How to find out bad and good cholesterol. Five unexpected reasons why cholesterol jumped. Foods to lower bad cholesterol

Many people associate the concept of “cholesterol” with harmful symptoms, which is why it is called the “gentle killer.” But this is a mistaken opinion. In fact, the substance has not only negative, but also beneficial effects, since it can be good and bad.

Total cholesterol is divided into high-density and low-density cholesterol. It is the second substance that has a negative effect on the body if its concentration in the blood increases significantly. IN general structure LDL takes up more than 70%.

Bad cholesterol “takes” cholesterol from the human liver and distributes it to all structures of the body. When it accumulates, the cells cannot fully process the substance, so they settle on the walls blood vessels in the form of cholesterol plaques. They make the lumen of blood vessels narrower, as a result of which atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke develop.

Atherogenicity is the property of harmful lipoproteins to accumulate on the inner wall of blood vessels and form atherosclerotic plaques. The larger the particles of fat and protein components, the larger the plaque. The peculiarity of LDL is that it is not only produced in the human body, but also comes from the outside - along with food.

Harmful and good cholesterol

If the concentration of total cholesterol increases, is this bad or not? Definitely, any imbalance in the human body poses a serious danger not only to health, but also to life. When bad cholesterol in the blood rises, it poses a serious risk of heart attack, progressive angina, coronary disease heart, stroke.

Diet appears important stage corrections. Diabetics need to give preference not only to foods that have low glycemic index, but also products that contain a small amount of fat-like substance. For a diabetic, the norm of cholesterol per day is up to 200 mg, for other patients up to 300 mg.

Products removed from the menu:

Meat, beef and pork fat.
Liver, tongue, kidneys and other by-products.
High fat dairy products.
Strong coffee, tea, energy drinks.

It will help remove harmful cholesterol and drinking regimen. It is discussed individually, for example, in case of kidney problems, it is important to control the flow of fluid into the body; in other cases, it is recommended to drink 2-3 liters of water per day.

Effective medications are prescribed in cases where exercise and diet do not help. The treatment regimen may include the following medications:

Medicines from the statin group – Lovastatin, Simvastatin. Studies have shown that medications in this category help lower blood sugar because they improve metabolic processes in the body;
Fibrates are more often recommended for;
Drugs that help bind bile acids (Cholestide);
Omega-3, Omega 6 acids.

The goal of drug and non-drug treatment is to restore the normal balance between dangerous and beneficial cholesterol. Normalization of metabolic processes has a beneficial effect on the body as a whole and significantly reduces the risk of the formation of cholesterol plaques.

“Good” and “bad” cholesterol are discussed in the video in this article.

Cholesterol (CS) is a substance from which the human body forms atherosclerotic plaques. They are the cause of the manifestation, which is a very dangerous disease.

What cholesterol is can be judged by the meaning of this word, which Greek language translated as “hard bile.”

Substance belonging to the class lipids , comes with food. However, in this way, only a small part of the cholesterol enters the body - approximately 20% of the cholesterol a person receives mainly from products of animal origin. The remaining, more significant part of this substance (approximately 80%) is produced in the human liver.

In the human body, pure Chl is present only in small quantities, being part of lipoproteins. These compounds may have low density (so-called bad LPN cholesterol ) and high density (the so-called good cholesterol LPV ).

What should be the normal cholesterol level, as well as good and bad cholesterol - what it is, you can find out from this article.

Cholesterol: good, bad, total

The fact that if cholesterol levels are higher than normal is harmful is said very often and actively. Therefore, many people are under the impression that the lower the cholesterol, the better. But in order for all systems in the body to function normally, this substance is very important. It is important that a person’s cholesterol remains normal throughout his life.

It is customary to distinguish between so-called bad and good cholesterol. Low cholesterol (bad) is the one that settles on the walls inside the blood vessels and forms plaques. It has low or very low density and binds to special types of protein - apoproteins . As a result, VLDL fat-protein complexes . It is when the LDL level increases that a dangerous health condition occurs.

VLDL - what it is, the norm of this indicator - all this information can be obtained from a specialist.

