What is cholesterol? Cholesterol is a lipid that is used to build all body cells. It is necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous and immune systems, for the production of vitamin D and a number of female and male sex hormones. Hence the conclusion — the body needs cholesterol! The question is only in its quantity.
Normal blood cholesterol is considered to be a level up to 5 mmol / L. And if there is more cholesterol, it is deposited on the vessel walls and leads to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. And, as we know, atherosclerosis is the cause of coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, heart attacks, strokes and many other diseases.
Cholesterol is a very heterogeneous substance. Two of its components are most important:
- High-density lipoproteins (HDL) or “good” cholesterol. These molecules do not deposit on the walls of the vessel and even vice versa, contribute to their purification. The more HDL, the better. The normal level of HDL in women is higher than 1 mmol/l, and for men, it is higher than 1.2 mmol/l.
- low-density lipoproteins (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol. It is this fraction of cholesterol that leads to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. It increases the risk of heart attack or ischemic stroke and other cardiovascular complications. The normal level of LDL in women is less than 2.5 mmol/l, and in men less than 2 mmol/l.
Thus, it is important to increase only one fraction of cholesterol, namely LDL. Factors that increase “bad” cholesterol include:
- smoking;
- Overweight;
- overeating;
- insufficient physical activity;
- poor diet
- gastrointestinal disturbances
- certain endocrine disorders;
- hereditary predisposition.
Many people believe that we get our cholesterol from food. That’s not quite true. Most of the cholesterol — about 80% — is produced by the body itself, primarily by the liver. You can reduce the amount of cholesterol produced by following some simple rules of healthy living:
1. Normalize your body weight.
2) give up smoking
3. move more!
4. Watch and in time treat gastrointestinal diseases, endocrine disorders.
A person gets 20% of cholesterol from food. These 20% can be “removed” through proper nutrition.
If all these methods don’t help to normalize cholesterol, then you can take medications. Your doctor will prescribe them to you.
The peculiarity of a diet to lower cholesterol is that it excludes foods that contain large amounts of it. First of all, cholesterol is found in fats of animal origin. These fats are “saturated” fats. At the same time, many vegetable fats and sea fish fat are “unsaturated” and, on the contrary, help to lower cholesterol. When cooking, you should give up fried food. It is better to boil, stew, bake and grill. Just before cooking, cut off all excess fat from meat and remove the skin from chicken meat. During a diet to lower cholesterol, eat 5 times a day, about every 3–4 hours.
Learn more about each food group.
- Meat and poultry. Meat varieties such as pork or lamb contain a lot of fat, and therefore cholesterol. Try not to buy fatty brisket, neck, carbonad, ribs and other cuts of carcass, which contain a lot of fat. Remember that fat is not just fat that you can see. There is also so-called “hidden fat,” which is found even in pork fillets. A lot of cholesterol is also found in fatty poultry, such as goose and duck. Give preference to those meats that contain little hidden fat and fat, namely lean beef, chicken (especially chicken breast) and turkey without skin.
- Subproducts. Foods high in cholesterol are liver, kidney, lung, tongue, and brains. Limit their consumption as much as possible.
- processed meat products. Saturated fats and cholesterol are high in processed meats: ham, sausages, sausage, canned meats and smoked meats. Even cooked sausage without specks of speck contains hidden fats. In addition, there is too much salt in these foods.
- Fish and seafood. Seafood such as fish roe, sprats, oily river fish, squid and octopus contain a lot of cholesterol. Such products may be present in the daily diet, but it is recommended to limit their consumption to a minimum. Give preference to low-fat fish. It is very useful to eat oily sea fish, as it contains omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids, which help to reduce the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.
- Oils. The most “evil” source of fat is margarine. Remember that it is contained in baked goods and fast food. It is better to use vegetable oils, especially olive oil, sunflower oil and linseed oil. It contains polyunsaturated fatty acids and helps to reduce cholesterol.
- Milk and dairy products. Dairy products high in fat content contain cholesterol: fatty cottage cheese, sour cream, cheese and butter. Give preference to low-fat dairy products: kefir and milk (skimmed or with less than 1% fat content), yogurt, sour cream only for dressing of 10%, nonfat cottage cheese, cheese with fat content less than 30% in small quantity.
- Eggs. It is recommended to consume no more than 3 eggs per week. But if you separate the yolk, the whites are free to eat in unlimited quantities.
- 8. Fruits and vegetables. They are very healthy! Especially pay attention to apples, carrots, beets, citrus fruits, peppers, pumpkins, eggplants, quinces, cherries, plums, pears. The pectin in their composition envelopes cholesterol and removes it from the body. Onions, garlic, broccoli and berries also have similar cholesterol-fighting substances. There is a “5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day” rule. One serving is
- One apple, orange, pear or banana;
- 2–3 tablespoons of freshly prepared salad or canned fruit;
- 1 tbsp. dried fruit, 2 tbsp. dish of freshly frozen vegetables or fruit. - Confectionery. The lion’s share of cholesterol enters the human body with industrial baked goods and desserts. These products contain trans fats (margarine) as well as a lot of saturated fats. Besides, they always contain a lot of sugar, which is known to contribute to atherosclerosis.
- Bread and pasta. Rough bread and durum wheat pasta are a great source of energy. They contain insoluble dietary fiber, which binds cholesterol in the intestines and removes it from the body.
- legumes (soybeans, beans, peas). Contains a lot of vegetable protein. Highly recommended in diets with little meat.
- drinks. Brewed coffee has been proven to raise blood cholesterol, because it releases fats from the coffee bean during the brewing process. There is also evidence that giving up coffee completely reduces blood cholesterol by 17%. Tea contains flavonoids. They are thought to help lower cholesterol.
- Nuts. They are high in calories, vegetable protein, and unsaturated fatty acids. Recent studies suggest that regular consumption of some nuts, such as walnuts and almonds, leads to a moderate decrease in cholesterol.
A few more words. Read the composition of the product carefully. High fat and calorie content indicates that there is food in the package that may contain too much cholesterol.
Lipid Control Plus is a multicomponent bioactive supplement for those who want to comprehensively take care of their cholesterol levels, a healthy liver and their cardiovascular system. The product is based on 8 natural ingredients.
Regular use of Lipid Control Plus helps to take care of your lipid profile. The product supports the detoxification and flow of gastric juices. Lipid Control Plus prevents the accumulation of fats and improves their elimination by the liver. Consumers are sure to appreciate the fact that the product supports heart health and proper liver function.
