Posts Tagged ‘what is cholesterol’

Cholesterol Quick Cholesterol Facts

Sunday, January 4th, 2009

What is cholesterol?

It is a fat-like waxy substance secreted by our liver within our body. It is an important part of every cell in our body and serves certain vital functions, like the following:

  • Generating hormones in our body
  • Maintaining healthy cell walls
  • Producing bile acids, that help in fat digestion
  • Making Vitamin D.

Of course, cholesterol is very important for our body to function well, but at the same time excessive production of cholesterol results in hardening of the artery walls which in turn leads to several serious health complications like heart attacks, strokes, etc.

This doesn’t mean than having low cholesterol is good for health. Very low cholesterol level indicates liver cancer, in the worst case scenario. Therefore, in order to avoid such health complications it is very important to keep your cholesterol level under control. A healthy cholesterol level means 140-200 milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood.

It is usually seen that rising cholesterol problems are the consequence of aging; however it can happen to anyone and everyone irrespective of their age. So, whether you are a young individual or a senior person, it is always pertinent that you keep a proper check on your cholesterol level, to ensure good health.
Causes of high cholesterol:
There may be several causes for an individual developing high cholesterol level. Some of these causes are avoidable while others are not, but whatever the reason may be, educating yourself about the causes gives you a better idea on how to deal with your situation in an appropriate way.
So, let’s take a quick look at the causes that may be a potential reason to throw your cholesterol level out of balance:

  • It may be the result of your increasing age.
  • It may be hereditary
  • Wrong eating habits like consuming high fat foods.
  • Unhealthy habits like consuming alcohol, smoking cigarettes, etc.
  • Diabetes.
  • Sedentary lifestyle.
  • Under active thyroid gland.
  • Treatment for high cholesterol:

There are millions of people who have to live with cholesterol problems. But the good news is that cholesterol disorders can be treated, all it takes is some dedication and will power on your part to overcome the situation. Let’s take a quick look at how you can treat high blood cholesterol effectively:
Bring about healthy changes in your present lifestyle and follow a routine life.
Follow a healthy diet plan. Your diet should include foods that are low on fat and high on fiber.

Exercise regularly. It is also important to follow a proper workout program. That best way to go about it is to consult a profession physical instructor who can design a proper exercise program for you. Doing so will help you get the best results in the most effective way possible.
Quit unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking, etc.

In case you are diagnosed with high cholesterol level make sure that you go to a doctor immediately and get yourself treated at the earliest to avoid future complications. Remember, a proper combination of healthy fat free diet, exercising and medication is likely to contribute significantly towards improving your health and lowering your cholesterol level.

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What’s All The Talk About Cholesterol

Thursday, May 15th, 2008

We have all heard so much about cholesterol, but most of us (even those with high cholesterol levels) don’t really know what it is. Here is just a quick over view of cholesterol, if you have more questions or need information just contact your doctors office. You usually don’t even need an appointment – just ask if they have any pamphlets about cholesterol. They you can just pick them up when you have a few minutes.

What is cholesterol and why should I even care about it? I can’t see it, so is it really going to hurt me?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found among other fats in the arteries. Although cholesterol plays an important role in the building of cell membranes and other tissues, a high cholesterol level is widely considered one of the major factors in the development of heart disease. When you have too much cholesterol in your body, it collects on the walls of your arteries and could cause clotting, which might lead to a stroke. Most experts recommend you maintain a cholesterol level below 200 mg/dL, which can usually be accomplished without the use of drugs through a diet consisting of high fiber, low-cholesterol foods.

In order to combat cholesterol and its harmful effects, many experts recommend we eat at least three servings of fruit or vegetables each day, and five is even better. These foods are low in cholesterol and high in fiber. One simple way to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables is to include them in snacks, salads, side dishes, deserts and entrees. You can add a wide variety of vegetables to most meat dishes, or occasionally plan completely vegetarian meals.

So the solution is simple. However, the only problem with any simple solution is it’s also just as simple not to use it.

Now you know the answer, but what are you going to do about it?

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