Now the LDL norm in men and the LDL norm in women after 50 years of age and at a younger age are determined by cholesterol tests and are expressed in different ways. laboratory methods, units of definition – mg/dL or mmol/L. You need to understand when determining LDL that this is a value that should be analyzed by a specialist and appropriate treatment prescribed if LDL cholesterol is elevated. What this means depends on the metrics. Thus, in healthy people, this indicator is considered normal at a level below 4 mmol/l (160 mg/dl).

If a blood test shows that cholesterol is high, you should ask your doctor what to do. As a rule, if the value of such cholesterol is elevated, this means that the patient will be prescribed, or this condition should be treated with medications.

The question of whether you should take cholesterol pills is controversial. It is important to note that statins do not eliminate the causes of high cholesterol. We are talking about low mobility. only suppress the production of this substance in the body, but at the same time they provoke numerous side effects. Sometimes cardiologists say that the use of statins is more dangerous for the body than elevated levels.

In people suffering from ischemic heart disease, who have had or, cholesterol levels must be below 2.5 mmol/l or 100 mg/dl.
Those who do not suffer from heart disease, but have more than two risk factors, need to maintain cholesterol level at 3.3 mmol/l or below 130 mg/dl.

Bad cholesterol is counteracted by so-called good cholesterol, HDL cholesterol. What is high-density lipoprotein cholesterol? It is an essential substance for the body, as it collects bad cholesterol from the walls of blood vessels, after which it promotes its removal to the liver, where it is destroyed. Many people are interested: if HDL is lowered, what does this mean? It should be borne in mind that this condition is dangerous, since atherosclerosis develops not only against the background of increased low-density cholesterol, but also if LDL cholesterol is reduced. If HDL cholesterol is elevated, what does this mean, you need to ask a specialist.

That is why the most undesirable option in adults is when the level of bad cholesterol is increased and the level of useful cholesterol is decreased. According to statistics, approximately 60% of mature people have this combination of indicators. And the earlier such indicators can be determined and treatment carried out correctly, the lower the risk of developing dangerous diseases.

Good cholesterol, unlike bad cholesterol, is produced only by the body, so it will not be possible to increase its level by consuming certain foods.

The normal level of good cholesterol in women is slightly higher than normal HDL cholesterol in men. The most important recommendation on how to increase its level in the blood is the following: you need to practice physical exercise, during which its production increases. Even if you do ordinary exercises at home every day, this will help not only increase HDL, but also reduce levels of bad cholesterol, which the body gets from food.

If a person has eaten food that contains very high cholesterol, to activate its removal it is necessary to ensure the active work of muscles of all groups.

Thus, those who want the LDL and HDL levels to be restored need to:

move more (especially for those who have suffered a heart attack or stroke);
exercise moderately;
practice intense physical activity (in the absence of contraindications).

You can also increase the level of good cholesterol by taking a small dose of alcohol. However, in no case should it be more than one glass of dry wine per day.

It is important to take into account that excessive load threatens to suppress the synthesis of cholesterol.

To correctly decipher a blood test, you should take into account the level of cholesterol in a person’s blood.

There is a table of cholesterol norms for women by age, from which, if necessary, you can find out what the cholesterol norm is for women after 50 years of age, and what the norm is considered to be for women at a young age. Accordingly, the patient can independently determine whether her cholesterol is high or low and consult a doctor who will help find out the reasons for low or high cholesterol levels. It is the doctor who determines what treatment and diet should be.

The normal level of cholesterol in the blood for women and men based on HDL, if the condition of the heart and blood vessels is normal, is above 1 mmol/l or 39 mg/dl.
In people with coronary artery disease who have had a stroke or heart attack, the indicator should be 1-1.5 mmol/l or 40-60 mg/dl.

The analysis process also determines the norm of total cholesterol in women and men, that is, how good and bad cholesterol correlate.

Total cholesterol in the blood should be no more than 5.2 mmol/l or 200 mg/dl.

If the norm in young men is even slightly exceeded, then this must be considered a pathology.

There is also a table of cholesterol norms in men by age, which can easily be used to determine the norm of cholesterol in men, its indicators in at different ages. From the corresponding table you can find out what norm of hdl-cholesterol is considered optimal

However, in order to determine whether the level in men and women is actually normal for this indicator, first of all, you need to do a blood test, which makes it possible to find out the content of total cholesterol, as well as the content of other indicators - low or high sugar, etc.

