6 Facts About Cholesterol Everyone Should Know
Cholesterol…
The very word may send a shudder down your spine, just like a sinister movie villain. When you think of cholesterol, you may conjure images of fried foods dripping with oil, loaded with cheese, or filled with red meat, or even images of blood vessels with some yellow substance lining them.
Well, your mental images are not far from the truth. Cholesterol has an infamous reputation for clogging your arteries, which can lead to adverse health impacts. But there might be a lot about this waxy substance you still don’t know. Here are some basic facts about cholesterol that will help you understand it better:
1. Your body actually needs cholesterol for essential functions
Contrary to popular belief, cholesterol is not a life-threatening substance that forms when you eat fatty foods. This waxy, fatty substance is actually made in your liver and circulates in your bloodstream. Cholesterol is needed in your body to build cells, produce vitamin D and other hormones, and also produce the digestive acids that help break down fats.
2. There’s a good type of cholesterol as well
How does cholesterol get around your body? It has its own personal vehicle called lipoprotein. And depending on the type of lipoprotein that acts as the vehicle, cholesterol is divided into two types: low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. HDL cholesterol is the good kind — it removes cholesterol from the walls of your arteries and transports it to your liver, from where it is removed from your body. This prevents the harmful buildup of cholesterol in the walls of your arteries.
3. Saturated and trans fats are NOT the only culprits behind unhealthy cholesterol levels
Yes, a poor diet high in saturated and trans fats contributes to the buildup of unhealthy cholesterol levels in your blood vessels. But there are other major risk factors that also make you vulnerable to this problem: not being physically active, smoking (or even exposure to second-hand smoke), and being overweight/obese. Some risk factors may be outside your control, like older age, family history, and ethnicity.
4. There are dangerous, life-threatening consequences to high blood cholesterol levels
You may have heard this time and again, but it’s essential information to know. Cholesterol buildup in your blood vessels begins at an early age and can climax into serious heart conditions later in life. Atherosclerosis is a progressive heart disease that is caused by the accumulation of cholesterol-containing plaque in your blood vessels. This blocks blood flow and oxygen supply to other parts of your body and can lead to life-threatening conditions like heart attack or stroke.
5. A lipid profile test can help determine whether your blood cholesterol levels are good or bad
A lipid profile is a type of blood test. Your doctor may diagnose you with high cholesterol based on three measurements from your lipid profile test: LDL cholesterol levels (the lower, the better), HDL cholesterol levels (the higher, the better), triglyceride levels (the lower, the better), and total cholesterol levels (the lower, the better). It is recommended to check your cholesterol levels regularly after you turn 20.
6. You can take control of your cholesterol levels through simple lifestyle changes
These include restricting your intake of foods high in saturated and trans fats (like butter, red meat, and fried foods), quitting smoking, regularly exercising, losing weight if you are overweight/obese, and maintaining a healthy weight. If you are diagnosed with high cholesterol, your doctor may prescribe you with cholesterol-lowering medications. But medications won’t be fully effective without complementary lifestyle changes.
Remember, the only person who can keep YOU the healthiest is YOU.
DISCLAIMER: Dr. YOU aims to bring you the latest evidence-based science, and our content is for informational purposes only. The content is not medical advice or guarantee of an outcome. You should always consult a doctor or qualified healthcare professional if you need further clarification and before making any changes to your treatment plans and lifestyle, or that of others.
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