are eliminating trans fats, eating omega 3 fatty acid rich food, and eating more soluble fibers. Another way you can reduce LDL cholesterol is exercising daily. Exercising can significantly raise your HDL cholesterol. Activities include taking walks after lunch, riding a bike, playing any sports or doing pushups. There are many other activities that can increase your HDL cholesterol, not just the ones listed above. One final way to reduce LDL cholesterol is to quit smoking. When smokers quit, their blood pressure immediately drops and the benefits just keep flooding in after that. It reduces chances of heart attack, strokes and other symptoms mentioned above. Although these ways aren’t the only ways to reduce LDL cholesterol, they are some of the best ways.

Cholesterol has been affecting millions of people globally and with obesity growing in the U.S. at such a quick rate, the end is far. However, there are many things a person can do to prevent themselves from having high LDL cholesterol. Eating right, exercising and quitting damaging habits is only the start for a better lifestyle. Remember, change begins with you, and then eventually spreads to others.

Works Cited

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/PreventionTreatmentofHighCholesterol/Common-Misconceptions-about-Cholesterol_UCM_305638_Article.jsp#.V83eW5grLIV

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Steroid

http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/tc/high-cholesterol-cause

http://www.healthline.com/health/cholesterol/effects-on-body

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hbc

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/reduce-cholesterol/art-20045935

http://exygon.com/lower-cholesterol-exercise/