Cholesterol
Simply put, its a waxy sticky compound in the body. The body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells, but at high levels, it can increase your risk of heart disease/death
High level of cholesterol encourages the development of fatty deposits on the inner linings of your blood vessels. Eventually, these deposits grow, making it difficult for enough blood to flow through your arteries. Sometimes, those deposits can break suddenly and form a clot that causes a heart attack or stroke (brain).
High cholesterol states can be inherited, but it’s often the result of unhealthy lifestyle choices, which make it preventable and treatable. A healthy diet, regular exercise and sometimes medication can help reduce high cholesterol.
WHY YOUR CHOLESTEROL LEVEL BEFORE YOU TURN 40 IS VERY IMPORTANT
As a young lad growing up, you may pay more attention to less important things than your health. For example, your education, dating, romance and sex, social media, looking good, gadgets, fashion, and money etc, and defer the need for investing in your single must important asset – your health. It is common for older people to pay more attention and, indeed, invest more on their health than younger ones.
A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and issued Monday, found that elevated diastolic blood pressure and “bad” LDL cholesterol before age 40 were associated with incidents of coronary heart disease (CHD) after age 40.
Chronic illnesses are just what they are, chronic illnesses. They come around and stick around. Why invite them? Diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, obesity, kidney diseases, liver diseases etc. are largely preventable.
Cholesterol Elevating Habits.
Poor diet.
Eating saturated fat, found in animal products, and Trans fats, found in some commercially baked cookies and crackers and microwave popcorn, can raise your cholesterol level. Foods that are high in cholesterol, such as red meat and full-fat dairy products, will also increase your cholesterol.
Obesity.
Having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater puts you at risk of high cholesterol.
Lack of exercise.
Exercise helps boost your body’s HDL, or “good,” cholesterol while increasing the size of the particles that make up your LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol, which makes it less harmful.
Smoking.
Cigarette smoking damages the walls of your blood vessels, making them more prone to accumulate fatty deposits. Smoking might also lower your level of HDL, or “good,” cholesterol.
Age.
Because your body’s chemistry changes as you age, your risk of high cholesterol climbs. For instance, as you age, your liver becomes less able to remove LDL cholesterol.
Diabetes.
High blood sugar contributes to higher levels of dangerous cholesterol called very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and lower HDL cholesterol. High blood sugar also damages the lining of your arteries.
Lifestyle that lower cholesterol
- Eat a low-salt diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables and whole grains
- Limit the amount of animal fats and use good fats in moderation
- Lose extra pounds and maintain a healthy weight
- Quit smoking
- Exercise on most days of the week for at least 30 minutes
- Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all
- Manage stress
- Sleep well
FROM NHS UK.
There are things you can do yourself to help reduce your cholesterol, like eating less fatty foods and being more active.
Eat less fatty food
To reduce your cholesterol, try to cut down on fatty food, especially food that contains a type of fat called saturated fat. You can still have foods that contain a healthier type of fat called unsaturated fat. Check labels on food to see what type of fat it has in it.
Try to eat more:
- · oily fish, like mackerel and salmon
- · brown rice, bread and pasta
- · nuts and seeds
- · fruits and vegetables
- · Try to eat less:
- · meat pies, sausages and fatty meat
- · butter, lard and ghee
- · cream and hard cheese, like cheddar
- · cakes and biscuits
- · food that contains coconut oil or palm oil
Exercise more
Aim to do at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of exercise a week.
Some good things to try when starting out include:
walking – try to walk fast enough so your heart starts beating faster
swimming
cycling
Try a few different exercises to find something you like doing. You’re more likely to keep doing it if you enjoy it.
Find out more about ways to get active
Stop smoking
Smoking can raise your cholesterol and make you more likely to have serious problems like heart attacks, strokes and cancer.
Cut down on alcohol
Try to:avoid drinking more than 14 units of alcohol a week have several drink-free days each week avoid drinking lots of alcohol in a short time (binge drinking)
SOURCES
Mayo clinic
BJM
NEJM
NHS UK