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He has not enjoyed a good reputation for a long time. Mainly associated with a fatty diet and old age. He lulled our vigilance and more and more boldly seizes the arteries of young, often thin people. And it is a deadly threat to them.
We usually know so much about cholesterol that it causes many serious diseases. The question of high cholesterol even appears in advertisements. Only that their heroes are always cheerful seniors with heads flecked with gray. In commercials, active young people can at most have … dandruff. Their audience is feeling fine, so they have no reason to look for diseases and do research. And it turns out that every third Pole between the ages of 18 and 34 has too high a total cholesterol level. And the vast majority do not know about it, allowing the disease to develop freely. High cholesterol does not hurt and causes accelerated development of atherosclerosis. Its consequence is, among others high blood pressure, ischemic heart disease, strokes and heart attacks.
Not only evil itself
Cholesterol is actually a very beneficial and necessary compound for the functioning of the body. It is a building block of cell membranes, is involved in the production of hormones, bile acids, and enables the absorption of vitamin D. It ensures the smooth functioning of nerve cells. The main source of cholesterol is … our body. The one produced in the body fully meets our needs and there is no need for it to be supplied with the diet. But high blood levels are a major risk factor for vascular and heart disease. As much as 60-80% of this compound is produced by the liver (it is endogenous cholesterol), and only about 20-40% is supplied with the diet. When we eat foods rich in cholesterol, we deliver more cholesterol than our body can use for its needs.
Good and no
Cholesterol has two faces. The so-called “Bad” cholesterol (LDL) “likes” to build up in the walls of your arteries. If levels in the body are high, excess amounts form deposits (called plaques). The result is a narrowing of the coronary arteries, which do not get enough blood and oxygen to the heart. On the other hand, the “good” (HDL) collects its excess and transfers it to the liver, which produces bile acids from it. Atherosclerosis begins to develop if there is no balance between the supply and discharge of cholesterol. This disease often leads to heart attack and stroke.
Where does the problem in young people come from
Most of the patients affected by the problem of too high cholesterol are men over 45 (the result of many years of improper diet and sedentary lifestyle) and postmenopausal women (when they are no longer under the protection of hormones). However, more and more often the problem appears in younger people. The factors favoring them include: – a high-fat, low-fiber diet. The most important factors influencing cholesterol disorders are fatty products of animal origin: offal, meat, sausages, fatty milk and all those containing large amounts of saturated fatty acids (e.g. confectionery, sweets) and highly processed products. Vegetable products, even those high in fat, do not contain it.
— nicotine – narrows and damages the walls of arteries, making the body hypoxic. Smoking cigarettes leads to hypoxia of the heart muscle, as well as to ischemia of blood vessels, which in turn accelerates atherosclerosis. The elimination of nicotine and other toxins is a great relief for the heart and bloodstream, as well as for other organs of the body.
– overweight and obesity, with which as many as 47% of Poles struggle. High blood cholesterol is often found in overweight and obese people and constitutes the so-called metabolic syndrome.
– Diabetes mellitus in which the same cholesterol levels are much more dangerous than in a person without the disease.
– lack of physical activity. It promotes cholesterol, while high activity helps to fight the existing one.
— malfunction of the thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism causes an increase in the level of cholesterol, hyperthyroidism – a decrease in its level.
— chronic diseasese.g. cholestasis (cholestasis in the body – obstruction of the secretion of bile into the bile duct, kidney problems.
Is that my problem?
Each of these factors causes cholesterol levels to run out of control and rise dangerously, without causing any disturbing symptoms for a very long time. Therefore, without waiting for dangerous effects, it is better to control it. The visible symptoms of high cholesterol are the so-called Cholesterol yellows – white-yellow raised spots that form in some people at the corners of the eyes, eyelids, elbows, knees, and Achilles tendons – but they mainly occur in people with inherited lipid disorders. Obesity is often another feature that is clearly visible.
Watch more at OnetVOD: Nuts lower cholesterol
It’s family with us
The tendency to this ailment can also be obtained through a genetic dowry. Congenital excess cholesterol (or familial hypercholesterolaemia) is a genetic predisposition for cholesterol levels that are too high. Usually these are defects in the enzymes responsible for the proper metabolism of lipids.
With congenital excess cholesterol, the genetic defect is the inappropriate use of cholesterol in the tissues, and as a result, LDL (“bad cholesterol”) fractions begin to build up in the walls of the blood vessels. Additionally, the liver produces an excessive amount of them. Characteristically, atherosclerotic lesions develop at an early age; a heart attack or stroke can even affect a young person.
