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HowToPreventHeartDisease.com |
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What Happen If You Have High Cholesterol? Cholesterol, a fatty substance found in our body, is used to produce many hormones, Vitamin-D and bile acids that help digest fat. Most of the cholesterol is manufactured in the liver or intestine from saturated fats that people consume. A fairly small portion of cholesterol in the body comes directly from foods. In general, there are 2 types of cholesterol, namely good (high-density lipoprotein or HDL) cholesterol and bad (low-density lipoprotein or LDL) cholesterol. It is important to have a balance of both types of cholesterol. When a person is said to have ‘high cholesterol’, it usually means he or she has more of LDL cholesterol and less of HDL cholesterol. A high level of LDL leads to buildup of cholesterol in the arteries including the coronary arteries of the heart, the carotid arteries to the brain, and the arteries that supply blood to the legs. The cholesterol deposits are a component of the plaques that cause narrowing and blocking of the arteries. HDL carries cholesterol from other parts of our body back to our liver. The liver will then remove the bad cholesterol from body. As people age, the risk of developing high cholesterol is higher. Men and women over the age of 45 and 55 respectively are at a higher risk than their younger counterparts. However, it was found that young people could have high cholesterol too.
On August 3, 2010, researchers from the University of California, San Francisco pointed out in the ‘Annals of Internal Medicine’ that adult as young as 20 need to pay attention to their cholesterol level as unhealthy levels might have already damaged their arteries. More than 3,500 young adults aged between 18 and 30 (roughly evenly divided between black and white, male and females) were followed for 20 years. Analysis of data showed that those with high levels of LDL in youth were more likely to develop heart disease later, regardless of their cholesterol levels later in life. The results did not mean young adults should take medicine to lower their cholesterol, but they should ensure they exercise and watch what they eat. As high cholesterol might not cause any obvious symptoms, people might not be aware of it, yet it could raise the risk of getting a heart attack or stroke. According to The American Heart Association (AHA), as estimated 17.6 million Americans have coronary heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and other industrialized countries. Hence, it is important to get cholesterol levels measured at least once every 5 years for everyone over the age of 20, as recommended by AHA. Cholesterol levels, which are expressed in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dL) of blood, can be measured by blood test. Once the total blood cholesterol level, measuring LDL, HDL and other lipid components, exceeds 200 mg/dL, it is considered high cholesterol. Meanwhile, one should also pay attention to the HDL and LDL level, which should not be higher than 100 mg/dL and not be lower than 60 mg/dL respectively. Unless the cholesterol level is so high that cholesterol-lowering medications are required, diet and exercise can be more important in combating high cholesterol. Exercise, especially cardiovascular or aerobic exercise, is a good way to lower LDL. To achieve maximum benefits, one should exercise for a session of 20 to 30 minutes, most days of the week, or at least every other day. Aerobic exercise includes walking, jogging, jumping rope, bicycling (stationary or outdoor), skating, rowing, high or low-impact aerobics, and swimming. Eating saturated fats and trans fats can raise the amount of LDL. Saturated fats can be found in foods like meat, butter, and cream, and trans fat is usually found in cookies, cakes, pastries and fast food. On the other hand, eating fatty fish rich in omega-3 (salmon, tuna, etc.), nuts (walnuts, Macadamia nuts), berries (cranberries, raspberries and strawberries), and olive oil can help increase level of HDL. Just remember this, the aim is to lower LDL and to raise HDL.
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