Cholesterol is a fat-like, waxy stuff that is found in the body. Some cholesterol is good; it is used by the body for building cell walls and manufacturing hormones and is a precursor to Vitamin D. Cholesterol is also important for proper function of the hormones which is why it is necessary to have a balance of cholesterol in your body. Cholesterol is also an important component for our cell membranes.
LDL and HDL are twoornaments of the blood vessel wall, meaning they help regulate the blood flow. LDL is the bad plankts of cholesterol, meaning he parts of the cholesterol that should not be in the body. What goes in, must come out of the body via the LDL cholesterols. The liver filters the body’s supply of LDL and converts it to 10-lipoproteins (LDL, HDL and a measurement of how dense the particles are). Your blood cholesterol is lowered by avoiding or limiting the build up of LDL cholesterols and by lessening the cholesterol content in the LDL to HDL ratio.
High-density lipoproteins (HDL) work like “sailors in a sailors upper” in that they help move cholesterol out of your blood stream. HDL carry cholesterol back to the liver for filtration and reimilation and sometimes can carry LDL and protein back into the blood stream. There is good and bad cholesterol but your good cholesterol comes from your liver and is called high-density lipoprotein (HDL).
What your doctor sees on a blood test may not be the whole story. HDL levels can be on the high side as well as LDL levels. High LDL levels can also be one of the components of a high HDL count. It is not a good thing if your HDL is too high.
Some HDL looks are quite pristine. You see, HDL has been shown to be elevated in people who have a tendency towards excessive eating, whether it is with high fat, high cholesterol foods or not. There may be something in the correlation between excessive carbohydrate intake and elevated HDL/LDL ratios.
In addition, as people age, there may be less change in the rate or even types of HDL seen. Although HDL is typically thought of as the good cholesterol, it is not the only one. There is also a measurement called Total Cholesterol which doesn’t always match up to a decrease in LDL seen in the same blood work.
Some defense systems or ways to counterbalance elevated LDL and HDL is to alter your diet, lose weight, lower your blood pressure, live a more active lifestyle. All of these lifestyle changes can be done and should be done. It is also important to have a no smoking and low salt diet, as tobacco smoke increases bloodvessels, which increases the amount of cholesterol found circulating in the blood stream.
Very bad, and expedient way to counterbalance the bad, is to go on a so called “STPK inhibitor” diet, which is utilized to slow down cholesterol synthesis. The first part of the step may be quite easy to accomplish. As we age we hold less muscle mass. That is why it is sometimes easy to lose weight even though you feel the age.
The second part requires getting on a highly nutritious diet with fresh fruits and vegetables. Almost any food that can be eaten in moderation is going to be beneficial. Take along a great supplement, however, as it will also make sure that you are getting the proper nutrition regardless of your lifestyle.
Now is the time to get started and change your bad cholesterolabolism. Have a good hearty breakfast, and you will instantly start to see the positive results.
Here is a list of helpful foods for reducing your cholesterol numbers.
Oats and Oatmeal
Tuna
Apples with the skin
Broccoli
Spinach
In addition toOmega-3 Fatty Acidsfrom plant sources such as WalnutsandFlaxseed, Salmon
Beef
Chicken
Turkey
Leander cuts of Meat
Nut Butters
Beef from the leanest cuts possible
Lowfat Milk
Butter
Raw Eggs
Coffee
As you can see, it is possible to beat genetics and your cholesterol numbers with diet and exercise. It is all about working for it, and taking a proactive approach to beating those high cholesterol numbers. I would also venture to say that discipline and discipline will get you to beat those high cholesterol numbers quicker than medication. That is to my mind a no brainer!
