How to Lower Your Cholesterol by Catherine Edison - HTML preview

The Deadliest Excess Substance That Could Form In The Body

The sustenance of outer membrane cells in every vertebrate requires cholesterol. It helps in blood circulation to the tissues of the body and blood plasma carried as alcohol and fatty lipids (steroids). Proper maintenance of cholesterol levels is necessary for unhindered flow of blood and plasma. The required levels of cholesterol should be maintained and should not be exceeded.

Nowadays fast foods and highway eateries are taking over the food market. Hence there needs to be awareness about intake of additional or unwanted cholesterol that can affect the health of the present generation adversely.

First of all proper, awareness on the working of cholesterol and its effects on the metabolic process of the human body are necessary before knowing how to eliminate it. “Bad cholesterol” refers to low density lipoproteins. Lipoproteins are the carrier molecules. LDL can deposit cholesterol on the artery walls increasing its thickness and thus obstructing normal passage of blood. This causes arthrosclerosis. On the other hand, high density lipoproteins are the “good cholesterols”.

The various functions of good cholesterol includes manufacturing of bile, anti-oxidants, digestion of fats that are essential for the function of vitamins like vitamin A, D, E and K which are fat soluble. These vitamins help in various metabolic processes of the reproductive organs starting from puberty onwards right up until old age that depend on estrogen levels in the body.

The good cholesterol in our body comes from two sources:

1. Almost 75% that is three fourths of the required good cholesterol is produced in the body itself in the tissues of various organs like liver, reproductive organs central nervous system including the spinal chord and the brain, atheroma and adrenal gland. Any degenerative change in the atheroma can cause the development of coronary artery disease and atherosclerotic plaques that can cause a hindrance to the flow of blood. This sudden clogging of the arteries can affect the flow of blood to and from the heart resulting in heart attacks that can even be fatal.
2. The rest of the cholesterol that is 25% comes from external sources. Hence one must be aware of what they eat and maintain a proper diet. Animal meat, dairy products and egg yolk contain large amounts of cholesterol cholesterol. The amount of this cholesterol intake must be carefully monitored as even a small excess in this can cause an imbalance of cholesterol levels in the body.

The cholesterol more than the required 25%, that is, the idle cholesterol can be lowered by:

• Using non-saturated cooking oils that can reduce the intake of fats. The healthiest oil containing non-saturated fats is olive oil which is a palm oil. Others such as coconut oil contain highly saturated fats. Eating fruits and vegetables with high fiber content, taking low sodium content foods and complex carbohydrates can greatly reduce cholesterol levels of the body. Soybeans, nuts, corn, wheat, legumes and staple cereals are some of the best cholesterol reducing food stuffs.
• Eating in restaurants and fast food joints should be avoided as they contain high sodium content foods and saturated fats. Alcohol can also cause increase in cholesterol levels and should be avoided.
• Omega-3 acids found in mackerel, Salmon, some species of tuna and deep sea fishes help in decreasing levels of idle cholesterol in the body.

Medicines including reductase inhibitors such as HMG-COA, atorvastatin (Liptor) and lovastatin (Mevacor) which are statins can be taken to effective reduce LDL but only with the guidance of a physician.