Cholesterol in the body is a strange thing. Cholesterol is actually a type of protein called a lipoprotein. It plays a crucial role in the body but must stay within healthy cholesterol levels to avoid complications.
Understanding good and bad cholesterol is essential, as the body contains two main types: low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) — commonly known as bad cholesterol and good cholesterol, respectively.
Good cholesterol is called HDL, and bad cholesterol is called LDL. The job of the good one is to strengthen the body’s cells and prevent LDL attacks, while the job of the bad one is to always try to make sure that no work gets done.
HDL cholesterol has long been considered an important component of the body’s cells and cellular systems. But according to a recent study conducted in Japan, ‘good cholesterol’ can also cause heart disease, but only if HDL increases too much in the body.
In this regard, 43,000 people aged 40 to 89 were included in a study for 12 years. This research showed that people with HDL cholesterol levels of more than 90 mg/dl had a 2.4 times higher risk of dying from heart disease than people with HDL levels between 40 and 59 mg/dl.
The amount of cholesterol in a normal person’s body is about 100 grams or a little more. Cholesterol is produced and stored in the body. Its proper amount is necessary for the production of essential hormones in the body and to help the digestive system.
Various types of food, such as meat, eggs, milk, butter and ghee, etc. contain a significant amount of cholesterol, eating such foods increases the amount of cholesterol in the blood. To maintain a healthy diet and avoid high cholesterol, it is essential to monitor foods high in cholesterol.
Ways to Lower Cholesterol
As we know prevention is better than cure, what kind of changes should we make in our lives? Simple actions like eating a cholesterol-lowering diet, exercising, and quitting smoking are natural ways to control cholesterol and improve heart health.
Some tips are listed below, with the help of which you can correct your cholesterol and improve heart health.
Healthy Fats vs. Bad Fats
Not all fats are bad, but our body needs fats to function properly, especially the hormonal system. Good fats are called unsaturated fats. They are good for the heart and improve cholesterol levels.
For a healthy diet, you should eat foods that are higher in unsaturated fats than saturated fats, such as all kinds of fruits, avocados, vegetables, mustard, olives, sunflower, corn oil, and fish oil such as salmon and trout.
The rule is that we should get less than 7% of our daily calories from saturated fats, with the rest from unsaturated fats, to stay healthy and maintain healthy lipid levels.
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Understanding the Cholesterol Levels
Exercise
Many people shy away from exercise, but the truth is that exercise is essential for maintaining good health, especially for maintaining normal cholesterol levels.
Research has shown that people who exercise more have higher levels of ‘good cholesterol’ than those who don’t exercise.
What Kind of Exercise Should You Do?
The best way to prevent heart disease is to combine aerobics (also called cardio) and resistance training. This improves cholesterol levels and reduces the risk of blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack. (Note: Heart patients should exercise as directed by their doctor.)
Moderate-Intensity Activities:
- Playing tennis
- Gardening
- Cycling
High-Intensity Activities:
- Walking up a mountain or carrying a heavy pack
- Swimming
- First walking slowly and then walking or running fast
Lose Weight
If you have followed the first two strategies (eating right and exercising), your weight will probably be coming off anyway. Losing weight alone can lower your cholesterol levels.
Avoid Smoking
Smoking reduces the level of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). Smoking can also cause death. A healthy person falls victim to many diseases due to this habit.
Apart from damaging the respiratory system, it also blocks the circulatory system, which causes inflammation and heart attacks. So if you smoke, quit it immediately.
Quitting smoking is one of the most effective ways to lower cholesterol naturally and protect your cardiovascular health.