Three Facts About Cholesterol That You Must Know
Cholesterol is the devil in the health industry. You may have had the same perception because many health products are suggesting how harmful cholesterol can be. However, such an image is more of a result of scaremonger’s propaganda than the fact. We will explore the truth below.
Your Body Needs Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a vital fatty compound that is prevalent in your body’s tissues, especially in the nerve cells. Your body needs cholesterol to regenerate cell membranes and produce new hormones. Moreover, your liver also consumes cholesterol to turn fats into glycerol and fatty acid.
High cholesterol does not necessarily lead to a health problem. In fact, a study published by Pediatrics in 2007 found out that pregnant women who had low-cholesterol are prone to giving birth to premature babies. Another research published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research in 2009 showed a correlation between low-cholesterol conditions and depression.
Not All Cholesterols Are Harmful
There are three types of cholesterol: very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). HDL bonds with fatty cells in your blood, which makes it the good one. LDL, on the other hand, increases the fat build-ups. Too much of LDL means high risks of developing heart diseases, stroke, and blood clots.
Therefore, you should prefer consuming foods that are high in HDL, such as olive oil, beans, legumes, whole grains, fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, albacore, tuna, sardines, and rainbow trout), flax, nuts, chia seeds, avocado, soy, and red wine. Diversify your diet with those ingredients so that you will get a healthy level of HDL. Besides maintaining the cholesterol level in your blood, HDL can also help you to control your weight gain.
High-Cholesterol Can Be a Genetic Condition
According to the Genetics Home Reference‘s website, high LDL is mostly an inherited condition. This condition is also called familial hypercholesterolemia, and it is estimated to affect 1 in every 500 people worldwide. Therefore, if you suspect yourself to have the hypercholesterolemia condition, then the most sensible step to take next is to consult a doctor.
If you have already shown symptoms of cardiovascular disease, extreme sports can be fatal for you. If you insist on doing sports, you have to make sure that you have told your doctor about it. Also, even though your hypercholesterolemia is an inherited condition, you must embrace a healthy lifestyle because you have no other options. You must not give up on doing a regular exercise!…
Another important step is consulting a nutritionist or dietitian during your 20s to help you in adopting healthy diet plans which will help in preventing heart diseases and several health issues.
