You May Not Know Everything About Cholesterol: 5 Important Things

Sometimes when we are diagnosed with cholesterol we get a surprise. How can I get my levels elevated if I eat properly and am not overweight?

To this day, many people still have misconceptions about this disease. Cholesterol does not appear only in people with high weight, nor does it appear when we are already a certain age.

This silent enemy of our heart appears when you least expect it. The worst thing about all this is that we do not perceive it, since it does not offer obvious symptoms until the first warning arrives : heart failure, a heart attack …

It is necessary that we establish periodic reviews with our doctor. It doesn’t matter if we are 20, 40 or 60 years old. Because prevention is life, because being informed is having tools with which to manage these diseases.

We cannot forget that the number one cause of death today is still heart disease and complications. Let us know a series of data that will be of help to us.

1. Where does cholesterol come from?

We are very used to hearing the word “cholesterol” with fear. But what is it really? Where does it come from?

• We must know that cholesterol is not bad. Its excess is counterproductive, but this type of fat is essential for the formation of cells in our body.
• By the time those production levels are exceeded, it must be stored somewhere. Our arteries are, for example, that preferred “storage area” and, consequently, the most dangerous.
• In turn, cholesterol is also formed in the liver. Which causes a small problem: we also contribute our share of cholesterol by obtaining it through food.

In other words, our body obtains cholesterol in two ways : through the liver and from those “unhealthy” foods that we like so much.

It is necessary that we begin to control the consumption of those foods that raise our cholesterol level. This information is also recommended in children.

2. “Good” and “Bad” Cholesterol

We also hear it very often: good and bad cholesterol. The key is to maintain a proper balance between the two and, above all, to never exceed the 200 mg / dl line. Let’s see in detail what this distinction between the two types means:

• Good cholesterol (HDL) is responsible for “dragging” cholesterol from the arteries to the liver to be eliminated. So, if in your case this level is a little higher, there is no risk. It is positive as long as, yes, the bad never reaches 200 mg / dl.

• Bad cholesterol (LDL) is responsible for transporting cholesterol from the liver to the organs. It is an adequate task, because what it seeks is to repair the membranes of the cells. However, the problem comes when there is an excess. Because, in this case, what it will do is “accumulate”.

3. The genetic component

Familial hypercholesterolemia is a reality that we cannot neglect. We are talking about a disease that is transmitted from parents to children and that can cause, for example, a person to suffer a heart attack at a very young age.

It is not something anecdotal, but a reality of great relevance that we should consult with our doctor in case our parents suffer from high cholesterol.

• Familial hypercholesterolemia is due to a defect on chromosome 19. This small “alteration” causes our body to be unable to eliminate bad cholesterol or LDL from the blood, to the point of accumulating large amounts.

• It can also make it not so easy for us to reduce your levels. There is some resistance. However, the medication will offer us a good result.
• This disease can cause a person under 40 to have a heart attack. If we do not get regular tests, it can advance in a lethal way without us noticing.

4. Plant sterols and cholesterol

Some people think that by consuming the classic preparations based on plant sterols that they offer us in the food market, we will be able to end the problem. We must be clear: plant sterols help, but they are not the solution.

In the “white paper on plant sterols” they tell us that consuming between 1.5 and 2.4 grams of these elements a day helps us reduce blood cholesterol levels between 7% and 10% after three weeks .

Thus, to achieve a proper balance in our cholesterol levels we have to implement more strategies.

5. Sometimes a good diet is not enough

Increasing the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables will not be enough if, for example, we continue to smoke. And reducing the amount of sugar or saturated fat will not be enough if our weight is still high.

Let’s think that, when the cholesterol plaques have already hardened our arteries, we need many more strategies to regain that internal balance. Sports, staying active and changing some habits should be added to a good diet.

Quitting smoking, leading a more active life and knowing, for example, how many calories we should consume according to our physical activity and our body is essential. Do not hesitate to consult these topics with your doctor. Taking care of your cholesterol is life. Do not procrastinate.