How Bad is your Cholesterol – Find this out!

Cholesterol is just another organic molecule in our body and IT IS NOT BAD, RATHER IT IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL FOR OUR EXISTENCE. It plays a significant role in:

1. Synthesis of cell membrane’s
2. Synthesis of steroid hormones
3. Synthesis of vitamins, it plays precursor to vitamin D synthesis
4. Digestion by synthesising bile acids
5. Learning and Memory – brain cells need cholesterol for making connections with one another

Understanding your Cholesterol or Lipid Profile!

Your Lipid profile gets the levels of your

1. Total cholesterol
2. HDL – High Density Lipoprotein
3. LDL – Low Density Lipoprotein
4. VLDL – Very Low Density Lipoprotein

Out of these, LDL is the bad one. HIGH LDL is a RISK FACTOR for development of HEART DISEASES AND STROKE as it can get deposit into arterial walls as PLAQUES.

Bizarrely, HDL plays a PROTECTIVE ROLE because it picks up bad cholesterol and carries to liver to be disposed off.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=wzxJ654dFj0%3Ffeature%3Doembed

Cholesterol and Lifestyle!

30 years back, no one knew of cholesterol and its effects. With changing lifestyle, we have developed the need of keeping a check of our its values and to be cautious.

Coming to the DIET, roughly only 25% of cholesterol comes from food we eat. Rest of 75% is synthesized by our body and this depends on factors like physical activity.

MANAGING CHOLESTEROL

1. LOSING WEIGHT is very effective way of keeping balanced levels. It has been found that losing 6 Kgs can cut LDL by 10%
2. DIETARY CHANGES like
   1. Adding more of fruits and veggies in our diet
   2. Increase intake of soy proteins
   3. High fiber diet
3. PHYSICAL EXERCISES– 80% of cholesterol is synthesized in our body. Exercising keeps this metabolism healthy.

Know more about STATINIS

Statins are medicines that lower blood cholesterol levels. But patients who use prolonged doses of Statins are diagnose with:

1. Muscle pain and muscle damages
2. Liver damage
3. Risk of increasing diabetes (Type 2)

Statins can be very well avoided with lifestyle changes and dietary changes (As stated above)

Note: If your risk of cardiovascular diseases is more than borderline, please seek your physician’s advise on use of statins.