If you're obese there's a huge chance of you having a high cholesterol level. Lots of people are worried about cholesterol, but most don't know what it is.
According to the American Heart Association cholesterol "is a soft, fat-like, waxy substance found in the bloodstream and in all your body's cells. It's normal to have cholesterol.
Cholesterol is an important part of a healthy body because it's used for producing cell membranes and some hormones, and serves other needed bodily functions. But too much cholesterol in the blood is a major risk for coronary heart disease (which leads to heart attack) and for stroke."
A recent study concluded that 75% of the population doesn't know if they have higher levels of cholesterol or not. But it's easy to find it out. A simple blood test is enough.
Some facts about cholesterol
- The cholesterol found in your body comes from two different sources. The liver produces some cholesterol from fat, proteins, and hydrocarbons. The remaining comes from animal products you eat. Vegetables don't have cholesterol.
- The body produces all the cholesterol you need. That's why you don't need all the extra cholesterol existing in eggs, meat, and milky products.
- The cholesterol is transported in two main ways through your blood: the LDL (low-density lipoprotein) that transports that cholesterol to the cells that need it; and the HDL (high-density lipoprotein) that brings back the cholesterol to the liver to be eliminated. Unfortunately, if LDL isn't removed from the blood or processed by blood cells, they flow with the bloodstream and eventually get attached to arteries and in consequence blocking them. That's why LDL is called the 'bad cholesterol. But HDL act as a vacuum cleaner getting the cholesterol, maintaining the arteries in good shape. That's why HDL is the 'good cholesterol.
Things you can do
- Starting at the age of 20 you should measure your cholesterol every 5 years. The desirable measure for total cholesterol is 200 or less. If you have more than 240 then you have a much higher risk of having a heart attack.
- The blood test should be made in a laboratory. Some rapid tests have low reliability.
- The cholesterol in the blood can vary, from one day to the other, in over 20 to 40 points. That's why a good diagnostic is obtained when you do 2 tests with an interval of one or two months.
- Talk with your doctor about the test result. If you have a high level of cholesterol possibly you'll need to repeat more tests to better understand the balance between LDL and HDL. This information will help to define the better way to reduce the levels of cholesterol in your specific case. Your doctor can recommend some changes in your eating habits, a weight-loss program, or regular exercise. That's why is so important to be proactive! You should start immediately to have a healthier lifestyle. That means you should lose weight. That way I should have better control of your cholesterol level.