After all, even if the norm of total cholesterol is noticeably exceeded, it is impossible to determine the symptoms or special signs of such a condition. That is, a person does not even realize that the norm has been exceeded, and his blood vessels are clogged or narrowed, until he begins to notice that he has pain in the heart, or until a stroke or heart attack occurs.

Therefore, it is important even for a healthy person of any age to get tested and monitor whether the permissible norm cholesterol. Also, each person should prevent an increase in these indicators in order to avoid the development of atherosclerosis and other serious ailments in the future.

Who needs to control cholesterol levels?

If a person is healthy, he does not show negative symptoms, he does not need to think about the state of blood vessels or check whether the level is normal Cholesterol takes place in the body. That is why patients are often not even aware of the increased level of this substance at first.

This indicator should be measured especially carefully and regularly for those who suffer from hypertension or have problems with the heart and blood vessels. In addition, indications for regular tests have the following categories:

people who smoke;
those who are sick hypertension ;
overweight people;
patients suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system;
those who prefer a sedentary life;
women after;
men after reaching 40 years of age;
aged people.

Those who need a blood test for cholesterol should ask appropriate professionals about how to take a cholesterol test. The blood formula, including cholesterol content, is determined. How to donate blood for cholesterol? This analysis is carried out in any clinic; for this, approximately 5 ml of blood is taken from the ulnar vein. Those who are interested in how to donate blood correctly should note that before these indicators are determined, the patient should not eat for half a day. Also, in the period before blood donation, you should not engage in intense physical activity.

There is also a special test for use at home. These are disposable test strips that are easy to use. The portable analyzer is used by people with lipid metabolism disorders.

How to decipher a blood test

You can find out whether total cholesterol is elevated by conducting a blood test in the laboratory. If total cholesterol is elevated, what does this mean, how to act, and everything about treatment will be explained by your doctor. But you can try to decipher the test results yourself. To do this, you need to know that the biochemical analysis contains three indicators: LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and total cholesterol.

Lipidogram is a comprehensive study that allows you to evaluate lipid metabolism in the body, which allows you to determine how lipid metabolism occurs and calculate the risk of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease.

Correct interpretation of the blood lipid profile is also important from the point of view of assessing the need to take statins, daily dose such drugs. Statins are drugs that have many side effects, and their price is quite high. Therefore, based on what it is - a lipid profile, this analysis allows you to find out what a person’s blood consists of and prescribe the most effective therapy for the patient.

After all, total cholesterol is an indicator that in itself does not make it possible to clearly assess the likelihood of a patient developing atherosclerosis. If total cholesterol is elevated, what to do can be assessed using the full range of diagnostic indicators. Therefore, the following indicators are determined:

HDL (alpha cholesterol) – it is determined whether high-density lipoproteins are increased or decreased. It is taken into account when determining the parameters of β-lipoproteins that this substance performs a protective function, preventing the development of atherosclerosis.
LDL – low-density lipoproteins are increased or decreased. The higher the beta cholesterol level, the more activated the atherosclerotic process.
VLDL – very low density lipoproteins, thanks to which exogenous lipids are transported in plasma. Synthesized by the liver, they are the main precursor of LDL. VLDL takes an active part in the production of atherosclerotic plaques.
Triglycerides - This esters higher fatty acids and glycerol. This is a transport form of fats, therefore, their increased content also increases the risk of atherosclerosis.

What normal cholesterol should be is determined depending on age; it can be different for women and men. In addition, it is important to understand that there is no exact number that indicates the norm of cholesterol. There are only recommendations on what the index should be. Therefore, if the indicator is different and deviates from the range, then this is evidence of some kind of disease.

However, those who are planning to take the test should take into account that certain errors may occur during the analysis. The data from the study showed that in 75% of laboratories in the country such errors are allowed. What to do if you strive to get an accurate result? It is best to do such analyzes in those laboratories that are certified by the VCS (Invitro, etc.)

Normal cholesterol levels in women

Normally, in women, the total chol level is 3.6-5.2 mmol/l;
Cholesterol, moderately elevated – 5.2 – 6.19 mmol/l;
Hc, significantly increased - from more than 6.19 mmol/l.
LDL cholesterol: normal – 3.5 mmol/l, elevated – from 4.0 mmol/l.
HDL cholesterol: normal level is 0.9-1.9 mmol/l, a level below 0.78 mmol/l is considered dangerous to health.

