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Cholesterol
Cholesterol is an organic chemical substance and is a steroid of fat. High levels of this steroid fat can cause real problems with humans leading to heart and circularity problems as the fat builds up layers in vital veins thereby restricting blood flow to vital organs such as the heart and can n some cases cause heart failure. On the other hand humans require this essential and important steroid fat to keep us healthy, as it responsible for creating and maintaining membranes within our bodies, the trick is to get the intake balance correct. Cholesterol was first discovered in 1769 in the gallstones.
871 Questions
Cholesterol is transported around the body by lipoproteins, which is fat attached to protein. There are two types - HDLs (high density lipoproteins) and LDLs (low density lipoproteins)
LDLs carry cholesterol from the liver to body cells. Too much can block arteries. So this is "bad cholesterol"
HDLs carry cholesterol that isn't needed from body cells back to the liver for removal from the body. So these are "good cholesterol"
Hope I helped :)
What is something you can eat to lower your cholesterol?
Watching the types of foods you eat and how much fat it contains is the first step to lowering your cholesterol. Foods that can help you lower your cholesterol include oatmeal, fish, sushi, and walnuts/almonds.
What is the best description of the daily low saturated fat and low cholesterol eating plan?
Less than 7 percent of calories from saturated fat and less than 200 mg of dietary cholesterol.
Why is it important to reduce dietary intake of cholesterol?
If a doctor or someone else told you that it's important to reduce your dietary intake of cholesterol, then they were wrong.
It's true that someone should not go crazy and eat a pound of chicken or beef liver or a pound of shrimp or a pound of lobster with real butter all over it or a pound of bacon every day, but the amount of cholesterol one gets from a normal, meat-eating diet is a small percentage of the amount of cholesterol that person's liver (the liver is the primary cholesterol factory, but not the only one) makes on its own, plus the liver produces less cholesterol when cholesterol is consumed, therefore dietary cholesterol has no effect on ones total cholesterol level unless that person goes nuts and eats a whole lot of it.
One more thing; although one large egg yolk does contain about 90 mg of cholesterol, multiple studies have proven that the cholesterol in eggs does not increase ones cholesterol. It was theorized that there was some chemical compound in eggs that prevented them from raising a person's "bad" cholesterol, which is vLDL, and LDL cholesterols. That compound was subsequently discovered and found to be the B vitamin choline and one form of it called phosphatidyl choline. Egg yolks contain lecithin, and lecithin is made of phospholipids including phosphatidyl inositol and phosphatidyl serine - essential compounds for the body. Finally, not only do eggs not raise someones cholesterol, they actually increase the level of "good," or HDL cholesterol.
What are ways that I can raise my HDL?
Increasing the HDL (or "good") cholesterol level appears to be a function of both exercise and diet. Adding 30 minutes of moderate exercise to your daily routine will see a positive change within a surprisingly short period of time.
In addition, you should increase the intake of vegetables, fruit, whole grain products and soy-based foods (soymilk, soy protein breakfast patties) to supplement the exercise. I did this and, in less than three months, I astounded my doctor by reducing the "bad" cholesterol by about 40 points, while raising the "good" cholesterol by 5.
Also
1- keep your triglycerides as low as possible
2- Go for omega-3 fatty acids
Is whole milk a healthy food for someone with high cholesterol?
Absolutely, unless it causes problems for you.
What is the role cholesterol in the cell membrane?
Cholesterol allows fluidity in the cell membrane. Cholesterol has a water loving region and also another region which is hydrophobic.
Where can I find information on breakfast foods that are low in cholesterol?
Some breakfast food that can help lower cholesterol are cereal with low fat milk, oats, waffles, fruits and juice. Find out more information on this site http://www.dietforum.com/foods-lower-cholesterol.htm.
Where can i find a good menu to keep my cholesterol low ?
There are many diets for high cholesterol. If you have high cholesterol you should eat more fruits and vegetables. There are some suggestions here: http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/guide/heart-healthy-diet
What are some good things to eat when on a high cholesterol diet?
If you have recently found out from your doctor about a high cholesterol problem, changing your diet can make a huge difference. Whole grains have been proven to lower cholesterol levels across the board, and have many other positive healthy effects as well.
What is the normal cholesterol level for a female age 30-35?
Cholesterol is measured as the Serum blood level of a variety of fats and Lipids in the blood. The health level is very dependant on age and even gender. too little can be as harmful as too much so it is usually stated as TOTAL CHOLESTEROL range. and will usually be broken down into total and then the components>>>> A typical blood work up looks like this.