However, before we start blaming genes (because many people in the family take cholesterol tablets and there have been strokes or heart attacks in the family), we first need to look at another inclination, also usually passed on from home: improper nutrition. In the case of hypercholesterolaemia, therapy is mainly based on reducing the level of fat in the blood by various methods, because the cause cannot be eliminated.
A little revolution and big changes
Whether it is possible to tame a dangerous opponent will be determined primarily by the change of preferences and habits. What “cures” high cholesterol?
— Movement. A simple cheap cure not only for problems with clogged arteries. It is enough to exercise regularly 3 times a week for 30 minutes to improve the patency of the vessels and reduce the harmful effects of cholesterol. The body, and therefore the circulatory system, regenerates faster and frees from toxins. Movement also makes it easier to lose unnecessary kilograms, which additionally helps lower cholesterol. People who regularly visit the swimming pool, gym, pedal on a bicycle or walk with poles have almost half the risk of coronary heart disease, but also – importantly – better cope with stress, which is sometimes the culprit of high cholesterol.
– Good diet is your second ally. When you sit down at the table, you just need to know 5 simple rules:
1. Vegetable instead of animal fats. Vegetarians are much less likely to have a problem with high cholesterol. Instead of lard and butter, use soft margarine and oils. They are a source of omega-3 fatty acids, which lower the level of LDL cholesterol and at the same time increase the level of HDL in the blood. Oils rich in omega-3s include linseed and rapeseed oil. Since margarine is not equal to margarine, it is worth reading its composition on the package: the less saturated fat, the better.
Look for sterols. The sterols present in some plants are compounds similar in structure to cholesterol. They can displace it from the so-called micelles that absorb cholesterol. As a result, the body absorbs less of this fatty substance from food. Sterols only lower LDL levels. Sources of sterols: vegetable oils (soybean, sunflower), nuts, almonds. Small amounts are found in beetroot, asparagus, cauliflower, figs, and some soft margarines. Some dietary supplements also contain them.
2. More fish than meat. The idea is to eat fish more often and meat less often (if anything, then lean, baked and boiled, not fried). Fish, especially marine fish, are rich in omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids, which help to return cholesterol values to normal.
3. More vegetables and fruits. Five servings a day, preferably raw and steamed briefly.
4. Less “ready”: processed and ready-made meals, sweets, crisps, junk food, confectionery, as they are a source of trans fatty acids. Replace them with dried fruit and light cakes baked at home.
5. Certain dietary compounds or consumed as supplements may lower LDL cholesterol. These include soybeans, red rice, nuts, and green tea.
Can be cured
Changing your lifestyle is always necessary. Sometimes it is a sufficient measure, and sometimes it is only a supportive measure. If lifestyle changes and dieting are not successful within 6-12 months, or your cholesterol is very high, consider starting medication. This is the case, for example, in people with a genetically determined high concentration of this substance. These drugs must also be taken after a heart attack, in diabetes. And you have to remember that although improvement may come after a few weeks, the change in lifestyle must be “forever”.
Keep in check
It is worth checking your cholesterol levels regularly. The test should be performed for the first time at the age of 20 and if the result is correct, the test is repeated every 5 years, and more often for people with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (smoking, hypertension, family history of heart disease) – every year. In order to assess the risk of heart and circulatory system diseases and to check whether we have any related diseases, a test called a lipidogram is performed. It includes a total cholesterol test, good HDL cholesterol and bad LDL cholesterol, and a triglyceride test. The test also measures the ratio of total cholesterol to good HDL.
In order to take care of the correct cholesterol level, it is worth reaching for herbal teas, such as Green Tea Matcha Lemon Bio Yogi Tea with the addition of lime, licorice and mint. You will find it at a favorable price on Medonet Market.
Lipid abnormalities (in adults)
Hypercholesterolaemia – total cholesterol – TC (total cholesterol) ≥5 mmol / L (≥190 mg / dL) and / or LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) ≥3,0 mmol / L (≥115 mg / dL),
Hypertriglyceridaemia – triglyceride (TG) concentration ≥1,7 mmol / l (≥150 mg / dl),
Low HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) – HDL-C level <1mmol / L (40 mg / dL) in men and <1,2 mmol / L (<45 mg / dL)