№	Age (years)	Total Cholesterin (mmol/l)
1	under 5	within 2.90-5.18
2	5-10	within 2.26-5.30
3	10-15	within 3.21-5.20
4	15-20	within 3.08-5.18
5	20-25	within 3.16-5.59
6	25-30	within 3.32-5.75
7	30-35	within 3.37-5.96
8	35-40	within 3.63-6.27
9	40-45	within 3.81-6.53
10	45-50	within 3.94-6.86
11	50-55	within 4.20-7.38
12	55-60	within 4.45-7.77
13	60-65	within 4.45-7.69
14	65-70	within 4.43-7.85
15	from 70	within 4.48-7.25

Normal cholesterol levels in men

Normally, the total Chol level in men is 3.6-5.2 mmol/l;
Normal LDL cholesterol is 2.25-4.82 mmol/l;
HDL cholesterol is normal – 0.7-1.7 mmol/l.

№	Age (years)	Total Cholesterin (mmol/l)
1	up to 5	within 2.95-5.25
2	5-10	within 3.13-5.25
3	10-15	within 3.08-5.23
4	15-20	within 2.93-5.10
5	20-25	within 3.16-5.59
6	25-30	within 3.44-6.32
7	30-35	within 3.57-6.58
8	35-40	within 3.78-6.99
9	40-45	within 3.91-6.94
10	45-50	within 4.09-7.15
11	50-55	within 4.09-7.17
12	55-60	within 4.04-7.15
13	60-65	within 4.12-7.15
14	65-70	within 4.09-7.10
15	from 70	within 3.73-6.86

Triglycerides

Triglycerides are a specific type of fat found in human blood. They are the main source of energy and the most abundant type of fat in the body. A complete blood test determines the amount of triglycerides. If it is normal, then these fats are beneficial for the body.

As a rule, triglycerides in the blood are elevated in those who consume more calories than they burn. When their levels are elevated, the so-called metabolic syndrome , in which there is high blood pressure, increased blood sugar, low levels of good cholesterin, and also a large amount of fat around the waist. This condition increases the likelihood of developing diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.

The normal triglyceride level is 150 mg/dl. The normal level of triglycerides in the blood of women, as well as men, is exceeded if the level is more than 200 mg/dl. However, the rate is up to 400 mg/dl. is designated as acceptable. A high level is considered to be 400-1000 mg/dl. very high – from 1000 mg/dl.

If triglycerides are low, what does this mean, you need to ask your doctor. This condition is observed in lung diseases, cerebral infarction, parenchymal damage, myasthenia gravis, when taken, etc.

What is the atherogenic coefficient

Many people are interested in what is the atherogenic coefficient in a biochemical blood test? Atherogenic coefficient It is customary to call the proportional ratio of good and total cholesterin. This indicator is the most accurate reflection of the state of lipid metabolism in the body, as well as an assessment of the likelihood of atherosclerosis and other ailments. To calculate the atherogenic index, you need to subtract the HDL cholesterol value from the total cholesterol value, and then divide this difference by the HDL cholesterol level.

The norm for women and the norm for men of this indicator is as follows:

2-2.8 – young people under 30 years old;
3-3.5 is the norm for people over 30 years old who do not have signs of atherosclerosis;
from 4 – an indicator typical for people suffering from coronary artery disease.

If the atherogenic coefficient is below normal, then this is not a cause for concern. On the contrary, if the coefficient is reduced, then the person’s risk of atherosclerosis is low.

It is important to pay attention to the patient's condition if the atherogenicity coefficient is increased. A specialist will tell you what it is and how to act in this case. If a patient’s atherogenic coefficient is increased, the reasons for this are due to the fact that bad cholesterol is increased in the body. What to do in such a situation? First of all, you need to contact a qualified doctor who will adequately assess the atherogenic index. What this means can only be clearly assessed and explained by a specialist.

Atherogenicity – this is the main criterion for monitoring how effective hypercholesterolemia therapy is. One should strive to ensure that lipoprotein levels are restored. It is important to ensure not only a decrease in total cholesterol, but also an increase in high-density lipoproteins. Therefore, decoding the lipid spectrum of the blood provides that β-lipoproteins, the norm for which is different in women and men, as already noted, are necessarily taken into account when assessing the patient’s condition.

