WHAT RAISES CHOLESTEROL IN THE BLOOD AND WHAT TO DO?

Cholesterol is an integral part of the tissue cells. But when its content begins to exceed the norm, there is a risk of the appearance of pathologies of the cardiovascular system. That is why it is so important to understand how cholesterol rises and what ways exist for lowering it.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is fat, which is predominantly formed in the liver and plays a key role in the normal functioning of the body. It is also present in the outer layers of cells, performs a large number of functions. The form is a V-shaped steroid, advancing inside the blood plasma. This substance may be contained inside the cell membranes and is responsible for their strength characteristics.

Cholesterol is important for the following reasons:

Takes an active part in the digestive processes, if it is not, will not be the production of liver digestive salts and juices.
Another important function is participation in the development of male and female sex hormones. Changes in the level of fatty alcohol in the bloodstream causes interruptions in recovery function.
Thanks to cholesterol, the adrenal glands regularly produce cortisol, and vitamin D is synthesized in the skin.
An imbalance of cholesterol in the bloodstream can cause weakened immunity, disruptions in the body.

A large amount of a substance can be produced by the body by itself, the remainder is ingested with food. Therefore, according to recent studies, the cholesterol content deviates to either side depending on the menu.

Bad and good cholesterol

Cholesterol is essential for a stable body. It is divided into "bad" and "good", but this division is conditional. Cholesterol is dangerous in the bound state with transport protein.

“Bad” cholesterol, or low-density cholesterol, is deposited on the vascular walls and forms plaques covering the lumen in the blood vessels.

In the process of combining with proteins, the substance forms low-density lipoprotein complexes. If there is an increase in this type of cholesterol, the danger to health is great.

"Good" cholesterol, or high density cholesterol, differs from "bad" in structure and function. It clears the vascular walls of lipoproteins, sends harmful substances to the liver for processing. The main role of such cholesterol is the constant redirection of excess blood from the bloodstream to the liver for processing and subsequent excretion from the body.

What makes cholesterol go up?

Excess weight

Extra pounds can not only spoil the self-esteem and add problems with the choice of clothing, but also impair health. According to doctors, overweight people have a level of “good” cholesterol below the norm, and a “bad” one is above. However, to get rid of this problem, do not need to resort to pills and operations. It is enough just to lose weight.

A large number of fatty dishes on the menu

Nutrition is one of the main factors that affects the level of cholesterol in the blood. Fat pork, beef, and so on - a real source of harmful monozhirov. It is also recommended to beware of dairy products of high fat content, especially butter and margarine. Also try to read the labels: if the product contains coconut or palm oil, then it is recommended to refuse such a product.

Lack of physical activity

Lack of physical activity adversely affects the body, as does obesity. "Good" cholesterol is reduced, "bad" - rises, which as a result can cause plaque formation, vascular obstruction, and heart attack. If there is no time to go in for sports intensively, just take a walk every day - at least half an hour.

Age

After 20 years, the level of cholesterol slowly grows on its own, regardless of nutrition, physique. In men, after 50 years, he stops at the reached level. In women, cholesterol stays at a fairly low level until menopause, then jumps sharply.

Hereditary factor

In a family of cores, high cholesterol can be inherited.

Smoking

About the dangers of this habit does not write only lazy. However, it should be remembered that smoking, among other problems, reduces the level of "good" cholesterol, which ultimately can badly affect the heart.

Thyroid problems

Elevated cholesterol can be a symptom or a consequence of certain pathologies. For example, diabetes, hypothyroidism. For this reason, it is recommended to consult a doctor.

What is the danger of high cholesterol?

High concentrations of cholesterol over a long period can create the conditions for the formation of serious diseases:

coronary heart disease, which is caused by difficulties with the saturation of the blood with oxygen;
brain stroke;
vascular thrombosis;
myocardial infarction;
Alzheimer's disease;
renal or hepatic failure.

In addition, excessive cholesterol can cause hypertension. And the defeat of the vessel walls creates the prerequisites for the development of varicose veins or thrombophlebitis. The truth about high cholesterol, many learn only after the occurrence of any complications, for example, stroke or heart attack. In men, a strict cholesterol-free diet leads to a decrease in sexual activity, a woman develops amenorrhea.

