What is cholesterol and why do we need?
Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found among the lipids (fats) in the bloodstream and in all cells of your body. This is an important part of your healthy body because it is used to form cell membranes. Cholesterol also helps in the manufacture of biles (which helps digest fats), and is also important for the metabolism of fat soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E and K. This is the best precursor for the synthesis of vitamin D and several hormones to steroids (including cortisol and aldosterone in the adrenal glands, and sex hormones progesterone, the various estrogens, testosterone, and derivatives).
How something so good can it be so bad?
Cholesterol has been wrongly accused because upon inspection of the arteries of someone with a risk of cardiac arrest, cholesterol levels and plaque are often very high. Cholesterol is actually transported to the cell tissue as inflammatory reaction that is there to repair the damage. It will fit only into the artery and cause plaque if the artery has become damaged. The inflammation in the artery is what causes the damage. In fact, it is now recognized that coronary disease which causes cardiac arrest is now considered to be mostly the result of chronic inflammation.
Blaming cholesterol for cardiac arrest would be the equivalent of accusing an increased police security in a high crime area. This is not the police that causes crime, it is just placed there in response to the crimes.
A more important question to ask us to ourselves is, how are we reducing the amount of inflammation in our bodies so that cholesterol does not cling to our arteries?
We must reduce all these things we do that cause inflammation and increase things that reduce inflammation. First and foremost, we must stay away from foods that cause inflammation in our bodies. Any food that causes a rapid increase in insulin levels in the blood will quickly cause inflammation in the body. These foods are sugar, white breads, most dairy products and almost all packaged and processed foods. You still there? Of healthy fresh foods like fruits, vegetables, lean animal protein, nuts, and lots and lots of water. Also, eat foods rich in omega 3 significantly reduce inflammation in the body (salmon, organic eggs, nuts, and sardines).
What about your medication against cholesterol?
Some may be thinking it's just easier to take a pill and not having to change what I eat. But you should think twice considering the side effects of statins (cholesterol lowering drugs). Side effects reported most common are fatigue, headaches, nausea and the most common of all, the severe muscle pain and muscle degeneration. If you remember that cholesterol is essential for the formation of cell membranes, take a tablet that radically reduced cholesterol can cause damage membranes in neural tissue and muscle. Most people who take statins complain of neck pain, back or legs.
Millions of Americans are now taking drugs that reduce cholesterol, but the number of people who suffer cardiac arrest and heart disease is only increasing. Let's be personally responsible for our health and really take the problem at its roots. Taking control of your diet and keep you away from those foods that cause inflammatory reactions in your body is your first step to reduce your chance of heart disease and cardiac arrest.
I partially granted with Isabel De Los Rios in regard to its truth regarding the roles, benefits and dangers of cholesterol health. It is true that cholesterol known essential and varied roles on our health. Our body needs cholesterol to produce sex hormones, bile, nerve sheaths, cell membranes and vitamin D.
By cons, our body synthesizes the recommended daily amount of cholesterol the liver produces 1 g per day, the amount needed to feel the benefits and roles of cholesterol.
Cholesterol is not absorbed equally from one person to others. You will see people regularly eat processed foods or other foods known to be high in cholesterol, have a blood cholesterol values in the normal, while those who regularly care not to consume too have a bad high blood cholesterol . This is mainly caused by gender, heredity, diet and exercise.
In fact, 80% of our blood cholesterol is manufactured by the body, while 20% of blood cholesterol comes mainly from our diet. Perhaps you would say that if your bad cholesterol is high, this is caused by your body but no, you must see the truth in front, so your body is responsible but also consider your diet for many.
Regarding the effects of cholesterol on the increased risk of cardiovascular disease, since I did my studies in nursing, this relationship was always compelling somehow. It is true that there is a relationship between cholesterol and increased risk of heart disease but here, as Isabel De Los Rios says, this is not the cholesterol that instantly creates heart disease, or we would all be reached (although nowadays it is still the leading cause of death worldwide) it is rather than as physical inactivity and smoking, this is a precipitating risk factor for heart disease.
The link between cholesterol and increased heart disease is caused by high cholesterol here. LDL (bad cholesterol), when present in large amounts promotes oxidation of artery walls and so it creates the atheromatous plaque, which are also responsible for heart disease. However, low levels of good cholesterol (which can transport cholesterol from the arteries to the liver where it is discarded or synthesized) may also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease but when the amount of good cholesterol is in the values of Normally it has a protective role in our body by removing cholesterol from our body.
In short, cholesterol is not directly responsible for cardiovascular disease but it is a major factor predisposing to these diseases. In addition, there is another relationship that ensures that health professionals maintain that cholesterol increases the risk of cardiovascular disease is that people (in most of the time) who regularly consume foods rich in cholesterol generally suffer from a weight problem because we find in many foods "unhealthy" products such as frozen and processed. Obesity is also a precipitating factor for cardiovascular disease like high blood pressure (just the same relations) that can be caused by a diet high in bad foods (eg processed) or obesity.
In short, be sure to pay attention to the foods you eat while watching carefully the Nutrition Facts table, avoiding processed foods, choosing foods that are low in fat (dairy products less than 2% fat or 20% fat for cheese), increase your fiber intake by eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and grain products from 100% whole grains, and finally, by opting for lean meat and good meat substitutes (legumes, tofu).
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