Other studies for high cholesterol

If there is a risk of atherosclerosis, not only lipoproteins (the norm in the blood) are determined, but also other important indicators, in particular also the norm of PTI in the blood in women and men. PTI – this is the prothrombin index, one of the most important factors of a coagulogram, a study of the state of the blood coagulation system.

However, currently in medicine there is a more stable indicator - INR , which stands for international normalization ratio. If the level is elevated, there is a risk of bleeding. If the INR is elevated, a specialist will explain in detail what this means.

The determination of hgb () is also important, since with high cholesterol levels, hemoglobin levels can be very high, and this increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, thrombosis, etc. How much hemoglobin should be normal can be found out from a specialist.

Other indicators and markers (he4), etc. are determined in people with high cholesterol if necessary.

What to do to normalize cholesterol?

Many people, having received test results and learned that they have cholesterol 7 or cholesterol 8, simply have no idea what to do. The basic rule in this case is the following: a clinical blood test must be deciphered by a specialist, whose recommendations should be followed. That is, if low-density lipoproteins are elevated, the doctor should explain what it is. In the same way, if there is low cholesterol in the blood, what does this mean, you should ask a specialist.

As a general rule, it is important to be strictly followed in men as well as in women. Its conditions are not difficult to understand. It is enough just not to consume foods with saturated fats and dangerous dietary cholesterol. There are some important tips to keep in mind:

significantly reduce the amount of animal fats in the diet;
reduce portions of fatty meat, remove skin from poultry before consumption;
reduce portions butter, mayonnaise, sour cream with high fat content;
prefer boiled rather than fried foods;
You can eat eggs without overdoing them;
the diet should contain a maximum of healthy fiber (apples, beets, legumes, carrots, cabbage, kiwi, etc.);
useful to consume vegetable oils, fish.

If cholesterol is elevated with, it is important to strictly adhere to the doctor’s recommendations - it is he who will tell you which diet plan is most relevant in this case.

Seeing cholesterol 6.6 or cholesterol 9 in test results, what to do, the patient should ask a specialist. It is likely that the doctor will prescribe treatment based on the patient’s individual characteristics.

You should clearly remember that normal Chl levels are the key to the health of your blood vessels and heart, and do everything to improve these indicators

Normal fat metabolism occurs if the indicators are close to the following values.

What is cholesterol? Considering the large number of questions about cholesterol after the publication of my article “”, I continue to talk about it...

Hello! Doctor, I am 53 years old. I recently went to Moscow to visit my sister and there I saw a sign saying “all blood tests.” Well, I decided to take a blood test in this laboratory - I haven’t taken any tests for a long time, probably ten years, and didn’t even think about it. I got the result, I myself didn’t care or dig in them, as they say. I came home, went to our doctor and showed these tests.

She told me that my cholesterol level was high and that I needed to lose weight and try not to eat fatty foods - butter, sour cream. Our doctor told me that the lower the cholesterol level in the blood, the lower the likelihood of a heart attack and.

Doctor, I beg you, tell me about this cholesterol clearly and intelligibly. It would be good to know your normal cholesterol level. And about how to achieve it...I trust your words, I’ve been reading for a long time.

- Alexander Evgenievich Manin, Vladimir region

Hello, Alexander Evgenievich! You can write a lot and for a long time about cholesterol...

What is the difference between good cholesterol and bad cholesterol?

Let's start this conversation with what normal levels of cholesterol should be in a person's blood serum.

There is an opinion among people that, they say, the lower the level of cholesterol in the blood, the better. In fact, this is not quite the case. Or not at all...

Lipoproteins, also known as cholesterol with a protein compound, play an important role in the human body. Cardiologists talk not so much about the norm of cholesterol, although this is also important, but about the norm of cholesterol fractions in the human body, that is, the balance between the so-called “good” and “bad” lipoproteins. You've probably heard more than once about good and bad cholesterol? This is what we are talking about now...

So what is the normal level of cholesterol in the blood?

The level of cholesterol in the blood of an adult depends on gender. Doctors clearly know:

In men, normal cholesterol levels range from 3.5 to 6, preferably up to 5.5 mmol/l; in women, this level should be in the range of 3 to 5.5 mmol/l.

For people at high risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, there are more stringent requirements for controlling cholesterol levels, and normally it should not exceed 5 mmol/l.

