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Know Your Cholesterol

 

Current lifestyle and health risk factors for the young Indian population makes awareness about cholesterol vital for every individual today. An excess of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood are recognized as a risk factor for heart disease and stroke and artherosclerotic vascular disease.

 

 

Did you know?

 

*   Cholesterol is a waxy, yellowish substance produced by the liver.

 

*   It is not technically a fat.

     

*   It is a normal and necessary part of most body tissues, including cell membranes, the brain, nervous system, liver and the blood.

     

*   Cholesterol is produced in the liver.

     

*   The liver produces up to one and a half grams of cholesterol daily to meet the body’s needs.

     

 

 

 

*   Cholesterol does not dissolve in blood and hence needs to be transported through the blood stream by means of a carrier called “Lipoproteins”.

 

*   Lipoproteins consist of an outer coat of protein that wraps around a core of cholesterol and triglycerides, a type of fat.

 

 

 

Good and Bad Cholesterol

 There are two major types of lipoproteins that carry cholesterol in the blood:  

High-density lipoprotein (HDL)

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)

 

HDL works to rid the body of excess cholesterol, thereby reducing the amount of cholesterol that is deposited on the blood-vessel walls, it is sometimes called “good cholesterol”.

 

LDL carries cholesterol from the liver to other body tissues, depositing excess cholesterol on the walls of arteries, thus clogging the arteries- a condition called artherosclerosis - and leads to the development of heart disease and stroke. Hence LDL is termed as “bad cholesterol”.

 

What causes high cholesterol condition?

 

An excess of cholesterol can result from a variety of causes. Primary among them is a diet high in cholesterol/saturated fats. All foods that are derived from plants are free of cholesterol, although some foods like coconut and palm oil are high in saturated fats.

  

Some people may have high cholesterol because of an inherited defect in fat metabolism that causes very high cholesterol to be circulating in the blood.

  

 

So, how much should my cholesterol levels measure?

 

Your doctor will want to know:

 

*  1. The level of triglycerides in your blood stream

 

*  2. Your TOTAL cholesterol level (HDL & LDL)

     

*  3. The ratio of your HDL (good cholesterol) to LDL (bad cholesterol), which is more important in determining your risk for heart disease and stroke.

 

Total Cholesterol level of less than 200mg/dL of blood is considered safe and desirable for the body.

 

HDL levels should be ideally over 60. If this good cholesterol is lower than 35mg/dL, it is a cause enough for alarm.





 

 

Latest recommendations!

 

 

LDL levels should ideally be below 100 -- a significant reduction from previous recommendations of 120 to 130.

 

By this latest recommendation more people who are at risk, can be detected early for intervention.

 

 

  

How should I interpret my cholesterol levels?

 

You will know your cholesterol levels through a blood test, which should be repeated annually, so you know if you are doing things right to keep yourself healthy. Your doctor will help you with interpreting your blood test results, keeping in mind your overall health, your family history and your current lifestyle.

 

In general, high blood levels of total cholesterol are associated with an increased risk of heart disease. However, a person's actual risk also depends on the proportions of LDL and HDL in the blood. Your risk of developing heart disease is increased if you have either

 

(1)   A high LDL level

(2)   A low HDL level, or

(3)   A high LDL-to-HDL ratio.

 

A combination of a low level of HDL, a high level of LDL, coupled with risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, means a 6-fold increase in your risk for heart disease. Smoking increases your risk by 20 times!

 

What is the treatment for high cholesterol?

 The first measure your doctor will recommend would be dietary changes and advice to lose weight if that is an issue in your case. As a start adopt the following dietary changes:

 

-         Reduce your daily intake of saturated fats such as butter, ghee. Instead, use oils that are rich in polyunsaturated fats such as refined sunflower or safflour oil.

-         Cut down your consumption of red meats and include lean meats in your diet.

-         Eat a diet that is rich in fiber.

-         Consume fruits, dark green vegetables, as they are rich in anti-oxidants that reduce the amount of cholesterol circulating in your blood.

-         Add garlic and onions to your diet. Just 4gms of garlic a day has been shown to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides levels in your blood.

 

Medications are very effective in reducing cholesterol levels. Establish a communicative relationship with your doctor and be sure to talk to your doctor about your condition, your concerns, the medications you are taking, and the remedial lifestyle modifications recommended for you.

 

Changing your lifestyle is hard. Begin with small changes that you can manage and see for yourself how it improves your cholesterol levels.

 

 

      Can High Cholesterol Be Prevented?

     

*   The first preventive measure you can adopt is to check your cholesterol levels annually. You can’t manage your cholesterol if you don’t know what it is.

*   Eat a low fat, high fiber diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

*   Obesity has been associated with low levels of HDL, the good cholesterol. If you need to lose weight, do it now so you can shift the ratio of HDL to LDL in your favor.

*   Adopt an exercise program and stick to it. It can cut your risk of artherosclerosis by 50%. AS little as 30 minutes of aerobic activity like brisk walking, 3-5 times a week is enough to make a real difference to your health.

*   Avoid caffeine in large amounts as it increases the amount of cholesterol circulating in your bloodstream.

*   If you must drink, exercise moderation in your consumption of alcohol

*   Don’t smoke. It increases the development of deposits of cholesterol in the large arteries.