What is Cholesterol and What Does It Do?

What is Cholesterol and What Does It Do? post thumbnail image

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that your body makes to build cells and vitamins. It’s produced by your liver and comes from animal products. These animal products tend to be high in saturated and trans fats which also cause your liver to produce more cholesterol.

Okay, why does this matter?

Cholesterol moves around your body in your blood. If you have too much cholesterol in your blood, you’re at risk for a lot of health complications.

There are two types of cholesterol – HDL and LDL. HDL cholesterol is high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. This is the cholesterol that is generally referred to as good cholesterol. LDL cholesterol, on the other hand, is low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and it’s the type that tends to get clogged in your blood vessels.

What are the risks?

Commonly referred to as high cholesterol, high levels of LDL cholesterol can lead to a host of medical conditions. Some of these conditions include:

  • Heart disease (coronary artery disease)
  • Carotid artery disease
  • Peripheral artery disease
  • High blood pressure (hypertension)

What can I do to avoid unhealthy levels of cholesterol?

You can prevent a lot of cholesterol issues by making lifestyle changes. Some changes you can make to avoid cholesterol health problems are:

  • Quitting smoking
  • Quitting smoking can help improve the amount of HDL cholesterol in your blood. It will also help your lungs and blood pressure.

2. Eating a healthier and more balanced diet

  • This includes eating less trans fats and saturated fats while increasing your intake of soluble fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and whey protein.

     3. Drinking alcohol in moderation 

  • Moderate amounts of alcohol have been linked to higher levels of HDL cholesterol.

4. Lose weight

  • Obesity raises levels of LDL cholesterol because excess body fat slows down your body’s ability to remove LDL cholesterol from your blood.

5. Exercise consistently

  • This will help control your weight, as well as lower your bad cholesterol and blood pressure.

Sometimes, your doctor will prescribe medication on top of the lifestyle changes that you make to help lower your cholesterol level.

If you have any questions about your cholesterol level or don’t know where to get a treatment plan, your primary care physician is the best place to start. If you’re looking for a primary care physician in Plano, Irving, or Frisco, call us at 214-666-6259 or schedule an appointment in the contact tab above the post.

Author Jai Sammpath

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