What is bad and good cholesterol?
The cholesterol flowing in your blood vessels is not actually the dreadful character medical science pictured it to be, particularly if good cholesterol offsets bad cholesterol. The truth is, in order to have a healthy body, our body should avoid the bad cholesterol known as LDL (low-Density Lipoproteins), at the same time our body needs sufficient amount of the good cholesterol known as HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein). Read on to learn more about the difference between the two:
Both LDL and HDL are important to our body–LDL injects cholesterol to the bloodstream needed in the production of hormones and bile salts in the liver. Also, LDL aids in the distribution of fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamins A, D, E, K through your bloodstream. While HDL main function is to deliver cholesterol back to the liver for disposal.
Since LDL ferries cholesterol to the blood, there is a big risk that increase in cholesterol level might trigger plaque be deposited in the arteries and blood vessels walls. These plaque will eventually blocks blood from flowing to the heart. This is the reason why LDL is commonly referred to as bad cholesterol. The liver produces LDL and the food we eat have nothing to do with the production of LDL. In contrast, HDL brings cholesterol to the liver, in the process be broken down and excreted. Like LDL, the liver produces HDL and does not directly come from food sources.
To make it easier to understand, LDL transports cholesterol from the liver to the blood while HDL ferries cholesterol from the blood to the liver.
How to keep bad cholesterol (LDL) at a safe level:
* Watch your total fat intake. Stay away from eating visible fat, like visible fat found at the end of the barbeque.
* Design and apply new cooking techniques. As an alternative for frying, why not try steaming or grilling your food.
* Since cholesterol is only found in animal product, prefer vegetables over meat.
* Limit your intake of chips cookies, donuts, muffins, and croissants.
* Eat lots of fiber. * Watch your weight by ridding off unnecessary weight.
How to increase good cholesterol (HDL):
* Stay physically active.
* Quit smoking.
* Use cooking oils higher in monounsaturated fats such as canola oil or olive oil.
* Substitute your protein source with soy-based foods.
* Choose lean meats.
* Keep a healthy weight.
I think whether good or bad, their both cholesterols, when calcified to the veins causes harm
ReplyDeleteI do agree with the list you gave above about increasing good cholesterol. My husband has an almost perfect of good cholesterol according to his doctor.
ReplyDeleteThese are very informative Papaleng :-) My husband has a bad cholesterol and is taking medicine for life to keep the level down.
ReplyDeleteWe should all work to keep our HDL high. ^_^
ReplyDeleteI try to eat healthy because I'm the typical pinoy who loves taba ng baboy or isda and chicken skin! But you are right, we have to watch what we eat and maintain a healthy lifestyle Papaleng.
ReplyDeleteAnother lesson learned today. Thank you Paps! :)
ReplyDeleteThis is the lesson I got when I enrolled myself in a LIFESTYLE HEALTH PROGRAM, we really need to be health conscious in any way.
ReplyDeletethanks for the very informative post! good cholesterol is so important :)
ReplyDeletewow nice info dear...thanks for sharing..
ReplyDeleteEither bad or good but in both conditions its not good for health .. Indeed very helpful post
ReplyDeleteoo learnt quite a bit here. chips and croissants are my weakness :( haha
ReplyDeleteI am amazed by your health facts. Now this is one good reason to also intake cholesterol and not entirely avoid it. Dodging it would still end you up unhealthy.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your sharing. I talked about HDL and LDL with my dad yesterday night. And I was wondering why is it not good that bad cholesterol is lower than usual. Now I understand that. Again, thanks a lot!
ReplyDeleteWhen people hear about cholesterol they feel that everything about it is bad. But you have made it clear there is good cholesterol.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder, I shall keep my weight in check and eat more healthy. Perhaps reduce eating too much read meat and try to go on vegetarian diet once a week.
ReplyDeleteThis is a useful article to teach people how to differentiate the good and bad cholesterol, because many of us have associated cholesterol as something negative!
ReplyDeleteProper diet and regular exercise can certainly get rid of bad cholesterol. Great info Papeleng.
ReplyDeleteSo many interesting facts that I didn't know about it! Thanks for the good information! Let's be healthy!
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting post! Certainly something to think about and look properly into the foods I am eating! Sim x
ReplyDeleteBad cholesterol can really keep the body sluggish. It's important to keep good cholesterol in our system and avoid bad cholesterol.
ReplyDeleteThis is helpful information because we often associate it only with heavy people but any body type can be a harbinger of cholesterol. Our lifestyle, activity levels, and foods have an impact too.
ReplyDeleteInteresting and useful post. It is not always easy to remember which oils are mono or polyunsaturated or saturated. It is up to us to research and keep alert.
ReplyDelete