Understanding Cholesterol

Understanding Cholesterol
By Steve Dolan

Cholesterol and General Health

Despite the common perception, only a small percent of
cholesterol is obtained through food. The liver creates most
cholesterol; however, the more saturated fats a person eats, the
more his or her body makes.

Although this fatty substance is necessary, excess production
of can also cause problems for your body. The extra
cholesterol spills out and circulates into your bloodstream. It
is an elevated level of in a person’s blood that
causes clogging of blood vessels, thus increasing the risks
heart disease or stroke.

Cholesterol helps your body in any number of ways. A person’s
body needs for daily functions, such as producing
healthy cell walls, creating hormones, and making vitamin D. It
also produces bile acids that help in the digestion of fat.

Cholesterol comes from animal-based food like dairy products,
eggs or meat. The two types of are low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) - bad cholesterol, and high-density
lipoprotein (HDL) - good cholesterol. LDL causes the clogging of
blood vessels. HDL helps clear LDL out of your bloodstream,
thereby reducing the risks of heart disease.

Understanding Food Types and Blood Cholesterol 

Saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are three
types of fats found in food. Each type of dietary fat affects a
person’s in different ways. For instance, saturated
fats are those found in beef, lamb, pork, and other red meat
products. Excessive saturated fats in the body can be dangerous
to your health.

Monounsaturated fats are those found in plant oils, such as
canola, peanut and olive. Polyunsaturated fats, such as omega-3
fat, can help in slowing down blood clots and fight heart
disease. They are found in fishes and plant oils, such as
soybean, corn, safflower and sunflower.

Since all kinds of fats are sources of calories, they can all
contribute to weight gain. However, consuming too much saturated
fat is harmful to your body because it is the main cause of high
cholesterol levels in the blood. Be aware that the more
saturated fats you eat, the more your body produces,
which eventually end up in your bloodstream.

In lowering blood cholesterol, substituting saturated fats with
monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can help by getting rid
of newly formed in the body. For this reason, people
with high levels of blood cholesterol, (especially LDL), need to
improve their eating habits to ensure that the right kind of fat
enters their bodies.

The Effects of Bad

There are basically two things you can do to prevent the build
up of bad

Metabolic syndrome predicts kidney disease (Reuters)
Reuters - Having the so-called metabolic syndrome may raise the risk of chronic kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes, researchers from China report.
TriLipix Approved to Help Lower Cholesterol (HealthDay)
HealthDay - TUESDAY, Dec. 16 (HealthDay News) -- The Abbott Laboratories drug TriLipix (fenofibric acid) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help lower cholesterol.
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HealthDay - MONDAY, Dec. 8 (HealthDay News) -- An international research team that screened the genes of more than 40,000 people has identified 11 more regions that govern levels of blood fats such as LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
Mediterranean Diet Enriched With Nuts Cuts Heart Risks (HealthDay)
HealthDay - MONDAY, Dec. 8 (HealthDay News) -- In older adults at risk for heart disease, a Mediterranean diet plus daily servings of mixed nuts may help manage metabolic syndrome, according to a Spanish study.
Scientists find nutty risk reducer: Eat more nuts (AP)
AP - Here's a health tip in a nutshell: Eating a handful of nuts a day for a year — along with a Mediterranean diet rich in fruit, vegetables and fish — may help undo a collection of risk factors for heart disease.

in your body. One is to eat food low in
bad and elevated in vitamins and natural nutrients
and two, exercise daily. So what types of food are good for
lower levels in the blood? Foods high in
antioxidants and fiber are the types of foods you should be
looking for.

These include fruit and vegetables, oatmeal and many more of
similar types. Foods to stay away from are those considered as
being fatty. Basically most fast food restaurants cook their
meals using an exorbitant amount of oil. Yes, it does taste
great, but so do bananas, grapes and pears. Maybe next time you
having a craving for a nice juicy steak, why not go down to the
local fruit market instead and pick out a new exotic fruit that
you have never tried before, you might be surprised!

If you are unsure about whether you have a too much level of
bad in your blood then you should go down to your
local GP and be tested. It only takes a couple of minutes, and
it might save your life!

Bad is something that has gripped our fast food
hamburger nation. We are on the verge of total disaster in terms
of unhealthy eating. More kids today are considered obese
because of the eating habits taught to them at an early age. Bad
cholesterol rates are rising amongst the youth of today and
strangely we are seeing cases of heart disease in people in
their early 30's. This can only be because of the level of bad
cholesterol in the types of food we are eating today.

Perhaps the easiest way to start is with the parents and
guardians who are setting the example for their children. There
are many families out there who practically live off French
fries and hamburgers. If we can get those families to reduce the
number of times they visit a fast food restaurant by one time in
a week, then we will go a long way to reduce the fast climbing
rate of bad in the people of our country.

If we as a nation are ever going to get out of our fast food,
sugar loving mindset, we need to start with our kids. There are
multiple schools today who are putting in place new healthier
menus in their cafeterias. Is there more that could be done
though?

About the Author: Steve Dolan is one of many who has high
cholesterol. If you want to find out how to manage it go to
http://www.healthylivingwebonline.com/cholesterol and for a
healthier you try http://www.healthylivingwebonline.com

Source: http://www.isnare.com

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