Nowadays there is much talk about cholesterol and most of us actually have no
idea what cholesterol is.
Cholesterol is a type of fat that circulates through our blood and that when the
normal levels are found to have risen this excess fat accumulates in the
arteries of our body slowly blocking them until the obstruction is such that the
adequate blood flow does not go through which causes a major cardiac infarction
(this is when a certain part of our heart completely lacks blood and this zone
as it were "dies" and stop working) and this can be lethal.
The normal levels of cholesterol in blood should have a maximum level of 200
mg/dl.
In order to measure our cholesterol we have to have fasted twelve hours before
the lab exam.
Cholesterol is not only produced for what we eat. The liver produces 75% of the
cholesterol and our food intake produces the remaining 25%.
There are also other types of circulating fat in our body which are
Chylomicrons are small particles of fat which form when we begin to eat and help
to better absorb fat.
Triglycerides are three glycerol molecules (a type of fat) which are generally
found to be high when we exaggerate the intake of carbohydrates such as fruit,
candy, chocolate and desserts.
Lipoproteins are proteins with fat and are divided into several groups depending
on the density:
HDL: High density lipoproteins. These are known as protective inasmuch as they
do not allow the other lipoproteins which are the aggressors that stick to the
cells and cause harm to our body.
IDL: Intermediate lipoproteins.
LDL: Low density lipoproteins. These are the aggressors and can cause the most
harm.
VLDL: Very low density lipoproteins and predecessors of low density
lipoproteins.
Treatment for managing the high levels of cholesterol or of any of the disorders
mentioned above should be given by your doctor.
Depending on the results of your tests and the state of your health, the doctor
will decide on the treatment to follow. But said treatment should always go hand
in hand with a modification of your eating habits and following you will find a
guide thereof.
Therefore, why wait to develop a problem in order to solve it when it is much
easier and healthier to prevent it?
