Cholesterol - What Is It and Are You At Risk?
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| As I write this a 52 year old football coach with a brilliant career died from
a heart attack. What a same! In this day and age there is no excuse for heart
related problems due to cholesterol. The range of cures for cholesterol runs
from natural treatments to high tech hospital evaluations and finally surgery.
Read the below article along with the recommended resources, I know they'll
help you with your cholesterol problems.
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Cholesterol is a fatty lipid, steroid and an alcohol found in
the body tissues and blood plasma of vertebrates. It is the
essential part of the outer membranes of human body cells, and
it circulates in the blood.
Cholesterol in the human body comes from two major sources.
About three-quarters of the body's total cholesterol is produced
within the body, while only one-quarter comes from cholesterol
in food.
Higher concentrations of cholesterol are present in body tissues
which have more densely packed membranes - i.e. the liver,
spinal cord, brain, atheroma, adrenal glands and reproductive
organs.
The liver is the most important site of cholesterol
biosynthesis. It is secreted from the liver in the form of an
acidic secretion known as 'bile'.
Diets rich in animal fats, meat, poultry, fish, oils, egg yolks
and dairy products are a rich source of dietary cholesterol.
Organ meats, such as liver and kidney, are extremely rich in
cholesterol content, but foods of plant origin contain no
cholesterol.
High cholesterol levels in the bloodstream can influence the
pathogenesis of certain conditions. Recent studies have
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revealed
that the abundance of protein complexes called lipoproteins, are
responsible for the cholesterol build-up in the blood vessels.
Cholesterol gets attached to these lipoproteins. The
high-density lipoprotein (HDL) carries cholesterol out of the
bloodstream for excretion, while the low-density lipoprotein
(LDL) carries it back into the system for use by various body
cells.
LDL cholesterol is called bad cholesterol, because elevated
levels of it are associated with an increased risk of coronary
heart disease. LDL deposits cholesterol on the artery walls
which leads to the formation of a hard, thick substance called
cholesterol plaque. Over time, cholesterol plaque causes
thickening of the artery walls and narrowing of the arteries, a
process called atherosclerosis.
The levels of both HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol may also
determine risk for heart disease; however current medical
opinion is that the ratio of HDL cholesterol to LDL cholesterol
is much more important than the level of cholesterol.
Methods to control your cholesterol levels:
Lower your consumption of foods containing saturated fats -
fried fast
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TODAY'S NEWS:
A form of vitamin E shows that it can decrease cholesterol levels in humans.
A new study finds ‘good’ cholesterol may not be as good for you as previously thought
Raising good cholesterol, a goal pursued by Merck & Co. and Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY) as the next milestone in cardiac care, may not cut heart attack risk, says a study that challenges the development of drugs that may generate billions of dollars in sales.
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foods, butter, cream, cheese, and fat on meat - to
help reduce cholesterol. Add more plant foods to your diet -
vegetable oils, nuts, legumes, breads, cereal grains, fruits and
vegetables. A low cholesterol diet, combined with regular
exercise is the best way to lower cholesterol levels.
Medications can also help lower cholesterol levels. HMG-CoA
reductase inhibitors, 'Statins', such as lovastatin (Mevacor)
and atorvastatin (Lipitor) are the most effective and widely
used medications to lower LDL cholesterol. Other medications
include nicotinic acid (niacin), fibrates such as gemfibrozil
(Lopid), resins such as cholestyramine (Questran), and
ezetimibe, Zetia. These medications should be taken after
consulting the experts.
About the author:
Paul MacIver writes articles about cholesterol
and various health related topics. For further info on how to lower
cholesterol please visit Reduce High
Cholesterol You may freely reprint this article only if bio
is included with all links made active.
More cholesterol information coming soon! Make sure you come back!!!
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