Elevated cholesterol is most often associated with malnutrition Cholesterol Reduction: Basic Rules. It is believed that it is the consumption of excessive amounts of fat that increases its level. However, the human body is a complex system, the processes which take place according to a more complex pattern. MedAboutMe figured out how to effectively reduce cholesterol, and most importantly, fix the result and do without drugs.
What is Dangerous High Cholesterol Reduction: Basic Rules?
Cholesterol is a fatty alcohol that the body needs for many processes. In particular, it is he who ensures the elasticity and permeability of cell membranes, is involved in the production of hormones, etc. In the body of a healthy person, almost 80% of all cholesterol is produced by the liver and does not come with food.
At the same time, cholesterol is present in the body in conjunction with complex proteins of two types:
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is the “good” cholesterol, which not only does not harm blood vessels but can also cleanse them.
- Low-density lipoproteins (LDL), on the other hand, tend to form atherosclerotic plaques.
These two types are in constant interaction: in fact, HDL controls the dangerous LDL. In the event that the balance is disturbed, a person develops atherosclerosis – a narrowing of the lumen of the arteries due to plaques on their walls. The disease is dangerous in itself, but it is also a prerequisite for others:
- With the defeat of the coronary arteries, ischemic disease develops, which often ends in myocardial infarction.
With problems with the blood vessels of the brain, the risk of stroke increases, and a person also suffers from other disorders of cerebral circulation. - A detached atherosclerotic plaque can potentially move to any part of the body, clog the vessel and cause tissue necrosis. Often this affects the kidneys and blood vessels of the eyes.
Lowering cholesterol is an important part of the prevention of these diseases.
Diet for cholesterol. The Role of Nutrition
The first thing doctors advise people to do to lower cholesterol is to adjust their diet. It must be borne in mind that with the products we get only a part of the LDL, the “good” HDL is produced by our liver.
So a cholesterol diet should do two things: reduce animal fat intake and support the liver. The second is extremely important since it is this organ that controls the production of cholesterol and its level in the blood.
Foods that need to be eliminated or greatly reduced due to their high-fat content:
- Salo.
- Pork, lamb, and other fatty meats.
- Butter and dishes containing it – pastries, confectionery, etc.
- Hard cheeses.
To maintain the liver in working condition, a cholesterol diet should include the following foods:
- Fresh vegetables – greens, cucumbers, lettuce, celery.
- Boiled or baked vegetables – beets, carrots, broccoli.
- A small amount of vegetable fats – olive, sesame, or other oil.
- Nuts and dried fruits as an addition to dishes.
- Kashi: oatmeal, buckwheat.
- Low-fat varieties of meat and fish, poultry.
To reduce cholesterol, drinking plenty of water is also useful – pure water, green tea, compotes from fresh fruits and dried fruits. The liquid helps to cleanse the body, which means it can remove some of the harmful LDL.
To supplement the diet and help lower cholesterol, you can take the probiotic complex Lactoflorene CHOLESTEROL. It is able to influence cholesterol compounds in the body, enhancing the synthesis of “useful” and stimulating the withdrawal of “bad” cholesterol. Nutraceutical includes four main components: red fermented rice, vitamin PP, coenzyme Q10, and bifidobacteria. The complex formula helps not only maintain normal cholesterol but also reduce the risk of heart and vascular diseases.
The Role of Lifestyle and Fitness for cholesterol levels
And yet one diet with high cholesterol is not able to completely solve the problem. After all, there are much more factors affecting the imbalance of “bad” and “good”, as well as an increase in total cholesterol levels.
First of all, we are talking about bad habits – smoking and drinking alcohol. It has been proven that nicotine is one of the main causes of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Therefore, lowering cholesterol without giving up this habit will not bring the desired effect. Alcohol, in addition to its detrimental effect on the work of the heart, significantly harms the liver. As a result, it cannot fully cope with its functions, in particular, it cannot produce enough useful HDL.
Cardiologists are convinced that without lifestyle adjustments, drugs to reduce the level of this fatty alcohol are also ineffective. For example, overweight people are at risk. In 1948, in the American city of Framingham, with a population of 25,000 people, one of the most famous studies of cardiac risk factors was conducted. In particular, the relationship between cholesterol levels and body weight has been proven – the more adipose tissue, the more this fatty alcohol the body produces.
One of the key ways to control cholesterol levels is fitness. Cardiologist and Brown University Associate Professor Paul D. Thompson argue that it is possible to raise HDL levels with the help of physical activity. In addition, according to research results, the body of a person who regularly goes in for sports is able to cleanse itself faster – it is released from fats 75% faster than an untrained one. At the same time, we are talking about cardio loads, and not about weight lifting, bodybuilding, and other types of anaerobic (strength) sports.
Useful will be:
- Run.
- Swimming.
- Any kind of walking.
- A ride on the bicycle.
- Badminton, tennis.
- Aerobics.
Medications to Lower Cholesterol
In some cases, a doctor may recommend medications to lower cholesterol levels, but it should be borne in mind that in the case of heart disease, without lifestyle changes, their effect will be minimal.
The following may be recommended as maintenance medications:
- Statins (atorvastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin) – are aimed at blocking the liver enzyme that produces cholesterol. Effective with a general increase in analysis performance.
- Medications to lower triglyceride levels (gemfibrozil, fenofibrate, clofibrate). Triglycerides are the form in which fats are present in the blood. An increase in this indicator is also included in the comprehensive assessment of cholesterol.
- Aspirin – a drug that lowers blood viscosity, affects not only the atherosclerotic plaques themselves but reduces the likelihood of blood clots sticking to them.
- Niacin (vitamin B3, nicotinic acid) – is involved in the metabolism of proteins and fats, lowers LDL and HDL levels, and is effective for high levels of total cholesterol.
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