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Cholesterol: Five things you must know about the lipid

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[h=1]Cholesterol: Five things you must know about the lipid[/h] [h=2]Cholesterol has earned a terrible reputation. But it's not quite the villain it's made out to be. Here's the low-down you need to keep healthy.[/h]
Dr Santosh Kumar Dora | November 29, 2015 |



Cholesterol is vital for the body. You got that right. This fat molecule/lipid is a necessary component in the cell membrane, and it helps in the synthesis of steroid hormones and bile acids. But like everything else, you don't want too much of it--especially the bad types--very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). These carry cholesterol from the liver to the peripheral tissues and blood vessels. High levels of bad cholesterol leads to atherosclerosis--the accumulation of cholesterol--rich fatty deposits in arteries, both, coronary (leading to the heart) and carotid (leading to the brain). This can cause arteries to narrow or get blocked, slowing or stopping the flow of blood to these two vital organs. High-density lipoprotein (HDL), on the other hand, protects against heart attacks and strokes by removing cholesterol from the arteries and bringing it back to the liver. Here are five facts about cholesterol you need to know. Your body makes most of the cholesterol you need. The liver and intestine help to synthesise it (about 1g daily). You need only a small amount of fat in your diet (approx 300 mg) to help you stay healthy. Diabetics need about 200 mg fat from food sources. To give you an idea, the yolk of an egg has about 180 mg cholesterol. Animal products (red meats, full-fat dairy products, etc.) are loaded with cholesterol, and having too much of them may increase the amount of cholesterol in your body. A high-fibre diet can reduce the effect by cutting cholesterol absorption in the gut. Try to get most of your calories from plant sources-vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, beans, nuts and seeds. Non-vegetarians should eat fish at least twice a week. Canola, rice bran, olive, groundnut and mustard oils are all good cooking mediums. However, don't go overboard with them as they are high in calories.
Cholesterol numbers by themselves do not indicate a high risk. Cholesterol is part of the larger equation that includes age, sex, race, other health conditions such as diabetes, blood pressure, use of blood pressure drugs and smoking habit. This determines the 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease and then a treatment strategy is planned. (Try tools.cardiosource.org/ ASCVD-Risk-Estimator/ to calculate your 10-year risk.) People with elevated LDL are usually put on statins to bring it down.
Triglycerides count too. Triglycerides are also fat molecules like cholesterol. They store unused calories and provide your body with energy. When you eat, your body converts excess calories into triglycerides, which are stored in your fat cells. Later, hormones release triglycerides for energy between meals. Eating more calories than your body needs, particularly the easy ones like carbs and fats, leads to high triglyceride levels. Excess triglycerides also lead to fatty deposits and blockages in the artery taking up the risk of vascular disease. Some health conditions such as diabetes and hypothyroidism can lead to hypertriglyceridemia. Also, high triglycerides along with low HDL and high LDL, known as atherogenic dyslipidemia, is particularly common among Indians. Researchers think it is due to our genetic pre-disposition and characteristic body pattern with central obesity.
Age and sex play a role. Cholesterol levels naturally go up with age, especially in women. At the same age, pre-menopausal women have lower LDL and higher HDL than men. But things change drastically after menopause. Scientists believe that oestrogen plays a role in it. However, both men and women need to take more precaution as they age.
Exercise helps. Regular exercise helps in clearing the bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol. Studies show that exercising 20 minutes a day may increase your HDL by 2.5 points. For every additional 10 minutes per day, you could add an extra 1.4 points to your HDL.
Try to get most of your calories from plant sources--vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, beans, nuts and seeds. Non-vegetarians should eat fish at least twice a week.
Dr Santosh Kumar Dora is Senior Cardiologist, Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai.


http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/...s-you-must-know-about-the-lipid/1/533976.html

Good points for staying healthy and managing our cholestrol!
 
Very useful information.

As a measure of reducing the Cholesterol level in body, one would intake garlic in required level.
Two to three pieces of garlic daily either in the form of pickles / added to Chatney / Rasam, may be taken.
Do not take over dose. Those who are having peptic ulcer or ulcer in mouth should avoid consuming garlic as it would aggravate ulcer. After 2 months, if one recheck the Cholesterol level, it would have certainly come down.
 
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