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Cholesterol | Causes, Treatments and Tips
Introduction
Cholesterol is a fat required by your body to repair and build cells and hormones. Our liver is responsible for making cholesterol. However, one can also obtain it from different food items. Cholesterol is of different types, and each one is named after the special proteins that transmit cholesterol in the blood. The prominent ones include HDL and LDL cholesterol.
One can check the cholesterol level in their body through a lipid profile test. The doctors or healthcare experts tell the patient not to eat anything solid and drink only water for about 10 hours before taking the test. High cholesterol leads to health problems such as stroke, angina, heart attack, peripheral vascular disease, and more.
Lifestyle Changes to Improve Cholesterol
One can easily improve the cholesterol level in their body by making some lifestyle changes. Some of the prominent ones are as follows:
Eating Habits
Avoid Consuming Trans Fats
Trans fat is normally used to make store-bought cookies, crackers, and cakes. This fat can increase the cholesterol levels of the body. The Food and Drug Administration has proscribed the use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils in food items by Jan. 1, 2021.
Increase Soluble Fiber
It reduces the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. One can obtain soluble fiber from food items such as brussels sprouts, oatmeal, apples, pears, kidney beans, and more. People over forty years of age must include these food items in their meal plan to stay active and healthy.
Avoid Saturated Fats
The consumption of saturated fats is not good for the body. It is present in red meat and dairy products. Eating such food items results in increasing the cholesterol level in the body. Decreasing your consumption of saturated fats can help in reducing your LDL cholesterol.
Consume Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Eat food items that are rich in omega-3. Such fatty acids do not affect the LDL cholesterol in the body. Such food items provide other benefits as well. It helps in keeping the heart healthy. It manages blood pressure and improves the overall health of the person. Some prominent food items containing omega-3 fatty acids are salmon, herring, mackerel, walnuts, flaxseeds, and more.
Quit Smoking
Smoking can cause damage to your body. Quitting smoking improves not only your overall health but also improves the HDL cholesterol level in your body. HDL cholesterol is a good kind of cholesterol. Some of the benefits of quitting this habit are as follows:
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When you do not smoke for 20 minutes, your heart rate and blood pressure start to recover from the cigarette-induced spike.
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If you do not smoke for three months, you will see that the functioning of the lungs and blood circulation in your body improves to a great level.
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Similarly, if you do not smoke for one year, your risk of stroke or heart disease is half that of a smoker.
Lose weight
One of the common reasons for high cholesterol is carrying extra body weight. Avoid drinking sugary beverages. Consume sugar only from natural resources, i.e., from fruits. Keep proper track of the calorie intake.
Try to do as much physical activity as possible to keep your body active and in shape. Use stairs instead of an elevator. Make a habit of doing a morning walk. Try to increase the standing activities, i.e., yard work, cooking, and more.
Important Guide
The problem of high cholesterol is more common among Australians. Each 1 in 3 adults suffers from this issue. Too much 'bad' cholesterol levels can cause fatty deposits (commonly known as plaques) in the body over time. These are formed in the artery walls, making the arteries hard and narrow. All this will increase the risk of stroke and heart attack.
However, note that there are no prominent symptoms of this problem. It can only be detected through a blood test. Individuals with familial hypercholesterolemia also suffer from high cholesterol levels. Adults must have their blood lipids measured every 4 to 5 years. This problem is more common in people belonging to the age group of 40 plus years. If you have a family history of heart disease or high cholesterol at a young age, get a checkup from time to time and ask your doctor about your risks of getting this problem.
Conclusion
High cholesterol can cause different problems to the body. It is important to make some lifestyle changes and eat medicine that helps in controlling this issue. This problem is highly common in grown-ups. This article contains a complete guide on how one can manage this issue and what lifestyle changes can bring positive changes. Check out the guide above for an in-depth understanding.
