by 4 Cylivers
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat like substance that is found in the blood stream and is manufactured by the liver. It is a very important constituent of the body and is required for the breakdown of certain fats and for making the linings of our cell walls. However, if found in excess, it can cause heart disease and other cardiac ailments. Cholesterol is found in many foods including – eggs, meats especially red meats and dairy products.
Types of Cholesterol
Cholesterol is primarily of four types. The Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL), which is the “bad” cholesterol and the one responsible for plaque formation in blood vessels that ultimately cause heart disease or heart attacks. The High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) which is the “good” cholesterol and which helps in reducing the LDL. The other two are Very Low Density Lipoproteins (VLDL - similar to LDL) and Triglycerides, which too in high quantities can cause heart and liver disease.
Factors Affecting Cholesterol
Some of the factors that affect our good and bad cholesterol are the diet, our weight, physical activity, alcohol consumption, genetics and age. A good balanced diet that includes only moderate amounts of animal products helps in boosting the good HDL cholesterol while a diet rich in red meats increases the levels of LDL. Exercise and diet control are recognized as the best approach in tackling rising cholesterol levels in the blood. Quitting smoking also helps in lowering cholesterol while reducing alcohol consumption helps in reducing the Triglyceride count.
How Much of the Good and the Bad
A quick reckoner – according to the American Heart Association one’s LDL or bad cholesterol should ideally be below 100 mg/dl while 100-129 is acceptable. The HDL or good cholesterol should ideally be below 40 mg/dl or in the 40 – 59 mg/dl range. A total HDL+LDL count of less than 200 is considered ideal, while 200-239 is considered a borderline case. Any count over 240 is labeled as high and requires a mix of exercise, diet control and medications for control.
