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Cholesterol 101

Publié par Unknown | 02:54

By Javyer Kcliney


Nowadays, a lot of people suffer from diseases because of unhealthy habits. Included in the quest for good health is the achievement of a correct cholesterol value. Cholesterol is a chemical substance that is naturally made by the body and is structurally a mixture of lipid and steroid.

Cholesterol comprises the membranes of cells and are part of the hormone called estrogen and testosterone. A lot of the cholesterol that is present in the human body comes from the liver, and a few of it come from what the food intake. Cholesterol is classified into three categories. Bad cholesterol or low density lipoprotein is one of these three types and they are bad because they may become the reason for a person to have heart diseases.

On the other side of the coin is HDL or good cholesterol. High density lipoprotein stops the deposition of fats in the artery walls that is why it is good for the health. Last on the list are the triglycerides - which comprise the plasma lipid or blood fat. Healthy individuals have the desired level of cholesterol in their bodies. This therefore means that you need to get your cholesterol level tested often so that prompt action can be done if ever they would be needed.

Diet and exercise are the prime ways to achieve a desirable cholesterol level. You should limit your total fat intake to 25-35% of your total daily intake of calories. Saturated fat should only be 7% of this 25-35%, polyunsaturated fat, 10% and monounsaturated fat, 20%. 200 milligrams is the maximum amount of cholesterol you should get from your diet. Three other methods to achieve ideal cholesterol values are having fiber-rich food intake, working out and having the appropriate weight.

Aside from the methods above, cholesterol level can also be maintained or lowered by taking medications such as statins. The option of having to take statins or any other cholesterol-lowering drugs is only taken when there is no other way possible to lower the levels. One of the most important things is to understand the different types of cholesterol. Information on this is readily available online - you just have to look in the right places. Therefore, taking of oneself essentially involves having the correct cholesterol value through an appropriate way of living.




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