And, of course, we cannot help but mention the balance between “bad” and “good” cholesterol.

Low-density lipoproteins (in tests they are referred to as LDL), and it is they who are called “bad” cholesterol, are the cause of the development of atherosclerosis and many.

When “bad” cholesterol does not exceed normal levels, cells of all organs and systems of the body use it to build cell membranes and transport protein compounds.

With a high level of content in the blood, low-density lipoproteins (that is, the same “bad” cholesterol) begin to accumulate on the internal lining of arterial vessels (called intima), in parenchymal organs (in the liver, in the kidneys, in the lungs), which leads to very development.

Normally, the level of “bad” cholesterol should not exceed 65-70 percent of general level all lipoproteins - both high density and low density.

High-density lipoproteins, or good cholesterol, as opposed to low-density lipoproteins (that is, “bad” cholesterol), protect the heart, arterial vessels and other organs from high level cholesterol, binding it and transporting it to - therefore, increasing the proportion of good cholesterol in the diet can reduce the progression of atherosclerosis in cardiovascular patients.

There is, by the way, another type of cholesterol - these are triglycerides, which are used by organisms to produce energy in cells (in mitochondria - cellular micro-power plants) - they, these triglycerides are for these mitochondria-power plants, like our Russian gas is for Europe.

Reserves of triglycerides are little by little deposited in adipose tissue (again, by analogy with gas and Europe - after all, it’s not without reason that Europeans pump our gas into underground storage facilities), forming a reserve of energy resources, which in critical situations is used by the human body (and not only humans, but also any other living creature).

With an excessive level of triglyceride intake, it develops, which sharply (several times) increases the risk of developing atherosclerosis with all the ensuing very disastrous consequences.

As I noted earlier, the balance of all types of cholesterol in the body is important.

And now a few words about the normal levels of types of cholesterol.

So, the norms of cholesterol in the blood of an adult are:

Cholesterol indicator Men Women
Total cholesterol 3.5 – 6 mmol/l 3 – 5.5 mmol/l
Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) 2.2 – 4.8 mmol/l 1.95 – 4.5 mmol/l
High density lipoproteins (HDL) 0.7 – 1.75 mmol/l 0.85 – 2.28 mmol/l
Normal triglycerides (TG) 0.62 – 3.7 mmol/l 0.5 – 2.6 mmol/l

Bad and good cholesterol (cholesterol) is present in the body of every person. Its amount depends on nutrition and liver health. This “dreaded” cholesterol is a vital, fat-like, wax-like substance (translated from Greek as solid bile), which when oxidized by radicals acquires harmful properties.

In the blood, it is divided into three types:

general;
high density;
low density.

The main difference between good and bad is that it can be produced exclusively by the body itself. Its amount cannot be increased with food. It plays an important role in the coordinated functioning of all organs. This substance, which is part of cell membranes, is present in every cell and plays an indispensable role in the formation of sex hormones: cortisol, estrogen and testosterone.

Cholesterol level

The ratio of bad cholesterol in the blood to good cholesterol is detected during a laboratory examination, and the level is measured in mmol/l or mg/dl. The normal LDL level for a healthy person is less than 4 mmol/L or 160 mg/dL. Its performance depends on many factors. Important criteria are the person’s gender, age, bad habits, stress and the presence of diseases. People who have had a heart attack, stroke or suffer from ischemic heart pathologies must have levels of at least 2.5 mmol/l, that is, 100 mg/dl.

For people who are predisposed to cardiovascular diseases, the LDL level should be no more than 3.3 mmol/l, that is, less than 130 mg/dl. It has been proven that in men the cholesterol level should not exceed 7.17 mmol/l, and in women 7.77 mmol/l. Increased level cholesterol contributes to rapid aging and this is reflected in appearance, which is important for women. An excess of bad cholesterol in the blood indicates the presence of liver and heart diseases.

The worst ratio is when bad cholesterol is high and good cholesterol is low.

Balance of good and bad cholesterol

An excess of cholesterol in the blood is dangerous to human health, so medical professionals and the media began to focus on proper nutrition And healthy way life.

