How Is Low Cholesterol Diet Beneficial In Maintaining Heart Health
You don’t have to be a doctor or nutritionist to understand that high cholesterol levels are bad for your heart health. And if you are one of the people with high cholesterol issues, then you are not alone. In the United States alone, nearly 95 million young people suffer from unhealthy cholesterol levels in their bodies. These numbers make this problem a high-priority case that needs to be dealt with urgently. And the best way to fix this problem is doing exercise often and eating a low cholesterol diet.
Heart diseases are among the major causes of death in adults in the United States. And the leading cause of an unhealthy heart? Cholesterol. So, let’s take a look at what cholesterol is. What are the reasons behind high cholesterol levels in the body? And how can you control your cholesterol levels and keep your heart healthy?
What Is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy-texture-like substance that is present in every individual’s blood cells and bloodstream. Your body is responsible for producing cholesterol naturally in the body, and the extra comes from the food you are eating.
If you are wondering why this substance is important, let us tell you all about it. Cholesterol plays a very crucial role in our body as it helps build the cell membrane’s structure. Further, it helps in the production of hormones like adrenal, estrogen, and testosterone in the body. It also helps in the proper working of the metabolism and production of Vitamin D.
The majority, i.e., 80% of the cholesterol that our body requires, is made by our intestines and liver. And the rest of 20 to 30 per cent of the cholesterol comes from our food. Having food items that produce more than the required limit of cholesterol can be harmful to your body. You also cannot get rid of extra cholesterol from your body by exercising or sweating as you can with fat. You will have to choose a low cholesterol diet to keep a healthy level of cholesterol in the body.
What Are The Two Types Of Cholesterol?
Cholesterol can both be good and bad. But this substance does not mix well with water in our bodies. Therefore, these two are packed in the lipoproteins that transfer through our bloodstream. This action allows the cholesterol and fat to move through our bodies. High levels of cholesterol can stick inside the artery walls and stop or lower the flow of blood from and to the heart.
Now, there are two types of these lipoproteins in our body; high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The LDL is also known as bad cholesterol, and the HDL is the good cholesterol.
LDL is the main carrier of cholesterol in our bodies. But when the level of LDL rises in our body, it can stick to the walls of our arteries and cut off the blood flow. The buildup is the main reason behind strokes and heart attacks.
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HDL is responsible for the circulation of cholesterol in our bodies. It helps in moving the cholesterol from other body parts back to the liver. After this, your liver gets rid of all the cholesterol from your body by turning it into bile or other important tissues.
Why Is High Cholesterol Bad For Health?
High cholesterol level leads to blockage in the arteries that are important for delivering blood and oxygen to the heart. The natural healing process in our body can damage inflamed tissues, which can form clots. These clots block arteries which means no oxygen for the heart, and that can lead to heart strokes.
There are a number of reasons things can cause the levels of LDL in our bodies to rise. For instance, in most scenarios, the reason behind it is not a high intake of cholesterol but genetics. If your family history consists of people dealing with high cholesterol issues, it is probably a genetic issue. In these scenarios, the body finds it difficult to remove LDL from the blood.
Other than genetic factors, there are many other reasons for high levels of LDL. It includes a bad diet, smoking and drinking excessively, and not exercising. These are huge contributors to the problem of high levels of LDL. If you have an unhealthy lifestyle or are overweight, it can cause diabetes, adrenal gland and kidney problems, thyroid, liver disease, and high blood pressure. These issues can increase the level of cholesterol in the body and put your heart in danger.
Why Is Balanced Cholesterol Level Good For You
A healthy level of cholesterol in an adult body is 200 and below. If your cholesterol is between 200 to 250, then it is considered moderate. And anything that is above 250 is risky for the heart.
Maintaining a balanced cholesterol level is good for the body as it prevents the risk of heart disease or stroke. And to maintain a balanced cholesterol level in your body, you need to take a low cholesterol diet.
How To Maintain Low Cholesterol In The Diet
To maintain a balanced level of cholesterol in your body, you must take a diet with low trans-fat or saturated fat. To maintain a good LDL level in your body, you can include low-fat dairy products, nuts, fruits, poultry, vegetables, and fish in your diet. In addition, you should also reduce the number of sugary drinks, packed foods, and red meat in your meal plans.
You should avoid highly saturated and trans-fat foods, including animal-based products, like whole milk, beef, egg yolks, cream, cheese, and ice cream. Also, fried foods such as cookies, donuts, and processed foods should be avoided. Instead of your regular oil, you can use olive oil when cooking your food.
Note: If you are trying to lower your cholesterol or have high cholesterol issues, you need professional help. A nutritionist or an expert can help create a diet plan that works out for you. Whether you have allergies or are a vegan, there are certain important foods you cannot include in your food. And to find a substitute for it to get proper nutrients, you need a professionally made diet chart.
How Can I Apprize Medical Help?
Apprize medical is the one-stop solution for all your health and well-being needs. The specialists at Apprize Medical can create a diet plan that will help you lower your high cholesterol and bring it under control. We provide personalized nutritional plans that will fulfill all your body’s requirements. Cholesterol has various benefits, like producing healthy blood cells and hormones. We have several programs that focus on your overall well-being. Also, to treat your problems, we use proactive and preventive medicines.
We use cutting-edge treatment plans to target specific problems in your body. Besides personalized nutrition plans, we also provide digestive health, weight management, cardiac care, gut health, and many more customized treatments. Achieve your best health with Apprize Medical. Book a consulting appointment now!
Frequently Asked Questions
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- What foods are best for a low cholesterol diet?
Foods that can help bring down your high cholesterol levels and maintain them are:
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- Vegetable oils
- Oats
- Fruits like grapes, citrus fruits, apples, strawberries
- Beans
- Whole grains
- Eggplants
- Fish
- What are the worst food products for high cholesterol?
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If you have high cholesterol issues, then these are some of the food products that you should try to avoid:
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- Red meat like ground beef, pork chops, steak, and beef roast.
- Lean meat
- Fried food
- Full-fat dairy products, like cheese and yogurt
- Processed meat
- Baked products like cookies and sweets
- Shellfish
- Which cholesterol is considered good or bad?
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HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, is good cholesterol because it protects the heart from strokes. It transfers cholesterol from the body to the liver. LDL is bad cholesterol as it blocks the main arteries from transferring oxygen and blood to the heart. It also transfers all the excess cholesterol to the walls of the arteries.
