What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy fat like substance that can be used for building cell membranes. Harvard medicine school says “80% of cholesterol comes from the production of the liver, and the rest is through the food we eat”. Cholesterol attaches to a protein which is then transported in the blood wherever needed.
There are two common types of cholesterol HDL and LDL.
High density lipoproteins (HDL) are good cholesterol because there is a high proportion of protein to the level of cholesterol. It protects the body by transporting cholesterol through blood which can vary in macronutrients such as protein therefore can have the ability to aid cell membranes. Cholesterol can also be used to produce vitamin D and hormones (estrogen and testosterone). HDL can carry LDL away from the arteries and back to the liver then flushes it from the body.
Low density lipoproteins (LDL) are bad cholesterol as it contains fewer protein proportions. These fatty acids carry cholesterol through the body such as the arteries. This form of cholesterol contains plaque
which can stick to the walls of the arteries and overtime build up. HDL, our savior cholesterol, is consequently unable to provide us with its services due to the fatty material build up. This can limit blood flow and lead to cardiovascular disease such as heart attack and strokes.
How to Increasing HDL and lower LDL cholesterol
You can increase HDL by exercising. Walking for 20 minutes 3-4 times daily would be great and there is no need for high intensity, a simple stroll would be beneficial, as the body moves so does the flow of blood being transported through the body. There's a Chinese proverb that is simple yet effective, “walk a 100 steps after every meal and you'll live to your 99”. This isn't entirely true, but it had people intrigued and studies were produced and results came back with people with type 2 diabetes who walked 100 steps after every meal and not before, had lower blood sugar levels and helped digestion of food. In addition to increasing HDL and lowering LDL, dietary action can be taken by including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in moderation. You can refer to the blog post ‘ Fats’ to get a list of foods that will contain these essential fatty acids that will increase HDL and lower LDL cholesterol
Cholesterol has a bad reputation in today's world. Unfortunately we hear of tragic stories but never think of the aiding abilities they bring. The days we wake up fresh feeling positive and ready to attack any obstacle in our way, we can thank fats. The brain is made up of 60% fat that requires fatty acids to perform optimally therefore if we have sufficient amount of fatty acids the mind and body are in sync to synthesise nutrients that will aid our physiology.
Thank you for taking time to read this blog post, I hope you have taken some key points on how to include fats to reduce or increase cholesterol levels. Have a great day!