Total Cholesterol... Range from 100-199
Triglyceride's. Range from 0-149
HDL Cholesterol..... Range from >39 (Usually considered the BAD chol.)
VLDL.................... Range from 5-40
LDL...................... Range from 0-99 (Usually considered the GOOD chol.)
Extremely high HDL (High Density Lipids) indicate your blood is very waxy/ sticky and is clogging your arteries over time
Higher levels of LDL or VLDL (Low density Lipids) is considered healthy and offsetting to the bad.
The body uses Cholesterol to make the key sex hormones for the human body. Testosterone and Estrogen are key to healthy systems in the body including the reproductive and sexual response and development. Low cholesterol would adversely impact that development and high cholesterol can damage arteries, cause heard disease and has been associated with Alzimers disease.
How many hours do you need to fast for a cholesterol blood test?
For decades, a cholesterol test required fasting: 8-12 hours with absolutely no food or drink other than water. Not even gum or breath mints.
This is a hassle, sure, but not too onerous as long as your appointment is first thing in the morning. But if you can't nab an early morning appointment, this can be terribly inconvenient (unless you are a teenager, in which case it's no trouble at all - and gets you out of school).
Why is Fasting Important?
The reason fasting has traditionally been required for cholesterol testing is simple: lipid levels (and blood sugar levels) change hour-by-hour and depending on food consumption. It was believed that cholesterol levels could be elevated by as high as 20 points if the patient had not been fasting - and this could result in more aggressive treatment than necessary. Thus, fasting before cholesterol testing helped ensure that test results would not be skewed by a recent meal.
Is Water OK?
Water is not only permissible for a fasting blood test, it's important. First it can help stave off the hunger pangs. But more importantly, it is difficult for the phlebotomist to draw blood from a patient who is dehydrated. So unless you don't mind repeated arm pricks to find a vein, make sure you drink plenty of water before most any blood test - even a fasting blood test.
No More Need For Fasting?
But fasting may not be needed for accurate cholesterol testing, according to a study published in November 2012 in the Archives of Internal Medicine. In this large study of more than 200,000 people (half women) in Canada, average total cholesterol and HDL (good) cholesterol varied less than 2 percent among those who fasted and those who did not fast. For LDL (bad) cholesterol, the difference was less than 10 percent and for triglycerides it was less than 20 percent.
Dr. Christopher Naugler, an assistant professor of pathology at Calgary University and an author of the study, said, "It may even be that knowing a lipid level in a nonfasting state is a better way to estimate risk. No one knows yet."
Should You Fast Before a Cholesterol Test?
It may be that you do not need to fast before a cholesterol test. Or it may be that your doctor is very concerned about an accurate triglyceride reading and still wants you to fast. Your best bet is to ask your doctor what is best for your personal situation.
Dr. Christopher Naugler, an author of this Canadian study, said, "Eliminating fasting as a general requirement for cholesterol testing could greatly increase convenience for patients without significantly altering test results."
Things change in the medical community. The common belief that fasting is necessary for cholesterol testing has been challenged by this Canadian study, among others. While many doctors may still believe fasting before a cholesterol test is needed (and may be if a very accurate triglyceride level is important), this study questions that requirement. And that's good, because a non-fasting test may encourage many more people to have their cholesterol tested on a regular basis.
Does alcohol have cholesterol?
Alcohol actually can lower cholesterol as alcohol can break down fats which cause cholesterol. Too much alcohol, however, can totally destroy the liver beyond repair. Countries like France who have high levels of fat in their diet but drink lots of wine have low rates of heart disease cases which is said to be due to the high level of alcohol drunk.
Can you eat cholesterol and still lower your cholesterol?
No, actually, it will not. Your body needs cholesterol to do a great number of things, and if you are not getting it from the foods you eat, your body will make its own. There is absolutely nothing wrong with cholesterol. It has gotten a bad name for a number of reasons, none of them legitimate.
What does a hdl chol. of 110 mean?
It means that your good cholesterol is high, meaning you probably have a great cholesterol profile. It could indicate that you have little atherosclerosis, or cholesterol build-up, in your arteries.
Be proud of that reading. =)
Is there any food to lower cholesterol?
There are foods that can lower cholesterol. These foods include high fiber foods such as oatmeal or bran, fish, nuts, and olive oil. By cutting back on food that is high in saturated or trans fat, one can also lower cholesterol.
