Physically taking care of our bodies should be a main goal for all of us. Having good physical health is of primary importance for us to be able to have and lead productive lives. Our physical health state has a major impact on our lives than just on how we look and feel. Our physical health also affects our mental health. After all, “Healthy body, healthy mind.”
We owe it to ourselves, for just about all aspects of our life to take care of our body. Eating right and exercising is paramount to our mental success as well as how we look and feel. And for another cliche, “We are what we eat.”
A word that is often tightly connected to what we eat and therefore to our physical health, is Cholesterol.
Cholesterol is one of those words that is thrown around to such a degree that most people assume that they have a basic understanding of what this term even means. It isn’t difficult to find something mentioning cholesterol on every other food item at the grocery store, health, and wellness infomercial or that pamphlet your doctor sent home with you after your last checkup.
The truth is, the majority of individuals do not fully understand what cholesterol is, the different types of cholesterol and how the amount of ratio of these types affect their health overall. This is a topic that is actually important to have a decent grasp on, as the health problems associated with cholesterol are wreaking havoc on the population as a whole.
The purpose of this article is to provide this information. We will discuss what cholesterol is, differentiate between the types of it and explain the importance of regulating the amount of each inside the body.
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is naturally produced in the body. It is also found in many of the foods we eat. This substance is essential for many vital processes that occur within the body such as hormone production and the formation of cells. While you may be under the impression that cholesterol is something to be avoided at all costs, your body cannot function without it.
There are two primary forms of cholesterol known as high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL).
1. HDL Cholesterol
While the names sound similar and are rather unassuming, they vary to a dramatic extent. HDL is commonly referred to as the “good” form of cholesterol. This is due to the fact that when the body has an optimal level of HDL, excess cholesterol is transported to the liver where it can be broken down and excreted.
2. LDL Cholesterol
The other category of cholesterol, LDL, is not so helpful. Increased levels of LDL inside the body results in excess cholesterol to avoid excretion and instead be transported to unfavorable areas of the body such as the arteries. When this occurs, a plaque-like substance begins to accumulate around the inside of arterial walls.
As you might imagine, nothing good comes from this scenario. The buildup of plaque causes the normal flow of blood to become obstructed; forcing the heart to have to work that much harder to supply the body with enough oxygenated blood. Over time, the heart becomes weakened and damaged from the increased workload. Furthermore, this scenario carries a significantly increased risk of resulting in potential fatal conditions such as heart attack and stroke.
The Food Factor
Now what we have a better understanding of HDL and LDL, it is important to be aware of the types of foods that contain each type of cholesterol. Obviously, it is a good idea to consume foods that provide the body with HLD and avoid those that contain LDL.
When it comes to HDL, some of the best sources of this cholesterol are found in the form of whole grains, foods that contain a lot of fiber, fatty fish products and beans and legumes.
As you may notice, these types of foods are mostly natural occurring options that are not overly processed and pumped full of artificial ingredients. That being said, foods that increase LDL levels include items that are commonly understood to be junk food. This includes things like fast-food items, butter, and many frozen meals.
For More Information About Maintaining A Good And Well-Balanced Diet
You can download a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020.
Available at: https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/
Conclusion
Understanding the function of cholesterol inside the body and being able to discern between the different categories of this substance is important to know. Hopefully, the information presented in this article is able to clear up some of the confusion you may have been experiencing when it comes to this term.
Keep Reading For More Information.
Check out these articles from our site as well as the source material references at the end of this article.
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Sources:
https://medlineplus.gov/cholesterol.html
https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/about-cholesterol