Lately there has been so much talk about him that sometimes you begin to wonder if this is really true? But it turns out that it is actually important that both good and bad cholesterol are present in the body without disturbing the balance. Which cholesterol is bad and which is good? “Bad” (LDL) has a low density and promotes the formation of sclerotic plaques, the appearance of which threatens serious diseases of the cardiovascular system and the formation of cholesterol stones in the gall bladder. “Good” cholesterol (HDL) is a high-density lipoprotein and helps break down sclerotic plaques by carrying the harmful substance to the liver, where it is processed.

A normal balance is when “good” cholesterol is more than 0.45 g per 1 liter, and “bad” cholesterol is no more than 1 g per 1 liter of blood.

Nutrition plays a role

To improve your health, you need to reconsider your diet. A lot of cholesterol is found in lard, meat, liver, full-fat milk and cottage cheese, and fatty fish. Despite the benefits of these products, they should not be abused.

Cholesterol plays an important role in the synthesis of sex hormones and bone growth, so children and adolescents should receive a nutritious diet that includes animal products. They are indispensable for the younger generation.

Eating foods such as: different types cabbage, dill, parsley, lettuce, celery, carrots in any form, nuts (contain unsaturated fatty acids), onions, garlic. Olive and sunflower oil must be present in the diet. Products that remove harmful substances, preventing them from depositing in blood vessels:

beans;
beans;
peas;
lentils;
oatmeal;
Brown rice.

Campaigns to “fight” cholesterol have been launched in many countries around the world. Manufacturers food products began to indicate the presence of harmful substances on labels, thus attracting buyers to certain products. But unfortunately, the level of consumption of so-called cholesterol products has decreased, and the incidence of cardiovascular diseases has even begun to increase.

At the same time, the French, who constantly have fatty meat in their diet, are much less susceptible to cardiovascular diseases than others. They, like the Italians, along with fatty and rich dishes, eat a lot of vegetables, fruits, herbs, washed down with red wine, which is a powerful antioxidant. The Japanese have a high life expectancy and feel good by eating a lot of fish, algae, and grains, but almost exclude fatty meat from the diet.

Optimal selection of products creates a favorable environment for getting rid of “bad” cholesterol; it simply does not have the opportunity to accumulate in the body. Therefore, the balance in the body directly depends on the balance of food.

Drug treatment

High cholesterol levels are reduced with the help of medications, these include Niacin, which contains nicotinic acid. Nicotinic acid increases the amount of HDL and reduces LDL.

It is recommended to use drugs that level out the level of harmful and useful substances in the blood by blocking the production of cholesterol. They do not allow it to be absorbed in the intestines. All medications may be taken strictly as prescribed by a doctor.

Everyone writes about cholesterol everywhere: it interests both pundits who write scientific treatises about it, and ordinary people who create myths and fables about it, spreading rumors and guesses. Cholesterol itself is not harmful in its biological and chemical essence. It's all about its quantities. There is a certain norm of cholesterol in the body, exceeding which is fraught with various health complications. Any person should know this norm and be able to maintain it in their body.

You might be interested to immediately read:

Cholesterol: what is it?

To understand how cholesterol works in the body, you need to know about its nature and functions. Cholesterol is a naturally occurring lipid that enters the body in two ways:

— most of the cholesterol (about 80%) is produced by the liver;

— the rest (20%) penetrates along with the products that a person consumes.

Circulating in the blood as part of complex compounds, it performs in the body whole line a wide variety of functions:

- he is building material for cells;

- participates in the production of sex hormones;

— takes an active part in the metabolism (metabolism) of cells;

- is a supplier of antioxidants for the body (substances that serve as a protective barrier for cells from negative influences);

— without it, it is impossible to produce bile acid, which helps the body absorb fats.

According to these data, it follows that cholesterol is simply a necessary substance in the body. However, not all so simple. It circulates in the blood in two forms. The first is called HDL (the so-called “good cholesterol”), the second is called LDL (also called “bad cholesterol”). If their number and ratio do not correspond to the norm, the formation of those very atherosclerotic plaques occurs that lead to serious illnesses of cardio-vascular system. But first things first.

3. Lifestyle

To maintain normal blood cholesterol levels, you must adhere to the basics of a healthy lifestyle:

- move more, give up a sedentary lifestyle;

- bring your weight back to normal, try to get rid of extra pounds;

- quit smoking.

In order for the level of cholesterol in the body to correspond to standard indicators, you need to constantly monitor it, monitor your diet and adhere to the right lifestyle.