What are some good foods that lower cholesterol in the body?
Some foods that can lower your cholesterol in your body are foods that are high in fiber, low in fat, and high in vitamins. Fruits, vegetables, and oatmeal are very good sources of food that lower cholesterol.
Yes. Dietary cholesterol levels have only a modest impact on blood cholesterol levels, whereas saturated fats increase cholesterol synthesis in the liver. Limit your saturated fat and cholesterol intake as part of a sensible diet to reduce your risk of heart attack and stoke.
Which foods are most effective in lowering cholesterol?
There are many different kinds of foods that are recommended to control cholesterol. Foods that are low in fats and low in cholesterol are fruits and vegetables.
Is cholesterol used to make bile?
Bile salts are made in the Liver, stored and concentrated in the Gallbladder.
How to control cholesterol levels for good?
By eating right one can control one's cholesterol levels. Eating fat-free diary products and olive oil would help. Vitamin C is also important so one should make sure to eat a lot of fruits like oranges. Fish and omega-3 is also good.
What is high cholesterol mean?
Let's be clear first of all by emphasising that somecholesterol in your diet is vital for making certain hormones (including sex hormones and stress hormones), as well as making cell membranes. Cholesterol is made in the liver, but you supplement this by consuming more in your diet.
Now, there are two types of cholesterol: low-density lipoprotein (LDL), otherwise known as "bad" cholesterol; and high-density lipoproteins (HDL), sometimes called "good" cholesterol. LDLs don't travel through your bloodstream very well. If you eat too much LDL, it will eventually build up inside your arteries, leading to blood clots - a key contributing factor to strokes, heart attacks and high blood pressure. HDLs on the other hand, move more freely in the bloodstream, and research has suggested that it can even help remove LDLs from the walls of your blood vessles.
"Elevated cholesterol" can be vague, therefore. Even the most up-to-date cholesterol monitoring devices find it hard to establish between the "good" and "bad" cholesterols. In any case, there is no reason to panic...yet. Obviously, excercise is crucial to prevent fatty deposits from building up in your bloodstream. By changing your diet to consume fewer saturated fats, which raise overall cholesterol levels. Instead, choose poly-unsaturated fats. These are excellent, because they not only lower your overall blood-cholesterol levels; they assisst in keeping the LDL:HDL balance favourable. You can find poly-unsaturated fat in such foods as sunflower oil and oily fish.
If your doctor is still concerned, STATINS may be prescribed. These are drugs which inhibit the enzymes in your liver which produce cholesterol. By taking these you lower the amount of cholesterol in your body. Recent studies have linked them to possible side-effects, but much more research is desperately needed.
In summary, it is important that you are aware of the benefits of some cholesterol in your diet, and that elevated cholesterol is obscure. Nevertheless, you should take heed of any advice your GP gives you, and use this only as a guide-line to help you make informed decisions. In short, don't panic!
Meal Plans For Low Cholesterol Diets?
Learning to follow a diet plan low in fat and cholesterol in hopes of lowering your cholesterol levels is often tough. Diets are confusing by nature, and you may find yourself unsure of what you can and cannot eat. Thankfully, the low-fat, high-fiber diet that is recommended if you have high cholesterol is a rather easy one to describe. Within a few weeks, you should have a very good idea of which foods are allowed and which are not.
Think naturalNatural, minimally processed foods are the basis of your diet. Many diet plans describe the basis of this diet as consisting primarily of plant products. This means fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods should make up about 75 percent of your diet. Aim for the freshest selections available in these categories. For example, choose a fresh apple over canned pears and brown rice over processed white rice. Aim for at least five servings of fruit and veggies each day, and try to vary the colors of these foods for the greatest range in nutritional content.
Replace half of your grains with whole grain products for a more fiber-filled diet. Fiber promotes a lower cholesterol level. Choose leaner meatsAnimal products contain saturated fat, the kind of fat that increases cholesterol levels. In order to avoid an unhealthy intake of saturated fat, all you need to do is avoid high-fat meats and dairy. Instead, choose lean meats. Boneless and skinless chicken breasts are full of healthy protein and contain almost no fat. Lean pork loin and lean beef sirloin are also healthy choices. When it comes to dairy, always choose fat free milk and yogurt.
Lowering your cholesterol by following a proper diet is not always easy. However, if you simplify the diet by focusing on natural, low fat foods, you can have success in just a few months.