11 simple rules for maintaining cholesterol in normal

Atherosclerosis at the first stages can be stopped, nutrition in this issue is a powerful preventive method. When this problem occurs, the doctor will give his recommendations, and he will not be in a hurry to prescribe certain drugs, but will try to lower cholesterol levels by adjusting the diet:

Vegetable oil (linseed or olive) with polyunsaturated fatty acids will help reduce the synthesis of high-density lipoprotein. Need to take up to 30 ml per day.
Low-fat meats and eggs. Eggs have long been considered a harmful product because they contain a lot of cholesterol. However, there are other substances in the composition that help dissolve cholesterol in the body. The rate for an adult is one egg per day. Food is useful where this product is in a liquid state, since it is an excellent choleretic agent.
Honey, cabbage, carrots are also on the list of recommended products. In general, it is necessary to include in the diet a sufficiently large amount of fiber, dietary fiber - they are contained in fruits and vegetables. With their help, up to 15% of cholesterol can be eliminated from the intestines.
Whole grain cereals. As part of a lot of magnesium, which normalizes the production of good cholesterol.
Fish oil from the northern breeds of fish, which is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, dilutes blood, restores blood flow, promotes the production of high-density lipoproteins. Fish should be consumed at least twice a week.
It is recommended to include in the diet of seaweed, cod liver, shrimp, because these products are rich in iodine, which lowers the "bad" cholesterol.
From the nuts you need to choose pistachios: if you consume them about 20 g each day, the cholesterol levels will decrease several times. Good results can be obtained from eating almonds or walnuts, as they also contain useful acids.
Products such as cranberries, raspberries, and cherries have proven themselves in the fight against excess cholesterol, since they contain a large amount of manganese, which reduces cholesterol levels.
Very useful product - mushrooms. In addition to fiber, they contain a substance that blocks the production of low-density lipoprotein. However, it is worth remembering that mushrooms are heavy for the stomach products, so when they are used, you need to remember about moderation.
Beans absorb and eliminate excess cholesterol. Sufficiency up to 200 g of boiled beans per day, not to think about excess cholesterol.
Citrus fruits, which include pectins, will help in this.

Power Features

One of the main factors in the fight against high cholesterol - change in nutrition, and for the rest of his life. The main principle - fats in the menu should not exceed 30%. They should be unsaturated.

Adhering to these rules, you will not only reduce the concentration of unwanted cholesterol in the blood, but also raise the percentage of useful. A healthy diet involves giving up trans fats from which margarine is made. The same substances are present in confectionery.

The liver is an excellent source of vitamin A, but cholesterol is also not very small. By limiting these foods in the diet, you can reduce the amount of bad cholesterol by 50%.

This rule applies to red meat - instead of it is recommended to use lean chicken. When cooking foods, cholesterol levels are reduced by about 20%. Avoid fatty dairy products, especially cream.

Reliable prevention of atherosclerosis - a glass of dry red wine, which contains a little alcohol and a lot of antioxidants.

Medications

Not always change your own diet allows you to normalize cholesterol levels. If the performance of this substance is very high or there is a serious risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, doctors recommend taking drugs that lower cholesterol.

Most commonly prescribed statins, which block the synthesis of substances in the liver. However, they have a rather large list of contraindications. Preparations in this group, for example, will help balance the level of beneficial and harmful cholesterol.

When side effects occur, transverol is prescribed. They help prevent the absorption of a dangerous substance in the intestines of Questran and Colestipol. However, remember that if high cholesterol levels were detected in tests, only a doctor can prescribe the choice of drug and treatment regimen.

He will also most likely recommend taking folic acid, vitamins B3, B6 and B12.

Cholesterol during pregnancy

The level of lipids in the period of childbearing changes in the second and third trimester. At the same time, the cholesterol content may double.

However, this indicator should not be a cause for concern, since the intensive work of the liver during this period is aimed at the needs of the developing fetus. In moderate hypercholesterolemia, there will be no signs of heart failure. But if the increase in cholesterol was detected in the first trimester, and in the second and third overcame the threshold of 12 mol / liter, it is impossible to adjust the nutrition. The doctor will prescribe a diet that restricts certain types of foods, methods of their processing. At high rates can assign repeated tests.

Folk remedies

There are the following vegetable fees, which slow down the absorption of cholesterol:

Kalina, lime, dandelion roots. To slow down the synthesis of cholesterol, you can use ginseng or Chinese lemongrass. And for quick removal from the body fit rosehip and fennel.
The collection of herbs is very effective in this pathology. To prepare you need to take 15 grams of Eleutherococcus, birch leaves, wild rose berries, mint, burdock rhizomes, carrots, dried marsh. Combine all these ingredients, chop, mix. Take one tablespoon of the mixture, pour 1 liter of boiling water. Tomit under the lid about 4-5 hours. Strain the infusion and take 70 ml 3 times a day.

Very quickly help improve physical performance. However, grueling workouts can lead to the opposite result.

Few conclusions

Stroke and heart attack - causes almost 70% of deaths in the world. However, few people know that 7 out of 10 people die because of high cholesterol in the blood, which causes an obstruction of the arteries of the heart or brain. Especially scary is the fact that many people do not even suspect about high cholesterol. And they miss the opportunity to fix something, which as a result can cause serious consequences.

Because it is so important to know the main symptoms of high cholesterol in the blood. These include: